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Best Poems Written by Mark Woods

Below are the all-time best Mark Woods poems as chosen by PoetrySoup members

Details | Mark Woods Poem

Tell Me a Tale

Tell me a tale of humanity
Paint me the love of your life
Show me a path to humility
How a man should honour his wife.

Help children believe in magicness
Describe the warmth of a smile
Feelings invoked by happiness
A tree that’s been watching a while.

Explain the pain of solitude
Gift me the smell of a flower
Tease me with dreams of magnitude
Sights that are seen from a tower.

Convey the sound that a river makes
Define your fear of the dark
Textures and tastes of a freshly cut steak
A walk with your child in the park.

Interpret the touch that a lover leaves
Recount the flaws of your youth
Depict a man with his heart on his sleeve
Confront and search out the truth.

Weave me a yarn with your poetry
Spin me with poetic release
Take me away with ingenuity
Fill my mind and my soul with your peace.

Details | Mark Woods Poem

Call of the Wild

I envy those living as part of the wild
For I too, once heeded its call
A smoldering ember since I was a child
Urge, and belonging all part of the thrall.

I’ve enjoyed the fresh taste of a sparkling stream
Felt the tremble as you push through your fear
Stood high on a peak admiring Gods scheme
Felt both delight and remorse for taking a deer.

I’ve walked for weeks through valleys and trees
Traversed mountains with lush native grass
Felt the warmth and the cold of high country breeze
Navigated tussock, forests and high country pass.

I’ve smelt autumn rain as it mingles with dirt
Enjoyed the isolation of me and my views 
Valued crude shelter while nature unleashes its hurt
Watched forest birds doing their best to amuse 

But I’m now destined to be one of societies slaves
In a world where worth is measured by cash
Where worry and stress are delivered in waves
Where those without are regarded as trash.

I felt most alive in the middle of nowhere
Now dead when hemmed by city and streets
Nothing compares with fresh mountain air
Living free, no money, bills, or receipts.

Details | Mark Woods Poem

Lost Keys

I seem to have misplaced my keys
Could you help me find them please?

They’re not in the house, not in the car
I’ve even looked in my guitar 

It’s as if they’ve gone, in a big black hole
No, I don’t do parties where they go in a bowl.

Would they, could they be with the remote?
Nope just bloody found that in my coat.

I’ve retrieved socks and toys, some hair ties too,
I think I’m desperate, now my hands in the loo

Maybe they might be, inside the cat
Two ticks with a knife we’ll soon check that.

I’ve just found my credit card, under the bed
What was the wifes bra doing out in the shed?

I must be suffering, from some mental block
Oh what a dork I am, there they are in the lock

Right I’m running late, time to leave home
Now, just where did I, leave my phone?

Details | Mark Woods Poem

Three Roses - a Parable

Three men each grew a precious rose
They all had different thoughts
Of how to raise and nurture them
Of the outcomes that they sought.

The first man shirked all effort
Just plunged a hole within the soil
His rose grew, waned then wilted
It suffered from his lack of toil.

The second man possessed great intent
By preparing fertile ground
Purchasing almost everything
Gave his rose all that could be found.

This rose developed entirely spoilt
It flourished better than a weed
Except it too deformed and shrivelled
When he could no longer feed its needs.

Our third man was a pauper
However his heart was like a king
All he had was time and love
But he knew his rose would sing.

He too prepared quite fertile earth
But he never spent a cent
He freed the dirt for solid roots
He knew this rose was heaven sent.

He spent what he could just afford
Although mostly invested time
Talked and fussed and loved his rose
No surprise it grew up really fine

This man finally met his grave 
Wilted then died when he grew old
His rose still grows and prospers
It flowers so bright and so bold.

Precious gifts require attention
Only exceptions grow up wild
Treasures need time and care
Imagine each rose could be a child.

Details | Mark Woods Poem

Escaping Humanity

Feeling the desolation, of smothering air
Hemmed in by crowds; the obliqueness of fear
Throng of the city and no sight of the sun
Incessant noise and the desire to just run.
And I drive.

Arterial routes clogged by metal and wheels  
Schizophrenic drivers living others ideals
Neon and lights sizzling the sides of the streets
Marketing signage, greed’s consumer receipts.
And I drive.

White picket fences, roses, and manicured lawns
Ridiculous box housing, erected for ludicrous pawns
Playgrounds, big supermarkets, cafes and parks
Sprawling suburbia with its pools built by sharks.
And I drive

Warehouses dispensing the needs of the hordes
Industrious factories like cash castles of lords.
Sawmills busily feeding more desecration of land
Refuse collection sites completely sterile and bland.
And I drive.

