Lanterns bleed on snow
Frost paints the window
lace
Your breath hangs like
smoke
Crimson scarf, trembling
hands
Night hums a low prayer
Stars undress into dawn
Sultry red,
yellow pillow sky,
teased tandem,
with citric,
shades afloat oe’r waking town,
mirror bubbly folk in lane
jubilant,
trademark burrs catching,
glad echoes,
urge urban,
tableau of chalkmarked gold stamp,
where sheer pluck triumphs
buses swerve,
rapid rail steel track,
squeaky noise,
hoot … toot…. cabs,
en route symbol’s “jaunty” march,
co migrant orbit
Away from the light,
Somewhere out of view,
A stranger holds sway,
A recalcitrant,
Obstinate darkness,
A doppelganger.
May 27, 2026.
Nette Onclaud,
TRAPPED IN A TABLEAU Poetry Contest.
One’s nerves can strike fear
I freeze in that jail
court ruling from hell
the simplest of sounds
set off the alarm
angst my fixed abode
Nerves can play havoc
worst type of prison
one’s life is a hell
just the simplest thing
sets off an alarm
slave in ironclad chains
Trapped by my sadness~
No freedom from thoughts,
captured emotions _
My escape is words . . .
the stories- I tell !
Captive
Locked in your shadow
Rigid as a board
Twisted in the dark
Eyes fixed and insane
Arms like heavy chains
Captive in a haze
Deep in the pine woods,
Small glass panes reflect
Warmth of a stone hearth.
Dust motes rise slow;
Cabin smells of sap.
Winter's world outside.
Green shoots sprout so fair
Light breeze fills the air
Warm sun shines so high
New blooms greet the sky
Birds sing their sweet songs
Life awakes along
One day, she might dare
look out the window;
when he's nowhere near.
She might even go
uncovered outside;
for now, she must hide.
In the forest heart
Placid echo sounds
Of the roaring brisk
Dazzling waterfall
Cascading downward
Into a plunge pool.
bells tinkle gently
I’m trapped in a cup
watching cows in spring
loamy Earth beneath
ceramic walls crack
moo-ing opens base
______________________
Contest : Standard : Trapped in a Tableau
Sponsor : Nette Onclaud
Placed : 4th : March 26
Imprisoned yet freed
in God’s serene grace*
heart throbs with love’s creed
amidst prayer pace
triumphant indeed
while winning life’s race.
Titus 2:11-12 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.
March 23, 2026
3rd place, "TRAPPED IN A TABLEAU" Verse Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Nette Onclaud; judged on 4/8/2026
Trapped in a Tableau - Nette Onclaud 3-23-26
A Time Warp is a distortion of time or a Line Dance from the Rocky Horror Picture Show
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Time-Warp Tableau
Trapped in a time warp
Jostled left then right
Wriggles and wiggles
Spun in a circle
Minutes distorted
No way to escape
Bound to notepad page
Mind locked in a cage
Margins rule insight
Cropping left and right
Bias frames the view
Cutting truth askew
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