I woke too soon, a life almost undone
A sudden call came, before the light of day
But all are safe, the reaper had not won
Her life was spared, before the morning sun
She was okay, I heard her softly say
I woke too soon, to a life almost undone
No tragic end, no race was lost or run
Three lives affected, dark clouds rolled away
But all are safe, the reaper had not won
Thank heaven, no journey to the setting sun
I simply whispered a thanks today
I woke too soon, to a life almost undone
A precious chance, a new life has begun
There is a future, no more than delays
But all are safe, the reaper had not won
Startled I still have my daughter; beloved my only one
My fears all faded, at the break of day
I woke too soon, to a life almost undone
But all are safe, the reaper had not won
In a second by a bullet from a gun
A world of anticipation undone
No more rises the sun
My baby’s gone
~ My life too, its course now run
Nine years and a half, a love story spun,
Or so I believed, beneath the rising sun.
I gave my heart, my trust, my very soul,
But found myself within a deepening hole.
A gilded cage, you fashioned it with care,
Bars of obligation, whispers of despair.
My wings were clipped, my spirit held so tight,
Dimming my sunshine, stealing all my light.
The walls grew higher, day by weary day,
As freedom's song began to fade away.
And then the cracks, the tremors of the ground,
Your choices echoed, a devastating sound.
The cage you built, not only held me fast,
But wounded children, shadows from the past.
A web of pain, spun out for all to see,
And suddenly, the truth was clear to me.
No longer bound by promises betrayed,
No longer silenced, no longer afraid.
With steady hands, and purpose in my stride,
I took the power back, I looked inside.
The architect of freedom,
I became,
Erasing lines, dismantling all the blame.
The cage is gone, the blueprint ripped apart,
A new beginning, a brand-new work of art.
Mountains made of waves
tore the flesh from Mother Earth —
flayed and flooding.
The mud grieves beneath her,
clogged with stagnant saline.
She used to breathe — rivers ran wild and free,
forests stood tall and proud.
For she was once lush —
verdant skin stretched over a trembling core,
veins of sapphire seas pulsing with breath.
But we carved into her with teeth of steel,
peeled back her emerald skin,
pierced through her bones.
We didn’t ask.
We took.
Her lungs lit like lanterns.
Birds dropped from the blackened sky.
The ocean soured, bloated with grief.
Coral bleached like the bones of the forgotten —
silent, skeletal, sunken.
And still, we kept chlorine at her flesh.
Now she festers —
her winds thin, her skin splitting.
Cities crust her like scabs.
She does not scream.
She simply waits.
A casualty of your cruelty,
she lies open, emptied —
not for mercy,
not for rage —
but for the stillness that comes
when there’s nothing left to save.
And still,
you look away,
call the silence healing —
but it’s too late
to unknown what you’ve done.
I have come undone, powerless as one
my heart is heavy, thoughts run deep
I'm drowning in the tears I weep
Looking out to see the light
as darkness falls on silent night
In search to find a sacred place
to help me mend my fall from grace
Just one more prayer to save my soul
reclaim a life that lost control
free the past with self-atone
and be grateful for each day I own
UNDONE
I have come undone
Powerless as one
My heart is heavy, my thoughts run deep
I'm drowning in the tears I weep
Searching for a sacred place
To help me mend my fall from Grace
Looking out to see the light
As darkness falls on silent night
Just one more prayer to save my soul
Reclaim a life that lost control
Free the past with self atone
And be grateful for each day I own
Now he only comforts me
When he has hurt me
I want love without pain
See Winter dripping off the trees.
It, finally, is past.
And here we are, down on our knees.
Thank God it didn’t last!
The morning sun creeps o’er the hill.
There’s not a cloud in sight.
Of snow, we’ve had more than our fill.
Please, no more chilly nights!
The birds are chirping prettily.
A song to warm the heart.
With smiles as far as eye can see
We greet the brand new start.
So, open windows! Open doors
To let the light shine in!
Who knows what grace we have in store?
No longer if, but when.
The breezes promise gentle rain.
No more the blust’ry storm.
No icy chill or gloomy pain.
Now all is light and warm.
We watch the flora come alive
To bloom beneath the sun.
