There’s an air of excitement
Amongst most cultured of Spain
Centred around a little hamlet
On the Andalusian Plain.
They are arriving by the plane load,
Helicopter, and even limousine
For the opening performance of
An event never ever before seen.
It’d the Ballerina, late of Barnsley
And her dance partner the Toreador
Who, after months of rehearsal
Are now ready to take the floor.
Every seat has been pre-sold,
Every planned performance full,
For the much awaited Ballet
Sugar Plum Fairy Meets the Bull
The costumes are a mixture
Of Tutus and Suits of Light,
The music is traditional except
During the Finale Bull Fight,
When the orchestra fades down
As though heard from afar
To be quickly replaced by
Massed Flamenco guitar.
The reviews have been amazing
From the international press
Invited to a short preview
In full costume and dress.
Charles the Third and His Consort
Have just entered through the doors,
We leave as the curtain rises to
Thunderous, rapturous applause.
She wore a singlet and a tutu,
Ballet pumps and slide in hair
And she practiced rigorously
With concentrated care;
But frankly her dancing skill
Was rather one of dross,
Her Dying Swan resembling
More of a drunken Albatross.
Then she met a Bull Fighter
Standing in the Barnsley rain
Cursing under his breath
That ever he left Spain.
Now they thrill discerning
Audiences every single night,
She in her ballet gear,
He in his Suit of Light.
With the big guitar playing
The mood is never dull
As they dance the Dying Swan
Being gored by the Bull,
And to rapturous applause
They restrict the encore
By repeating the performance
To just one time more.
Other projects are being planned
When they get time to rehearse;
Maybe dancing to the drum
Accompanied by spoken verse.
Oh it’s an exciting time
With no more Barnsley rain.
Operations have been moved
To a sunny Southern Spain.
With a knock upon my dressing room doors
I enter stage right to rapturous applause
And I sit before a white grand piano
So excited to perform
Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue
Such a treat for me to play
It would be a major coup
This masterpiece a challenge
So without further ado
A saxophone is heard
the audience sits without a word
Though excitement makes them burst into applause
Then silence
as I start to play my piano concerto
I am lost within my music
on a journey who knows where to
So please sit back ~ relax ~ and enjoy my first recital
As I venture on this journey concentration it is vital
Now at home sat in the comfort of my cosy chintz armchair
No piano can be seen ~ for there is no piano there
But deep within my mind’s eye I am reigning supreme
I am there upon that stage
I am living the dream
Written 9th October 2019
3RD PLACE
Contest: Living the Dream
Sponsor: Line Gauthier
Contest: Strand Special 12
Sponsor: Brian Strand
3RD PLACE
If I weren't afraid, I'd
act on the stage
A thespian I would be
When I witness a show
I yearn to be up there
as part of the company
But deep down inside I am desperately shy
An acting profession I'm too afraid to try
Though way back in my past
I have trodden those boards
as I stood on that stage
to rapturous applause
For I feel quite at home
as I walk through those doors
and return to the stage
to numerous encores
In a future incarnation my soul may return
To my spiritual domain upon the stage again
For no longer afraid I’ll be plying my trade
With a dance and a song truly back where I belong
2nd PLACE
Written 11th September 2019
Contest: IF I WEREN’T AFRAID
Sponsor: Line Gauthier
Contest Strand Choice 8
Sponsor Brian Strand
N/A
Accolades And Barricades.
The accolades that I have won
The medals for all the deeds I’ve done
The countless diplomas and awards
The rapturous applause
Don’t say who I am
But where I’ve been
And mean little
I don’t shout about it
And I keep it underwraps unseen
Far better that people see me
For who I am
And aspire to be
A product of my good parents
Who sacrificed so much
With such a caring loving touch
Pointing me in the right direction
For I am their reflection
Far from perfect
But good at heart
Even though my worlds fell apart
I do things that I know
Would make my parents proud
To show
Even though they are not around no more
They help me grow
They taught me
The little things are important
That are free
And mean a lot
Not the possessions
You have got
And be thankful and content
With your lot
And the life you have spent.
Peter Dome©2019.
I realised my loving habit on resurgence,
The habit of a loner,never in reference,
An offbeat of people's associates,
An evaluation of oneself,no delegates.
It's a feeling i've had for long,
That sweet feeling,so hard to go,
The feeling that restored my soul,
Off banquets,with love galore.
