Poetry Duel

Rumors crowd the air
One heart fights to stay alive
Dawn outlives the noise

they fear who I am,
blind to all the ways I shine,
heartbeats drown them out.

tangerine sunrise
sparks early bird serenade ~
vibrant melody

soft light wakes the earth
cackling laugh echoes the dawn
pale pink paints the sky

Dear mother, I dream how you made me cry
A harmonious voice, truly a shrill song
Dear stranger,’ I missed you ‘, I lie.

‘ I’m a mother ‘; Are there clouds in the sky?
Well, it seems clear to me. I'm to move on
Dear mother, I dream how you made me cry

Oh little old me, she did try and try
To be a good child, but that child’s gone
Dear stranger, ‘ I missed you ‘, I lie.

You wanted a clone, expectations high
Unfulfillable, please say you’re wrong
Dear mother, I dream how you made me cry

‘ nothing’s wrong ‘ and a ‘ something’s in her eye ‘
Pretended to believe this foolish con
Dear stranger, ‘ I missed you ‘, I lie.

Oh, I promise you, stranger, I’m not shy
That’s my action reflecting speech, too long
Dear mother, I dream how you made me cry
Dear stranger, ‘ I missed you ‘, I lie.

A fracture in the asphalt's base,
Where giant buildings' shadows fall,
A single seed reclaims its place.

Blind footsteps race.
It hears the buried earth's forgotten call,
A fracture in the asphalt's base.

A stubborn grace,
It will not bow, refusing now to crawl;
A single seed reclaims its place.

A cracking space,
A flash of green where nothing grew at all.
A fracture in the asphalt's base.

Unfolding embrace,
It tears apart the suffocating wall.
A single seed reclaims its place.

The shattered case,
The wild returns to break the city's sprawl.
A fracture in the asphalt's base.
A single seed reclaims its place.

They circled my desk
I drew flowers on my page
The bell rang; I stayed

I fold my hands.
My posture straight.
They throw their quiet cruelties—
Expecting me to shatter
To deflate

I let the hallway echo.
Let them wait.
Their petty insults
Left at the gate.

I guard the inner strength I cultivate.

A heavy bruise.
The jagged words they grate.
They look for fractures,
Flaws to celebrate.

But deep within
this quiet, living state,
I drop their heavy anchors
to their fate.

Unbroken.

No one gets
to touch
my living soul.

I write my soul’s truth with rose water,
fill the chalice of change
with verses of hope,
etched with drops of crimson lightning
and ink of unfelt dreams.

But in the ache of silence,
I metamorphosed into the storm
to taste the flavour of fate,
while the stars weep
a thousand tears of thunder,
burning the sky of a lovesick heart ~

Tears of thunder explode
through innocent lightning
that knows not the sky
or the naked ground of desire,

You and I know the voltage of love
and the misery of throbbing longing
waiting for the storm to scripture
sensibilities into our eyes of poetic want,

We worship heartbeats heavy
in the heat of unscripted life,
the fire of love listening
not for the Past nor the sighs of Future faith,
We are alive now, simple and superlative
as thunderheads thumping electric pulses
through skyline inking violent awakening,

As we clasp fingers together
our souls ignite in inferno of infinite ache,
a cosmic ceremony unfolds our hearts
like a hurricane of cataclysmic obsession,
We understand that death and life
do not dictate love,
living is a truth unquestioned,
a kiss of lightning lacing our uniting lips -

J.A.B.

O
rude moon ~
I inhale
your raven ruse
in blackmagic rouge ...
as lunar lilies bleed
and break beneath my bone-blues ...
those caviar constellations
refuse to rest with rose refugees,
calligraphing aura of aries ...
felt by stygian soothsayers
like a zodiac zombie ...
and this queen of chaos
sinks in sabotage,
claustrophobic ~
cursed with a
crown of
crows ...

you tell me, the night tastes no other
but why do fallen stars mirror
scarred odes within your dreamscape
as I, the sorceress,
lose myself in the
lovelorn lament
wearing a
crown of
crows
to
sign our
secret ache
with talon-kissed
curses of hope turned
numb, as promises bleed
burning the darkling ballads
into traces of what could be
if we were to remain sealed as one...

