Ruefully Poems | Examples

Sit A While

Hours nibble at a low back strain.
Tenuous strings were tugged
lifting water bottles.

You wonder how fragile you are,
how vulnerable to those red tides
that bend your iron like plasticine,
turn you into a crooked question mark.

Sit a while old man,
sip tasteless water from a warm plastic bottle,
imagine racing upwards
leaping from mountain top to mountain top,
get high on being low.

You've earned every dull ache,
time to ruefully admit
that there never has been
such a thing
as a 'dull' ache.

Your Beautiful Pearls Return

“Lost love returns on waves of memory 
in the sea of melancholy” – Quote by Poet


My gloomy sky showers sonorous rain with melody of tears, 
the drenched debris of my shattered heart ruefully hears. 
The rainbow colors paint your portrait in transient twilight, 
the clumps of gilded cloud frame it on their fervent flight. 
As its shimmering shadow floats in the sea of my emotion, 
in the squall of passion my longing waves dance in elation.
Before your image sinks into dismal depth of my morose core, 
the waves bring it back, adorned with pearls, to my mind’s shore.

Of My World

Human body, like a town, can be ravaged by time. ~ by  poet

My streets are weather-beaten and desolate 
my sun often flickers and glows but hazy
lone flashing yellow traffic-light is my moon
the Town Square has fallen ruefully apart,
Tell me, how can I take you on a tour of my town?

Fallen Angel

Why did a cauldron of bedeviled bats fly right 
into the grim windows splattering their blood 
on the shards of glass strewn all over the floor… 
What drove them to their gruesome death?
These nocturnal creatures that can navigate 
a labyrinth of caves skillfully.
I leaned ruefully against the darkened wall 
of this abandoned house, pondering;
Alas, if only these broken windows can 
tell the tale of that foreboding night.

Ensnared, entangled, entrapped, entwined by life…
Venturing to escape is to embrace death!
Hugging the shadows of incarceration I wait 
for the light of liberating death to shine upon me 
and wrap me in its ethereal grace. 
Cast out of Paradise, and a stranger in the mortal world, 
I am cursed with an angelic beauty 
like a rose blooming in the desert only to wither 
in its scorching heat—unnoticed, unsung!
Like a fallen warrior seeking deliverance 
like a wayward soul seeking salvation,
Unable to reconcile with either world.

Silent Shadow

Can I speak without being dismissed?
My voice runs silent as the shadows persist.

Your painful missive eats at me.
Your grin ruefully brings me to my knees.

Sorrow and crying tears apart, my soul.
Now I am a shell in the shadows of woe.

Your violent, harsh words brings no hope.
I longingly look to the stars, I can never cope.

Relief is in my hands of metal grey.
Its muzzle is in my mouth as I pray.

Love you have won your prize.
My soul in the silent shadows rises.

Manifesto

Healthcare and medical attention are an essential human right,
in modern societies this basic need should not be out of sight.
Every individual of any status should get proper medical care,
for which the medical systems and practices need to be fair.

Ethics entitles everybody access to treatment and technology new,
progress in medical science should help all, not a fortunate few.
Healthcare system must serve patients, not those in this profession,
sympathetic personalized care should not be an exception.

Better transparency and concern should be for patients’ benefit,
the system should work for patients’ welfare, not for profit.
It’s time to recognize the medical predicament many face ruefully,
address the systemic issues and collective challenges globally.

Breaking News

david looks at the guy

big
very big

Intelligent
not dumb at all
fast for his size
athletic

the young man picks up a pebble
looks ruefully at his crappy sling

The crowds going wild
jeering
catcalling

david grins
he has good teeth
he's a looker

goliath rubs his forehead
he feels a headache coming on

fortunately

david sprints away
to pray

Meet Tommy Caracos

He once was a pale of mine
when we were both young and dumb.

He was always a feisty guy - a real hot-head.
His ears satellite dishes
forever tuned to detect
any slight or perceived insult.

Time goes by,
there are forks in the road for both of us.
For years we don’t talk or meet.
I hear he’s a successful local plumber now.

One day, what do yer know,
it's Tommy!

He gets right to it,
complaining bitterly about a client
who had said something negative of his work
on Facebook.
He’s as mad as hell.

“If I ever see that guy again,
I’m gonna punch his lights out.”
He says,
his angry eyes locked on my face.

“How you doing Tommy” I say.
“Why” he asks suspiciously,
“ did anyone say bad about me?”

