Splaying Poems | Examples

The Bird and The Worm

Crawling upon desecrated ashes,
whispers haunt ~
“You will never make it.”

Vermilion skies rumble over the brutal horizon,
splitting open as a deafening rain pours forth,
drenching an already collapsing body.

Splaying nails rip into hollow earth.
Eerie silhouettes dance in the lightning flashes.
It’s getting harder to see now —
fear surging, lungs straining,
losing control.

Darkness engulfs, swallowing the sun.
Panic sets in; urgency is now a must,
for night brings what cannot be spoken.

Cortisol spikes, muscles spasm.
Faster, he must crawl ~
death is imminent if he cannot find the door.

Feeling blindly through infectious petrichor,
his palms meet nothing but cold decay.

Macabre laughter circles around him.
Praying, he reaches out one more time —
unsuccessfully.

Closing his eyes, red-hot pain
flows over his flesh,
devoured by the very demons
he could not escape.

Id Actually Forgotten

It’s the little things,
that remind me of my aunt,
 and how in some unusual way,
she may still be alive,
if only in the memory,
a passing morning train, 
tea bags splaying suddenly, 
from unopened cupboards,
 I’d actually forgotten somehow,
her favourite cup and saucer, 
with cracks down the side,
pictures strewn in drawers,
 redolent of precious moments, 
framed photos in hallways,
 that move without a reason,
car  keys with fobs,
that gather sand  dune blobs, 
onion dome shaped artefacts,
for a chosen  tartan table top,
that  cast away diary, 
which kept the gleam,
in  those expressive eyes of hers

August

August exquisite symphony of golden haze
Unbending light casts a calm and warm gaze
Gossamer sets mirth as waves frolic ebbing tide.
Uplifting seagulls soar with wings splaying wide.
Surreptitious lovers softly dance and spin.
Tone passion shore is a vital place where souls grin.

God Arrives At Break of Day

God arrives at break of day in form of a heavenly spaceship
His light rays splaying across the horizon in a gentle way
I watch from my jungle tree house, marveling at His reach
knowing He is simultaneously on the other side of the world

my children are going to sleep in the north as I am awaking.
I know He is with them as much or maybe more than with me
I marvel at His all-encompassing Godliness, feeling beloved.
hear myself sigh with gratitude as I watch him show His hand.

Iron Man

Which American does not know great Tony Stark?
An industrialist tycoon like strapping shark;
Born with silver spoon in his mouth; noble bequest!
Lived luxurious life one considered blessed...!

Afghan enters his life; like virus in robot; 
Terrorists kidnap him; force him to weapon-plot;
He builds his sly armor; makes his vanish easy;
Plays ploys; Shifts into iron man; tough, yet, frenzy...!

Cocktails and women beauties; Romantic, yet firm;
Juvenile play-boy; yet, strict to mercantile term; 
Not lonely though alone; full of fun and frolic;
Midst accomplishment of tasks, he has his rollick...!

Pushed to misuse his invention of iron-man,
Virtuously he dismantles his harm-filled plan;
Splaying bundle of freedom virtues and vices, 
Tony Stark is an epitome of guises...!


01 July 2022
Captain America's Friends or Foes Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Robert James Liguori

Moonlit

moonlight lined
windows bright
under-blind 

reaching so frantically
thin fingers stretched like prayers
petal-pale, whitening sea
staggers with swimming brain
splaying its palms to yield
shines acutely as pain

makes the room bleak, thin, sickened with light
suffusing through the air cool as clay
unwelcome guest gentle in the night
sticks to the walls like satiny sweat
curls claws into softened recesses
stark, desperate silenced silhouette 
frightens the sheets to wide jagged peaks
like monstrous angels crumpled in dust
alone in sombre light, a door creaks

And, Then, I Sigh

I remember the day you were born
Early on a snowy November morn
And the day we brought you home
When I wrote for you a lovely poem,
     and, then, I sigh.

I rest my elbows on the windowsill
Looking out over the meadow still
Where you ran laughing, playing
Your sweet brown pigtails splaying,
     and, then, I sigh.

You said, “I am getting married, Dad,”
And, true, he was a handsome lad
I was proud you made a fine choice
But, I recall the crack in your voice,
     and, then, I sigh. 

I look up and see a tracing in the sky
My heart beats so, I think I will die
The day when he took you so far away
I felt like I was a forgotten castaway,
     and, then, I sigh.

But you came home with my grandchild
That sweet little girl so meek, so mild
She comes to me with smiles and hugs
Says, I love you, Gramps, then shrugs,
     and, then, I sigh.

THIRD PLACE WINNER
written July 10, 2021
For "What Makes You Sigh" Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Chantelle Anne Cooke

Poem For Ma Who Liked Poetry

Ma,
Leaping off the crown of a candle,
A hot bead without hold or handle,
Blobbed as us all on the bee-smell body of a star.

Air,
Shushing from the womb of her shell room,
The leant lung's slow snore looping her loom,
Muddled with the booze which bruised her peaceful as a pear.

