Watered Down
Tiny mirrors, iridescent light
aged salt on my skin
Mother of Pearl
inlaid earrings reflect the
seashell skull MASK
I wear below the surface.
No longer able to carry
life's miseries and mistakes
the inevitable misfortunes
the chaos above
the crushing sound of the surf
I sink, no anchor
WATERED DOWN
my pulse dissolves
into the water and
rhythmic movement
Released.
No one can hear
my muffled screams
the silent anguish of age
the dark underwater shadows
We all live with
blacked thoughts
I have kept only to myself.
Diving headfirst
into the vast silence
I place each piece of hidden shame inside
the colored clam shells
I collect
between green seaweed waves.
One White, One Grey, One Pink
So....This is how Pearls are made.................................
Life takes its own eternity to create beauty
Kicking upward
I push leaving the
sandy bottom
tiny bubbles of rainbows
fill my lungs with freedom
I carry my handmade
human heart
I rise toward the filtered sunlight
there is no other choice
leaving this poem
Buried under the seawater’s door.
They watered down the vodka
I barely got a buzz
I bet I’d pass the breath test
If picked up by the fuzz
I’m checkin’ on the gin now
It’s tastin’ mighty thin
I guess they mixed that bathtub
With “pond”, then poured it in
The shots ain’t hitten’ either
The whiskey’s barely brown
I’m spendin’ my whole paycheck
And I’m about to drown
They watered down the vodka
And now, I gotta pee
The next time I’m a drinkin’
Here comes B.Y.O.B.
I am so tired of things that are fake;
How much more do I have to take?
Filters and trends strike again
reminding me to abstain,
watered down world give me a break.
I can still remember when I was nine,
the boy across the street made a sign.
His mother made pitchers of a drink aid,
the cars would stop and we were paid.
We always said a big thank you,
many came back day after day we knew.
A business off the street we now ran,
it would have been great if we had a fan.
The days and sun were really hot,
a cold and refreshing drink they bought.
We did split fifty fifty of the cash,
a ton of cups made bags of trash.
We started selling really young,
as we yelled to cars with our tongue.
I can remember that summer well,
our skin needed a lot of healing gel.
Date Written: 1/29/2021
5 Place
Watered-Down Juice Poetry Contest
Contest Judged:1/31/2021
Sponsored by: Edward Ibeh
Note: This did really happen one very hot summer. Other kids played and the two of us made money.
Sister, leave him— do it now
He’s cut your sails and your hair
He’s burned a hole in your bed
In your forest, in your family
Leave him now, do it now
The latch that you put on your door
When we were children
It can’t keep me out anymore
I am a thief, I’m here to steal you from him
You’ve been asleep for centuries
Turned on your side, like a mountain in snow
To be hardly recognizable, he’s buried your eyes
I am jealous, I am your brother! LEAVE HIM
How dare you! HOW DARE YOU!
Please leave him and come home, I can’t do this alone
Sister, leave him
Written Friday, January 29th, 2021
For the contest Watered-Down Juice
Sponsored by Edward Ibeh
The sky called life gleamed in serenity,
in zephyr floated a butterfly free.
Its tinged wings embossed your beauty,
as flowers bloomed in all seasons for me.
The horizon splashed hues of ecstasy,
to blossom dreams I was on course to fly.
Rapture took me to realm of fantasy,
I didn’t see clouds gathered at edge of sky.
Splintered on threshold of tarnished twilight,
in deep dismay I found my sky’s waste lie,
wane with my dreams in storm of morose night.
Wrecked, I was sucked in stillness of its eye.
The flushed vale turned to pallid wasteland fast,
dry flowers didn’t see new sun rise in sky.
the surge of my tear drowned the pleasant past,
rinsed colors from the wings of butterfly.
January 21, 2021
Syllable count : 10 per line (howmanysyllables.com)
Contest : Watered-Down Juice
Sponsor : Edward Ibeh
Oh, dreams of my youth – a magical stream -
you flowed without end. You flowed night and day.
I dreamed as I slept, but also I’d dream
while walking to school! you’d not go away,
but in all of my dreams, hope was agleam.
In dreams of my youth, my heart how it beat
when you flowed unto me – sweet cherry juice.
I’d think of the man that one day I’d meet
Sublime were my fantasies . . . and profuse.
With my prince I would find a joy complete!
Dreams of my youth, time has taken its toll.
How foolish are dreams of young girls anyhow!
I no longer dream when out for a stroll.
Mere watered down juice are those old dreams now . . .
though butterfly hopes still flit in my soul.
Watered-Down Juice Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Edward Ibeh
Jan. 19, 2021
What's poetry I request don't ask me
Tools of poetry? Have no idea
Previously poems poured from within
I would write them as it is in dairy
Now still thoughts pour out from somewhere within
but I tweak them to create poetry
Contest specify form and syllabus
Different requirements of each contest
Many times poems and thoughts are not same
Is this poetry? I question myself
I am not really sure, it seems maths
I am confused on what is poetry
Is it an creative art form or maths?
