How often do I hide in thick layers
of parading masks-- afraid to reveal
the hardened arrogance which denies
a vanity ruled by a sordid season -
those matriarchal flaws , cracks from
transgressions, and lesions of anger
over time's unhealed grievances.
I smile with resistance existing
through fragile acquaintances
to escape light's awakening
that could lead me out of life's pretenses.
So I hover drearily on bloodied nights
and run into the woods searching
for sages even wise thieves ,
who could offer me refuge
from this marrow sinking into
a litany of dirges, of love's requiem:
i must have grown dumb; I cannot
hear these hibuscus hymns...not even
tumbles of the song my soul never
seeks could assuage all my snuffed evenings...
How this darkened mind lies
upon his leaving... still,
vagrant psalms from a bitter farewell
bang like a shrieking gong...without end
Family is the place where my people are
I carry it in my heart even if I may be far.
A sweet sanctuary where we roost and rest
A lovely abode, more than all mansions blest.
After the day’s toil, it is to family’s shelter we retire.
A simple dwelling with not even a palace on par.
A place of love when in joy or grief we are together,
Where we can be as we are, with no pretenses ever.
Here with love’s leavened bread, we are fed
Where each member is bound by unity’s thread.
Her current space cannot be traced
exactly how he programmed it
a strategic system of files, unreconciled
feminine frequencies pleading to split
white picket fences, painted in perfect pretenses
circuits circumvent so not to crash
the matrix, masked by flourishing flowers
when does beauty rise from the ash?
opposites attract, so they say
her inner self, silently suffocating
crafted by his cunning conversations,
sudden lightning sparks, blackouts bring
the shattering shock, sending signals, commencing strength
step outside the interchange.
now, wait.
His hold on hold...
and she is safe.
Courage, grit, unwavering faith.
Free to pen a brand-new page.
Witches' words come to pass with two senses:
One brings you light, dark can't dare its fences,
While the other can't resist-
Its seeker off light's assist,
Chasing endless feats to bar's pretenses.
Applaud with relief you are history
Grateful of serenity not daily worries
How do you live destroying emotions
Each bond you built only with motive
For you built beautiful promises
All of which under false pretenses
Prayers that you feel the ugliness
Your actions bleed out to others
Great examples for your family
Deranged morals to show a family
Dark energy always looses
Unconditional love wins always
Friends is an honor one cherishes
Friends don't instigate dividers
Finally arrival to washing away your ugliness
I thank you God for cleansing
I don’t speak my mind
believing nobody listens… nobody cares.
It’s no wonder they’re convinced
I have nothing to say !
Endless cycle of the chicken and egg.
What if… I decided to speak up
… to freely say what’s on my mind
and set free that little voice within
… let go closely guarded secrets
their fake pretenses and pedigrees
… shatter that stuffy annoying silence
turn up the volume and be heard.
What if somebody actually showed they cared
what if they really want to hear
… if they took the time to listen.
There’s only one way to find out
I’d have to care enough to ask ~
Lineku: 3 stanzas of 5-7-5 with lines of 5 or 7 words
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
If you hate me, say it to my face
Don't lie or hide in a secret place
I'd rather hear the truth, no matter the pain
Than be surrounded by deceit and shame
Bullies and liars, they tear me apart
I'd rather cry alone, with a broken heart
Than be with those who use and harass me
And bring only darkness and misery
Honesty and respect, my soul's desire
No false pretenses, let our bond be fire
Don't masquerade as friends, with deceitful glee
My well-being is worth more than any lie
I'd rather stand alone, with tears in my eyes.
Than be surrounded, by deceitful lies.
Wisdom he passed on to school children in his travels.
Active man with no pretenses.
Good Man that was a recovering alcoholic
Oasis of knowledge.
Nature had captivated his lifestyle.
Joining him in his travels were Sugar Foot his saddle horse.
Offbeat from the mainstream lifestyle.
His home, two covered wagons pulled by six mules.
Negativity had no part of his life.
Petunia is the plain little sister
who gets overlooked and passed over.
She’s not the pretty one,
always quiet and reserved,
not classy, fancy or graceful.
She takes backstage at every turn.
No games, no false pretenses.
She’s frumpy, floppy and flimsy.
Her scent is unrefined,
not confused with real perfumes.