Rain strikes her bare face
She plants both feet in the mud
She faces the storm

Shadows break her world,
She stands barefoot in the glass,
Still, her spirit sings.

what is life without the trust of ache ~ if not a heart breathing love's rhyme ...

as tonight ... the moon slips stars between our soul’s truth ~ sweetly touched by time

The hours of heartbeats tick not they thunder
like death through life...

Destiny does not breathe beauty los
inhaling exhaling soul heat...

J.A.B.

the exquisite existence may be to never encounter exquisiteness

When tattoos become extreme ~ grow a fringe

old hands count the coins
quiet morning passes by
someone helps today

ash on wounded hands
one cup passed through winter’s dark
our shared fire returns.

ripe red papayas
attracts rainbow toucan flock ~
a dazzling tangle

coloured hummingbirds
sipping juice from ripe berries
watching from afar

Soft rain greets Souper
Pitter-pat inspires
Pen drinks every drop

celestial crystals
fall down from firmament clouds...
rain revives parched lands

Soupers see words golden gleam,
Soupers hear words poetically chime,
Soupers smell words aroma in bloom,
Soupers taste words in minds' dream,
Soupers feel words through pen's rhyme

Don't Let anyone tell you,
how to live.
Taste life for yourself,
and learn to give.

Oh, the sweet smell of success.
I Chose to live my life,
without all the mess.

I can hear the voices, sounds come
from all around.
I let those voices fall to the ground.

People telling you to conform.
Then they say, "but it's the new norm.

I reject the lied and their views.
What they say is old news.

Trying to influence me, but please
don't touch.
I've heard it all before,
too much.

I have eyes to see, my sight is clear.
It's time I get up out of here.

No more verses, not another line.
Sorry, I just ran out of time.

I fall like t
h
u n
d
e r
surge of an electric burn ~
quaking the dusk

dusk brews within sunlight
letting through the echoes
of angry lost souls

Life wore a crown of borrowed light,
Love smiled beneath a veil of tears.
One measured time with restless hands,
The other counted silent years.

The heart is rich in what it loses,
The soul grows poor by what it keeps.
Life bargains loudly in the day,
Love pays its debts where darkness sleeps.

A rose remembers every thorn,
A moon recalls the vanished sun.
Life calls us strangers to ourselves,
Love whispers we were always one.

When every name is claimed by dust,
And every dream forgets the sky,
Life shall close its weary eyes
Love will refuse the art of goodbye.

When I met my true love it was bliss,
I thought my life and fate was perfect;
we had so many great future plans,
it was clear sailing to our true north.

I was pregnant and it was a baby boy,
and life was good- we were preparing;
then,, something felt wrong one morn',
at the hospital I delivered a dead baby.

Our life began to decay our love faded,
my love became distant and too quiet;
he left for work and later came a call
I was told he had crashed his car.

At the funeral I felt like I was stone,
and my life was over- I wanted death;
as days passed I found my strength,
and I found a new path forward alone.

I zoned into a story...
She called my name with a voice kind.
So I followed her neigh
To the deepest recesses of my mind.

Today I met a Unicorn
Who was dancing on a hill.
She was kicking up rainbow dust.
She said her name was Gill.

She looked truly majestic.
Her style slick and pristine.
She told me she canters and prances
In to little girls dreams.

Her fur was smoothe and lilac.
At night-time her horn glows.
She listens to the melodies in the breeze
And where they go she follows.

Gill said she would take me to places
Beyond my wildest imagination.
I told her it would be lovely to do
And thanks for the invitation.

This time, we explored mighty jungles
With colourful creatures and many a giant leaf,
A sparkling waterfall with a welcoming pool...
And many other features beyond belief!

The sun was settling down to sleep.
Gill saw my eyes were closing.
She carried me on her back to the land of nod
Where I could continue dozing...

I looked again at my story book.
There was no Unicorn in sight!
Today I really met her
And she tucked me in good night.