What is the role of muse in poetry
when modified for a poetic form?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Syllable count per line 10 checked at ps syllabus counter
Date: 1/15/2021 3:07:00 AM
Written for contest Watered down juice by Edward Ibeh
Serenity; not past ferality
Non-judging eye view, geniality
Love misconstrued for lust, misalignment
Yesteryears, instinct was our sentiment
Presence smiles today in tranquility
Life flow, a flux of continuity
Images of past, consigned to memory
Here and now, free of ego sediment
Serenity
Free spirit, immune from fatality
Over time, sheds delusionality
In time reclaims, our native element
Electrified thus by the joy current
Our ascension slow but a certainty
Serenity
15-January-2021
Watered down juice poetry contest
Sponsor: Edward Ibeh
Foray of explosive sunset —
natural fireworks on display.
A banquet of clouds, rolls in wet,
rolling up their sleeves in melee.
The confusion has its beauty —
thunderous blue, gray and white clash.
Diffusion smacks hued patootie.
Sea of the air throws quite a bash.
Brightly colored dresses behind
this curtain of discontentment.
A leprechaun’s gold, silver-lined —
cloaked rainbow’s tittle presentment.
Drink to me only with thine eyes*
the poet says, stirred as they wade.
The belle’s fluttering lashes sigh.
Are they orange or lemonade?
1/11/2021
Watered-Down Juice Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Edward Ibeh
Used HMS, 8 syllable lines, 16 lines
*Ben Johnson’s Song: to Celia
The loved started out full of feelings
With heart felt excitement and joy
But with time it fizzled away
Endless bickering and arguing
That seems to grow with each passing day
No time to think about what happened
To the love we shared in our life
The love making that was filled with passion
Hot lust, and unstoppable sex changed
Is not like it use to be, even though we still
Love each other, it has turned
Into a chore that seems to drag on
Where neither is pleasured at the same time
And now living in limbo, watered down
JANUARY 8, 2021
WATERED DOWN LOVE
EDWARD IBETH
When I used to look into his eyes, the wings of my heart
Attached to my soul, would flutter, and open up, lifting me up
To the point of having me, at last, accept life, and love it
Even, a feat no one and nothing had been able to make me do so far
Regardless of whatever essence they were made of and I, so
Eager to see the celestial boon of this love being prophesized
Dreamt not of the possibility that it may never consume itself!
Dragged by its mystical flow, I let myself drown in its waves,
Occasionally allowing myself to weave stories, penned as poetry,
Written with the glow of my soul, seeking solely to love and
Now, the memory of it leaves me empty and void, wanting to
Just be made of enough energy as to be able to fly from this world, so
Uncertain, even in the love that it gives, promised by the skies,
Instrumenting itself as a place where all souls are laden with
Curses, allowing them not to have that which they yearn for,
Enveloping them always in the gloom of that which flew away!
Written on 6th Jan 2021
A friendship made can often fade
I had one that quickly decayed
Loyalty was just a charade
I was dismayed I was dismayed
My eyes did not at first conceive
the lies her tongue began to weave
Slanderous words that made me grieve
I was naive I was naïve
She criticized me on twitter
Her betrayal left me bitter
What a mean gossiping critter
Won't acquit her Won't acquit her
Cruel, the rumors she had spewed
She needs a change of attitude
A real friend is never that crude
Hateful or rude Hateful or rude
Was upset when double crossed
Then realized nothing was lost
My looks burned her like Winter frost
Friendship tossed Friendship tossed
They day I told her we were through
She said, "I was a friend to you."
I walked away because she knew
It was not true It was not true
From ones like that, I turn away
Devious people who betray
She taunted like a mocking jay
And I, her prey And I, her prey
January 5th, 2021
Watered-Down Juice Contest by Edward Ibeh
human life
juxtapositions galore~
watered down juice
Oh sadness, I am like the rose that fades,
withered, frail, colorless, and bland;
my life has been many moments,
but one moment will ever dilute me.
The moment I buried my son,
that memory stabs at my heart;
leaving my soul weakened and diminished.
and I become wishy-washy.
A watered-down version of me,
so, I drink from the sweet nectar of life;
the claret of vitality,
the extract and essence of strength.
I let the deep sweetness flow through my veins,
no weak liquid will lift me up;
only essence like blood will do.
_______________________
January 2, 2021
Poetry/Free Verse/Watered-Down Juice
Copyright Protected, ID 01-1318-169-02
All Rights Reserved, 2021, Constance La France
Written for the Standard contest, Watered-Down Juice
sponsor, Edward Ibeh, Judged 01/31/2021
Second Place
Sub Categories
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