PEACE*
God grants
delights heart...
...vanquishes guilt-angst
conquers tormenting fear
soothes pain, healing wounded soul...
...blest bliss wraps my spirit with grace.
*Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
August 15, 2026
1st place, "Pyramid" Poetry Verse Writing Contest
Sponsored by Joseph May; judged on 8/29/2026
Listen...
The night seems paused,
Like the hunter downwind its happless prey;
A silence crouched in a quiet.
It lend to itself a stealth that in these shadows lay,
We may be better off to follow its lead.
Let us duck beyond the reed,
Let the gentle brook bicker over us,
And lend our tongues to monastic solitudes,
And vows of silence,
And speak not till nature finds herself
A newer cause,
Or the dawn vanquishes the need.
And the cock crows,
Midst the hollow stems and lovage weed.
Ah, the life of a cut-purse—
Ere such audition e'er dreamt the need rehearse.
"Life accompanies error,"
And we are full of its merry bliss
How ere it come to this?
A frog atop its lily
Staring at us, so silly.
By so late an hour,
Clowns before rogues—
"And all wet."
The clever night has made us its jest
Let us retreat from fen to den:
A warm hearth and dry clothes,
And conceal our conciet,
For ere the wind of rumor blows
And give nock to doors and wake windows,
Inviting eyes to spy our predicament,
And see where our path lent tself
To such wasteful end
As Twilight gleams by, from the arrival of dusk,
Both were engaged, in conversation being brusque.
were They wholly sat, beneath the darkness subdued_
Overwhelmed with replies, "I'm not you."
Staggered were thoughts, embedding the head
Where altruism gets mould into such schadenfreude'
While benevolence vanquishes and affinity becomes due,
For the reasons they clarify, "I'm not you."
The name they chant or the bible they preach;
Profound logic they share, comprehended to each.
Entirely identical, though the question stands by..
"I'm not you" and "you're not I"
Tyranny, where dwellest thou?
In hearts of men, or beasts that bow?
Why dost thou scourge the meek and poor,
And crush the lowly evermore?
Thy hand is iron, cold and dire,
Thy breath a storm, thy will a fire.
Thou tearest joy from mortal breast,
And leav’st but sorrow and unrest.
O cruel scourge, thy reign is pain,
Thy crown is blood, thy throne disdain.
Yet shall thy power fade and fall,
When freedom’s voice resounds through all.
For liberation’s sacred flame
Shall purge the mind from slavish shame;
And man, once freed from inward chain,
Shall never bend to thee again.
I speak of freedom’s purest breath,
That conquers fear, that vanquishes death.
Awake, ye souls by sorrow tried—
Arise in strength, be glorified!
For tyranny shall reign no more,
When free men walk on freedom’s shore.
Holiday celebrations now start
As Christmas carols chime with delight
Marking long yuletide thanksgiving feast
That vanquishes dearth's attack…
Yes, our family yearns for reunion-bliss
Blest with God's love until New Year comes.
God’s grace* melts pain with mercy glow
As compassion vanquishes woe
Instilling hope to conquer strain
With mercy glow, God’s grace melts pain.
God’s grace prevails midst kindness’ scope
To conquer strain instilling hope
Showcasing care, it never fails
Midst kindness’ scope God’s grace prevails.
God’s grace abounds, such we must share
It never fails, showcasing care
That flows with zest as faith resounds
Such we must share God’s grace abounds.
God’s grace highlights love at its best
As faith resounds that flows with zest
While prayer mirth soars for great heights
Love at its best God’s grace highlights.
*Ephesians 1:6–8 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence.
July 30, 2025
2nd place, "The Double Swap" Quatrain Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Joseph May; judged on 8/6/2025
"A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit." Proverbs 29:23 of the King James Bible
Aspiring for achievement glow
That vanquishes painful defeat’s shadow
Arrogance stands at loftiness gate for a show
While selfishness glitters midst jewel of hypocrite’s woe…
Oh, proud human nature, needs heaven blow
To mutter need for divine blessing flow
And be triumphant, staying low.
