A place that I sometimes will go
So I can settle down my mind
Somewhere that I can sort my thoughts
A place where they will then refine
It's their I figure what I'll do
A place that I sometimes will go
To build upon what has been done
So I in life can surely grow
I find that I can think my best
When I find myself alone
A place that I sometimes will go
Will have no map where it is shown
For it is solely in my thoughts
When I extract myself to know
To free me from what causes strife
A place that I sometimes will go
This stone is a memory
and memories are not truth.
I carry these stones in a box,
dripping nostalgia all over my shoes.*
The box fills faster than I can make room,
old rocks settle down below.
Some get stuck between my toes,
as I limp toward another show.
It's already Tuesday again.
I've got a pile of Tuesdays stashed away,
wearing themselves down to sand,
rattling the box with every shake.
Running my finger along the edges
for the last time—I'll know,
I'll divine them across the floor
and see what remains.
They met each other in a dream one night
In the mist by the bank of the river.
When their eyes locked in their own embrace
They both felt a quiver
Each were captured in the moment.
The water hushed the trees.
Thumping hearts and shallow breaths
Were carried in the breeze.
The gap between them began to close
A tip-toe at a time.
At the lightest connection of their fingertips
A bright spark struck sublime.
They both glanced down at their hands
At the feel of irresistible desire.
They thought about what these hands could do
Their imaginations catching fire.
Their eyes locked again with lips curved to grin
They both felt a sudden rush.
She was a lady, he a gentleman
Yet their lust bled into blush.
He ushered her to take a seat
On a bench made just for two.
They took a deep breath and faded away
Into a hazy hue.
Though they enjoy it when they meet
In the fantasies of the night.
It impacts on the loneliness they feel
When such dreams take flight.
Each night when they settle down
The dreams they hope for evade them.
But when they least expect it,
They will meet each other again.
Pens... pens... pens.
I simply cannot have enough!
I sometimes pinch one off my dad
To write my first drafts rough.
Without stationary,
Where would we poets be?
A creators bliss is to settle down
With pen, paper and tea.
As she sits in perfect peace
The Angel sits in deepest thought
Is it of a past love she thinks?
Or just a moment that she’s caught
Her beauty is beyond compare
Still to be with her forevermore
With her locks of curly hair
Her past life just a far distant shore
Now her life to glide the universe
Watching over many a long lost soul
With her hand to guide them home
Together they will stroll
Her heart maybe heavy
With thoughts that may have been
Of her lovers long ago
And things that she has seen
But she sits alone and thinks
Of what her life is now
Of all the sad souls she can save
With her hand upon their brow
Her white wings shining in the sun
Now it’s her time to sleep
So we must let her settle down
And promise not to peep
Her conversation
chose pick of words
things he'd never thought
he'd ever hear
and things he was happy
to have heard
she told him she loved him
and would be glad to
be his wife
a desire to settle down
he'd be her partner for life
I pause to think
a excitement overwhelmed me
a nervous anticipation
ah joy that overwhelms me
I'll ask you then
for the world to see
Too complex for quietness
too many words could undermine
Ia silly grin
exposed me
everyone knew what was on my mind
a Suttle harmony
a melody so eccentric
love over whelmes me
a passion within
what a special gesture
my lover and friend
CALMING WAVING WRINKLED THOUGHTS
In the fog of the sea of mind,
Skiffing thoughts flow to and fro
On wrinkling waves frothing
To who knows where, as they
Ripple to be or not to be, echoes
Of negativity, neutral, or whatever:-
In the mental sky’s hovering of all of this,
A flash of enlightening awareness reveals
The necessity of the need to test the rudder
Of these wandering, skiffing though, towards
The reality shores of waiting sands of positivity:-
Praise be to the Giver of divine wisdom,
In the midst of such shipwreck-like thoughts,
Where it becomes necessary to realize that
We are not only navigators of the sea of mind,
But also controllers of its mental flow skiffed
Wandering thoughts in need of divine guidance:-
As seen in nature, the flowing waters of life’s seas
Are not always waving calmness and collectiveness:-
Rather, they are sometimes watered-skinned with turmoil,
And are in need of divine climatic attention to settle down:-
Thus, whenever turbulent thoughts enter the sea of our minds,
Remember, in its nature, we must also control our mind’s climate:-
Restless Heart
So you say she has a restless heart
Maybe too often you are apart
Well that’s not too smart
Gotta tame that restless heart
I know where to start
Make it sing
Over the joy you will bring
Give it a new song
For all that went wrong
Love it truly
Never cruelly
Show it compassion
Unmatched passion
Give it a reason
To settle in and settle down
You need to bring it around
So love will be found
Gotta tame that restless heart
So say I love you
Then shoot it
With Cupids dart
That’s the only answer
To a restless heart
Oh, miserable fate,
I've been ditched by Isabel
for some preppy guy,
whose charm and wit
attracts the prittiest girl;
I show little thrill,
I admit being a boring dude,
sometimes so rude!
