UNEXPECTED GUEST
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Though unexpected, he arrived,
a flash of color,
a feathery creature, divine.
I asked not for him,
this vibrant surprise,
dancing on the edges of my reality.
I asked not for him,
this vibrant surprise,
yet there he was, a living brushstroke.
I asked not for him,
this vibrant surprise,
nudging me to seek the unexpected.
I asked not for him,
this vibrant surprise,
expressing beauty in the mundane.
I asked him not to leave,
this vibrant surprise,
but he took flight,
leaving traces of magic in the air.
Life changes come in little increments
along a fated journey fraught with twists and turns.
But once in a while
changes come on sudden and dramatic
like the day you passed away.
A fatal blow ~
the instant when I became unwhole
a widow
a casualty of love.
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
"What are you all quacking about?" squawked Reginald Cluck,
Peering from his coop, quite out of luck.
A drizzle had started, a timid, soft weep,
While others still snoozed in feathery sleep.
"A little rain never hurt anyone!" chirped Pip,
Whose splash-prone spirit rarely would slip.
He’d eye every puddle, a shimmering pond,
With a gleam in his eye, quite remarkably fond.
Reginald scoffed, adjusted his comb,
"Such soggy affairs! I prefer my dry home."
He’d seen the contest poster, a splashy delight,
But preferred his reflections, all polished and bright.
Then a gust, unexpected, a mischievous sigh,
Tumbled Reginald forward, right under the sky.
He landed with grace, in a puddle so grand,
A most dignified splish across the wet land.
His feathers, now plastered, his dignity skewed,
He blinked at his image, delightfully new.
"Let's do the chicken splash!" he suddenly cried,
As the "Mystic Rose" whispered, "Don't hide your wet side!"
And so Reginald Cluck, once a skeptic so stiff,
Discovered true joy in that watery whiff.
He kicked up a fountain, a most glorious spray,
Proof that a puddle can brighten your day.
An Unexpected Good Day
The morning sun rose in brilliant array,
Promising the start of an unexpected day.
Birds sang sweetly in the clear blue sky,
A gentle breeze whispered as clouds drifted by.
With joy in heart and a smile on face,
I stepped outside to embrace the day's grace.
A friend appeared, unplanned and true,
Bringing laughter and warmth like the morning dew.
We wandered together through fields of green,
Sharing stories and dreams, feeling serene.
A hidden café with the richest brew,
Served us delights, both old and new.
The hours flew by in merry chase,
Each moment a treasure we wished to embrace.
The sky turned amber as evening drew near,
Yet the spirit of joy remained ever clear.
Stars emerged to light the night,
An unexpected day, a pure delight.
As moonlight danced upon the sea,
I cherished the gift of serendipity.
Under a blanket of twinkling stars,
I knew this day would forever be ours.
My fellow patient scribbled a note on a piece of paper
and passed it slowly across the table to me
“Unexpected Happiness”, it read.
This remains one of the handful of memories I have
from spending some time in a mental asylum
And to this date, the phrase remains my charter
as it is how I decide to live my life
No matter what the circumstance or challenges
that confront me… I shall always remain happy
I believe this vision has gained me friends
and good rapport with family members
and has kept me relatively healthy
So I preach to you too, dear reader
try to maintain unexpected happiness
as one day you’ll thank me for the advice
I saw her from a distance
And I recognized the move,
But until I got much closer,
It was difficult to prove.
With her breasts exposed, her bra below,
The cup part in the back
Was fastened, then she slid it ‘round
With quite a practiced knack.
She covered up her boobs and then
A t-shirt found its way
As she slowly dressed right on the path
I walk on every day.
I passed her by and coming back,
I saw she’d shed her pants
And stood there in her underwear;
Nobody gave a glance.
Another unexpected sight
To keep me on my toes,
This woman’s story just another
No one really knows.
No one told me the moment you parted.
My disheartened heart left the room the moment I turned the corner,
and saw his golden badge as he nodded in comforting dismay.
That day
My heart learned the rhythm of grief
Slow
Sickly
The kind that brings you past your knees,
and drives you six feet underground.
Who needs two burials in one day?
when the sun prepares to set
on a sunflower field that stretches
as far as the eye can see
magic's surely about to happen
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
As another second ticks off the clock,
who knows what’s coming around the block.
Will today continue to be okay?
Or is something shocking coming our way?
Brace yourself, in case it's a shock. Tick tock.
I gazed upon the winter sky,
Expecting snowflakes to gently lie
Upon my palm, a delicate dance.
But Instead, Mount Fuji ash takes it chance.
~Byeol
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Explanation: this poem is about human expectations, the opening line "I gazed upon winter sky/ expecting snowflakes to gently lie on my palm" reveal our human expectations and assumptions about how things should unfold.
We humans tend to make assumptions based on past experience and general trends.
When instead of snowflakes Mount Fuji ash fell it symbolises that life is full of suprises and it have unpredictable nature.
Boom, Boom, Kaboom
My heart goes
When I see you
Vroom, Vroom, Zoom
My heart goes
When I leave you
love grew where there was none
from the depths of darkness
when suddenly there it was
idyllic serenity in bloom
and our hearts felt soothed
AP: 1st place 2025
When the princess kissed the frog on the lips,
her heart burst in three painful double skips.
Then she sank to the floor,
dead as a nail in a door.
Yep ~ that's how they do fall sometimes ~ these chips.
Unexpected love is more magical than I thought. It pops up when you least expect it I almost forgot what true love really was until you showed up. After years of being heartbroken, and unhappy you came in and turned it all around just by the way you show me you care even if we're miles apart this unexpected love we have is better and stronger than the love I had with the man that was in the same room as me.
Did not wish to love another,
To turn on this brother,
Platonic now, or lover,
Thinking of him under cover,
Should I hurl fat bloomers,
Passing by, his zoomers,
Each has a fantasy,
Would joyboy love old me?
He smiles and waves,.
Blows kisses I save,
Time takes care of stuff,
Can't love him enough,
So unexpectedly,
Open-ended booty!
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