Ophid air of misconception
Polarizing those of superstition
Hideous to some and
Indescribably beautiful to many
Devoid of human soul
Involved in man’s downfall
Only to be cursed as
Pretense of innocence
Holding unfounded fear
Of snakes who serve
Behind our sight with
Intense appearance and
Always omnipresent
As I run away from the chains, not a single one of my principles drifted
out of my mind, I know what's right and what's wrong for me
I can take actions by chance and leaps of faith
I escaped from the herd, I do not take revenge but I choose to stay calm
Resentment is control, I understand now and shall not be held captive
I have never felt safer, then I have before
I do not cry for freedom, my heart feels whole again being free.
Seal the mountains, the peaks, the city—
The little emperor rides waves like in Shanghai Bund.
In the end, the man who loved beauty became a rifle.
Where is the man-made bathing pool atop that mountain?
The princely courage, allies in accord,
Carried martial genes, shamanic rhythms,
Carried cells of herbs and discipline, anti-entropy.
Like Zhang Xianzhong sinking treasure into the Min River—his final aesthetic.
He believed only in genetic revenge,
Mocking blossoms, young girls, and green plums in May.
Some tradition loved empire but mistook beauty.
It collapsed in his beautiful feed for the kingdom.
A sliver of beauty—madness moved in,
A sprite watered by greed,
Denied by earth and the abyss’s breath.
( Poems by Shifeimi
Translated from Chinese by AI with authorial editing and final approval.)
Written: April 12, 2025, for contest Sponsored by: Karen Jones
Stevie Wonder Song ( Superstition )
****************
When you cling to ideas you don't understand,
The void spins its webs, and shadows dance.
Superstition is a paranormal phenomenon in hand,
Guiding principles through a mystical trance.
Dusty recordings echoed his soul's scream,
The keys beneath his fingertips emit pure light.
Rhythms pulsate as if it were all a dream,
Breaking free from the curse of the night.
A soundtrack composed of visions so bright,
Stevie's voice breaks through the foggy haze.
Escaping the confines of the tangible sound might,
Revealing discomfort in remarkable ways.
Wonders emerge with every chord played,
Beyond where our senses can perceive or touch.
Harmony conquers any fears displayed,
Opening pathways to optimism and such.
Friday the 13th, and dark clouds rise
There is superstition in her eyes
Will she venture out and test the fates
Or hide behind her iron gates
Her lover left, he won't return
She thinks the gypsy queen will bring him back
Magic spells she can't discern
Her superstition is right on track
On Halloween she's on the street
A witch's brew, her tasty treat
She is caught up in a bind
Superstition is on her mind
A young lad, upset, with a tear in his eye
It is but a picture and yet I ask why
What, in my parlour, makes him want to weep
Loneliness, hunger or fear of some creep?
It’s said that his presence will bring to you ill
Since one burnt out house had this boy hanging still
But rumour and legend don’t sway me at all
Strange, how it suddenly fell from the wall
I gazed at the spot where the painting was lying
My wife said I think I know why the boy’s crying
I think that he knew he’d crash down on the mat
But I don’t think he wanted to clobber the cat.
Throng of fishes
Meet at shoreline
Bad omen hap.
In naive minds where paranoid whispers spread,
superstitions escalate through ancient lies.
An omen of fear that fills a heart with dread.
Be it the number thirteen or black cat's eyes.
Although sometimes things in life really 'suck,'
shattering a mirror is simply bad luck.
The voice of reason will provide you relief.
Common sense prevails when faith is your belief.
Lucky horseshoe a lone white feather.
Four leaf clover and lucky Heather.
Eyes of newt and wing of bat.
Do not cross a cat that is black.
Don't walk under a ladder it is said.
Or something will happen and strike you dead.
Devils witches and warlocks to.
Do you believe in superstitions?
I know I do.
I've felt a sense of gloom and doom looming over me
As if I'd set a rabbit's foot or lucky clover free
What have I done to put me in this hypnotic trance
No more can I endure this endless neurotic dance
So I steered into the skid to really test my fate
Stepped on every sidewalk crack with a spry gait
Broke a mirror and opened an umbrella wide indoors
Spilt salt and left it on my cleaned and just dried floors
Walked under a ladder to get my 13 new black cats
Left on the bed all my cowboy and lumberjack hats
And wouldn't you know, my luck began to show change
Bad luck thwart with bad omens, it's oh so strange
It’s Friday and my old black cat
Across my path he goes
He does not care for human dates
His nonchalance, it shows
He blesses me by crossing me
At least that’s what he thinks
But since it is the thirteenth too
I’ve just been double jinxed.
Now, many things we accept,
Nearly each conveyed precept:
Bearers their names pressurize
And life's success summarize:
Sure serpent' who is Linda;
Access to God could hinder
"Sauls" to burn like a cinder
"Dinah's" denied Umbrella
"Tamars" Destined Cinderella
You answer to David 'King'
You choose Jonathan 'you cling'
Nobody risks the name Job,
For Satan might come to rob
And you don't bear Jezebel
For against God you'd rebel...
Scriptural Superstition
For Believer's Nutrition
Ringing in the ears.
Bring on anxiety and tears.
Imagined that you hear someone call out your name after dusk.
Vampires are zombies of the dust.
Dogs scratching at the door.
Wasted salt on the floor.
Killing a cricket in the house.
A raven flying through the house.
Dogs howling in the middle of the night.
Shapeshifting of a man when the wolf bane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.
It is bad luck to leave the house through a different door than the one you came into that day.
If your palm itches luck comes your way.
Step on a crack, break your mama's back.
Keeping shoes and hats on the bed bring on a heart attack.
Mama's submission;
White Folk had all the money and Black Folk had all the superstition.
Just superstition?
Feisty black cat bearing claws
the number thirteen
tattooed upon its wild smile,
witches it’s your lucky day.
Here we are on that lonesome road...
Crossing the same old paths once more
Why're you out here walkin' after midnight?
Just my luck ... with fewer lives left than before
3/27/2022
Black Cat contest
(forms - personification / LIND30WR)
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