Short Holding Out Poems

vulnerable
holding out his hand
for mine



posted on September 2, 2018...

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She awoke suddenly in the midst of cold night
Startled from visions still held within sight
God rest near her bedside surrounded by light
Holding out a hand to navigate her end flight...

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She awoke suddenly in the midst of cold night
Startled from visions still held within sight
God rest near her bedside surrounded by light
Holding out a hand to navigate her end flight...

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you owe me an apology
you owe me better
you owe me promises and dreams
you owe me the sun and the moon
you owe me better
 
i haven't given up on us
but i'm holding out
for better

posted on July 26, 2024...

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Mom, what a hero
Never ever a zero
When I was a child
She cared for us kids and smiled
She’s just my superhero

Russell Sivey

Entrant into Janette Fisher's "Holding out for a Hero" contest

4/13/2012...

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everywhere I look
it's sad to say

people race by
moving past time

looking for something
to quiet their hearts

eager to show me
all they have gained

holding out hope
against proven odds

to race yet again
and never say die...

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I'm shrinking back again
it never ends
I'd rather be doing these things with you
but I'm still afraid I would do the same thing

It's two weeks till my safe haven
and I'm anxious
afraid it all will fail
but I'm still holding out hope...

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Two hungry little penguins
Both eager for their nosh,
One penguin’s name is Splish,
And the other one’s called Splosh.

Two hungry little penguins
Each holding out their dish,
I wonder what’s for dinner?
Surprise, surprise – it’s fish....

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eyes of seafoam green
feral mermaid heart

holding out for true love
her balanced counterpart



AP: 1st place 2020

Submitted on  September 28, 2020 for contest COMPLETELY YOUR CHOICE (18) sponsored by BRIAN STRAND  -  Honorable Mention...

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He sits rounded, like a stone
colours dripping with the rain
fading like an oil painting

His grimy hand outstretched
holding out a white cup
his very own white flag

My expensive leather shoes
thump the ground in time
trembling, eyes cast down

I scurry by...

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It’s only another day without you
When nobody’s around I crave for you
It’s only another day without you
Holding out my heart for you
So take it with care cause I crave you
It’s just another day without you
If I could take you close I would kiss you
If I kiss you I will crave you
Everyday...

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The hemlock grove keeps haunting
trembles dare fade away

"Crito, we owe a cock to Asclepius.
Please, don't forget to pay the debt"

Those thou teach have greater reach
to poison of the day

these needles vein in vain
diepan, water fogs__
no holding off the pain
no holding out the pain...

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That 
 is another night. 
 Of the fingers, 
 of the silent stars that 
 are dying out. 
 One 
 by one. 
 Of the primordial waters, 
 when 
 the words are uttered. 
 That is another night, 
 where we know each other 
 and we are. 
 Different. 
 The fingers. 

 One hand 
 that 
 someone is holding out to us....

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leave the lights on she said
i need to find a path wide open
see where my dreams are going

as she crawled into bed
folded the sheets into a kite
for a later flight

want you join me she said
holding out her hand
i took it on command

no way of knowing what comes next
as we both closed our eyes
and opened the sky...

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Words bounce inside
Calming the breeze
Believing things will come
And holding out for what I cant see
Stories told and fables unfold 
Coloring the books I read
Imagination struck with the
Hands of time waiting to be free
Birds chirp their notes of a song
Floating on the clouds pillow
Weeping and whistling
Tears of a lonely willow...

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Reach out into the realm of impossibilities
reach in and feel something so real
a heart beckoning  reckoning 
for a chance to live, to breathe, to believe
holding in nothing
holding out hope 
and a helping hand knowing
good still has a fighting chance
that daylight always rises
stars seem to shine brightest with open eyes
and love still carries home a welcome smile...

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Listen to poem:

sweet dreams
that’s what he said
as if an invitation

sweet dreams
as if he’d decided to go out
on the sea to watch a sunset

sweet dreams
as if holding out his hand
for a slow dance cheek to cheek 

sweet dreams he said
as if to cradle her in his arms 
the whole night through



AP: Honorable Mention 2022, Honorable Mention 2021

Posted on March 30, 2022...

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Blue deep
Water; drifting through
The light, and out of nowhere
Was a blue boat with yellow sails

Perusing the sand, I saw a man
Walking towards the waves of destination
He called out to deaf ears, and numbness
And the blue boat drifted on 

Clouds of grey speckled the main distance
Of real and beyond

Holding out hands, others called

But the boat drifted

Drifted on........

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It’s been a few days, but snow still lingers,
fighting rearguard engagements with time,
hiding in shadowed walks, covered alcoves,
holding out against inevitable disappearance;
only a memory of white-covered ground,
joy to some, yet a danger to many others,
brought city to standstill, except those slipping
down icy paths and roads, flopping like fish
waiting for shoppers in a port market....

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Dear Lord 
You are 
my shepherd 
Holding out 
one's soul 
Within open hands 
Offering 
Unto Heaven 

To you 
who sits 
On the throne 
amongst angels 
One guiding light 
For the sins 
of man 
who treated 
You in cruelty 

I am humbled 
In your name 
most gracious 
Upon the temptations 
of one world 
Bound by 
sins of man 

In times 
of need 
I pray 
to your light 
In battling Hell 
You my Lord 
A good shepherd...

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the luminous nature of our Self
is playful and spontaneous 
formless with full freedom
positioned in singularity 
choosing to don a form
to feel winds of duality 
that love be ingrained
and embodied within

with this knowing
we mindfully cognise
underlying unity of life
propelled by will of God
treading gently on earth
oozing loving compassion 
holding out a helping hand 
to all souls we chance to meet...

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Love is strong and bears all up
Holding forth a brimming cup
Patiently it stands
Always holding out the hands
In kindness and simplicity
Not complicated trickery
Always reaching out to aid
Knowing always how it’s made
Glowing brightly colored hues
Comes in forms that you can use
Gently lifting comforting and kind
It’s blessed with victory you’ll find
Love is peaceful, helps what ails
Always blessing, never fails...

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What we want 
is never simple
we move among the things
we thought we wanted:
a face, a book, a small room
and these things bear our names 
now they want us
but what we want appears
in dreams wearing disguises
we fall past
holding out our arms 
and in the morning
our arms ache,
we don't remember the dreams
but the dreams remember us
it is there all day
under the table
as the stars are there 
even in the full sun....

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Holding out for hope  leaving out the door
searching high and low tearing past grey
latching on to all the bells and whistles
left hanging out again in the pouring rain

With winds flowing through my speck of being
thoughts sit in waiting to fly across the sea
waves of promise rise up and shine for me
as notes adored walk bravely upon the shore

Watching pretty daisies on a clouded day
Surrounded with love, I think I'll stay...

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We want what we want
We need what we need
Confusing the two
We beg on our knees

We have what we have 
We are who we are
Holding out your hand
Only takes  you so far

Pleading and hoping
Holding whats never to be
Clinging and wishing
clouded with desire, we cant see

Our blessings and beauties
fall back seat
To our hopeless longings
All we think we need

But I still know
Perhaps you dont
That we cant always get
What we want...

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