Written: July 21, 2026 for a contest sponsored by: Nette Onclaud
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Wide leafy cradle for the westward air,
The fruit of twilight ripens in stillness.
My soul tugs at a glittering green, bare.
Sighs cover the silky vines of dimness.
It whispers below the gilt repose of dusk's rage,
Brooks warble amid the slow breath of night.
The wind's hammock rattles the soul's cage,
Till hearts unburden what load shows in quiet.
Those tears will start to flow and ease the pain
That stabs the heart and slowly overflows.
And as a river rises with the rain,
The soul will feel that fullness as time grows.
And filled with sadness, teardrops ease their way
To flood the eyes and saturate each cheek
Then often wiped away as if to say,
Unburden me to find the peace I seek.
Where do tears go when each is wiped or dried?
As raindrops, do they quickly disappear?
Or are they trophies of the times we've cried
For our recoveries from loss or fear?
Each teardrop joins that river in our life
That helps the soul stay full in times of strife.
My kindred spirit
Destiny to commend
A time and a place
A moment not to end
Comfort in knowing
Shared memories sublime
Youthful, not ragged
Crisp and divine
Sharing those chapters
Brings joy to the heart
Crossed paths in a moment
A beginning, a start
The stars were aligned
A friendship conceived
Expanding through journeys
Experiences perceived
A benefaction of fate
Priceless splinters in time
Not to be auctioned
It’s yours and it’s mine
Always remember
Not far from my mind
When life throws a dagger
Your pain is not blind
Your kindred spirit is with you
Just reach and you’ll know
Unburden your feelings
Your light will again glow
Your courage in loss
Is a strength you can share;
It is a comfort just knowing
In time you’ll be there
For now, just reflect
On the time they were here;
You will always have memories
Your parents so dear.
I carry generational tears I didn’t even cry
Carry the weight of the curses, I don’t even know why
The traumas, the struggles, the lessons to be learned
The biggest one of all: Don’t leave any stone unturned
For every drop of blood that’s been drawn and bled
And for every single tear that’s been emotionally shed
It’s a reminder of the things that’s been left unsaid
And of all the things that we’ve tried to leave for dead
It’s time to wake up and it’s time to act fast
It’s time to unbury the skeletons of our pasts
It’s time to break the chains and throw away the key
It’s time to unburden those that live on after me
Behind the smile lies a troubled heart.
Beneath the laughter resides a tortured mind.
Underneath the beauty of flowers is hidden clutter,
And below the shine, a trail of mystery waits.
The tortured often become celebrated figures;
Their struggles remain concealed within their chambers.
The troubled tend to be gifted,
As darkness quietly penetrates their spaces,
With the recalcitrant night communing with them.
Timeless pieces of art are crafted by the burdened,
Those who unburden through their creativity.
The most memorable quotes come from seekers of Light,
Who travel through ever-changing meadows,
Encountering challenges, fighting battles, and learning along the way.
The elements of freedom are like mist,
Disappearing in the fullness of the sun's light.
Though these elements are transient,
They urge us to remain persistent.
August 18, 2025.
Beauty fills the meadows,
Hope no longer lingers in the shadows,
Every day feels like a fresh start,
As budding flowers greet the sun's warm heart,
There’s a lavish display of colours.
The fragrance of spring’s blossoms fills Mama’s room,
Gone is the gloom of yesterday’s doom,
She spends her leisure time in the garden,
Saying it helps her exhale and unburden,
The glory of spring brings so many blessings.
That dark ink with which you were written
burning so coarsely to leave you with
a calloused and thoughtless destiny
comes now to pickpocket all your smiles
all your loves
and loves there were to bind your time
Save now but a semblance of family
a photographs lie
an uninvited memory
and so to bitter turn all of disport
those anguished years
But ah my love
it is a death which comes to all of us
And lay you now at night in hatred
cold of sulfurous scorn
to stab the needles of the stars
upon a pillow so damp with tears
while all the while some scratching quill has rewritten
the past within your ears
But so it is my love we never listen
and so in spite and certainty
yourself you cannot unburden
Is it so how you think you are not broken
that some righteous bile is left to swallow
how can it be on such foolish errand
a callous gift indeed it was
this heartless and thoughtless destiny
I know your heart is in the right place, trying to unburden me from my grief,
But the words coming out of your face are inconsistent with my beliefs.
Yes, I knew this day would come but she was more than just a pet,
To say “get over it, she’s just a dog”, are the most insensitive words that you’ve said yet.
From the first day that she rescued me, she has been loyally by my side,
Never was she judgmental; to me, she never lied.
