he liked it black and white with no greys in between
even when cracks appeared so strikingly evident
strictly speaking he preferred pink purple and orange
yet when life gave him lemons the brush would not work
the more he stroked and tarred over ruptures and fractures
uncertainty became elusive and poignantly concise
quite the opposite of what he had bargained for with all
the power delusion distraction insecure fear and despair
he knew that the writing was on the wall and yet
the language was foreign complex and would not reveal
meaning message beauty connotation and guidance
as he was blocked into silence depression resentments
all this had been the relentless story of his life and he
could not bear it any longer seemed to have lost all control
a rational mind portrayed it as the gift of desperation
a way forward towards healing perspective and peace
it was difficult to will positive emotions into effect
matters did not fall into balance but skewed misperceptions
what remained was hope rather than mere expectations
and he carried his burdens into an unpredictable but promising future
Categories:
poignantly, appreciation,
Form: Free verse
Gershon's fab writing reaches like
a preacher,
he's a retired teacher,
and poet extraordinaire,
with phenomenal flair.
His humor is witty,
he hails from Chicago city.
He deserves more views,
he pens poignantly too.
A poetry prince,
and I've been hooked ever since.
He ranges from limericks so cute,
to his love of his homeland Israel
so resolute.
He sends encouraging words,
and it would be absurd,
to not give him accolades,
for his positive presence these days.
So, if you haven't visited his works yet,
please do, you'll enjoy it, I bet. ~
Categories:
poignantly, appreciation, dedication, poetry, poets,
Form: Rhyme
("Something or Other", 2023, original encaustic)
Veils
Veils get lifted all the time
Anytime we encounter truth
But they then fall back into place
The natural effect of gravity
Or whatever we call the force
That is opposed to the levity of truth.
For me this recently happened
Seeing a particularly fresh and joyful Turkish rug,
But it’s happened before in myriad ways,
From vivid dreams, to close brushes with Death,
From the satori of meditation to taking just the right dose
In just the right set and setting.
Truth may be a constant,
But our relationship to it is constantly changing.
Earth spinning and revolving around Sun
Comes to mind as an apt metaphor
All the more apt since it is also our actual condition,
If we take ourselves to be objects in time and space.
Veils support such illusions
Perhaps, and simply, because they give us something
Tangible, which without, leave us naked
Exposed for who we are,
Or more poignantly,
Who we aren’t.
(8/31/23)
Categories:
poignantly, spiritual,
Form: Free verse
SHADOWS
leaflike
cracks
circled
around
reminding
there
is no
certainty
reputation
fades
into oblivion
lays
forgotten once
once
exhilarating,
enthralling
&outstandingly
impressive
in
an array
of advocates
knocked back
a
passionate
unconventional
& persuasive
dream
thought
juxtaposed
a
profound
rigorous
meticulous
approach
attention
to detail
understatement
expressed
in
relationship
with
deep
feeling
very tender
&
elegiac
poignantly
falls
NOTE:THIS IS AN OPEN(organic) FORM VERSE using spaces&breaks without grammatical symbols ,the ' open' relies upon 'the one breath limitation' & so inherently requires the 'reader' (reciter) to input and responds thus making this enigmatic form a two way interplay & interpretatIon unique to the moment& changing according to mood is inherently variable.
Copyright © Brian Strand
Categories:
poignantly, poetry,
Form: Other
SANCTIONS ENGAGED
the impact
formulated&cultivated
to promote
captivating
the impossible
eliciting
dazzling sparkling
gathering the dedicated
with oblique
but lighthearted
pretexts
& pleasures
vituousy
devoted
to facilitate
&reward
continuation of the
subordinate role
cited by a phrase
inward daydreams
an unappreciated
force
but with
an essential aim
somewhat incongruous
but significant
perpetuates the
expressive sensation
connects
meaning
with a new style
continually
contributing
to its
origins
frequently applying
distinctive approaches
&poignantly tracking
tendencies
to mesmoralize
&
immense in
full participation
THIS IS AN OPEN(organic) FORM VERSE without grammatical symbols the ' open' relies upon 'the one breath limitation' & so inherently requires the 'reader' (reciter) to input and respond thus making the form a two way interplay and often a unique interpretation by the enigma so derived
Categories:
poignantly, poetry,
Form: Other
Darkened translations emerge from the night.
Fledglings tarnished as they hide from the light.
Parvenue casualties from antiquated sin.
Depraved menage is how it dared begin.
Retribution will one day be poignantly felt.
Severely dispensed, his wrath will be dealt.
No one can hide from their diabolical display
Destruction will find thee and bring your end of day.
December 6, 2020
Categories:
poignantly, abuse, anger, death, loss,
Form: Rhyme
Oh sapience of musings, oh savior of poetic art!
How longingly I seek you out to inspire my ballad
When lassitude of the night envelopes my mind
And grimace of dawn darkens shrouded in fog.
Oh lyrics of melodies, oh harmonies of music!
How eloquently you speak in articulate dreams
When wordless melancholy poignantly echoes
And voice of emptiness confiscates my themes.
Oh redeemer of words, oh language of feelings!
