The tiny shop was nestled in the historic Strand Arcade
and on every shelf, a treasured item was carefully laid.
On a gramophone, a seventy eight record was played.
Such a grand, delightfully soothing ambiance it made.
Curiosity drew me to examine everything displayed,
through piles of old clothes I could painstakingly wade.
There were wonderful period dresses of dainty brocade,
Gentleman's coats so well made of waterproof suede.
The softness of a Dior silk scarf with the edges frayed.
To be found, fine jewellery with precious gems inlaid.
There was a pendant and earings all fashioned in jade,
with a necklace that ornately allowed pearls to cascade.
Seeing the Aladdin's lamp, my joy was outweighed.
Presented in a velvet lined box, definitely first grade.
I was curious as to how much that needed to be paid.
Approached the owner, the price, hoping to persuade.
Why in our world there's always a war,
Nations fight so long they forget what for,
It's been like this since humans been here.
battles take endless lives for obedience and fear
The first battle's fought.were fought by the tribes,
Two men loved the same lady cost lots of lives
Then came religion and the mess preachers made
They fought to the death it was called a crusade,
These groups who fought prayed to the same god
But they still killed each other to me that was odd,
Many have been killed cuz two kings can't agree,
They even fight wars from ships on the sea
They started wars using swords and just shields,
Now the weapons will leave bodies like fields,
All the people who died in the wars on this earth,
I don't think the reason outweighed the worth,
Fighting over land that's already lived on,
And killing those people til there race is all gone,
leaders who start wars sacrificing their own race,
Nothing but cowards fighting from a safe place,
all the blood in time that the earth has soaked up,
Will never stop cuz there's to much corrupt..
Cherish all of that which you have now,
For at the ends of all shared roads
Memories become tears below your brow,
Each event impelled by Earth's lunar nodes.
Cherish all of which is secretly promised,
For at the end of all of this journey of life,
You'll realize how you were always blessed
Even in darkest days of turmoil and strife.
Cherish all of what you once had,
For in the very end you'll see it all again,
Flashing through moments you were glad,
Realizing your light outweighed your pain.
Cherish all of what you desire now,
For there is only so much of the journey left,
Indulge, inspire yourself no matter how,
Enjoy the pleasures you were once bereft.
Blood, sweat and tears
All in the name of eliminating my fears
Blood, sweat and tears
Just to find myself inside a Mercedes, getting an ego boost when I shift gears
Blood, sweat and tears
Creating a steel Armour in the form of riches
Ensuring the arrows of poverty don't pierce
It will be blood, sweat and tears till when?
My pains have outweighed my gains
What a heavy burden for my patience
They say blessings come as heavy rains
But it's been a dry season
As if an evil deity reigns
Hard to succeed, as if becoming the next king is forbidden like we living in a Herod type reign
But it's blood, sweat and tears till the gold appears
Destiny says I cannot endure my pain in vain
I know grace so I'll endure
On the days I fall short
Appreciation of the blessings I can count will be the cure
“Pray without ceasing; in everything give
thanks; for this is God’s will for you in
Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5;17-18.
The hands of compassion echo
kindheartedness like Christ conveyed.
To the Good Samaritan’s mind,
cost discounted; duty outweighed.
In disparate worlds without slurs
the hands of compassion echo.
It matters not where needs occur;
they’re unique, unlike art deco.
They are hands that go way beyond
never grabbing, never gripping;
the hands of compassion echo,
off’ring help for someone slipping.
To make the diff’rence in God’s sight,
always pray, give thanks and check - "Oh
that we could know His perfect will!"
the hands of compassion echo.
It will be beautiful
Light rippling across sky
Crisp air passing by
Can't wait for the morning
This joy is all I want to give
Stuff in dark places
Brighten lonely spaces
I think they've heard of you and me
Hand over hand
Sharing secrets not demands
The laughter and the touch
Remember the rough?
I have nothing to give my enemies
Preoccupied by forever
I dare not waste this endeavor
When we used to be so hungry
I've envisioned the vision
God has made provision
Every frame every man
Looked like the last of it
I chuckle at the counterfeits
I, the lady
You, the him
It could never be grim
The brightest of lights
Outweighed my God
Stifled life
Dreaming of being the wrong bastard's wife
Next to you, so silly and dim
I'm alright. I mean, I don't like the same things I used to anymore but people change over time right? I'm alright. There's this constant buzzing in my mind that steers my thoughts into oblivion so I distract myself to drown it out. I'm alright. These distractions keep me up all night and when I do eventually fall asleep, I sleep all day. I've never felt more alone then I do now. I'm alright. I'm constantly chasing that next high, in whatever form it takes. My destructive behaviors are only outweighed by my inaction. Sometimes its the cause. I'm alright. I fear that I may never be content. That I'll always be looking for what's next. I think that maybe if I just stay here, in this clearly awful position in life, that it'll justify my unwillingness to move forward cause if I do, then I'll just be unhappy in a better position and drag those around who I brought with me, down. I'm alright. So even when everything is all wrong, I'll just say. I'm alright.