She helped me through some bad times and was always with me through the best,
Whenever I needed to slow down a bit, she rested her head upon my chest.
She taught me a trick or two, rewarding me with her love,
Now that she has crossed the rainbow bridge, I feel her looking down on me from above.
So, to hear you say, “she was just a dog, you can always just get another”
Injures me in such a way from which I am not sure I can recover.
There is no such thing as “just a dog”, I hope you now can understand,
I will grieve for her in my own way for as long as I possibly can.
Sweet Freedom, please come my way,
Bring me solace at the end of the day.
Unshackle my soul from the burdens within,
Grant me the liberty to fly and begin.
In this world of chaos and strife,
I yearn for a taste of a brand-new life.
Break these chains that bind me tight,
Let me feel the radiance of endless light.
Oh, Sweet Freedom, sing me your song,
A divine melody to help me stay strong.
I long to breathe the air of liberation,
To dance freely without hesitation.
Unburden me from the weight of the past,
Let me sprint towards dreams that will last.
Wrap me in your soothing embrace,
As I journey towards a better place.
Sweet Freedom, with your wings widespread,
Lead me to the path I should tread.
Give me the courage to rise above,
A beacon of hope, a symbol of love.
With you by my side, I'll conquer my fear,
Embrace the unknown without a tear.
Step by step, I'll embark on this quest,
For it is through you, my spirit will truly rest.
Oh, Sweet Freedom, please come my way,
I'm ready to seize the light of a brand-new day.
Grant me the chance to be truly free,
To live my life, the way it was meant to be
inside a box the secret was placed
away from societies cruel judgments
strange and different, they don’t tolerate
just ostensive, bully
then shun with hate
I kept away the solemn everlasting truth
inside a mind filled with, many a delusion
the outside world, never once, never knew
all of my hurtful shame
all of my hurtful pain
my secret I kept hidden, way down below
locked away inside this well secured box
I, and only I, choose when to turn its key
to release its contents
to it fly high and free
all my life I kept my deep, dark secret
and I had to laugh with a contented smile
while deep inside I grinned and bared
when they just laughed
pointed and stared
now with you I feel enough comfort
to unburden, to fully share
to unlock this buried deep box
will let the truth fly
without a care
so as I unlock my secret box
I will be shaking, feeling scared
and I won’t blame you if, running
out the door
you
went
He pressed onward
Unsure of his destination,
Smiling as the storm intensified—
Tearing at the sails, loosening the rudder.
His smile was not born of humor
But from recognizing his own strength
In the face of adversity.
"It's a beautiful chaos," he remarked
When questioned about his calm.
For he understood
That to unburden oneself
Is to find relief.
Seeing through dreams
spoil your eyes
Time is your enemy
calling your name
the sound is deep
the lasting stars
always the same ghosts
haunt you
go to the shoals
to the mer
unburden the choices you made
the thickets cant defeat you
I've been yearning
to know the winds routine
I've learnt your skyward motion
put away your chemise
unburden your soul
soon you will be sailing
running aground
is there disarray
to cut away this old boulder ?
"It comes to me in childlike dreams,
a peaceful place to run away too." Quote by_ poet
Fluttering in the enchanted garden,
luxuriant foliage unburden.
Serene illuminated by fair hues
of gay sunshine overflowing muse.
Buzzing bees and colorful butterflies,
teasing the lavish flora's pretty eyes.
Flipping, swirling in midair a small fay,
gay pixies lurking so childlike in play.
Labyrinths flight through ivies, trees they fly,
like popcorn popping quickly go awry.
On the shores of Santa Catalina
time is lost in nature’s simplicity
where sea breezes rustle languid palms
sparse brown peaks cradle eagles’ nests
and red foxes hide in dense mustard fields.
As I trek upwards along a narrow trail
leaving the harbor and isthmus behind
the morning fog lifts its obscure curtain
to reveal a stunning cerulean blue sky
that spans across the vast horizon.
Cacti sit, plump and happy from the recent rains
hearty wildflowers dot the arid canyons
weathered posts remind of a fence long gone
while telling tracks mark the paths of bison.
As I reach the summit
my soul is longing to soar
on a majestic eagle’s wings
or skim the rolling seas
like a persistent pelican fishing at dawn.
I long to free my spirit from its earthly bonds
and unburden the trials that trouble my soul.
Yet, I know that the Lord is ever with me
He is intimately acquainted with my ways
His Spirit comforts me along life’s journey
for in it I see glimpses of His eternal glory
as He covers me with His everlasting love.
8/30/23
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