For now, at last, does Spring arrive
And Winter is undone.
sneakers twisted over hydro wires
co-joined
dangling from tied laces
tracks to an unhappy ending
a runner's castoff
erasing the scourge of a race lost?
an overhead tale of something snapped
when expectations erode
forlorn scuffed shoes
undone by some soul
weary of ownership
fused to the wrangle of wind
where secrets shake
heavenward
till summoned back to ground
this unburdened rejection
on a current for altering it
an indifferent toss losing its grip
when laces fray
gnarled by friction
an ending
like depleted affection
with nothing neatly laced up
He's left me. I'm coming undone -
like linen on a spinning wheel
much in need of still being spun.
Half-cloth, I'm feeling unreal.
In need of completion, I'm lost.
He's left me. I'm coming undone.
as if to brusque winds I've been tossed.
i seek a sweet breeze. There are none.
His touch, like the warmth of the sun,
is gone. Only blackness i see.
He's left me. I'm coming undone.
Dark waters are swallowing me.
He gave me no cause for mistrust.
Vibrant was i when we'd begun.
But now I am turning to dust.
He’s left me. I’m coming undone.
Facing God, Assessor so great
my soul wrestles for earnest plight
midst battle for achievement flight
as I confess my undone* state.
Despite grievous sorrow and pain
my heart seeks the Lord Who makes whole
fixing glitches of undone role
toward wondrous thanksgiving gain.
Upon Christ’s inviting altar
I lay my undone goals with hope
begging for help so I can cope
since He’s my Rock of Gibraltar.
Trusting the Almighty for grace
against torture of being undone
so that good success could be won
I fix my faith to His truth’s brace.
Now, anchored by the Saviour’s stand
my spirit claims victory seal
assured of His miracles' deal
that I’ve done my best by His hand.
*Isaiah 6:5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
January 23, 2024
3rd place, "Pick-A-Title, Vol. 41" Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Edward Ibeh; judged on 2/9/2024
UNDONE
Scheduled work is remaining incomplete
In right time couldn’t show proper concern.
Silly mistakes, unable to delete.
Life to end, yet so many things left undone.
Dragging life in last phase, time now too short
No use even I put full devotion.
Circumstances did not favour, all lost .
Life to end, yet so many things left undone.
Unable to manage difficulties
though tried best on utmost dedication.
But could not overcome adversities.
Life to end, yet so many things left undone.
Endured failure also accessed success.
In normal course grief and joy came by turn,
also love and betrayal more or less.
Life to end, yet so many things left undone.
Enjoyed life, also performed duties,
but failed to fulfill all my ambitions.
Couldn't assess which was my priority.
Now life ends, yet so many things left undone.
I have neither scope nor time to rectify !
So I desire for re- incarnation.
On my next birth my life will glorify !
Now life ends, yet so many things left undone.
Then I said, Woe is me! for I am undone; ...
Isaiah 6:5, King James Bible
UNDONE, a very uninviting condition to be in.
Whatever the other status, position, or purity,
it bodes to be better than 'UNDONE'. But how
does the 'Undoing' come to be? Is there a face-off
with some other entity that renders our ruination,
our despicable being, by coming in contact with us
or we with it? At any rate, there is indeed an
enlightenment that shines upon the reality of
our lack of light or inadequacy, shocking us,
and revealing what we really are. UNDONE.
012524PS
I was only four,
when Blackie my dog died.
My dad ran my best friend over,
yes it was a horrible accident.
I was only seven,
when my loving cat died.
I found her dead from eating a lizard,
the lizard was coming out of her mouth.
I was in my twenties,
when I got the call.
Your dad is dying,
will I make it in time.
My heart has been broken many times,
feeling like pieces of glass cutting it apart.
Each time my heart was undone,
it could not be made new again.
An undone heart will last forever,
never to be fixed again.
Hold your heart in love,
protect it at all cost.
I slept inside a haunted house for the thrill:
to see for myself if any ghosts were there.
Then, like a warm breath clinging to Winter's chill:
a foggy apparition appeared mid-air.
It dissipated, yet my fright lingered still;
fueling feelings of anguish and despair.
And my curiosity morphed into fear:
when I heard a faint voice whisper in my ear.
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