Among the virtues, one stands tall,
God exalts it above them all.
Those who profess to walk with God,
But lacks this trait, He deems a fraud.
When Christ upon a cross was hung,
heaven’s love song to man was sung.
God shared His heart; He made it bare,
revealed to us how much He cares.
Patience, perseverance, and hope,
when facing stress they help us cope.
Wisdom, fortitude, and courage
are valued traits in every age.
Humility, prudence, and faith
are traits that made the sages great.
Generosity and kindness
are traits of those who have God’s mind.
Compassion, respect, and justice
are worthy traits that foster trust.
Both temperance and self-control
are worthwhile traits to set as goals.
Assertiveness and diligence
are traits of those who high-posts fill.
Forgiveness is a trait of those
who truly God's forgiveness knows.
Both modesty and chastity
are traits that today seem passé,
yet, none among the noble traits,
the passage of time will outdate.
“God is love”, the Bible says,
and those who love, God homage pays.
So, Paul was right when he did state,
of the traits, “love is the greatest”
Without a word I slip out of bed
and a thousand conversations
run through my mind
as I walk barefoot across worn carpeting.
Two nights ago, I barely made it home
while driving through a deluge
and water on the roads.
I defied the warnings
and survived
as bolts of lightning laced the sky.
I was the storm.
I was the silence.
Now as the sun pokes through
a thin veil of clouds
the sense of nothingness I embrace.
I must admit a year ago I loved someone.
She said that she loved my humor
my new stories and poems
and there was so much to share.
Now she’s a memory lingering in my heart.
This is my life, I say when alone.
This is what I’ve made it
as I watch a shadow dance on the wall—
it can be anything.
My chest ached the other day
when I bore the weight of humanity
while working at a grocery store.
Customers and I talked and traded jokes
but as the day wore upon me
I longed to be in my time and place.
A housemate downstairs
shuffles through the kitchen
while I sit in my loft and play with words
longing to say what’s never been said.
Two Presidents convened on this date,
reportedly to negotiate, the end of the
war and Ukraine's fate..
Instead the President of the United States,
and his very arrogant running mate,
chose to publicly bully and intimidate,
cause that's how we "make America great."
President Zelensky didn't take their bait.
He's a man of character, a Presidential trait,
and Ukraine's still a democracy. It's not
the "deep state".
Arrogance is such a miserable egotistical trait,
Cultivated and nurtured to become their fate,
To me these people seem like over ripe tomatoes
packed in an old crate,
Which should be offered to passersby to throw
At them and smudge their face,
But either this or karma will envelop them in future days.
A compliment for or to them runs like water off
A ducks back,
Give me down to earth, real people, and let arrogance
Go Quack, quack quack.
Steps help move up or down
Spoil not cham with a frown;
Gait, speech reveal class
Pace, pause reflect class.
Surf happily on waves of thought,
when you are lonely.
Bloom graciously flowers of words,
when you are with people
___________
May 31, 2023
Contest : Bite Size No 65
Sponsored by : Line Gauthier
My trump suit against lifelong tragic tone
Lodged leisurely inside my funny bone.
By dismal doom I decline to abide -
I crack it up to a facetious side.
In each pickle, regardless size and shape,
There is a laughing matter in a jape.
When unwelcome hiccups simmer and spout,
I’d pick and poke something to smirk about.
For every spiteful slap and whopping whip
There’s an amusing snicker of a quip.
Farcical figures of speech I’d pour on -
Absurd, irony or oxymoron.
When on the dark my mindset dares to dwell,
Biting sarcasm and sharp satire mix well.
Last not least parody’s comical spin
Converts my frown into a happy grin.
Don’t sweat to second my funny bone, folks -
I chuckle and chortle at my own jokes.
Speaking of which the punch line in the pun -
And so I lived to die for - having fun!