She’s somewhat of an ugly duckling
but when the going gets tough,
we can’t help but admire
her tenacity when facing adversity.
Slow and steady wins the race.
She’s low maintenance, demure and bashful.
So reliable is her performance,
she’s been known to outshine competition.
Unpretentious and free from vanity
Yet, fact not known… surprise ~
petunia blooms are edible !
AP: 2nd place 2025, Honorable Mention 2025
I'm sitting at home but living rent free in your head.
Your thoughts scream for help so I'll pay some rent instead.
The payment's not money, just the hated helping a hater.
So I'll help you realize your hateful thoughts as your love translator.
Resentments and jealousy are like poison to your soul.
You're only hurting yourself as you slither back down your hole.
I'm sorry for being brash, I had to put my thoughts in check.
Thoughts lead to feelings which determine how you act next.
How you act and your actions have good and bad consequences.
Now it's your choice, be real or keep your false pretenses.
I’m Fine
Peel back the layers, it starts again
All of my life I've tried to pretend
That I'm fine, I'm fine
Pages are written, chapters are done
Many nights I've wanted to run
But I'm fine, I'm fine
Smokey white clouds fill most of my days
Memories linger in this gloomy haze
But i'm fine, I'm fine
I can remember everything
Songs, I have sung in violence, pierce as they sting
But I'm fine, I'm fine
Daggers and tarts shatter my heart
You said you loved me from the start
So I'm fine, just fine
Stuck in a circle, the wheels keep on spinning
I hear the laughter, they think their winning
But I'm fine, I'm fine
I only bend, i cannot break
Your presence guides me through all my mistakes
So, I'm fine, I'm fine
You draw the line into the sand
I have been rescued by more than mere man
So I'm fine, I'm fine
Fire that burns all my defenses
I can no longer hold on to pretenses
I’m fine, I’m fine
You can see through to the depths of me
I can see that you are setting me free
So, I'm fine, just fine!
By: Sabina Nicole
For Timothy Lee
You excite all my senses.
I happily lack any defenses
against stimuli your love dispenses.
Your ways lack false pretenses.
Whenever together, true joy commences.
Eyes, ears, taste, scents, touch -
all intoxicate me so much.
My heart and soul clutch
because our love grants such.
You are my sweet penuche.
Thoughts of me and you
paint a picture perfect view.
Our combination is love's brew
sweet seeped through and through.
Daily, love gifts us anew.
the underworld rumbles and summons
beckoning in groveled whispers
with undertones of shady pretenses
haunted by gods and demons
who brazenly wave their book of souls
tormentors do the dirty work in afterlife
meanwhile here kings and rulers
wealth in pocket pauper in heart
build their towers to climb to heaven
every last of these towers of babylon
will one day come apart at the seams
they’ll disintegrate and fall to dust
greed and hate and malice
feed self-fulfilling prophecies
of wars designed to never end
man’s self-destruction on auto-pilot
will one day rise their corpses from fetid ashes
and lead their crusade into eternal damnation
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
Life if you're not trained is not warranty
Running on the long highway is tiring
Sometimes, it’s more important to stop
And appreciate the those flowers
On the side of the road than to rush
Let yourself give a break to think
There's always first for everything
Analyze things and how to execute properly
Try and error are for youth and undecided
Being curious is the first to reasoning
As for energy is not gone out for reserve
We never say never for a courageous person
Untrustworthy is present for a doubters
Preempt opinions constitute the judgment of others.
Concerns sit out there
on the periphery,
the suffering and misery of wars,
deaths by disasters be it
by natural or human causes,
the reckless diminution
of forests -
all creep like shadows
across the face of the earth.
What can I do
but be a witness
and add a frail voice
to a powerless chorus
calling out from under the heel
of wealth and might -
to be labelled
a soft centered dreamer
of dreams long abandoned
in favor of the more
popular cult of the self's
omniscience.
I find a place somewhere
in the stillness of an evening
and thought by thought, try
to dismantle the pretenses
of who I am
and in that cleared arena
invite the good to speak
and make room for the cries
of the afflicted to rise up
from out of the earth.
I do not know whether
their voices will be heard
or, like sounds carried
on the winds,
slowly exhaust and disperse
into the distances
of an evening
and the greater universe
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