How many ways can we write about love
Without words we've already used
Could invent some new ones but most of you people
Would be lost and really confused
So we stick with same old time honoured phrases
Safe that our message gets through
Sure like to shock you with some uppity words
Invent a real new word or two
Something like, “I love you profusely”
Nah, that doesn't do it for me
How about, “love you like a kick in the face”
To some it means, “I love thee!”
Maybe too violent for the average filly
Perhaps, “I love you like chocolate pudding”
Don't be shy, but no naughty stuff
And refrain from pussyfooting
So here's what I suggest the new word should be
Holypoopadoodlezissbamboo
“Kinda long!” I can hear you guys mumbling
So maybe just the old “I love you!”
Categories:
time honoured, love,
Form: Rhyme
Eat your veggies you'll grow up big and strong
That's what parents used to tell little boys
I'm wondering what they told dainty little girls
Must have used some other devious ploy
Like eat your veggies you sweet young thing
Boys will come knocking at your door
This underhanded method of cajoling offsprings
Was quite normal in the days of yore
The kiddies of today are much more aware
The Internet's where they get their facts
If you try to bombard them with the stuff we got
They'll look at you as if you're cracked
Time marches on in a time honoured fashion
Yesterday's technology is old hat
You no sooner buy the latest up to date gadget
When a newer version comes out topping that
When will this joy ride ever come to an end
Probably never so best get used to it
Keep eating your veggies it's still a good plan
Eating healthy will help you stay fit
Categories:
time honoured, death, strength,
Form: Rhyme
TIME-HONOURED QUESTION
If I were to go down on one knee
And ask the time-honoured question;
The one about marrying me.
If I were to go down on one knee,
What would your answer be?
Would you welcome the suggestion?
If I were to go down on one knee
And ask the time-honoured question?
Categories:
time honoured, proposal,
Form: Triolet
It's the first day of the rest of my life
I'm feeling reborn
Filled with great anticipation
Wondering what exciting things
Lie just ahead
It seems it's all up to us
We're the ones steering the ship
If things don't turn out bright and cheery
We only have ourselves to blame
However I am not unique
Everyone controls their own destiny
I've learned this fact early on
There's a time honoured old saying
Smile and the world smiles with you
Cry and you cry alone
So very true!!!
So when you're feeling down
And it seems like the whole world is against you
Just smile to yourself
It doesn't matter who's watching
Soon the sun will come out
And you'll have a brighter cheerier outlook
To overcome anything this old world can throw at you
To be honest, there are times
I have trouble following my own advice
But then I remember these uplifting words
Smile and the world smiles with you
Categories:
time honoured, happy,
Form: Free verse
Jesus the Splendor, voice before any sound
Earliest word spoken
Silent kind messenger of primeval joy
Unending bright epiphany
Shining as ageless wisdom who calls you in
Classical wonder before any dim star
Heartbeat before weakened blood flowed
Relieving faith before any sweet tear fell
Immemorial still perfection
Soporific and eternal pleasantness
Timeless patience for you at night
Time-honoured meekness that shall attain the world
High-standing calmness for harsh storms
Elegant righteousness as a crown for you
Saintly kindness to be worn by the elect
Primeval gift from the Father
Long-standing attainment through the Father’s grace
Endless blessing before all things
Nirvana of praise that Mani arrived at
Deathless treasure shining with light
Original soft garment of golden light
Revelation of Jesus, the light in you
Based on the hymn "Twenty-Two Aspects of Jesus the Splendor" from the Book of Hymns (page 48) on r/Manichaeism on Reddit (in Resources of Manichaeism section).
Categories:
time honoured, deep, jesus, religion, religious,
Form: Acrostic
If only there was the time, poets would fill their world with rhyme.Quote - Poet’s own
Time
An instant in time’s a silent tick-tock
As the hands of time encircle the clock
When life's busy with never enough time
Living becomes a tough mountainous climb.
Allow yourself time, your peace to retrieve
Time to live, to love, to breath or to grieve
A quiet time to contemplate lost dreams
True friends will be waiting behind the scenes.
No one can contain time within their hand
Time slips by alike sifting grains of sand
As did those feet walk, in ancient archives
We step the line of our time honoured lives.
Time costs one nothing, but value it well
For in time that's well spent all things do gel
With so much to glimpse and so much to do
Thank God for the time He has given you.
*+*+*
15th April 2023
Categories:
time honoured, life, time,
Form: Rhyme
Strange thought just entered my head
What if I critiqued my own poems
D'ya think I'd really be tough on myself
Or would you detect a slight bias tone
Tried using the criteria of accepted norms
I'd be down at the bottom, no bones
But for humorous verse and originality
Call me Oliver Wendell Holmes
First I followed time honoured patterns
Of poets that have gone before
But that's not what makes a poet of note
Originality is what raises his score
So go ahead and break all the rules
That have been in place forever
Develop your style of creative writing
And be proud of your endeavour
Categories:
time honoured, funny,
Form: Rhyme
It's the first day of the rest of my life
I'm feeling reborn
Filled with great anticipation
Wondering what exciting things
Lie just ahead
It seems it's all up to us
We're the ones steering the ship
If things don't turn out bright and cheery
We only have ourselves to blame
However I am not unique
Everyone controls their own destiny
I've learned this fact early on
There's a time honoured old saying
Smile and the world smiles with you
Cry and you cry alone
So very true!!!
