To win her whole heart was my sole goal,
In summer, I tanned just for her soul.
I sunbathed at Lagos Beach,
A Black there to woo a peach,
My face is now blacker than charcoal.
My daddy—he once told me
don’t ever play with nuns
they’ll hit you with their rulers
it won’t be any fun
I snuck out of that prison
and now I’m on the run
Once freed from that schoolhouse
I sunbathed in the sun
I stayed out late, I went on dates
looking out for number-one
When I think of what I went through
of all the tired repressive lies
I keep running wise, in slick disguise
my purpose is renewed
Don’t ever let ‘em tell you
you can’t have any fun
If they preach that hackneyed drivel
grab some things and run
.
.
Songs for this:
Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) by Elton John & Dua Lipa
I'm Still Standing by Elton John
Webster: hackneyed = uninteresting, unfun, dull and unoriginal.
*stolen almost directly, in spirit anyway, from that freewheeling rebel, Johnny Cash
**My first 8 years of school were parochial
Jane in hot summer sunbathed in the nude,
she was on this day with her old friend jude,
Sun soon burnt both their bottoms red,
screaming for cover in they fled,
“what reason”said jude “shall I give my dude?”
OVER-EXPOSURE
An immodest young fellow called Dan
Sunbathed nude for an all-over tan
The neighbours complained
So he was arraigned
And he spent the next year in the can
Dear, get me a cocktail, ... those fruity ones,
Me with no glasses, ... No miss, errs or runs,
saluting sounds of conscience
smoking fumes are obnoxious
he strayed, two sunbathed girls, "Dears, it's the guns."
from seed to plant grown
out stretch sunbathed beauty done
where do I go now
If the LORD is my Lamb
I'll shepherd Him back
To a world that has lost Him from their sight
as we've often sunbathed and sailed without giving Him a thought
He streams Mercy into our souls
taking away the sins of the world
for He's the Lamb of God
I walk with Him through the valley of the shadow of death
journeying with His Way of the Cross, same difference
His Cross comforts me because He takes our place to redeem us
He instituted the Last Supper table for all generations
hidden in a world that finds His "Real Presence" hard to accept
another healing Presence is felt through anointing our heads with oil
even little St. Therese knew any sized cup will overflow abundantly, like a soul
God is so good and merciful and His Divine rays chase me
I witness to His Light, penetrating my heart on my darkest days
even though I was never accepted into convent residency
I seek a lifelong good standing with the Church, united to Him beyond the end
[Modern Version Psalms 23 Poetry Contest by Miranda Hawley]
Away from the noise of that traveled one,
and let them make time with that nature map.
It seems challenging yet in the long run,
if they target shortcuts, it'll be a snap!
As they prove their values moving forward,
achieving success emboldens the pace.
If wit's end be reached--they'll be a swear word!
A shadowing thought engages their face.
Something was baffling that stirred everyone,
as to why this trail remains well hidden,
then midst roars and thrashing an abrupt stall,
in the end, grasped that this trail's forbidden.
'Twas nature's trail, they bolted, left all unscathed,
refresh at noon, thankful, as they sunbathed.
Halogen hesitant glide incubates baskers
Hush worship horizontal, roasting rascals
Trust flail arms gleeful face of jack in box
Toast salt pepper toes opposed to office socks
Lopsided sway scintillates sea rolls repeat
Lumen seduce dons haughty top-hat heat
Haven from seasons, sunbathed succumb
Hourglass conserve curdles cold’s equilibrium
23rd June
Sultry Surfers Paradise
in unfelt Solstice
There is a poetic reaction,
when the sun touches you zealously,
and kiss your muse body...
In my countryside, silent at sunset
Long gone is the stress, long gone is the fret,
Long gone is the need to be so wide-eyed
Silent at sunset, in my countryside
Calm now are my skies with their colors bold
Streaks of blue marry with orange and gold,
My mind long gone astray, as the crow flies
With their colors bold, calm now are my skies
Another day ends on my small hometown
It's old, sunbathed bricks now shading brown,
As dusk creeps in corners, silence descends
On my small hometown, another day ends
Down the sun dips behind my shadowed pines
And so easily now my head reclines,
Watching and awaiting some dreamy trips
Behind my shadowed pines, down the sun dips.
BASED ON A VERY OLD JOKE
Two widows sunbathed on a beach
A nudist walks past hear them screech
He’s a well hung bloke
Old Maud has a stroke
but sadly her friend cannot reach
NB Sex on the beach is a cocktail
06/06/21
Patience with a Purpose
swans stood motionless
imitating spray painted flamingos
geese in the distance
mimicked a talk show panel
turtles sunbathed “sans sun block”
carp slithered in shallow mud
pickerel, unable to hide their toothy grins,
slyly awaited passersby
old bull frogs “harrumphed”
exchanging their glory days
a stick figure Heron posed
patience… with a purpose
...……..a kayak respectfully floating past
John G. Lawless
©6/4/2021
The bleak dreary days of a cold December
Were anticipated already in early September
So, I talked to my boss, begged on my knees
And added days to a long weekend in the Keys.
Left for Miami on a snowy Thursday eve
Arrived in warm sunshine, hard to believe,
Rented a small compact and headed south
Found lodging in a quaint little German Haus
All tuckered out from the long day of travel
I took to the bed and let all my cares unravel.
For four solid days I behaved like a tourist
Poking into whatever caught my interest
I sunbathed, scorched, and aloed my burn
Took in some intellectual lessons I learned
At Truman’s resort and Hemingway’s home
Jotted down a few notes to use in a poem.
On Tuesday I experienced a rude awakening
Arriving back at home late in the evening
My hiatus over brought an unforgettable conclusion:
A long weekend can become a refreshing intrusion.
SECOND PLACE WINNER
Written January 28, 2021
For Hiatus Contest
Remember the long walks on sunbathed sand
Talks we had on a saturated shore
The feel of our hearts pounding in our hands
Each moment better than the one before
Want to walk with you my love forever
Promise never, my love, to cause you harm
Time stands still whenever we’re together
Laughing and loving in each other’s arms
Darling I never thought I’d feel this way
Our love is like a symphony of songs
Resonating loudly on auto play
Beautiful melodies heard all day long
In my life no one else could ever be...
For I am convinced God made you for me
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