Shed A Tear
Within debilitating heartache you shed a tear
The loss of a loved one that you hold so dear
Gone is the that one love you once held so near
Memories overcome you as you shed a tear
Seeking inner strength that no longer is clear
Overcome by all these emotions that appear
Consumed by the sorrow and pain so severe
Suddenly overcome by grief you shed a tear
Praying for inner strength to adhere
Hoping that time will heal and endear
Fearfully your near future is so unclear
You quietly and solemnly shed a tear
Releasing all inner sorrow as you shed a tear
Letting go of the uncertainty causing you fear
Becoming aware of your feelings so sincere
In your loneliness you privately shed a tear
You open your mouth
And my breath comes out
My heart spilled on your chest
I know what happens next
Fingers intertwine
I’ll let you blur the line
We’ve synced our hand watches, our breathes,
Our time and upward motions
Our souls whisper and kiss
Linguistics meet their stand in
Looks and tells, a longing, dripping cheeks
A hum, a nod, a wink to God
Publicly known words replaced with privately-owned sounds
So as not to water down
What’s already been found
‘For the message is foolishness to those who are perishing’
All valuable things are done in secret
Secret tongues, intertwine
I’ll let you blur the line
We’re getting by,
year by moment
Unblinded and defiant, I asked you to carve your name into my skin
I’m under the covers, inside your chest
Blood pumps and beats,
Whispering vows breath-soft in morse code
You’re always running a beat behind mine
My God,
forgive this heart
The priest stands above
takes his cross, firm
Merciful Christ
who will love privately?
for sin
between words and his name
his name a confession
I confess
I guided him against you
and it was good
Sorry,
Amen
I must have gazed at him slowly wandering
Along a bushy stream, his locks breeze-tossed
With cheeks a reddish rush, rugged like fall --
This woodsman lounging among the grass
His sunlit face wearing off into a gloom.
Beneath a tangled pine from which musk scent
Grew drowsy like his shirt cast down,
Behind the rays, deep was his discontent.
And watching this shadow from the vine,
His look ...sad cascading through leaves,
More sad than black,or all that black can pour.
Our eyes locked briefly, this sudden glance
Of dimming chance...I moved away...
Adored privately, I longed to hold those arms
Where splashed the murmur of this
my heart's veins ;
With all that throbbing did I implore...not now,
As calm sorrow drained from his
mystic charm.
5th Place Premier
SOMETIMES, I AM TIRED OF HIDING MYSELF AS A MAN
IN A SOCIETY THAT THINKS A MAN’S PAIN DOES NOT EXIST…
EXHAUSTED FROM FEELING LIKE I AM NOT ALLOWED MY TEARS…
CONFUSED ABOUT WHY,
IF WITNESSED IN THE PUBLIC’S EYES,
I’M NOT SUPPOSED TO CRY.
FRUSTRATED WITH THE THOUGHT THAT, AS A MAN,
I CANNOT SHED MY EMOTIONS
ON MY PARTNER’S SHOULDER.
PRIVATELY ENRAGED AT A SOCIETY
THAT THINKS VULNERABILITY IN A MAN
IS A SIGN OF WEAKNESS.
THINKING TO MYSELF,
“HERE I GO,”
WITH ANOTHER PERFORMANCE.
ANGRY AT HOLDING ON
TO A FALSIFIED SMILE
WHEN I’M HURTING.
SO AS I WRITE THIS POEM,
IT IS WRITTEN FOR ALL MEN—
A READING FOR YOUR HEARTS TO MEND.
AND KNOW
YOU HAVE PERMISSION
TO BE ALL VERSIONS OF YOURSELF.
I am the box you spend with eternity.
Holding what is left, what remains.
Anguish seeps down from shattered hearts
Releasing unbearable pain.
I look put together for a little while
Then I fall apart where no one can see.
Like excusing yourself into another room
So you can privately grieve.
My satin filled insides will eventually disperse.
Until the Earth claims what is rightfully hers.
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust,
Letting go is a powerful must.
They lower me solemn and slowly
Earth welcoming me back home for good.
Beneath the soiled surface,
I perform the work of wood.
In twenty-fourteen, on a Yule Christmas
Holiday at school in a young lady's
Life, she shares a few moments with her loved
Grandparents. Embracing, showing the deep
And enduring bond they shared together.
It has been seven years since Grandpa passed.
