Apologies...
Remember that ifs, buts, and maybes
mean nothing to mad dogs with rabies.
For, in either case,
they'll rip off your face,
and then will proceed to your baby's.
Some cowboys remove leather chaps
When cowgirls sit down on their laps
Soon these gals can decide
If he's 'up' for a ride
No 'bucking' now, later perhaps!
A nestbeschmutzer
Someone who craps where they eat
Who steps in feet first
“Say no” co-worker
To someone who asks you out
Condescendingly
Don't make a mess where
You make love, sleep and undress
You might have success
No nepotism
At the family reunion
Leave that one alone
Don’t act badly here
(Proverbial idiom)
Where you live, work, play
Don’t cause trouble here
A place you frequently go
Don’t crap where you eat
Daddy, there's an octopus in the cellar.
Dear, the octopus is an ocean dweller.
Daddy, now the octopus is in the attic.
Dear, the octopus is known to be aquatic -
just as I have told you, daughter.
Daddy, but the house is underwater.
aging startles in small ways~
a soft turning of the heart,
a sudden shimmer of truth
I didn’t know
I was ready for.
You may read the companion personal narrative piece at: poetrysoup.com/short_stories/surprise_13936
I’m judged by nation, and I can’ help smiling
Reading the sophistry that tells it isn’t so
Although it’s true, I can’t avoid assigning
To propositions that expose me as a foe
Who benefits from this, keeps it low key
Despite that Bible warning, people judge
Way bigger than they know, they do agree
To disagree about subjects that seem large
But I’m not judging in response, being detached
I have enough to deal with on my plate
Generalized, historisized and tribalized
I’m not that recognized for one’s sweet hate.
You eat what you are fed
whatever might pass for food.
You don't question it,
you choose to be complacent.
Behind the scenes
there's a monopoly,
a conspiracy to get rich
feeding you whatever
can enrich their greedy pockets.
Your health will pay the true price
of proactive due diligence.
AP: Honorable Mention 2026
This world is a foolish world
a world full of its own pleasure
seeking satisfaction in the wrong places
fooling itself in no small measure
God has spoken to them in truth
revealing His character and godliness
sending prophets and even His dear son
who displayed His perfect righteousness
But mankind is hell-bent on destruction
sinfulness rules in their very heart
being full of evil, idolatry and pride
these things are found in their every part
God is God and won't change His plan
He seeks lost sinners to repent
promising them to change their heart
if they will only believe His Son, He sent
Jesus is the son promised in God's word
to bring salvation to the lost
died on Calvary's cross for their sin
shed His blood, His ultimate cost
(Jeremiah 7:9-10)
9 Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;
10 And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?)
While mowing my fields, brief thought came to light;
I grasped that the wind was quitting the fight.
Noting the clouds gave attention with fear...
to move indoors was absolutely clear.
The still before the storm, just enough time
for safety, an epiphany sublime.
When the warning turns to watch, best take care;
radar maps are a forecaster's nightmare.
Rumple Stein has a terrifying
midnight warning for children
who look for a late- night snack.
Deep within the woods
where the old shadows grow,
Rumple Stein whispers a secret
you must know.
"Never sneak a cookie when
the midnight bell tolls,
For that is the hour when the
beast truly strolls."
His voice is like gravel, his
eyes gleam with spite,
Warning little children of the
terrors in the night.
"The Cookie Monster waits in
the dark, cold and grim,
If you steal a treat, you will
surely meet him."
A shadow will stretch out
across the kitchen floor,
As a blue furry claw softly
pushes the door.
He won't want a wafer, a chip,
or a chew,
Instead, the fierce beast will
come hunting for you!
Your bones will be crumbled
like a dry chocolate chip,
As he catches your sleeve in
his terrible grip.
With a terrifying growl from his
bottomless cup,
The hungry blue gobbler will
swallow you up!
So lock up the cookie jar when the
clock strikes the hour,
Before you are trapped in the
monster's grim power.
No crumbs will remain where
you stood on the floor,
And the kitchen will stay silent
forevermore.
those Connecticut crocks think they are too good for us
They look down their noses at me especially said Gus
They are snooty and snotty, their shoes are designer
I cannot stand to be around them; their son is a whiner
I was thinking the only whiner here was my cousin Gus.
But I did not say it, because I did not want a relative fuss.
Grandma invited the Connecticut crocks to Thanksgiving that year.
I actually found them to be delightful, insightful and pretty much dear.
celestial octopus glided down from star to star
heaven warned him of proximity, do not go too far
he had a range of which he was to be confined
ultimate goal was to teach the sharks to be a bit more kind.
Australia, you promised plenty
Buildings replacing trees and views
Concrete covers the sacred lands
Developers grab even more
Energy draining quickly
Farmland naked where once bush grew
Green landscape now just scars
Humble pleas go unheard
Justice lost behind closed doors
Lost children in a lost land
Money begets murder done
Nobody left to save this land
Open scars where miners dig
Prosperity flows away
Quietly the land cries
Religion an early cause
Scars everywhere we see scars
Trembling mountains fall in pain
Understand the land that cries
Victims silenced by gun and law
Wisdom from elders taken
Xeric land now appears
Yearnings to change the past
Zephyr sweeps a damaged land.
When the tiger sets his mind on someone,
It really means end of that someone,
Or God forbid, the end of the tiger.
her parents were hard of hearing but refused to wear aids
making Miss Polly the loudest croc in the everglade
we swamp people knew she was coming every single time
not only was she unusually loud, but she tended to wheeze and whine.
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