Autumn leaves an aftertaste that kisses cold.
Then transfuses startled green veins with gold.
A shivering whisper, slips through oak and elm.
As faded yellow disciples tumble from their realm.
As it hums through wheat; the heavy heads bend low.
To ripen while the last warm amber winds still blow.
A long-drawn-out sigh, draws summer from its reign,
Gold and red leaves tumbling down to an empty lane.
Thin mist curls upwards from the cooling ground,
Cold breath slips down, through cracks, without a sound.
Gasps rattle shutters, and worry the tiles and doors.
Sends dry leaves scurrying like mice around the floors.
Autumn breathes on apples till their red cheeks glow,
Then thumps them down one by one onto the ground below.
It finds the restless geese beneath the cloud.
And beckons them south, to join the gathering crowd.
At dusk its voice turns hoarse, as darkness grows.
Growing rasping and raw, with winter up its nose.
Then Autumn, now breathless, loosens one last leaf.
It spins to Earth, collapsing, in gold-flared relief.
Smoke in, ash out
Moss squishes beneath my feet as I breathe
Chlorophyll-tinted water and billions of tiny friends
Evaporate in the sun as I take my next step
Breathe in, smoked out
Another stumbling step brings me home
Crashing on the wooden support beams
Covered by what can only barely be called a cushion by now
Ash in, cough out
Broke my stride fumbling in the dark
Taking a swig that's more foam than beer
Spitting out the grit between my teeth
Death in, death out
All alone once again out here
Another year around the sun passes by
As I await first light again
Christmas comes calling each year around,
Ringing in joy and celebrations profound
A message of sharing wrapped in delight.
Culminating the year in hopes soft light.
What does Christmas mean to me,
Opens a floodgate of memories.
The snowy beard, the bright red hat,
A jolly belly — imagine that!
From distant lands with mystic aura,
Santa arrives — every child’s euphoria.
Candied fruits,
Orange and cinnamon induced,
Plum cakes so rich,
Ginger and nutmeg enriched.
Pine, fir or spruce,
A woody aroma to boost,
Poinsettias add colour and glam,
Enhancing old terraces charm.
Wreaths and mistletoe on show,
Reindeer and Santa in tow.
Christmas stockings, filled and hung with care,
Unwrapping gifts, joy fills the air.
Candy canes and twinkling lights,
Together they usher in delight.
A time to care, a time to share,
To breathe to life each Christmas prayer.
To pen new tales of love and kindness,
And light the world through winter’s brightness.
"Ethereal Lanterns Poetry Contest"
Winter has gone to sleep,
fast asleep for another year.
Spring has opened it's eyes,
for a new season.
The cold of the winter,
has turned into cool and warm days.
The snow has tuned into pretty flowers,
with a carpet of green grass to mow.
Spring brings a time for new births,
from flowers to birds and baby chicks.
A time for a new outfit or two,
a time for new friends.
Oh spring why do you live a short time,
I wish you would stay year around.
Aah my sweet summer love
My spring love My autumn love
Winter love forever more love.
I do so much adore love
Ma amour my love.
Sumptuous Succulent satisfying
Sunday love Saturday love.
My nothing greater from the
heavens above love
The love I love to love I think
Most of every day my love.
All year around the clock love
You are my sure love my core
Love my heart come apart when
Your not near love
Be right here my love. So
Entranced by your passion
Fascinating silence and beauty
Of roses and sacred nights and
Poses of love my belove can't
Get enough of your love my
Love.
More to a lake than lush poetic sight,
Cheerfully charming us all year around.
It is - over the lost soul’s angst, deep down -
Streaming soft tears through the veil of the night.
Lake’s sunset glows at its own tranquil pace
Beckoning artists to the willow’s shade.
Hiding murky, dark secret, heavy weighed,
Gravely chosen as the last resting base.
Lake’s diverse disposition, taunted twist -
Somber and Serene dare to interplay.
Yesterday’s troubling ripples go away -
Two become one in early morning mist.
March 14, 2023
Sponsor: Constance La France
Contest: Lake
Observing all year around from above,
Of earthly conflicts, Santa had enough.
The world has gone viral,
The peace has gone spiral,
So Santa stays on cloud nine making love.
