A superstitious belief on black cats
is rebutted by my old black pet, Ming
She saved my life when I was still a kid
while seated on the grass near bamboo slats
where a small brown snake beneath was lurking
then slid.
By my side was brave Ming, facing the fight
Dad saw it… smart enough to get a lid
with stick that ended up to snake-hunting!
Then I hugged my saver Ming cheering, “Alright,
we did!”
April 3, 2022 4.51pm
Curtal Sonnet
A curtal Sonnet has eleven lines with a rhyme scheme of abc abc dcb dc
It has ten syllables in lines 1 through 5 and 7 through 10, however
it has only two (2) syllables in lines 6 and 11, and they rhyme with lines 3, and 8.
Contest Judged: 4/3/2022 2:35:00 PM
Sponsored by: Robert James Liguori
Place 1
Categories:
rebutted, cat,
Form: Curtal Sonnet
While bending the rules,
and strattling the line
I pushed every limit,
calling it mine
Tearing down fences,
defiantly proud
The direst warnings,
rebutted out loud
One last price to pay,
its ticket to stamp
Shadows concealing
my spiritual ramp
Each vow that I’ve broken,
those things left undone
The man I became
—a life zero sum
(Bryn Mawr College: September, 2020)
Categories:
rebutted, life,
Form: Rhyme
...dedicated to Ralph McTell
Michael is a prisoner
committed to an institution,
all he has, his senses and his schemes,
a gentle soul with no hard feelings
tries to find some beauty
to emancipate his dreams.
The routine is predictable,
bed checks, meds and three square meals a day,
so little margin for imagination.
He avoids the general population
and stays within himself,
knowing life will be sustainable this way.
One day he finds the Garden,
a paradise of plants aplenty,
and birds who twitter, tweet the day away,
in comparison to lethargy, to apathy and loss,
a world apart, with wonders to behold,
a font of pure pleasures that never grow old.
He knows that people can be bitter,
can be selfish and unkind
but he's determined to be resolute and strong,
He tries to make a friend or two but mostly he's belittled,
his efforts are rebutted or ignored.
The hopes and aspirations in his mind
find culmination in the Garden that he loves,
he talks to flowers, birds and they respond,
he's consumed with equanimity and grace.
So tell me, who's confined
and whose life is unfulfilled,
is it Michael in the Garden there, or is it you or I?
Categories:
rebutted, garden,
Form: Verse
...dedicated to Ralph McTell
Michael is a prisoner
committed to an institution,
all he has, his senses and his schemes,
a gentle soul with no hard feelings
tries to find some beauty
to emancipate his dreams.
The routine is predictable,
bed checks, meds and three square meals a day,
so little margin for imagination.
He avoids the general population
and stays within himself,
knowing life will be sustainable this way.
One day he finds the Garden,
a paradise of plants aplenty,
and birds who twitter, tweet the day away,
in comparison to lethargy, to apathy and loss,
a world apart, with wonders to behold,
a font of pure pleasures that never grow old.
He knows that people can be bitter,
can be selfish and unkind
but he's determined to be resolute and strong,
He tries to make a friend or two but mostly he's belittled,
his efforts are rebutted or ignored.
The hopes and aspirations in his mind
find culmination in the Garden that he loves,
he talks to flowers, birds and they respond,
he's consumed with equanimity and grace.
So tell me, who's confined
and whose life is unfulfilled,
is it Michael in the Garden there, or is it you or I?
Categories:
rebutted, inspirational,
Form: Verse
...dedicated to Ralph McTell
Michael is a prisoner
committed to an institution,
all he has, his senses and his schemes,
a gentle soul with no hard feelings
tries to find some beauty
to emancipate his dreams.
The routine is predictable,
bed checks, meds and three square meals a day,
so little margin for imagination.
He avoids the general population
and stays within himself,
knowing life will be sustainable this way.
One day he finds the Garden,
a paradise of plants aplenty,
and birds who twitter, tweet the day away,
in comparison to lethargy, to apathy and loss,
a world apart, with wonders to behold,
a font of pure pleasures that never grow old.
He knows that people can be bitter,
can be selfish and unkind
but he's determined to be resolute and strong,
He tries to make a friend or two but mostly he's belittled,
his efforts are rebutted or ignored.