I sat on the grass so sad
Alone and longing for love
Out of the blue ~ a unicorn appeared
The best friend , I needed today
He was so colourful
The sun dazzled ~ his rainbow mane
His rainbow tail went swish ~ swash

Majestic, happiness flooded my soul
Yes a unicorn made me whole
His eyes matched mine, ice blue
The gaze between us was electrifying
He told me he lived in a magical kingdom
Painted a picture of love, joy, peace
Tranquility flooded my soul

He invited me to go and see it
Off we zoomed, sheer bliss
We arrived in no time at all
I sure fitted in to this place
Rainbows, stars twinkled ~ moonbeams shone
A heavenly place after all
Blew my mind ~ all I dreamed of and more beside

Children and faries played games together
Laughter filled the kingdom
No wars ~ no hunger
No homeless on the streets
Faries flew , giggling throwing kisses
I'm so glad I met the unicorn
No longer sad and alone

I'm believing in this magical kingdom
I know, I can't stay forever
It will be so hard to leave
The pull on my heart ~it could burst
So much love in one place
Unicorn Island ~ forever in my heart will be

We had tea of flavours, all colours with rainbow cakes
Nothing horrid in this place
No darkness fell, always bright coloured lights
Under the moonbeam sky, shooting stars
Everlasting flowers bloom,
Colours red, pink,lilac,indigo,orange,purple,green,sky blue~ mesmerising
Alas ~ it's time to leave my heart will be in unicorn island ~ forever.

red rose petals drip
as the morning dew quenches ~
gracefully bedewed

in the dawn's first light
a dew-kissed Easter lily
cries for happiness

Words bloom like gardens, We Love Our Soupers
Intelligence fills every stanza, We Love Our Soupers
Friendship rhymes forever, We Love Our Soupers
Worldwide heart finds home, We Love Our Soupers

Pens dance through moonlight, We Love Our Soupers
Dreams become bright verses, We Love Our Soupers
Poets publish poetry inspiration, We Love Our Soupers
Kindness crowns each poet, We Love Our Soupers

Together you create, We Love Our Soupers
Together you encourage, We Love Our Soupers
Together you celebrate, We Love Our Soupers
Together you are PoetrySoup, We Love Our Soupers

The carriage clatters Regine’s gold ring is cast aside alone
Johannes de Silentio must scrape the agonizing steps alone
To Moriah’s jagged peak where Abraham unsheathes the knife alone
No universal law or church can save the systole that beats alone
A continent away a hermit tracks the vitreous Engadin alone
High past the alpine pines where ice and irony leave truth alone
He pronounces the dead Creator births a cold and terrifying star alone
Then shatters on a cobblestone in Turin seized by grief alone
His arms around a bleeding horse the fragile mind undone alone
Retreating to a decade of a white and catatonic dark alone
They ripped the ancient scenery down they left the theater alone
And pass the heavy open schism to us to bleed or build alone

Moonlight slips between the trees,
And something whispers through the night.
The shadows seem to trade their secrets,
Hidden just beyond our sight.

While the rest of the world scrolls on by,
Soupers gather where poems grow.
At PoetrySoup.com, they share their hearts,
In ways only fellow poets know.

Every poem leaves something behind
A trace no daylight can explain.
Some say they've watched a shadow linger,
Then quietly fade away again.

So if a gentle line finds you
When no one else is anywhere near,
It might be a Souper's midnight poem
Still echoing softly in your ear.

School echoes in a sweltering room,
I hate the foreign children on this shore.
In KL I’m drinking sinking in gloom,
The city silent outside no longer roars.
Drag my bones to my flat in the heat,
Locking out the world behind a door.
Pouring my gin the silence is sweet,
The bottle is the truth I explore.
Didn't see the slither, a shadow of night,
Coiled on my chest in the pale moonlight.
A twitch of muscle, one drunken breath,
I’m just one step away from a venomous death.
I know Malaysia, I know these kind of snakes,
Small, black, and angry, they don't make mistakes
A predatory patience that never quite breaks
Waiting for blood in the tropical heat.
Aggressive demons that strike like a blade,
Coiled on my belly, my warmth it’s prize.
The gin clouds vision behind of my eyes.
Did not see the slither a shadow of night,
It’s coiled on my chest in the moonlight.
A twitch of a muscle, one drunken breath,
I’m just one step away from a venomous death.
Gin’s current is pulling my eyes down,
In a sea of clear liquor I’m starting to drown.
If I pass out now, if I drift I will shift
The black cobra will grant me his permanent gift.
Don’t close your eyes, Old man, don’t you dare,
While there is a monster breathing in your air.
A black hood of terror, a cobra in my bed,
In the night there is only deadly dread
The bed sheet is my death’s bed veil
Turning my spirit ghost white and frail.
Don't close your eyes…
If you do, you are dead.