How musically you evoke rhythms of symphony
When broken phrases languish in depleted ink
And haze of confusion subjugates my euphony.
Oh oratory of wisdom, oh intellect of vocabulary!
How metaphorically you divulge motifs of imagery
When ineptitude of simile diminish comparability
And wordplay disappoints in misplaced analogies.
Oh allure of meaning, oh enticement of literacy!
How singularly you elevate cadence of my poetry
When decaying thoughts linger forever miserably
And creativity encounters nothingness of drudgery.
October 5, 2020
Placed 1st: When there is no inspiration poetry contest
Sponsor: Silent One
Categories:
poignantly, inspiration, literature, poetry,
Form: Ode
Upwards you gazed, poignantly painting me
like no one had before, nor has done since.
Concentric white and yellow circles. Free
of any common bearing or pretense.
I'd seen idyllic villages before -
The steepled church in sacred echo of
the cypress, looking down in fond rapport,
as olive trees embrace the town with love.
But never have I seen hills so inflamed,
nor moon so agitated and insane,
nor indigo sky eddies so untamed;
grappling to find the answers to life's pain.
Vincent, you were art's unheralded prince,
Like no one was before, nor has been since.
(an ekphrasis of Vincent Van Gogh's "The Starry Night")
Categories:
poignantly, art, depression, night, sky,
Form: Personification
*First stanza below is not mine, but the other two are meant to be
added to it along with other stanzas (if our stanzas get chosen by the sponsor)
*Woven are these pages in poetic verse,
With bare threads of our deepest feelings,
You will find laughter, tears and remorse,
and words of wisdom, prayer and healings.
Sorrows drip from our pens so poignantly.
Elegantly too our joys are expressed.
We can even imagine things we cannot see.
With imagery, our loveliest thoughts are dressed.
We write for we must, and our words pouring out
can never be stopped, for as our words surge -
like rivers to the ocean we flow; without doubt,
we are one and the same as together we merge.
April 27, 2020
for Krish Radhakrishna's Poetry Anthology add your stanzas Poetry Contest
Categories:
poignantly, poets,
Form: Rhyme
aches
heartbreaking
i have been misunderstood
mistakes
breathtaking
I never said I was good
pancakes
lovemaking
I will never attain sainthood
moments
so brief
Filled with loneliness
ailments
of grief
Plagued by emptiness
His existence is my bane
A fate I hate
poignantly
He leaves again
I wait
patiently.
Categories:
poignantly, emotions, hurt, passion, sad
Form: Rhyme
the phone cord coiled,
attached to the wall —
i can’t reach you.
the hours and hours
we’d spend,
chitchatting
would come to an end.
your humor, your face —
once in a while
visaged
in my mirror...your countenance
mine.
though we’re related
by twin mothers,
i never saw
it, before
you died.
but you shine your light
under my lids —
i can still see you
though our converse
has been carried out.
i miss you so deeply,
affectionately and poignantly.
gratefully cognizant
of your place in Christ.
12/8/2019
Memorial of a Loved One Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Chantelle Cooke
Categories:
poignantly, tribute,
Form: Free verse
There beneath the dome of ashen sky
Nary a hint tonight of her favorite stars
And motion above of cumulus clouds
Neither does thunder, nor pleads aloud.
Restless, voiceless she poignantly recalls
Spark that evoked from doting heart
As under the olive tree he knelt down,
Before his vows got muffled by bombs.
There she heard how nothingness sounds:
As houses burned, buildings collapsed,
Bodies were scattered for miles long
In mangled, shattered voices of chaos
When vacant disgust muzzled the town--
Neither did anywhere church bells ring
Nor did the minarets make prayer calls;
Gone were the cries from mother's arms
And footsteps of hunger buzzing in shops
And heartbeats of lovers strolling for joy
And laughs of the youths playing with ball.
And there she still lingers in echoes of war--
Why didn't her verses compose a ballad?
Why didn't her love strum strings of guitar?
And why oh why, so soon did her music stop?
August 31, 2019
Placed 1st: Silence poetry contest by Silent One
Placed 3rd: Strand choice 8 contest by Brian Strand
Categories:
poignantly, silence, war,
Form: Verse
Paintings of word-pictures we can sometimes see;
Other times, pure pathos is offered poignantly.
Elucidation can be channeled most enchantingly
Through a poet’s pen to you and me!
Raining thoughts, poets plant them carefully,
Yielding the harvest of their soul - their poetry.
for Line Gauthier's 'Surprise Me' Contest
Categories:
poignantly, poetry,
Form: Acrostic
During enduring winter rain
the small bird cheeping
his only wish of certain warmth
ducks out of the sheeting rain - each
grain aimed an icy dart poignantly
tipped with a hardening past -
into the chimney duct through
too-small a hole for use again,
tweaking his wish to certain flames,
some sorta luck, and, suddenly drained,
to sync with the rain
Categories:
poignantly, addiction,
Form: Rhyme
Pompous
Politicians
Pontificating
Pointedly poignantly
Puffed, prettily preened
Propagates
Pretentious
Poopiness
Categories:
poignantly, political,
Form: Alliteration
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