December 16, 2022
Contest: Funny Santa
Sponsor: Tania Kitchin
Howmanysyllables.com
3.5 to 7 billion, that's a lot to say
That's how many trees are cut down every year
100 million a year, that's the number to fear
The ocean becoming a smaller place
Sea animals taking their last grace
3 billion a day, land animals not winning their race
In total 150 billion, wow humans are such disgrace
People talking about brining the climate down every year around
But, then complain they are being bound but it is really the endless fears being found
Mother Nature is crowned as the cruelest thing
When in reality that is our own doing
Nobody is perfect, that's not what we should be pursuing
But take a moment to think, instead of trying to undue the brewing of manhood's cruelty
Understand that there is so much more when you look at that's tree's beauty
Or when you smile at the reflection of the blue sea
Cause in the end it looks pretty, but how long until you see societies undoing
These two have pretty hectic life all year around:
they walk and run, they jump and stomp, skitter and pound,
they never cry, squawk, whine or pout when we have fun
while bearing weight of a child or a man.
Our busy cheerful feet lead an artistic live,
invigorating us with their contagious vibe.
Once music’s on they hit the dance floor till they drop
in a slow fashion waltz or hoopla of hip hop.
We better pamper these two since they serve us right-
keep them clean and dandy and stretch them out at night.
Our busy feet deserve tender loving care
because we cannot do without this prancing pair!
April 10, 2021
last year around the same day in March, at dusk, darkness descending... I heard a lonely bird cooing in the saddest tune, as if she was waiting for her mate, who promised, but hadn't returned yet. I hear that croon today evening again - while resting alone beside my window, and watching scintillating solar lights on my front fence...haven't switched off the lights yet.
bird crooning sadly
darkness falls soft on hard ground
solar lights twinkle
March 19, 2021
FIRST PLACE
Inspired by "All yours - March 22" Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Brian Strand
My old apple tree in the garden stands so tall
Looks so pretty if you see it over my wall
Leaves change constantly from brown to green
The colours are so inspiring it has to be seen
Every year around about the month of May
The leaves are replaced with an apple a day
Apple pie then for a most satisfying sweet
Or just on their own is also really neat
I've had this old apple tree for several years now
Always been loyal and stayed with me somehow
I guess you could say its a real trusted friend
One whose love and admiration I truly send
In the land of the alligators, pelicans and manatees
Florida takes prisoners from up north and throws away their keys
Once there, they never want to escape back home
For they love the weather here, where they can always roam.
They turn old here, if they are not already there, but many are.
The crepe myrtles are blooming, wearing tiny dresses, with a star.
Retirees enjoy the warm weather year around here with pools not very far.
Even the rain here is gentle, it never beats hail or snow on your car.
Florida is a beauty, I would lie on her beaches for days in the sand.
Except I have heard the stories of the gators taking off a leg or a hand.
If it was not for those monsters, those dinosaur left over creatures,
I would move to Florida for her other sun shiny features.
At winter end
comes the time of lilac
pubescent shoots tipped light green
budding up and down each branch,
young growth stretching, flexing new muscles
ready and anxious to answer the call;
a gentle but large white sun
hangs low in the gray blued sky,
spring comes as it often does
every year around this time
softly waking earth
shaking loose the ice-cold winter drab
until all is new again
reborn to grow and blossom;
only time, weathered and season worn
anguishes to leave some mark;
this aging earth draws from creation itself
imagining its restart from memory
as humanity appears to remain
self-absorbed, hard-hearted and indulgent
until living in oblivion
returns to see taking in the time of lilacs,
natures bounty and beauty recharged.
Being Content
Written: by Miracle Man
2-1-2020
While living in San Diego’s urban sprawl,
I was often admonished when I’d say y’all.
I felt the crowds press while feeling ignored,
and fled the west coast and moved inboard.
My five years there were productive and fun,
but I wanted the seasons, not year around sun.
As I felt time approaching for settling down,
I returned to my roots and a three dog town.
In searching my thoughts I’ve yet to find,
anything to long for that was left behind.
Autumn is hard to discern in Texas
Because of the year around heat and all
The leaves just seem to shrivel up and drop
But we have a sure way to tell if it's Fall
We look out our windows one night each week
To see if a bank of lights is aglow
If townspeople swarm to the lights like bugs
Why, it's Fall, my friend, and football's the show
Football is not a game of life or death
No sir, it's much more important than that
Why we name our children for football greats
You might hear Booger, Red or even Scat
The sweetest young boy with the dimpled smile
Gets blood in his eyes come Friday morning
And it builds all day 'til he hits the grass
The helmet he wears mostly for warning
This kind of behavior goes on all Fall
'Til Winter brings us all back to what's right
Then we start to look ahead to next year
When Fall sounds the call to come to the lights
9-11-19
Contest:Fall Into Fall
Sponsor:Chantelle Anne Cooke
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