The hopes and aspirations in his mind
find culmination in the Garden that he loves,
he talks to flowers, birds and they respond,
he's consumed with equanimity and grace.
So tell me, who's confined
and whose life is unfulfilled,
is it Michael in the Garden there, or is it you or I?
Categories:
rebutted, dedication, writing,
Form: Verse
...dedicated to Ralph McTell
Michael is a prisoner
committed to an institution,
all he has, his senses and his schemes,
a gentle soul with no hard feelings
tries to find some beauty
to emancipate his dreams.
The routine is predictable,
bed checks, meds and three square meals a day,
so little margin for imagination.
He avoids the general population
and stays within himself,
knowing life will be sustainable this way.
One day he finds the Garden,
a paradise of plants aplenty,
and birds who twitter, tweet the day away,
in comparison to lethargy, to apathy and loss,
a world apart, with wonders to behold,
a font of pure pleasures that never grow old.
He knows that people can be bitter,
can be selfish and unkind
but he's determined to be resolute and strong,
He tries to make a friend or two but mostly he's belittled,
his efforts are rebutted or ignored.
The hopes and aspirations in his mind
find culmination in the Garden that he loves,
he talks to flowers, birds and they respond,
he's consumed with equanimity and grace.
So tell me, who's confined
and whose life is unfulfilled,
is it Michael in the Garden there, or is it you or I?
Categories:
rebutted, character, inspirational,
Form: Verse
...dedicated to Ralph McTell
Michael is a prisoner
committed to an institution,
all he has, his senses and his schemes,
a gentle soul with no hard feelings
tries to find some beauty
to emancipate his dreams.
The routine is predictable,
bed checks, meds and three square meals a day,
so little margin for imagination.
He avoids the general population
and stays within himself,
knowing life will be sustainable this way.
One day he finds the Garden,
a paradise of plants aplenty,
and birds who twitter, tweet the day away,
in comparison to lethargy, to apathy and loss,
a world apart, with wonders to behold,
a font of pure pleasures that never grow old.
He knows that people can be bitter,
can be selfish and unkind
but he's determined to be resolute and strong,
He tries to make a friend or two but mostly he's belittled,
his efforts are rebutted or ignored.
The hopes and aspirations in his mind
find culmination in the Garden that he loves,
he talks to flowers, birds and they respond,
he's consumed with equanimity and grace.
So tell me, who's confined
and whose life is unfulfilled,
is it Michael in the Garden there, or is it you or I?
Categories:
rebutted, inspirational, day, garden, life,
Form: Rhyme
A seagull on the railing
And a pigeon on the ground
Were surveying their surroundings
And were pleased at what they found.
“I have the better life,” thought gull,
“For here, along the river,
I have a view and all the food
The river can deliver.
Poor pigeon has to scrounge and peck.
He’s on the grubby streets.
He has to dodge the moving feet
Of everyone he meets.”
The pigeon, on the other hand,
Was thinking as he strutted.
If he had heard the seagull’s thoughts,
He’d likely have rebutted.
“I love my urban habitat.
My world is rich with choice.
On sidewalks, statues or in parks
I burble and rejoice.
There’s plenty here for me to eat.
I’ve got a million friends.
With all the teeming humans,
People-watching never ends.
The seagull, sadly, must rely
On waterways for food.
His meals are raw, while I indulge
In morsels barbecued.”
The pigeon cooed and bopped his head;
The gull took to the sky,
Each convinced that his existence
Made him quite a lucky guy.
Categories:
rebutted, animals, urban,
Form: Rhyme
"Fill 'er up?" The attendant asked GranDad while chewing on a wad of
bacca with the remnants of spittle on his chin just after hocking one.
"Naw... just give me 10 dollars worth. That'll be good, thank ya'."
"Ok." He said, "But it's miles 'fore the next gas stop. Better think about it."
GranDad rebutted, "Naw... I just need enough to take me down the road
To da' house. It don't take me twenty minutes to get there by foot."
"She 'bout broke down anyways. Don't want to waste my cash on 'er
if she can't take me where I want to go," GranDad said with a chuckle.
"So, just give me 10 dollars. That's all she's worth."
(Written 3 days before the family van was wrecked when we put $10 of gas in it.)
Categories:
rebutted, dedication, family, funny, loss,
Form: Free verse