On Christmas Day those moments privately
With her grandmother are spent silently,
Shedding tears at the head of his headstone.
Tired of being afraid,
Of the path I've laid,
I may have strayed,
And been dismayed,
Time is delayed,
Played into my own hands,
A life full of demands,
I don't even understand,
Was the fear planned,
I stand before you bare,
Unaware of whats out there,
Sharing every part of me,
So that everyone can see,
Laughing privately,
About what they think of me,
I feel all their energy,
Every time we meet,
It's hard to be discrete,
I'm tired of the deciet,
Defeating myself over and over,
My shoulders are growing cold,
Breaking away the mold,
i'm tired of being told,
Being scolded for what I do,
I'm tired of being afraid of you,
And the next thing you send through,
So I stay true to me,
And just wait and see.
I stitched my Wounds in borrowed Dark —
Where comment cannot pry —
The Noise of mouths was everywhere,
Yet Silence endured I —
From serious Pain — the Chronic kind
That teaches Breath to hide —
I fled the marketplace of words
Where weary meanings died —
The Chatter spent me poor of strength,
Each syllable a tax —
I learned to leave with empty hands
And fewer looking back —
Terrified of the self that feeds
On mirrors, not on Truth —
I guard the gates of my own Pulse
With almost holy Ruth —
So quick the Tongue is now to pause —
A practiced, sacred brake —
For speech once loosed cannot return
What careful quiets make —
My Ears remain — wide-open Fields —
My Eyes — an unslept Sea —
I watch the world without a claim
That it must answer me —
And privately, the Healing grows
Like roots that work at Night —
No witness but the tender Dark,
No proof — except the Light.
The man in the elevator said, as to everyone's dread,
their stomachs all dropped, and the lift suddenly stopped,
"Let's philosophically think, though our situation might stink,
we don't have to work for our boss, that dumb jerk".
Yet, privately, he thought, "I've got a great spot,
next to this buxom beauty. You bet your patootie,
I'm happy as a clam in this tight jam. If we're rescued, I don't give a dam*".
Laugh when all else fails
Laugh even if your ship doesn't sail
Laugh when you rather cry
Laugh while you're saying goodbye
Laugh in or out of season
Laugh for reasons or for no reason
Laugh because laughing is medicine
Laugh and release the frounds within
Laugh and live; Laugh and love
Laugh with joy born from above
Laugh privately or in a crowd
Laugh quietly or laugh out loud
Laugh when nothing is going well
Laugh when there's no water in the well
Laugh whether you are strong or weak
Laugh both in wins and defeats
The fight in which you can't understand,
As love proceeds to hold your hand,
On purpose with precision, precious in his eyes,
Keeping every ounce of you hidden protecting your heart inside,
Like a treasure to keep or a door to unlock,
A place to hide when the heart's had enough,
We live out this life with everyone knowing,
And yet forget the heart that's privately showing,
The love that we so desperately want,
That quietly reassures us we are more than enough,
That stands by our side that doesn't need to be seen,
And loves us no matter what whole heartedly,
Sitting by the river
There are lovely urban views,
But it’s more fun to people watch
And check out the tattoos.
A dragon snaking up an arm,
Some flowers on a calf,
An eagle near an elbow
And a wizard with a staff.
A Yankee logo on a neck,
Some words etched on a chest,
A tiger and a postcard with a stamp,
Neatly addressed.
A bird, an anchor and a leaf
And much more, I suppose,
Well-hidden from the public,
Meant to privately expose.
2025.3.08
Happy birthday to you all.
To everyone who was born on this day.
To International women day.
It is a wonderful day to celebrate.
Privately or publicly.
You shall have at least a present if not two.
No matter where you are at this moment,
You deserve to enjoy the celebration.
As you are one year older
You should be a bit wiser.
Did you know that,
Wisdom grows every 7 years.
I wish you could see your love one,
To wish you Happy birthday in person.
And giving you some birthday presents.
Best wishes. Happy everyday and always.
Only in the wretched
Broken locking
Of the safe
I was beaten into
Which refuses
To hide
Privately, despised by standards
Breakthrough! Simple
To be your sickness, in fiend
In the fiend you
Rusting edgework of him
And her and his fathers and hurting
Me better
Thanking myself always
Your cursed reproach of silence
Uncontrolling the illness
People please themselves in the dyes
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