March 21, 2025
2nd place, "Write Seven Beautiful Lines With A Twist" Poetry Writing Contest Sponsored by Constance La France; judged on 3/23/2025
‘if I could I would fetch you the moon a spoon …’
opalescent like a chakra’s rainbow
your lustrous promise kindled
a path to peace and stability
to the moon and the back of beyond
shining darkness
radiance emerging from shadows
archetypal togetherness forged from above
a pearlescent moonstone
bestowed on our marriage
guided by an expanse of time and space
crowned with infinity
and transcendental esprit
infused by mind body and soul
lunar crescents shone waned
and waxed once again
for better worse richer poorer
in insanity and restoration
to love and to cherish ...
founded on divine intervention
heavenly bliss interspersed
by carnage and despair
blessed by the gift of recovery
it took what seemed like eternity
to understand that
not moon spoon nor
what wants to be written in stone
can be taken for granted
a moonstone
represents more than
stardust to become
or a fanciful pebble
carved by the Universe
love thoroughly vanquishes obstacles
and has inscribed miracles
into our wonderful lives
Nothing leaves a footprint
like a memory burned
Deep into the consciousness
of those unlearned
Nothing grows more deadly
than the force of will
It powers every weapon
it vanquishes with skill
Nothing braves tomorrow
like a wish on fire
Its light forever’s beacon
to each soul aspired
Nothing is more final
than a dying breath
Words exiting their prison
—eternity’s rosette
(Dreamsleep: October, 2022)
AC Benus translation of "Amor é um fogo"
by Luís de Camões
Love's a fire whose burning is never seen;
He's a wound that hurts, but is never quite felt;
He's a raging discontented contentment;
He's a pain that eats away without throbbing.
He's pure wanting, whose want is to be desired;
He's loneliness amongst the crowds of people;
He's not satisfied with mere complacency;
He's the caring that's achieved through surrender.
He's the desire playing captive to the will;
He serves the man who vanquishes the victor;
He's fealty to the one who'd still slay us.
But how to bring his favor to mortal hearts,
So seemingly dead in their conformity,
When the same love acts contrary to himself?
Blest to worship amidst granted stewardship
My human spirit* abides in God’s fellowship
For freedom-fulfillment against selfish aim
Prevailing as victor over carnal fame.
When terrors of guilt keep on vexing the heart
My human spirit struggles against pride’s dart
I then seek the Lord’s compassion and mercy
And claim serenity with His clemency.
Now rejoicing with triumphant gratitude
My human spirit soars for praise altitude
Propelled by faith toward blissful reaching-out
Sharing Christ’s love that vanquishes fear and doubt.
My human spirit, from pressures, dares to flee
Yet for divine pleasures, bursts with mirth-filled glee
Standing against trials midst courageous might
While hiding to gain strength from prayer delight.
*Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.
September 22, 2022
9th place, "The Human Spirit" Poetry Writing Premiere Contest
Sponsored by Mystic Rose Rose; judged on 9/24/2022.
It barely vanquishes my quenchless spirit of inquiry.
To what exactly reason have I sledded so wildly?
Boasters and swindlers sprang up a treaty vigorously.
People are queuing to sway slated on a promontory.
It's plodding to incite thugs by misleading people.
Your genuine assertion is both witless and guileful.
By discerning purport, you may be pioneering.
As though a doleful mistrust was typically unfurling.
Why is it crucial to recur an idyllic shade?
It's time to hoard the dart and glittering blade.
Valorous braves are slogging toward the staid.
Everlasting zest is not a squib and never fades.
Yet we must swither in waging truth and moral virtue.
Truth and equity can't alter insight on specific bestow.
Written: December 24, 2021
Neither sages nor seers
No preachers or peers,
Time teaches best.
Neither prayers nor potions
No pills or lotions,
Time heals best.
Neither care nor compassion
No penance or pardon,
Time mends best.
Neither fate nor fortune
No blessings or boon,
Time favors best.
Neither passion nor patience
No revolt or reverence,
Time subdues best.
Neither sword nor sorcery
No death or destiny,
Time vanquishes best.
~Contest: "T" (Time)
~Sponsor: Constance La France.
Faith
prevails
trusting Christ
when fear assails
assured by Scriptures
calming vexatious angst
toward serene-filled gestures
for reaching-out compassion care
triumphantly blest to give and share.
Resplendent with blessed hope to cope
smiting trials when soul does grope
faith* alive vanquishes doubts
midst obscured vision lens
for championship bouts
by truth’s firm brace
while seeking
love’s grace
thanking
God.
*Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
December 16, 2020
3rd place, "Double Nonet" Poetry Contest
Sponsored by William Kekaula; judged on 12/21/20.
Spring brings magnificent revival glow
God enables it with His blessings flow
Delights the hearts amidst pandemic woe
Settling souls toward hope of tomorrow
Grace* He assures vanquishes crises’ foe
Empowering faith for conquering blow.
*1Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
May 4, 2020
Honorable Mention, "BRIAN'S CHOICE M,any form,any theme" Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Brian Strand; judged on 5/20/2020.
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