In the Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands
The host of "The Traitors" greet with open hands.

For the US, Alan Cumming with his cunning brown eyes
And flamboyant outfits that dazzle and surprise.

For the UK, Claudia Winkleman with her smile and famous fringe
Supporting her contestants through their moments of cringe.

They gauge up personalities until they find
The Traitors they are searching for with mischief in mind.

In the deathly shadows they hand over the cloak
Which the new Traitors adorn once they have sworn the oath.

These hosts give hints and comments as chaos ensues
And talk to us, the audience, to hold interest and amuse.

They keep a dastardly dark secret at the round table.
In no way do they expose the truth of liars stable.

Every murder mystery and money building task
Gradually reveal the truth with no questions asked.

Daily the Faithfuls are cherry picked one by one
While Traitors snigger up their sleeves knowing what's gone on!

We show two sides of ourselves in the process of this game.
Our sense of justice insists that we wouldn't do the same.

Yet on the flip side, if there are Traitors at the end
A part of us wants them to win. A slight moral descend.

An affair of many twists and turns with risks, but all the same,
Could we find it in ourselves to play "The Traitors" game?

The game begins, let fun or fear rule
Gazing around the table like being in school
Puzzled faces, he got dodgy eyes to me
Or is it a cover up, to fool us all, let's see
Time will tell I guess

I wonder if they will know my role
Can I pretend to be tough ~ or soft wee soul
I cant be the traitor, no chance of that
My eyes speak truth im not wee rat
Its only a game or is it?

So many varied characters here
The one close to me I get vibes of distrust
Or is my judgement wrong this time
I wonder who leads the murdering gang
Aha ~ fooled you all I'm the traitor !!

Dawn unfolds quietly across sleeping fields, where dew cradles every blade. A single bird stitches light into silence, reminding hearts that hope often arrives softly, unnoticed until morning becomes courage again, within us all, forever blooming beyond fear's shadow, together we rise smiling toward tomorrow's endless possibilities with grateful souls.

Rain tapped gently against windows, inviting forgotten memories home. I opened my hands, catching echoes instead of drops. Suddenly laughter returned, washing old sorrows downstream until even the sky smiled through broken clouds, leaving quiet gratitude blooming beside every hopeful step forward today with renewed wonder always alive inside me.

A door opens, and a door shuts.
Four wheels move on four bouncing struts.
Life hits potholes, and life hits ruts.
That’s just the way it is, no ifs, ands, or buts.

When a door opens to a broken soul
And we take a peek inside,
We can see reflected the sort of pain
We often try to hide.

We can find ourselves in periods of time
Where all doors seem to close.
We did not bring this on ourselves
So we start to feel morose.

Just when we feel trapped and alone,
A slither of light is shone.
Mesmerised, we follow it...
A door opens. Just the one.

Only the door frame separates us
From the possibilities
Of where this open door leads to.
We feel excited, yet at ease.

A door opens to transition,
To the path leading ahead.
This opportunity is to embrace,
Though unknown, it's not to dread.

Take a breath. Then take a step
Through the open door.
Immerse yourself in your future
And the things that are in store...

But if for now the doors are closed
Then know this to be true,
It's when you're at your lowest point
A door opens for you.

July 5th 2026

We sit here in quietude, writing code for others to enjoy.
We just hope someone silently clicks it.

"You are most powerful when you are most silent.” – Alison McGhee

Between the words, silence spills, refracts,
while a shadow traces the void you left
in roots-entwined earth—too sacred to disturb—
as arum lilies recall your grace.

Moonlight, moon bright,
Team Soup hasn't seen the moon in many a night.
Writing lines of code until morning's first light,
Creating new ways for poets to delight.

Now the work is done, the long days take flight,
And poets can gather to write in the moon's light.

Tonight the moon is dazzling
Looking from my garden
Gazing towards the lake
My heart did leap for joy
I began dancing in the moonlight

Majestic ripples in the water
Sent shivers down my spine
Stars twinkled in the horizon
Totally sublime
So, happy to be alive

Moonlight ~ eerie, will vampires be out!
I scream " where are you "
Come get my neck~ bite me
Am I dreaming ~ or is that a howling wolf
Fixated in the moment of sheer ~ madness