Ten-acre barons on frivolous bundles of dirt
Escaping urbanity in the unproductive outskirts.
Postage stamp fields supporting ponies and kids
While toffee nose parents sit in ultra posh digs.
And I drive

Paddocks of cattle dispersed through productive farmland
Shiny new tractors with men toughened and tanned
Marshmallow hay bales pimple the face of the ground
Irrigators urinate on earth until drowned.
And I drive.

Magnificent mountains covered in beckoning trees
Clear running streams and whispering breeze
Wild flowers gently waving as robins flit all around
Radiant true colours and smoothing calm sounds.
And yes I am home.

Details | Mark Woods Poem

Set Me Free

Please grant me the gift of seclusion 
To be free, from where all others go,
An escape, a cleanse of confusion
Time alone and an end to the show.

Let me roam upon the hinterland
Explore, the early hints of the breeze,
Walk in the sun ‘til darkened and tanned
Hear the birds as they flit through the trees.

Nest me beside a mirror flat lake
Enjoy nights, gazing up at the stars.
Back to a spell that’s simple not fake
Where only land, possesses times’ scars.

Place me beside a  pure highland stream
View wildlife as it ducks, plays, and weaves,
Breathe in fresh air, with eyes closed, and dream
Watch morns’ dew as it tickles green leaves.

Set me upon a tall mountain peak
Watch mist gently caressing the ground,
Immerse in spaces simply unique
Unwind where the worlds' wonders abound.

Details | Mark Woods Poem

Alzheimers - Love Without Hope

She sits alone with her distant stare
He visits daily but she is unaware.
No future hopes to speak thereof
Yet still husband, wife, and deep true love. 

Love Without Hope Contest
Sponsor Sara Kendrick

Details | Mark Woods Poem

Can You Keep a Secret- Dr Seuss Contest

Can you keep a secret?
‘cause I’ve got one to share
I’ve a friend called Fazzbot
With green and purple hair.
Fazzbot met me yesterday
The day before today
Fazzbot is an alien
SSShhhhh!!
It’s a secret by the way.
He’s like a purple dragon
And a penguin too
He’s got green stripes 
All down his back
Like the zebras at the zoo
He’s really good at magic
All he does is flick his hair
With a whizzle… 
And a fizzling pop!
You’re neither here 
Nor there.
Last night he whizzled us
Right up to see the moon
We ate green cheese and lollipops
And floated on balloons.
We splashed around in puddles
Gave the mermaids such a fright
And when some pirates came to swim
He whizzled us
Out of sight.
He’d whizzled us invisible
No one could see us there
Could they see us? 
NO!
So we burped 
BUUURRP
We burped right in their ear.
Then with a whizzle… 
And a fizzling pop!
We went behind the sun
Roasting marshmallows on some sticks
The sun is lots of fun!
Playgrounds full of whirly gigs
And whatsa-ma-call-its too
Mud that tastes like chocolate
Pink elephants 
That turn blue
Then with a whizzle… 
And a fizzling pop!
I could feel my head
Resting on my pillow
I was tucked inside my bed.
Can you keep a secret?
About Fazzbot, 
My secret friend
Then 
You and I 
And I and You
Tomorrow
We’re off with our new friend.

Details | Mark Woods Poem

The Day the Earth Moved

The moment that changed a city
The moment that changed a town
The moment that the earth did move
The moment that walls came down.

Sudden shock in the dark of night
Not expected before a coming day
Jolted from a peaceful sleep
From a nasty brutal sway.

What seemed to be eternity
Seconds that weren't so quick
Suddenly silence spread its sound
Except the echo of an old clocks tick.

Fears for friends and family
The networks all gone down
Checking neighbours in the street
Emotions shaky as the ground.

Listening to the radio
Expecting death to fill the air
Bracing with every aftershock
Terror laid fully bare.

Angels must have worked that night
No one badly harmed
Not knowing in the future
We weren’t to be so charmed.

4th September 2015


Christchurch Earthquake September 4th 2010. The smaller earthquake on February 22nd 2011 was to claim 185 lives.

Details | Mark Woods Poem

The Judgement

A child of mine was crucified
When I hung it on the cross
A child I cared for and created
I’m grieving for my loss.

It started as a tiny spark
Just behind my eye
It then became a twinkle
On which I could rely.

I was there as it was birthed
On a precious sheet of white
I nurtured and I raised it
I felt it’s future was so bright.

Coaxing gently here and there
It’s own way there to find
I was sure it would develop
It was clever to my mind.

Finally it was fully grown
Was time to set it free
Ready for its final trial
Time to test its purity.

I gently hung it on the cross
Put a sign above it’s head
For a group of peers deciding
Was it good or was it dead.

Many went right past it
Few stopped to take a peek
One or two, they tried to save it
But it’s future did look bleak.

It finally slid right off the cross
It went to god knows where
It wasn’t really cherished
But me, I held it dear. 



*Dedicated to all the poets
and writers out there that 
post their words for others 
to read &  with a bit of luck
appreciate.