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Shrift Poems

Short Shrift

K-eep giving short shrift to throe, 
E-vade the zone of stress; 
N-ever pay any attention
T-o sorrow and sadness.

E-agerly give short shrift to woe, 
S-tay away from anxiety; 
T-ime to truly feel fine, 
E-arly tenth of February.
B-e happy in heart and mind, 
A-lthough your job is night shift; 
N-ever mind the darkness, just give shadow short

Categories: shrift, birthday,
Form: Acrostic

Short Shrift

Shorter than a candles curtsy, lower than its holders brim,
Half a glass holds no full measure
So ever seems the future dim.'
Dim before the light is gathered; from the folds & fields of dawn
Where no cockerel struts and swaggers,where no pillowed cloud is torn'
There the angels watch below them; man upon his prideful course
In The higher

Categories: shrift, bible,
Form: Rhyme

Short Shrift Execution

You're ill dressed,
I must confess.
For your date with destiny.
I hope your grime,
was worth the time,
you'll spend with me.
~Victim 7/20/2015

Categories: shrift, anger, death, deep, murder,
Form: Free verse

Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry

Mary's Shrift

Indigenous woman—rarely accompanied by their
white sisters—or their men enter 
through the side door
of St. Peter’s Church.

Here they are boxed in cool stucco,
and stained-glass. A flock of Mexican 
Madonna’s shift today to encompass 
their fairer sister:

Dios te salve, Maria. Llena eres de gracia: El Señor es contigo.
Bendita tú eres entre todas las mujeres. Y bendito es
el

Categories: shrift, devotion, discrimination,
Form: Free verse

Short Shrift - Final Walk

Tick tick tick tick

I sit here and wait

After I've ate

For those final few moments of my fate

Before my final walk straight through that gate


The clock is ticking

I have to finally admit

To sins I have committed

Thoughts have made me wonder how I got this far


I fought fiercely overseas for my country

Coming back home with heartache

Not knowing

Categories: shrift, abuse, addiction, sorrow, war,
Form: Free verse

A Limerician's Shrift

It's the cell of a jail I am in

for the limerick fool I have been.

In the back of a hearse

I’ll be rhyming my verse

as they lay me to rest for my sin!


For the Limerick Poetry Contest of Cecelia Hopkins-Drewer
Now for Brian Strand's the 'ALL YOURS (May 29)' Poetry Contest

Categories: shrift, humorous,
Form: Limerick

Short Shrift

Bless me father for I have drank
Bless me father for I have loved
Bless me father for I have killed
Bless me father for I have lied
Bless me father for I have fled
Bless me father for I have failed
Bless me father for I have misjudged
Bless me father for I am ready




For Short Shrift Contest 29/6/15

Categories: shrift, dark, judgement,
Form: Free verse

Short Shrift

Thank you, Father, for hearing me
and sharing in my pain
the only one bar whom you serve
who offers no disdain.

From Mansfield's pits to the Western front
the stories I could tell
legless, blinded, gassed and bombed
my mates who fought and fell.

Sent to fight against my will
never done nothing bad
this khaki's for a fighting man
not a simple miner's lad.

Day

Categories: shrift, war, , western,
Form: Rhyme