So when you're feeling down
And it seems like the whole world is against you
Just smile to yourself
It doesn't matter who's watching
Soon the sun will come out
And you'll have a brighter cheerier outlook
To overcome anything this old world can throw at you
To be honest, there are times
I have trouble following my own advice
But then I remember these uplifting words
Smile and the world smiles with you
Categories:
time honoured, life,
Form: Free verse
We two have just reached No.1
On the latest just released love charts
Knew our love was being considered
By the way we traded our hearts
Well we've finally been honoured
For our 30 year love affair
It matters not that we lost one another
We're back with a love so rare
You never left my loving heart
Was waiting for September 7th
Then it happened, a miracle happened
Never again to leave my presence
To love one another till death do us part
Is a familiar time honoured refrain
But it applies to us like all of the rest
We'll never be wanting again
Categories:
time honoured, love,
Form: Rhyme
GREEN MAN
His whisper is there, from sapling and tree,
A lost ancient tongue but not lost to me,
Listen more carefully to rustle and creak,
Clear your mind, you may just hear him speak.
His origins veiled in the deep mists of time
Nonsensical words filled with rhythm and rhyme
Paths well trodden through soil, sand and rock,
As he tends to his life giving, leaf bearing flock.
I spy him in forest,in copse sometimes glade,
Look to find him where sun meets the shade,
Always resplendent, adorned all in green,
Only revealed if he wants to be seen.
Yet we are old friends, he nods, tips his hat,
Beckons me forth, for our time honoured chat,
In words long forgotten he babbles away,
Brings joy to my soul for the rest of the day.
Shadows do lengthen his words start to slow,
What passes between us? Well only we know,
We say our farewells, smiles upon faces,
He turns an heads off to his half hidden places.
I stand alone somewhat sad but refreshed
Acutely aware, never doubt I am blessed,
One final glimpse as he skips through the trees,
Haunting farewell from Green Man, on the breeze.
Categories:
time honoured, nature,
Form: Rhyme
APPASSIONATO
He made overtures to her,
With the time-honoured chat-up line,
“We could make sweet music together;
I want to make you mine.”
She conducted herself quite cautiously;
Remained composed and calm.
A duet might be pleasant;
And he certainly had charm.
But she didn’t want to rush things,
The tempo should be slow.
He wished to proceed allegro,
She favoured adagio.
She played second oboe,
While he was a double bass.
They came from different cultures,
A thing she found hard to embrace.
And so she resisted his overtures,
They really weren’t well-matched.
She had an affaire with a flautist instead;
A thing with no strings attached.
2nd July 2019
Music Theme Contest
Sponsor - Geraldine Taylor
Categories:
time honoured, love, music,
Form: Rhyme
Which Pete was “for Pete's sake” uttered
When mom got flustered, she always muttered
This time honoured phrase
From back in the day
Riding buggies for two that were covered
© Jack Ellison 2015
Categories:
time honoured, humorous,
Form: Limerick
Long gone are the golden
Dusty days!
Where once, like Blazons
On Armorial Shields,
The gathered bronze sheaths
stood -
Cut through at the stalk...
Raised from time honoured
swathes.
Burnished like brushed copper
By high summers slanted rays:
That were sliced so thinly
From the thickening air,
As they brightly
Caught the hot glare,
From the grass mowers blades.
For the singing scythes,
Once wielded so ably
By strong, capable arms,
Are standing abandoned and
Forsaken:
Blunted, left rusting,
Languishing alone
In damp, dilapidated barns.
Now their songs are forgotten -
Lost within a woeful winds
lament!
Blown far out
From the green meadows;
Separated from their verses
Once sung so heartily
With purposeful,
Lusty, well practiced intent.
So think you all well,
Next time you pause
Your drawn eye,
Upon Englands rich harvests
Of ripened barley,
Yellow wheat, and stiff rye...
To dwell on the lost seasons
With melancholy tears...
And think of the old reaper
Who cuts back at the years!
Categories:
time honoured, autumn, nature,
Form: Rhyme
It's the first day of the rest of my life
I'm feeling reborn
Filled with great anticipation
Wondering what exciting things
Lie just ahead
It seems it's all up to us
We're the ones steering my ship
If things don't turn out bright and cheery
We only have ourselves to blame
However I am not unique
Everyone controls their own destiny
I've learned this fact early on
There's a time honoured old saying
Smile and the world smiles with you
Cry and you cry alone
So very true!!!
So when you're feeling down
And it seems like the whole world is against you
Just smile to yourself
It doesn't matter who's watching
Soon the sun will come out
And you'll have a brighter cheerier outlook
To overcome anything this old world can throw at you
To be honest, there are times
I have trouble following my own advice
But then I remember these uplifting words
Smile and the world smiles with you
© Jack Ellison 2014
Categories:
time honoured, happiness, smile,
Form: Narrative
How many ways can we write about love
Without words we've already used
Could invent some new ones but most of you people
Would be lost and really confused
So we stick with same old time honoured phrases
Safe that our message gets through
Sure like to shock you with some uppity words
Invent a real new word or two
Something like, “I love you profusely”
Nah, that doesn't do it for me
How about, “love you like a kick in the face”
To some it means, “I love thee!”
Maybe too violent for the average Josephine
Perhaps, “I love you like chocolate pudding”
Don't be shy, but no naughty stuff
And refrain from pussyfooting
So here's what I suggest the new word should be
Holypoopadoodlezissbamboo
“Kinda long!” I can hear you guys mumbling
So maybe just the old “I love you!”
© Jack Ellison 2014
Categories:
time honoured, humor, love,
Form: Quatrain
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