I am too obsessed.
There.
I imagine too deeply.
There.
I long too intensely.
There.
I love myself too much.
There.
I impeach this self of mine.
Yet, obsession is better than lethargy,
Deep imagination dances with longing,
And my love temporarily turns a blind eye to its own impeachment.
Before my final deathbed, I shall be judged.
"Even if this very moment is a swamp, live within it.
Do not even struggle. Like a little frog,
Just gently poke your eyes above the surface of the swamp."
"Ribbit, ribbit."
Catfish lies in mud.
He slithers through slimy swamp.
Ah! Breakfast is here!
Winner 8th Place: 1468 Brian Stand (Sponsor) 5/2/26
The ink dark sky choked with ripened longing
with a face darkened and stricken with fear toward the inner sea
spills a whistle stained with traces of your hair
In the thrashing strong wind a mind lost shower
plants the thorn of memories grown in Udo
and scores the shoulder of Seongsanpo sleeping in stillness
Caught in the defiant shove of the departing shower I
gently seized as if falling into sleep by the touch of the leaving wind
flow toward the pooled water where you remain
A swamp-still water
Weighed down of sorrows'
Winter-long stare
Does what of this now
Reflective bare.
Hearts, re-lit as twere.
A far sky-swept bird's;
In snipe; ibis.
And those, now lightened.
As glad for this!
banyule wetlands
Uh huh
Jambalaya
Uh oh
Crawdad gumbo
That spice
It’s Cajun nice
Girl there
With long blonde hair
She’s flame
and can’t be tamed
Legs long
Bayou beat song
So nice
Red beans and rice
Real sweet
With pepper heat
Hot day
Shrimp etouffee
So real
She makes me feel
Her eyes
Beautiful lies
Much more
Oh I adore
Love taste
Rush passion’s haste
Salt sweet
Such tender meat
De-sire
Swamp born fire
Hunger
Never sated
Give me
What she plated
Eat till
I’m full to burst
Need her
A voodoo curse
Trumpet-like lilies by the lake
preen for the flamboyant flamingo,
sifting through the murky waters,
searching for algae and shrimp
where crawdads click and clatter.
While silvery fish glide stealthily
leaving barely a ripple behind,
a chorus of frogs’ croaks
echo like the whining twang
of a plucked banjo string.
Dragonflies skim the water’s surface
as their translucent wings shimmer
like gems in the sunlight,
dart about the amaranth lilies
waltzing in the summertime breeze.
In the swamp the raccoons romp
And gators ply the waters.
Wild boars snuff and strut their stuff
And eat their sons and daughters.
Take a ride but stay inside
The boat, both feet and fingers
Or else your zeal provides a meal
(And teeth hurt more than stingers!).
On the boat, when gators float,
The captain calls them closer
With marshmallows tossed at little cost
Or meat that’s raw (much grosser!).
The gators know this little show
Provides a snack quite tasty,
So use their tail to some avail,
Their movements smooth but hasty.
The swamp’s a place I’d hate to face
On any daily basis,
Yet to its beasts it’s never ceased
To be a true oasis.
chilly winter morn
fog is embracing the swamp
drake calls for a mate
critique not asked as serpent rises from the jealous swamp.
All over Washington D.C.
He flies with pomp and pride
Donald Trump, President
Surveys the swamp overhead
Of wrath and promises bold
He vows to cleanse the deep
Swamp's dark waters
His axe to wield
America great again to keep
© daniel miltz
Carolina home
In the great Palmetto State
Place where I was born
Boy was free to roam
On a ninety-acre farm
Free from fear and harm
In dirt, sand or mud
We sandlappers had it all
To work, play, or brawl
Turning the dark dirt
Putting the hounds on the trail
Tussling with cousins
Having dirt clog fights
Making toys out of pine bark
Plowing fertile fields
Running through the pines
Wading through the boggy swamp
Swinging from a vine
Down in muddy swamp
Turtle is called a “cooter”
Anglicized slave word
So my cousin says
Parents were missionaries
Belgian Congo
Many days have gone
Much water under the bridge
Since I left that home
Days of yesteryear
Now, home is where I reside
But memories last
Emmitt Till buried next to my father
also unearthed next to my father
bur oaks cemetery Chicago Illinois
I never dreamed my death would be sought
For my American poetry severe corruption
ABUSE of power set my death
In the swamps to extort my American poetry
by Jamaican imposter's and a corrupt officers
niece my attacker my stalker severe repeat
violent offender seated with an arson murderer
Klansman craving my death finally murder me
and toss remains In with the alligators
Hillsborough river I must say I'm at peace
with this death because I will never ever stop
writing and allow a fatal attraction gain royalties
from my American poetry therefore I want
the world to know in thee event of my death
please check all the alligators in the swamp behind
my home for my remains and please allow open casket
as with Emmitt Till so the world can see how
I was murdered in America for my American poetry
What it's like in swamp
Fighting makes you fall deeper
Pray one help you romp.
Unkie, my friend or foe
At night with a pin he'd stick me
So he said; in his bed
With him I did not sleep
Had my own bed_no dread
Unkie, my friend or foe
Had a curved walking cane
One hand was unusable
He had harsh attitude
He's so confusable
Unkie, my friend or foe
He had a bad sore leg
He got burned in a wreck
Running his homemade shine
That was his one paycheck
Unkie, my friend or foe
Could be soft and loving
Helped me out of the swamp
When the swamp monster ate
My shoes__ socks with one chomp
Swamp Critters
Problem Solvers Or Nut’s?
Miracle Man
2/1/2024
America’s problems, mortal man can’t solve,
and elected officials seem to watch time evolve.
Things of importance to them, they negotiate,
much of which the average person can’t relate.
“For the good of the American people” is a pet line,
they’re paid big bucks just to argue and whine.
They seldom agree so they’re swift to impeach,
later praising self, in some meaningless speech.
Political parties have become one giant wedge,
each telling a story that’s seldom as they allege.
Our current border problems they are ignoring,
perhaps that’s the reason I hear loud snoring.
A swamp filled with critters that hiss and spew,
but In congress what they say, we’re forced to do.
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