On a mild Spring’s night
In the heartlands of Ulster
A prodigious child was born
For Ireland, to save her
A man of modest means
Yet formidable wit
The mystics he joined
A cause to commit
In poems and paintings
He found self expression
Yet through a noble pursuit
Would leave his impression
He traversed the country
On a campaign of recruitment
To free the impoverished through struggle
And the Co-operative movement
With Horace Plunkett and Connolly
He struggled for justice
Yet the Gombeens and the despots
Outweighed Caesar Augustus
Though Russell did not stop
In this quest for social reform
From misery to prosperity
One sought to transform
But the inconsiderate dogma
Of the Irish Free State
Meant to delay his mission
As the ‘Homestead’ must wait
George William Russell grew older
Crippled by usury
To wretched cancer, succumbed
Rest in peace, ‘AE’
When history records a legacy, in its lengthy ledger towards mankind.
That scroll may simplify complexity, with common survival foremost in mind.
It's a theme that traces an origin, to the very beginning with no end.
While it explores the numerous frailties, exhausting great resources to spend.
Throughout time, many have seen the contradiction, as destruction failed renew
Though efforts were outweighed by volume, from the infrared to ultraviolet blue
This pattern can be seen from antiquity, while preceding to modern day.
As it pierces the veil of technology, only to twitter away any decay.
What is seen is a consuming desire, almost innate in the culture without regret.
Since extinction dare not be contemplated, that would be better to just forget.
Here what's left vacant is the day present, with a past and any future to ignore.
And while myopic in focus & understanding, the greed falls short to restore.
So as I sit on the sidelines in observation, noting the folly of humanities fate.
My viewpoint is occasionally interrupted, by a future that just can't wait.
We’ve been apart for a while now
Chasing after all things new
But there’s no gettin’ round it babe
The one I’m still looking for is you
All my friends try to tell me
What’s meant to be is meant to be
And break ups happen for a reason
But what if that reason was me
Why can’t we roll the dice again
I wanna go back to who we were back when
The good times far outweighed the bad I’d give the world for what we had
It’s hard to breathe at the corner of miss you boulevard and lonely street
Baby if there’s someone new now
Can you let him know his dance is done
Cause if your heart is feelin’
What I feel imagine what we could become
Why can’t we roll the dice again
I wanna go back to who we were back when
The good times far outweighed the bad I’d give the world for what we had
It’s hard to breathe at the corner of miss you boulevard and lonely street
Why can’t we roll the dice again
I wanna go back to who we were back when
The good times far outweighed the bad I’d give the world for what we had
It’s hard to breathe at the corner of miss you boulevard and lonely street
Each day presents a choice of paths
As we journey through life’s meadow,
Seldom do we foresee the aftermaths
Making our way in sun and shadow,
Knowing not what the future may hold
With certainty, we valiantly press on
Placing one foot after another, boldly,
Through eve’s night and morrow’s dawn,
Until time comes to stop and rest awhile
To reflect on the paths we chose to take,
We find ourselves greeting with a smile
Most of the decisions we chose to make.
Hopefully, the better choices outweighed
Overall, we took the right paths,
A swath of right and just decisions laid
With no one accusing us of the aftermath.
Written October 1, 2022
[Thanks to Mr. Robert Frost for
inspiration to write this poem.]
The young go-getter reached the ladder’s top rung
by making work his foremost purpose in life.
Lengthy absences from wife and children stung,
but wealth he provided outweighed any strife,
so he thought. To his work-first ethic he clung
till poor health and retirement cut like a knife.
Loved ones’ aloofness cuts deeper. He has found
the saying’s true: What goes around comes around.
September 21, 2022
entered in the Ottava Rima Contest Placed 6th
Sponsor: L. Milton Hankins
Oh, for days of wine and song
when everybody got along
When friend or foe was not defined
by politics to be outlined
When simple things like plain old love
outweighed the need to rise above
And when the chosen faith or creed
did nothing if we disagreed
How sad for friends of long ago
to grow apart for different choice
Instead of celebrating time
in love of friendship to rejoice
Oh, for days of wine and song
Were youth and innocence so wrong
I miss the ones on different course
I’m left with such a keen remorse
Did I in my conviction lead
to empty hearts in want and need
I have to think, it’s not too late
with wine and song, we can relate
I made sure
I've done alot
Made mistakes
Took on more
Than I should take
Cleaned my plate
Washed it off
Rinsed it
Put it away
Took it back down
This go round
Started to smile
Instead of frown
I made sure
That
I didn't back track
I made sure to
Forgive too
Everyday it's changing
Tired of the same sayings
Ive been misunderstood
People outweighed my bad
Saw the good
They saw it
Through their own eyes
No longer had to be a disguise
I could feel
Time would heal
Heal the wounds the hurt
Put a bandage on it
Make it work
How could I loose
If I choose
To Grow
Be like Elsa and let it go
But don't run
From your problems
Strategize them
Go and solve them
And you will see there is a cure
When you make sure
I made sure
That
I didn't back track
I made sure to
Forgive too
As you see in this verse
Nothing wrong with putting yourself first
Know your value
Know your worth
Make sure you always come first
I made sure
That
I didn't back track
I made sure to
Forgive too
Written by:Concetta Hardnett
04/27/2022
I Was a Man of Fortune
By Franklin Price
02/21/2022
I was a man of fortune
In the married life I had
The good times that were in it
Outweighed the mundane and the bad
The love we had between us
Put us on a richer ground
We enjoyed our time together
With no one but ourselves around
Barb was my God sent soul mate
Now He has taken her above
Where she's looking down from Heaven
And still sending me her love
Her pain on earth is over
And will be forevermore
I'll carry on, as she would want
Until we meet at Heaven's door
We will be together once again
As was always meant to be
Blessed by our Lord and Savior
Throughout all eternity
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