Out in this vain world, treading my lone trail,
I fall, find feet, firm up my feeble stake,
And try again a better me to make,
In marketplace but never once for sale.
With enough love in heart for all to draw,
An avid pond I am, no settled lake
Content with scarce, no world breeze can me shake--
A pond, never of a huge oceans’ awe.
In this world vying daily with new breeze,
I just try-- be a man made but by me--
A task no simple still to turn with ease,
So, it’s fair to feel way-lost in the sea,
Come forward then, wish wind-speed to my sail,
To help me sail to my least-trodden trail.
____________________________________
Sonnet | 03.12.2004, revised September 2024|self, world
Signs written
will turn another page forward
to carry on the torch
This world,
a stage
Our life,
a play
All men,
players
From birth
to death,
We play,
our part.
God up,
pulls strings.
You yield,
be glad.
Sometimes
life’s sad
You cry,
you sigh
Sometimes
merry
You sing,
you dance
Feel joy
enjoy
Do play
your part,
Until
quit stage.
Ably,
neatly.
There lies,
true bliss!
_______________
~Placed Fourth~
Sept.30.2022
A Brian Strand Premiere Choice Poetry Contest
When will we take seriously The Golden Rule,
Treating others as we would like to be treated,
Establishing good moral foundations in schools
Working to see injustice and prejudice defeated?
Championing zero tolerance for bullying behavior
And recognizing the worth of all individual souls,
Especially honoring the rewards of diligent labor
And recognizing a Higher Power is at the controls.
A few simple basics make the world a better place
Each within reach of our own personal potentiality,
Each recognizing the power of fortitude and grace
While developing hearts of kindness and sensibility.
Written May 6, 2022
We can make the world a much better place
By making ourselves better every day,
We can do more than merely take up space
Always, we can strive to choose the best way,
Where and when to speak up for good today,
Carefully measuring our words and deeds
Diligently nurturing the good seeds,
Making our influence for what’s right heard.
Subscribe to clear meaningful sacred creeds,
Measure up to our own moral standard.
written July 11, 2021
A Big World, A Small Place
Frogs in a small pound,
battle over flies.
The competition is intense.
Sometimes there are not
enough flies to go around.
Leaving the pond is hard.
The unknown, the outside,
the dry place between here,
and
frog heaven…
can be very dangerous.
but staying means dying,
in the end.
Some leave the pond,
While others, hang on to hope.
It is a decision that changes
the dynamic of the tiny pool itself.
While those that stayed are thrilled,
as their lives were saved and better.
Until the farmer drained it completely,
To catch the fish, and all things editable,
to feed his family.
While those that ranged out,
we will never know.
But their fate,
seems altogether…
more hopeful,
In a world where change
takes place too close to
home.
Am I dreaming Is it real
I don't know how I should feel
Wake me up from this nightmare
Shake me make me more aware
Of the way this worlds become
It's not happy we've undone
All the neighbor friendliness
Time has put an end to this
Now its anger violence hate
Wouldn't it be really great
Coming together once again
Heart to heart we can begin
To undo this nastiness
Leading to more happiness
Possession's nine-tenths of "the law,"
Is what some pundits say
Implying "weak" own nothing real
And brute "strength" wins the day.
But if one looks at "biomass,"
It's insects that have won,
For ALL Earth's mammals are outweighed!
My, logic can be fun!
And insect's also might survive
Our next atomic war,
Intelligence, a passing phase,
Man, "ugly" carnivore.
Is "buggiest" the human race,
"God's image" just a joke?
(Or does God foul His own nest too?)
Depends on what you smoke!
Brian Johnston
May 10, 2018
I want to leave the world a better place
Without being so pretentious as to
Imagine I can leave some astounding legacy
But I do want to leave a little something
I do want to have touched a few hearts
Connected down here with a few souls
Sparked a few children’s aspirations
I do want to leave at least
My ripple into this sea that is life
AP: 3rd place 2020
Submitted on August 2, 2018 for contest YOUR FAVOURITE POEM FROM AUGUST, 2017 sponsored by JULIA WARD - RANKED 5TH
on June 2, 2018 to contest YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE sponsored by HEIDI SANDS
and August 24, 2017 for contest RIPPLES IN THE WATER sponsored by NAYDA IVETTE NEGRON
truth light traverses the dark false with its pre-gained victory
fidgeted ignorance losses to reach saturating zenith of peace
catastrophic mockery is a curse to human generations of the world
time heralds negative rewards for anomalies from human truth
love is the only solution that keeps the world clean and Divine
human beings are of the same species that’s to be thought it’s prime
save the children save the mothers they build the real loving world
without them this world is a hellish region no one can decline
let’s all come with free hearts of loving to build this world a heavenly home
holding brotherhood relationship by throwing all negative syndrome
in the mass and height of jealous hill ferocious volcano is hidden
nothing is got but only ashes after mass destruction
if we think
not be kink
or eyes that sink
for bright light
do whats right
its not about faith or race
its makingthe
WORLD A BETTER PALCE
What is happiness but a beautiful act?
on a tightrope strode alone feigning bravery
flaunting its audience gifted talents lack?
while time proceeds its merciless journey
it’s senselessness never peering back?
like in dreams lucidness its arts beauty
confines self heedlessly to thoughts forgotten
whisked away in days languor like perfumes sweet lilac
once a memory mirrored of youths reachy lusts
but if not time whose candor trust, its essence humbles the stage
the soul bares wounds exchanged for loves bribery
rested in Promethean's casket his undying name
until earth’s fate ignites its survival aflame…
A complex tapestry,an orgy of
audacious colour,beautiful,
true innocence in poses and postures
rough-hewn purged from the mind.
hear me recite from my 4100+ PS anthology on youtube under my pen name ichthyschiro..
catch my short form @strandpoet on twitter..
read my kindle guides on amazon
Let's drop our guns,
and share soda cans.
Let's end terrorism
with stopping religious criticism.
Let's write stories
that embrace minorities.
Let's read books
that drop negative racial looks.
Let's stop poaching,
by doing soul-searching.
Let's protect our environment,
even without the government.
Let’s recycle our ammunitions,
and sell them to start charitable foundations.
Let’s stop our grudges,
and build our bridges…..
Let’s stop being even,
and make this world a Heaven!
Help me to make all this happen,
beginning with paper and pen…..
Date: 09/04/2016
I am not the lesser sex
My sex may represent me
But what I am and who I am
Is held in my woman soul
You can see it in my eyes
If only you care to look
And my spirit lives there always
Even if you take away my pride
Destroy my body on the outside
Cut away at my softest parts
Brutalize my curves
Which are meant to be held and loved
You will ruin what we could have
And what endless joys we could share
You could know the whole of me
If only you would dare
What is there to fear in me?
For power lives in us all
I will not take yours away from you
But love you for your soul
Together we could grow and share
A world that listens to us both
Our threads forever will be entwined
Cherished and valued all
Not matter from what side we are
Our web will meet in the middle
The eye it forms there a wisdom
Our shared view of the earth
So I am not the lesser sex
But worthy of our world
I shall always have a woman soul
Cherish it for what it holds
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