Hands,
Holding normal knowings in knot-roots,
Splaying through the spokes of new cahoots,
All gusts must rust and turn to dust ~ as Felixstowe pebbles will wave to wax; fast towed, fed lights, we the festooned elixir of ocean-spanned sands.

Shred

Why I Will Always Be Alone



emptiness craving amorosity loathing darkness vintage dreams ravenous/heart gong a silent beat, shivering the desire bed empty since you left. Sex boiling with potent fire, aflame with thought another intracranial aneurysm; ganglion carbuncle inflamed headache tonight lying down before taking a pill. Open then heavily anchored, closed roped in thick tresses bountiful poppy opium smoke. Once was alive then metamorphosised a unisex transmutation: sod-asexual changeling.Come here lick me uplift me load me with your woes want to drink from your mouth a sup sip so succulent splaying my  for you to suck into from, rape me with your love take it all leave now me with nothing at all, a lonesome child.***** Majora two cutaneous folds that extend downward from the mons pubis-+ Pussy — kiss me dead.

Welcome To the Jungle

She spins in tight circles
flashing her wonders of three
she lets in the night
coquettish and willing to tease

smoke splices her air
apparent,
weaving and grabbing the need
it's not wanton
but wanted

ropes can't hold back life
cutting the tension
a sharpened knife
splaying her swaying cage

animalistic, fetishistic but smooth
engrafted, tenebrous, the room
topped
long arms whipped

the willows scratch at the window
watching without
leather remains on the floor

glasses shattered, shards cut
blood lets
red, not wasted
one drop
cleaned up

Apogee

A wedge of moon 
persists in a cobalt sky,
as light fractures itself, 
splaying its fingers
through the reluctant dark, 
soon to be gone.
Black lace filaments 
on licorice black trees
dangle their dainty digits 
in a waning wind.
Hushed and shy is dawn 
as she adjusts her
flamenco skirts 
to brush the morning sky.
Not night now, 
but not quiet full of day,
teetering, give - take 
until day at last wins.
And in that apogee 
that is not one or other,
does time stop 
and take a breath, pulling
itself back into 
its cycle eager to go on?

Parallel Universes

revelation of revelations!
an ordinary morning til..
discovery of discoveries 
brittle chrysalis
upside down, branching
breathing, pulsing
I pause and
inspect the
pupa’s fortress
tight and hard as 
childhood memories of
milkweed pods 
splaying, splitting, dropping
fragments into the
pungent soil beneath

My birth sac
splits apart
Baptismal waters
run down my legs
he’s going to be a
football player the 
doctor predicts.
one last push
spills my babe
onto linen’s 
glaring whiteness.
oops, he’s a she
and so beautiful.

A parallel universe
repeats, reflects, completes 
an ever changing 
life cycle
sunshine dries
black and orange panes
tiny filaments of gossamer
wings shimmer silky white
against the opaque sun

Dad’s car delivers
mom and babe home
their newborn squalls.
her tiny fingers 
curl in a tight fist.
each digit is a
prayer bead
chanting its presence.

I gaze in amazement 
my mind awhirl
wings and elbows,
antennae and toes
displace space now that
seconds before was
unknown. unclaimed.

Saying Things Simply

The words shift over
When the heart grieves with mistrust
And life seems complex with her
Saying things simply
Can prevent splaying of pain
Increased by those staring eyes

Russell Sivey

Time Flies

Waiting is the greatest pain, 
Though most of me remains slain; 
Legs propped up on iron heaters, 
In my mouth spins an egg beater- 

Roughly, duct tape holds it there, 
Wrapped around my crimson hair- 
Holding in the spinning end, 
Tearing so no one could mend. 

Will my torturer return? 
I cry to think of all I've learned. 
Even through the scars he burns, 
He says there's more for me to earn. 

Waiting, gurgling, and praying, 
Burning, yearning, burnt legs splaying, 
I can't conceive what could come after, 
I resort to insane laughter. 

Though I choke on blood and teeth, 
Through the smell of my burnt meat, 
I laugh harder, my mind flees 
Closer toward insanity. 

The deadbolt slides, I hear the door: 
Creaking, scratching on the floor, 
He walks through, I smell him now, 
Expensive cologne flows down. 

He leans in, I feel his breath, 
Then his hands upon my chest, 
He whispers one last sick goodbye, 
"You won't be the last to die."

Moonlight

Across farthest hills, silent moonlight spills
To wash away the dark, to overflow
With golden rays splaying the land it fills
And paints every plant in darkened meadow
With clouds below a crumbled curtain hung
To filter soft moonlight that fall and flow
Through every limb this gentle string is strung
This flickering vine lays still, crawling slow
A rising orb, this gentle yellow moon
Will fill each searching eye, where romance lives
And contains a wish, where love's dreams commune
To caress the yearning soul, that moonlight gives

Beneath this gold moon where heartbeats find breath
They'll hear a melody from moon's celeste

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