April 23, 2023
Sponsor: Angela Tune
Contest: Character Traits
I speak the words...of tasteful trait
For you, my friends...to get it straight
To etch upon...my stone or slate
These words I always...try to state
"Thou shall love...and thou shall not hate"
Be' eth engraved...on heaven's gate
My love, to all...I shall donate
From now, until...my dying date
(8 lines/ 8 syllables)
Single Stanza Monorhyme Poetry Contest
Sponsor: L Milton Hankins
10/3/2022
Peace of mind is a sacred masterpiece
When it comes not, we lose all the fun
Worry normally stops it in a great hurry
Sorrow makes the way for it very narrow
Happiness arrives only though calmness
Choice of quietude only helps us rejoice
Carry love if the need is too much merry
Sever kindness and soul contacts fever
Affection has the power to cure infection
Lovely expressions medicate soul duly
Hatred leads to blood being madly shed
Pure love in fact offers the best cure
Friends, if we are kind, God gladly sends
Enemies we easily form if we cruelly tease
Dejection must never enter heart-section
As brittle heart loves not to wage a battle
Anger is real poison causing great danger
Smile is a chum who will help without fail
Courage alone will give the best advantage
Bold ideas will, toward us, attract the World.
I place a great deal of importance on morality
and never will I perceive it as a mere triviality
It is a fine quality I seek when choosing a friend
A virtuous trait, one should never condescend
Those relishing debauchery, I consider unsavory
Surrendering their honor will surely lead to slavery
A bondage that breaks the ethical code of respect
Their sense of morality is in a state of gross neglect
January 4th, 2021
Mark Koplin's Morality Contest
It's hard to know the extent of one's vision
For various reasons, our inner thoughts remain hidden
It's a human trait
There's no debate
Some things are personal and can't be gotten rid of
By Dawne Zacharias
With my love of
writing,
a computer and
printer,
my own poem
beside the
works,
of my
forebears.
8, A Trait Higher than Nature
Every Year Sing "Hallel" on July "11's",
A Stroke Grew Tall, Into My Life's Elm,
Prior, in 2005, Our Chassuna Dance!
Now, Our Foot "Pattie Cake" is Seldom.
8 Denotes Transcendence,
Judaism is Not in the Natural Realm,
No Nature's Laws Correspondence,
"Ayn Ode Milvado" has the Helm!
"Rise Above Our Nature" Ascendance,
Assorted "Odd Bod'" Handicaps, "Jell 'Em!"
In Sum, Obstacles Aren't Iron, Look Askance,
Serve Hashem "B'Simcha", Attitude "Quells 'Em!"
Never Say Never nor "Defeatist Chants",
Transcend the Adverse, Surprise Them,
Purim "MeSheloach Manos" to Enemy Stances,
Make Friends, Try to Opponents Stem!
You'll Get Disbelieving Glances,
Shrug Them Off, Saying "Amen & Ahem!",
Sincerely Sing "What Are the Chances?",
Keep Trouble Off Balance, "Tzoros" Amend!
"More of You is Emerging!" Barbara Announces,
I Ask Myself "Is This the Coma's End?"
My Wife & I, One Another Enhances,
Marital Bliss, We Each Other Send!
8, A Trait Higher than Nature
Every Year Sing "Hallel" on July "11's",
A Stroke Grew Tall, Into My Life's Elm,
Prior, in 2005, Our Chassna Dance!
Now, Our Foot "Pattie Cake" is Seldom.
8 Denotes Transcendence,
Judaism is Not in the Natural Realm,
No Nature's Laws Correspondence,
"Ayn Ode Milvado" has the Helm!
"Rise Above Our Nature" Ascendance,
Assorted "Odd Bod'" Handicaps, "Jell 'Em!"
In Sum, Obstacles Aren't Iron, Look Askance,
Serve Hashem "B'Simcha", Attitude "Quells 'Em!"
Never Say Never nor "Defeatist Chants",
Transcend the Adverse, Surprise Them,
Purim "MeSheloach Manos" to Enemy Stances,
Make Friends, Try to Opponents Stem!
You'll Get Disbelieving Glances,
Shrug Them Off, Saying "Amen & Ahem!",
Sincerely Sing "What Are the Chances?",
Keep Trouble Off Balance, "Tzoros" Amend!
"More of You is Emerging!" Barbara Announces,
I Ask Myself "Is This the Coma's End?"
My Wife & I, One Another Enhances,
Marital Bliss, We Each Other Send!
A character trait
She was divorced with one child a daughter
had met a man she liked going out for the first meal
the daughter was playing it up her mother tried
to calm her to no avail.
Her new friend lost his temper and shouted, whatever
his profession he was no a psychologist.
Deadly silence at the table, the man tried to say something nice,
but it was too late. They had chocolate pudding for dessert
which the daughter refused to eat.
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