Shrink From Poems | Examples

Soft Hush of Nature's Halo Curves

ocean waves drift in
wildflowers bend in soft winds—
with gentle curves
soothing calm natural minds
without demands or burdens

curves of rivers' arcs
fractals etched in snowflake veins
caress weary eyes
while urban straight lines shatter—
reflection splinters apart

concrete towers thrust
the geometry of squares
clawing at the sky
every sharp angle pierces—
minds that shrink from the hardness

billboards blast their glare
sirens rip through noisy streets
ravaging the ear
urban harshness stunts the soul—
as chaos frays attention

forest silence hums
its calming hymn without words
restoring the peace
of treasure trove memories
stored away in its clearings

dawn's blush dusk's ember
are halos in sky above—
colorful milieus
that frames the day in colors
soft cuddly and welcoming

Runner

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return" ~ from the song Nature Boy, written by George McGrew, aka eden ahbez, and recorded by Nat King Cole and others

A child born, unloved, in the winter cold
might like a river, from affection, run;
but like brittle bones when they get old, 
when colder still, might freeze, shrink from the sun. 

Afraid that warmth might make him break and crack, 
this sad, and lonely fragile entity, 
may view love as a frightening attack,
and a threat to his timid identity. 

To quote, "the greatest thing you'll ever learn
is just to love and be loved in return".

The Will to Shine

I've cried enough tears till my eyes could weep no more.
Pain, a mere consequence of love—
felt sometimes when it's here, other times when it's gone.
Given at times, taken at others.

To heal, we must learn to forgive ourselves,
to endure rather than run,
to grow even in the harshest conditions.
What is life without the will to strive,
to serve and, when it's our turn, to receive?

Life is but a pendulum,
swinging ceaselessly, offering both joy and sorrow.
So we learn Amor Fati, embracing what comes,
and Memento Mori, remembering what must end.
To live as we are willed,
manifesting the glory and grace of God.

How can we fulfill God's will if we refuse to shine?
Whom do we serve when we shrink from our light?
What benefit is there to those we love,
if we dim ourselves for fear of shining too bright?
To love is to teach.

Tear

a tear in each eye
surviving the bad hair days
my tumor and I
both shrink from radiation
the treatments tear us apart

contrast for the word "tear"

Shrinking Verse

An interesting form indeed:
this one’s the Shrinking Verse.
The more you let your ink pen bleed,
the more, stanzas get terse.
The opposite, I must concede,
for sure, would be much worse.
I can’t draw forth the words I need,
an older poet’s curse.

From eight to six to four to two,
so goes the stanza’s count.
Like run-off rain will often do,
a trickle from a fount,
and when you’ve pared to pairs, you’re through:
time for the big dismount.

The rhyming pattern does repeat;
’Tis just an ‘a’ and ‘b’.
The ‘a’ line always has four feet;
The ‘b’ line, only three. 

In truth, it’s not that much to ask,
so I will not shrink from the task.

----------

The Shrinking Verse has a decreasing number of lines per stanza, typically 8/6/4/2, but you could start at 12 or 10 as well.

The rhyme pattern, 8a:6b, repeats as many times as is needed for the stanza.

The exception is that the final couplet is 8a:8a

Sinatra, On the 'situation'

~ Sing to the melody of 'My Way' ~

     For what is a man, what has he got?
       If not Ukraine, what has he wrought?

     If he's not himself, then he has naught
       To shrink from war, with cowardice fraught

     To say the things he truly feels
       To lie and lie, 'til lies are real

     And not the words of one who kneels
       To undercut freshly inked deals

            The record shows
            As bombs explode
               ~ I did it my way...

                         --From Vladimir P., desperately looking for love

Shrunken Heads

the sun struggles
to get out of bed
on dismal gray days

we shrink from each other
lower our heads

Alone In Words

ALONE IN WORDS

I cower from the rumbling squall of loneliness 
and shrink from the shards of misdirected words.
The mantle of hope escapes my ambitions, forever silencing my courage.
I am drowning in discontent.


From Brainstorm 10/16/2018
For Divisa 4 Poetry Contest
02/25/2021

Alone

Laugh and the world will laugh with you,
Smile and the people around you will smile too,
Weep and you weep alone,
For the sad old people who borrow from this earth, 
They give an expression of mirth,
But have trouble enough of their own.
Sing and the hills will answer,
Sigh as you get lost in the air,
Echoes bound to a joyful sound,
But shrink from voices that care.

Rejoice and they will seek you,
Grieve and they turn and go.
All they want is a full measure,
And to be grateful to share your pleasure,
But they do not need your woe.
Be glad your friends are many,
Be sad or you lose them all;
If you need to decline, try not to choose any.

