Short Paring Poems

paring peaches, cut away the bad and bitter~makes the good sweeter  ...

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Today I'll give up all my ex's
for something that is true.
And hope to find just one more wreckless
man for paring to....

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Whittling the point
paring it down
cutting the volume
honing the sound

Sharpening each line
words drop and fall
meaning to thunder
— lightning recalled 

(Dreamsleep: February, 2025)
...

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say much
saying little

speak volumes
in few words

keep quiet
silence roars

economy of words
whittling away
paring down
all I say

tenuous talking
baby steps
to arms
there all along...

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Short-Pants Potentate


Inferno of a summer day
Mother’s dozing

Tommy, tiny, three,
paring knife in hand

tiptoes out, flops
short-pants potentate

upon the sidewalk sunny,
operates on ants


Donal Mahoney...

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This contorted shell has lost its gleam
My health is paring from a grim disease;
The Evils i pulled to ground my fame
have nibbled my soul piece by piece;
Jealousy had rooted to this lifeless heart
which no gold or silver could ever suffice;
This tunnel is ending and there's no light in sight
For me, its a farfetched dream to rest in peace......

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Ekphrastic: Nature Morte Aux Pommes
Painting by Alfred Sisley

Red, gold apples lay
Crispy, crunchy picked that day
Mama's orchard farm

Paring with her knife
Her son brought home his new wife
To show her their farm

An inheritance
Saw to them as excellence
Kept with family

Drifting through like doves
Apple pie carried with love
Family is home...

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Again,
        apple cider season,
              cool autumn whiskey,
                    burning leaves.

No one needs another autumn poem.

      We grow gaudy phrases
                  like pumpkins,
hollow out foreheads,
throw away seeds.

Always paring, cutting
eyes
      with awkward thumbs,
seeing autumn
      as a pewter stallion
and winter
      wildly undone....

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This shade is damp with the net of sun
finely sliced with the paring knife of trees.

We softly move among old bones, places
where ancient lovers have lain, grinding
one another into thin blue dust, drinking
from a chalice of silvered hands held
one to the other safe in mid-afternoon light
among gnats and May apples arching achingly
toward the slow, soft, satin churnings of death....

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Hybrid seed planted on rocky ledge
Shallow shoots baring tomorrow's dreams
Sunny vistas lure fragile roots to the edge
Clouded visions hover distilled with availing streams
Prevailing winds scour surface, growing strains hedge
Cool, night air shivers; a paring frost rends fibrous seams
Blighting fears preen stalk but fealty's sustenance cannot dredge
Morn's warming rays on your fortified residual gleams...

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Happiness





Happiness is one heavenly bliss
Annihilate your depressive thoughts,
Paring pain of soul's silent bleeds
Pouters shun that gloomy prejudice,
Ignore miseries of the bitter past
Nevertheless you are born to cherish life,
Eventually future will be bright,
Savor His gifts of unending treasures,
Serenity will float in air till eternity !




Written Dec 18th, 2015
© Dr. Upma A. Sharma
For contest by John Hamilton...

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paring down

old age
called it in
I didn’t choose
this stage 
of paring down
like or not
outgrown roles
are slipping off
like oiled coats
shed rain

it feels respectful
rehearsal
for what’s coming
when every earthly
trait is freed—
so I let posts go
and watch them
fall
to someone new

clearing a place
for what remains, 
the work that prods 
me now
this work
wants space,
breadth and depth
to dive—
I must comply...

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Falling, flowing, side by side
each in its own deride
nor temperament, nor landing's pride
but grace to weather nature's ride!

They fly together ~ falling's hide,
we notice whether, which and bide
their status sharing ~ air's complied
and colors faring in abide!

A sadness, caring opens wide
the faith of smallness in reside
my larger deeds seem small in stride
this oneness paring my confide!

My trust seems scaring, rent to tried
God's beauty ~ sparing poet's chide!...

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