To my inner me,it resusciated,
To the dead in me,it dissociated,
To the blood in me,it started a race,
A stampede in my heart,but still i face,
Still,i face,
That sweet flashy feeling,
When my heart's at pace,
At pace with the jittery feeling,
The feeling of love that makes my heart impede.
You are like a marshy reed,
And like a momentous seed,you crop my soul,
And with a sole reason,you pound on my soul,
With a sole reason,i let you go on.
You are like a star,
The beauty at night which leaves a mark,
Your beauty a fact,you beat the stars,
You light me up,i'm never in dark.
Your looks are spectacular,
I tingle in excitement,
Your eyes are marvelous,
Forever i see bliss,
Your voice of an angel,
From my heart,a rapturous applause,
One thing is clear,
You are one so dear,
Three words can say it,
My heart has said it,
I love you.
Wind undressed the sky, bared a canvas painted blue.
Motley faces of sunflower smiles and festive air; an abstract
splash, each gleamed; each swung in purple dress, waiting
for the bride, a summer moon, to float to the stage as funnels
of colored rays crisscrossed: the shimmer of light.
Surreal charm, the display of a galaxy of heaven's stars
offset against the blue. The world asleep, the heavens
agog with bulging eyes as the bride glided, floating;
not turning right or left, set for the peopled hall lit
by faces painted crimson. Bated breath charged the air
as gathering of God's victorious saints spelled creation.
Rapturous applause—sounds of praise, of merrymaking—
sun, moon, stars aired soft tunes; lightning arced across the sky;
thunder rumbled. Cutleries clattered, signaling the bride's arrival!
I sat in glimmering red at a table decked with white roses.
© 2016 Celestine S. Ikwuamaesi
The other me you'd be quite surprised
She wears high heels, makes up her eyes
she parades around, singing lively songs
telling bawdy jokes where she belongs
Upon the stage, she's not alone
for in that bar, the stage, her home.
Dressed head to foot in sequinned gowns
the punters watch her earn her crown.
The greatest sight they've ever seen,
to them she is, the peoples 'queen'.
Every night there in that bar,
They come to watch her, she's the star.
She gives the punters what they want
Singing lively songs, to which they chant.
Then when it's time to close the doors,
she exits with rapturous applause.
They clap and shout and scream her name,
She revels in that loving fame.
When the show is o'er and done,
she's back to where she first begun.
She removes her wig, takes off her makeup,
and now it's time for him to wake up.
Oh there he is, where has he been?
pretending to be the people's queen.
It's back to some normality,
is she a he?, or he a she?
You see, the answer is quite clear,
She's a he and he's a *****.
Earning cash from having toiled
in late night bars,
burning midnight oil.
Contest Entry: Ancient Egypt
Four men, one king what a show
Taught muscles, strong bodies, no foe
The sport of Pharaoh’s to kill a King
In rapturous applause crowds stand and sing
'I am a God' cries the new pharaoh
To prove it is a must
'But watch me adoring ones
Kill this King with a god given thrust.'
'Hold tight the rope you men, on it your life depends
Not only yours, but your family too
Let not the torn muscles or bloodied hands you bare
Because t’will be their deaths I swear to you.'
'Until I grab his mane
And with my God-given power
I will prove that before my name
Even this King of beasts will cower.'
Hurry now our muscles cry, the rope cuts though our skin
If you must kill this mighty beast you better first begin
Raise your sword son of the gods take his spirit to strengthen your soul
Just to leave this arena alive that is our only goal.
A mighty beast does fall leaving four men on bended knee
The pharaoh won the call his cheering people do agree
Their sweat it doth mingle with the blood of the mighty beast
Although they slayed a King, at least with their families they will still feast.
© 26/11/2013
Little people stood around
And whispered at the sky
You must have seen it as did I
The word was so profound
Where’d it come from I don’t know
I’ve never seen the like
And lighting up the night so bright
I even saw it glow
At that moment I awoke
To rapturous applause
Abruptly stopping without cause
And then the word it spoke
My body’s made of letters
That flesh my meaning out
My name, that one’s inclined to shout
Feeling so much better
Who am I? I hear you ask
Important as I am
Is this another horrid scam
So you fulfil some task
Rest assured, I beseech you
Fear not what I will say
My name is MORNING here today
Arise and start anew
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