The halls are crowded,
Fast and the world goes by.
Succeed and give,
It helps you live,
No man deserves to die;
There in his room deprived of pleasure
Hearing a large and lordly train,
One by one we are put on file
Through agony of suffering pain.

Cold Cats

a cold wind mocks a feeble sun
leaves shrink from its touch
squirrels shiver in mink tails
birds fluff down feathered coats
a lone hawk skis the clouds
a school bus inhales shivering children
a dog paws the frozen ground
the cat smiles from its litter box


John G. Lawless
©11/13/2019

Brainstorm

From an insufferable, unceasing rain of disappointment,
I try to hide my scars under the cloak of a smile.
Alas, this master of disguise, fools but one.
My dreams are like a reverent prayer
that's lost its relevance to love.
Shrouded in ominous clouds of deception,
I am a refugee of doubt with no joy in reality.
I wade through poems that never rhyme,
from memories that never mend.
I cower from this rumbling squall of loneliness 
and shrink from the shards of misdirected words.
The mantle of hope escapes my ambitions, forever silencing my courage.
I am drowning in discontent.

Brainstorm Contest
Sponsored by John Hamilton
10/16/2018
1st. Place

Miserable Dim Ones and Zeroes

Nocturnal nerds now Priests of Power
Crank out the code grim and dour
Grimace and groan, grind it like stone
O, you miserable dim ones and zeroes

Bite your nails and pull out your hair  
Finish that program ere the sun can stare
At your flushed cheeks and ghastly complexion
At the look on your face of utter dejection

Pop some speed, another amphetamine
Tap out binary digits, massage that machine
Pent up in your cubicle tight as a knot
The screen bristling with tension, electronic rot

Your brain's slowing down, your mind's in a fog
Your heart pounds ever-louder as onward you slog
Curse your damn curser and slam down your mouse
Your soul fairly screams: "Get out of this house!"

You come up for air and you shrink from the light
The daytime for you feels like darkness and blight
Back to your dungeon, where digits are heroes
Back to your miserable dim ones and zeroes

             

Submitted for "All Dim Ones and Zeros - Programming Contest"
                      Sponsor: Brahn Bailey

There Is Room In My Heart

There is room in my heart for two:
it hurts me to see yours broken.
My feelings for you are not new,
even if they've gone unspoken.

Allow me to help ease your pain:
there is room in my heart for two.
And if you're scared to trust again:
what can I do to convince you?

I feel the hurt you're going through:
when I see you crying, I cry.
There is room in my heart for two,
for I'm not like that other guy.

Please, do not shrink from my advance,
I have fallen in love with you.
And if you'd but give me a chance;
there is room in my heart for two.

A Trite Nihilistic Occasion - Part Two

endowing superlative creature comforts
reduce wretched survivors scant band of bare naked ladies
beastie boys, foo fighters espying counting crows
ready to buzzfeed toe kin *****sapiens 
bereft, expunged, faux invincibility kickstarting 
learning basic survival skills
forced to rescind twenty first century trappings
shifting paradigm sans primacy 
pitting dishabille helpless imps against killers
who do not shrink from ethically principled 

but give full reign to selfish callous deleterious foibles, 
gruesome harmful indiscretions 
sprouting with mushroom rhizome rapidity
ousting the  omnipresently 
(well nigh since time immemorial 
virtues cultivated, futilely integrated, lending oomph 
residentially, scientifically tendering ubiquitous DNA
foisting gabled, heralded, instilled, 

justified kneaded love thy neighbor motto
lyft ting in one fell swoop delicately 
embroidered, finely graven, heavenly ideals
no more patent leather shoes reflecting up
nor doodling Yankee staking claim to fame via feathered cap made of macaroni
thus such jingoistic, holistic, fabric ripped retroactively 
ramping atavistic simian base, 
thus leveling the playing field.

Our Choice

Although eyes are opened, how few of us will see
What there is around us, or care what it might be?
For many shrink from truth, to suit their selfish need,
With eyesight that’s selective, troubles they’ll not heed.

Although ears are receptive, how few of us will hear,
The cries of those persecuted, living constantly in fear.
Deafened by the thunder, of righteous indignation;
Their pleas silently ignored, by lack of motivation.

Although our hearts are touched, by pity and compassion,
When action is needed, it’s considered out of fashion.
It’s an oft accepted view: that’s Life!  So what? It’s tough!
Then leave the matter shelved: tomorrow - soon enough!

Should we exercise our senses, and open hearts much more
To mitigate the plight, that affects the world’s sick and poor
It is by our so doing, and the satisfaction Life awards,
That we find ourselves blessed, and reap justified rewards.

Rhymer February 17th, 2017

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