I’m backing away.
“Good to see you again Tommy.”
I say, easing myself away
from his simmering presence.

I recall ruefully,
that he was once a good guy
to have in your corner.

Refuge

"Writing is my refuge. It's where I go. It's where I find that integrity I have."
                                                                      ~ Charles Bartlett Johnson

Whenever my days seem long
and all my tasks turn out wrong,
And I wish the things I had not said
and feels like turning over and play dead...
Ha, I sit down ruefully and I write!

When someone somewhere gets hurt
When a lively flower bites the dirt
When somewhere someone’s heart breaks
and sneaks into a corner and quietly aches...
Oh, I sit down woefully and I write!

On the wings of the wind I write
On the waves of the sea I write
I write for all to see, feel and hear,
Write I about love, hate, faith and fear...
O yeah, lo! Now thou know why I write.


~04/03/23
~Contest: Writing Challenge 'R' words
~Sponsor: Constance La France

The Simple Word

The flashy words he deftly chose to seduce,
and with practice these became florid.
One word he once inadvertently let loose, 
that he had kept for long under the lid. 

He did this long after she came in his life,
sailing together in time in a fervent way, 
until they were hit by the storm of strife,
and she had started to slowly drift away.

His door was open, she did not return,
the last thread of hope he had lost pained.
A simple word then grew in his heart’s urn,
but he had kept it as a captive chained.

His longing for her did not ever wane,
he disliked to see her get hurt and sore, 
but unable to bear long the load of pain,
knew not when the captive’s chain he tore. 

For her the injury could not be greater,
as his spite spurted the simple word 'hate'. 
It was mea culpa, he ruefully realized later,
but belated, for it had sealed their fate.

______________

March 21, 2023
Contest : A Simple Poetry
Sponsored by : John Lawless

Retirement In View

retirement close, Arthur sadly wonders, 
                      ponders ruefully what his passions are! 
                              to merrily spend the days...
                             golf or pool! dearest wife says -
                       must get my tea in bed, whatsoever!



                                       May 31, 2022
                  A Funny Limerick - Any Theme Poetry Contest
                                 Sponsor: Tania Kitchin
                     Syllables (!0 and 7) checked by HMS.com

Mea Culpa

One word I inadvertently let loose
from those I had kept in control for long,
the flamboyant ones I carefully chose,
over time with practice they became strong.

I did this after you came in my life,
we flowed in time in the usual way,
until we were struck by the surge of strife,
you had started to slowly stray away.

That was when the word entered my heart’s den,
but I had kept it shackled as captive,
for you to return my door was open, 
from debris lost hope I couldn’t reprieve.

My yearning for you did not ever wane,
I did not want to see you hurt and sore,
but unable to bear long the heart pain,
did not know when the captive’s chain I tore.

In the open wound like a pinch of salt
from my spiteful mouth came out the word hate,
I ruefully confessed that was my fault,
but belated, for it had sealed our fate.

_____________________

January 29, 2022
Syllable count : 10 per line
Checked on PS Counter
Contest : Latin Lessons
Sponsored by : Margarita Lillico

The Gift of the Magi

When salt and pepper risibly 
recede,
Head wises up to ruefully concede. 

September 30, 2021

Keepsake

Night after night maybe it’s all I can take
Living a life ruefully with my own mistake
Pondering endlessly I often stay awake 
Pray, my yearning for you I did not fake
You could’ve been a little more forgiving,
So I’m keeping the heartache as a keepsake…
Everything else I am burning.



~Contest: "K" poetry
~Sponsor: Constance La France.

~Contest: Bite Size#16
~Sponsor: Line Gauthier.

Horizon

She ruefully commented, “Dreams are for the night
At daytime, they vanish in the light
Night and day cannot stay together
There are many storms which we have to weather.”
So saying, she looked depressed
All her hopes of living with me dashed
I answered 
She, listening to every word
“But some dreams do become reality
At least, once in a while
The thing is-
“Are you prepared to walk the extra mile?”
Her big, beautiful eyes brightened
She tried to make amends
“My love can make me wait for you eternally
But my heart seems to be somewhat in a hurry.”
The sky blushed red
As I pointed to her and said,
“Look, there at the horizon
Same with us 
One day, two lives will become one
And that also forever and ever
Just have faith in yourself
And have faith in your lover.”
She rested her head 
On my broad shoulders
Sitting there amidst the boulders
Both engrossed watching the earth embracing
Leaving both of us aflutter, pulse and heart racing……..

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