While down in hell paying my rent walking along a dark wall, Marcus was climbing from other side to come see me, I mentioned should I let down my hair for you to climb up, knowing I had small haircut, he laughed just on my way to see you for a quiet word. With a cheesy grin.
I don’t raise my voice.
I raise stakes.
One quiet word
can tilt the floor beneath you.
It’s not about force--
it’s about weight.
Where you place it.
When you shift it.
Who you let believe
you’re not watching.
I learned early
the value of silence,
how it echoes louder
when someone leans in.
Let them underestimate.
Let them smile
like they’ve won something.
I’ll be the hand
on the fulcrum.
They’ll call it chance.
I’ll call it design.
Because power isn’t always loud--
sometimes,
it waits behind the door
you didn’t notice opening.
Falling into a fake world
does nothing for the imagination;
It just makes the fire inside burn,
doesn’t derail my destination;
Falling upside down
doesn’t scramble my head;
The thoughts that linger are always there
following where my heart has led;
A pair of eyes, a quiet word,
you give me chills when I see your lips move;
It’s like a soft whisper in my ear;
the electricity crackling
like a sunset with a wonderful night promising;
I’m completely dizzy, totally dazed;
Oh stupid head stop failing me!
catch my heart when I fall!
Reality is the seduction
as I drown, blissfully falling.
QUIET WORD VISION
No disturbance, alone in sheltered eyes torn darkness;
Peaceable releases stowing within the cool black darkness;
Free from sound of sleeping children on a crowded street;
Silents creeps zero nothingness;
Restrained in speech impeached;
Inactive;
Rested;
Inconspicuous;
Unobtrusive way;
Conciliation of affairs nothings hears, darkness in my inner ear?
For Contest: Word Vision
Sponsored by: Vernillion Scythe
Got no time for You Lord
No time for your quiet word.
My life is far to busy Lord,
Filled with things of material wealth
Got no time for You Lord,
All my time is needed for myself.
Got no time for You Lord.
With pleasures to be sought.
My only interest is me Lord,
Never a thought of Thee.
Loud music fills my ears Lord
I don't hear Your whispered plea.
My soul is on a roller coaster
Deaf to your still small voice.
Got no time for You Lord,
Then a vision cleared my mind,
A vision all to bright
Of a dark and lonely hillside
When the day turned into night.
The mocking crowd jeered at Your Son.
I knew then what I had done.
Now I have time for You Lord,
For the price you paid for me.
You showed mercy to that sinner thief,
In his place I now see me.
I fall upon my knees My God,
Cleanse me as only you could.
Forgive me Lord for what I was,
Having time only for myself.
Let my tortured soul be free.
My beloved savior gave Himself,
On that cross on Golgotha's hill,
Oh yes, I now have time for You Lord,
I have learned to bend to Your Will.
© Dave Timperley May 2015
Quiet word
I am the quiet word you hear ,
That warns you when, trouble is near,
The feeling you get, going out the door,
Did you turn off the power, are you surely, sure,
The voice that says,
“I know it’s him.”
Know his hide in a whip,
that’s old Slim.
The phone it rings, yes that is mum,
And soon she is, a talking, some,
You thought of her, she thought of you,
Connection, called her into view.
You saw a friend, who is sick today,
Got the feeling, he’d go away,
Now in the paper, there you read,
He died today, you wish “God speed.”
Forboding comes you know the score ,
Before it happens , and for sure ,
Not wanting to know it more,
The feeling it’s creating.
30-july-11
WHO AM I? Enter Contest
Sponsored by: Paula Swanson
Papa sat there, quiet,
Reading his books
Never raised his voice
Or give you nasty looks
He just read his books
On metaphysics and inner self
Books I have not seen
On any library shelf
One day my friend and I decided
To steal mangos from the neighbour’s tree
When papa found out he sat me down
And had a quiet word with me
I felt torn up inside
Remorse for what I did
I used to curse myself
And say what have you done Sid?
Now Mamma she’s ummmm
A different kettle of fish
When she heard what I did
It was like signing a death wish
She had a way with words
Colourful they were
And when she moved
Ninja style a blur
I managed to run away
And climb up an avocado tree
She was lunatic and rabid
The gardener was sent up to get me
I should have run away
She came down on me like a monsoon
My behind was like a plum tomato
I looked like an alpha male baboon
Don’t get me wrong
The love was there
But do something significantly wrong
Look out, beware
Ask my imaginary friend Glen
This is not a trick
He too felt
The end of her stick
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.