she was nicknamed witch who faced down a warlock
she was fearless, confident, radically ready to roll and rock
the toughest being who lived on a Brooklyn block
don’t mess with her, my mother said, looking at the clock
witch who faced down a warlock was slated to walk
down the block, on her way to school, where she could shock
classmates who were terrified of her confident walk.
and her willingness to take on a werewolf and a warlock
It was love at first sight
Everything about her felt so right
Her shape, her motion, her shade of brown
He took her with him to every venue in town
But then, with no more basketball games slated
The love of his life quickly deflated
Jane learned that chimpanzees are much like us in many ways. They have families and feelings; they communicate and make tools. Chimpanzees actually share 98.6% of our DNA, proving they are indeed our closest relatives.
Regardless of the ethical dilemma, some geniuses thought chimpanzees would be ideal for medical experiments. We’ll never know how many were sacrificed in the name of science… But it turned out their immune system was vastly different from humans !
Thankfully many chimps slated for medical research were able to retire and live out many years safely in ideal sanctuaries. Chimpanzees are still an endangered species but their numbers are slowly rising thanks to Jane ~
Jane looked within
she saw kinship in their eyes
~ reclaimed their rights
AP: 3rd place 2025
the sky darkened with nary a warning
as if a slate of black had been cast down from the sky
in the distance thunder gave us a nod
I saw a flash of lightning near the ocean
what was that on the pier?
I peered out my window
the magician was back!
His gambling cards were flying out of his duffle as he walked.
An owl screeched down toward him, giving him the business
I knew someone was slated to die
this always happens when I see the magician
Maybe it is my turn, I thought
“What is it?” asked my husband.
He is sicklier than I am.
“Nothing,” I replied.
Glad his eyesight was not that great.
All I needed was his heart rate to go jumping up into overdrive.
blinkered by formal training
counting bright abacus beads of syllables
mindful not to step on cracks—
rhythm is everything
the audience c h e e r s !!!
the runner-up jeers—
maybe next time the nexus of …
the bows and brasses displayed
along with my bruises
an abacus of pearls
c.a.s.t
on
w a t e r
that drowns out the h-o-o-f-b-e-a-t-s of
a P O U N D I N G heart
a trace of desire
slated at the font
of knowledge
concurrent with my past
laurels
I bow to your discerning palate—
you clap for
REPETITION
repetition
r e p e t i t i o n
but I do not rest
unlike Keats
my NAME
is not
writ in
w a t e r …
Secrets of The Breeze
A breeze, a playful inquisitive breeze,
Drifting over slippery slated roof tops,
Teasing the silent secretive trees.
Hearing murmurings in wind-blown corn crops
And rhythms of the pattering rain drops.
Communing with the chattering birds,
Remembering the chorused words.
Conferring with restless, careless bees -
The attentive township, listening, heard
Passing secrets of the gossiping breeze.
Barry Stebbings
Feb 2025
The truth is outdated
Falsehoods inflated
With hyperbole
created…
Fishing poles baited
wriggling worms slated
to reel in us guppies
addlepated…
This Wednesday morning in Canberra
There will be a review of wether there
Is any benefit in introducing digital id
In Australia, As we know there is not.'
It is a soulless thing..Completely against
The Australian spirit, of new beginnings
And support for each other.' This is not
Fair it should be slated.' And consigned
To a history that we use to learn from as
We build a future, a Country' that the world
Can learn from.!
Obscure place,
under the lamp of none but He.
Of the first snows.
The thirst of the arterial, ephemeral flow.
Where echoes converge and become ghost, at it's Canyons.
O Knight of Strongholds,
where memories melt and disappear,
showing of me again bare, of bones, of One.
Be but the realm of the transform
a symphony of ethereal whispers,
awakening dormant dreams of the alone.
In each delicate flake, a tale unfolds,
a moment frozen romance in time's embrace,
a reminder of the transient nature,
of seasons changing, of love evolving.
As winter's icy kiss adorns the land,
knows my dream and Fairy sits on the knuckle
at my back of hand.
I am reminded of fragile beauty,
of the miracles found buckled in surrender,
in the rendering to the Destiny-Unknown,
pullAge of lever of planned-perpetuity of Clan.
Moreover, be yet a childing
sprite a flitting kiss on blank slated cheek of Eternity, to surrender at His feet, at His Throne.
fiery opening to underworld
Lucifer’s fire in the night sky
those who were slated to go began to thrash
not sorry to have been corrupt
fearful they had been caught
He is slated as a loser, why?!
By whose standards is that measured by?
By what ambitions he ought to abide?
Is there a normative success guide?
They have excelled but wait a minute -
Their gain is not his loss or is it?
No grace in how much one can consume,
Humble and true is human heirloom.
April 23, 2023
Characters in action
Talents in multiplication
Shapes and sizes of many version
Skills on display with tension
Over the top ropes one would gape
Under the ropes one can escape
Apron of thick mattress
Arena of countless matches
Highlighted are dressed to kill
Fronting the crowd that fill
Seats of spectators that cheer
Feats of competitors, not jeer
Matches roll with blunder
Rumbling and grappling like thunder
Crutches and splints spread over
Bodies of the bruised fall over
Grueling matches live on
Under any pressure show must go on
It's not "business as usual" that linger
Players of theatrics in danger
Venues are slated by dates
Participants stipulated as mates
Previews of expected bouts
Reviews that excite and shouts
Year after year is the Rumble
Inside the ring that crumble
Event that sounds so noble
Fame, not fortune that bubble
A prelude to Wrestlemania
An interlude of regalia
A shot coveted in spotlight
A spot asserted with delight
Let's get ready to rumble!...
They say I inflated
It's they that conflated
Political lies with their version of facts.
The mess they created
Will long be debated
Another attempt to silence and styme.
As often I've stated
Which leaves them frustrated
I'm worth every cent of the Billions I claim.
The reason I'm fated
And by some surely hated
Is my obvious success and the money I make.
Letitia's now grated
Quite a bit aggravated
That her bark is so hollow with clearly no bite.
Not one to be intimidated
My strength celebrated
Let them throw what they will and watch it dissolve.
My lawyers are rated
This case armor plated
Watch these bogus new charges soon dissipate.
In the meantime I've slated
For the fans I've created
More rallies to drive my winning points home.
I'm buoyed and elated
Evermore motivated
For the White house to bask in my presence once more.
My brother, you as well as I know
That I should have wished you well long ago
Nevertheless I wish you well now
As I make to wishing wellness my vow
We brought each other down at our own expense
So myopic was our lense
We each saw only what was one's own
Until our doors were knocked and banged by others' groans
Therefore I wish you rain and I wish you dew
May God give you a robe and turban white and new
Be the walking dignity of we your kinsmen
And may we resemble gloriously as brethren
For the flourishing of one and another and another
Will breed praises to God whenever we'll gather
May it proliferate throughout the nation
That the peoples may draw from us citation
And when it's all done and unabated
So will it be to the sons an inheritance slated
So soaking will Godliness be to our name
That repute will be more than fame
K. Muitherero.
Far aside the snow mountains,
Amidst chilly white snow-flakes;
Staring at frozen fountains,
Stand melt, our hungry soldiers...
Daring to bear cruel cold
Midst high hills of Leh, Ladakh;
Holding their guns with soul bold,
Fearless, their foes to attack...
Oaths solemn sworn to safeguard,
The borders of their nation;
Shivering, trembling in cold,
Their life stands and oblation...
They break bold ice-slated rocks,
For drops of drinking water;
We put nation into docks
To save her hey get slaughtered...
13 January 2022
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