Could I let her slip away,
mourn this goodbye
for the silliest lie?
I look around
and I understand
that certain women
are never satisfied
with what they find;
they won't settle down
for an ordinary guy
who works hard
for a living.
Feel sorry for myself,
sShow me some compassion,
I hide from all pain,
never searching in vain
for dreams bigger
than the widest sky,
so glad to be a whiner,
forced to scream and cry
by the river of desperation.
Slap me hard,
bring my senses back to reality,
I'm a prey of shameless vanity;
my tomorrow is dim,
Isabel is happy with him.
I never intended to cause harm;
who can control jealousy?
Oh, miserable fate,
I regret the days
we spent together
without joy:
they could have been happy;
losing all is madness,
it's my biggest mistake!
All in gloom the grays and black
Dark colors take up the slack
It is a bad day I say to myself
To justify the acts I put on the shelf
Distressing the stress the aim the goal
Ending the time the day has stole
Shades and curtains play amongst shadows
As I settle down in my warm burrows
Heavy like rocks on my eye's lid
Telling this bad day you've been outbid.
I woke up bit frazzled.
I'll be alright once I settle down.
I'm prone to nasty nightmares.
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
One day, someday, everything will be changed,
You will rise above all that is drowning you now.
There will be a champagne toast,
You will taste love,
The warm, fuzzy and all consuming love will settle down in your stomach,
And there will be roses and butterflies,
A halo of stars around your head,
You will heal, dear friend, you will heal.
Die a thousand times,
Until the poem rhymes,
Fight the tough times,
Until the wind chimes.
Burn through the fire and feel the flames,
Let yourself be soot but rise again,
You will heal, dear friend, you will heal.
Stay strong for the happiness you will feel.
“ SHADOWS “
FALLING ASLEEP ALONE LOOKING FOR A FRIEND
SHADOWS PAINT THE WALLS AS I MAKE THEM ALL PRETEND
EYES FINALLY SETTLE DOWN AS I DRIFT INTO A SLEEP
BUT MY MIND KEEPS SWIMMING INTO A POND SO DEEP
SURROUNDED BY MEMORIES SOME I STILL REGRET
THE BEST AND WORST NONE CAN I FORGET
NOT SURE IF I’M STILL DREAMING MAYBE IT’S ALL REAL
WHAT DOES IT MATTER IF THAT’S THE WAY I FEEL
SHADOWS FILL THE ROOM DANCING ON THE CEILING
MOVING LIKE THEY KNOW JUST THE WAY I’M FEELING
SILENCE SEARCHING FOR A WAITING EAR
MISSING WORDS NO ONE WILL HEAR
SHADOW FOLLOWS FORM MOVING WITHOUT EYES
A TRUTHFUL DISPLAY SHADOWS NEVER LIE
SHADOWS- SHADOWS- SHADOWS FOLLOW US AROUND
LIKE FAST MOVING SELFIES DANCING ON THE GROUND
CLOUDY DARK AND DULL NO ONE SHINING BRIGHT
THAT’S WHAT WE LOOK LIKE SHADOWS BLACK ON WHITE
If you can’t think of something to do, I will find you something.
Our mother’s edict to us girls, and she was the queen.
To this day neither my sis or I can settle down
We are known as Energizer Bunnies all over town.
Multi-tasking is second nature to both of us.
We are ridiculous overachievers, but don’t make a fuss.
If we are not busy, doing three things, we are dead or asleep.
Mother’s edict and threat landed way down somewhere deep.
I Want To Be
Better Than I Am
All Of The Time.
At Something Or
In Some Way
Like If It Really
Matters... Stop.
No One Can Read
That Phrase Right
Like I Mean It...
It's Just A Disclaimer,
Anyway, You Still
Can't Read It Right.
Nevermind That Part.
Anyway...
But You Have To
Choose A Category,
You Know...
A Perspective...
No.
**?
Not In Any Way
You Mean, Anyway...
It's Authentically Absolutely My Choice
No Matter What! What "Better" Means To Me.
It's Just A Word, You Know.
Settle Down.
-Gray Squirrel
09-26-2026
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