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2007 Form Challenges
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This is a popular form of Quintain having no set measure or foot
and has a rhyming scheme of a. b. a.
b. b.
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English Quintain |
Maryse AchongIs Crismas time an Ah happy Cos Ah love dis time of de year, Dough Ah does get melancholy When Ah tink of does who eh here, An Ah cyah help buh shed ah tear. Ah does really miss meh Fadder An udder loved ones who have gorn Dere’s nuttin dat I wud radder Dan to have dem here Crismas morn To celebrate how Jesus born. Buh dis is time for thanksgivin For de blessins dat come our way A time for lovin and forgivin As we honour dis special da. ----- Thankfulness I made a list the other day, No ‘to do’ list this I might add, But rather an attempt to weigh The pros and cons, the good and bad My reasons to be joyful, sad. The list was long I must confess It was not easy to prepare; As I attempted to assess My position, it became clear I am quite happy t’would appear. ----- Unmasked We come before You as we are, No frills no clever words to say, Completely bare, each wound each scar Open to You, we’re on display; We bow our heads and look away. No way to whitewash our misdeeds, To justify the wrongs we’ve done; Then You show us how Your Heart bleeds; Though we may deny You or shun Your Presence, still we cannot run. We may know You by different names It matters not You answer all, And though we still play silly games You pick us up when’er we fall. back to list |
Lorainne DafneyIn fields of gold below the sky bees live and work in harmony pollinating crops when they fly thanks to their generosity come celebrate each days bounty. ----- Natures Ice will soon cover autumns leaves months before the warmth of springs thaw encased beauty is left to freeze mosaic patterns on earths floor remain beneath a frozen door back to list |
Peggy NelsonMay the beauty of Christmas astound, Filling your hearts with warmth and Love In a glorious splendor of joy all around. Best wishes for the Holidays and lots of Blessings sent to you from God up above ----- Wishes For You Our Wishes and Dreams for this years Christmas Season Bring pleasant, joyful times for you and those who love you May Love and sharing surround you throughout the Holiday Season May the dreams, wishes and love you hold so dearly close to you, Always surround you throughout the New Year’s Season’s too. back to list |
Ryter RoethicleThe moonlight shines on singing waters A chorus repeated by humming stones In a composition of competing meters That brings peace to my stressed bones On hearing a piano’s soft sensuous tones. Feeling the presence of those supple fingers And under the spell of each nights moon There is always the wish for it to linger For tis not hard for two souls to attune As nightly this music flows in the room. ----- Fools Paradise Some joker is whistling for his dog And overhead the moon looks bored. A thought occurs to me in this fog That maybe this is heaven’s reward Not for lack of sin, but life unexplored. So maybe there are angels lurking Dressed in every scary thing that be. Hiding in every shadow, waiting Ready to jump out and surprise me Trying to shake this passive lethargy. I walk under a giant old elm tree That is rotting from the inside out. I wonder if they think this of me? Then suddenly in my mind is doubt. Suddenly I want to scream and shout. Life is not about feeling safe within Rather it’s about testing water’s heat, Not by finger’s touch, but jumping in. At life’s end handing back battered meat With a sign saying, “My life’s complete”. ----- Love Dreams Dreaming of the romance of this night Dark blue skies, form a stars back drop The beauty, the lure of the full moonlight. Sitting on a seawall at some exotic stop Barely touching as love slowly develops Magically, soft, wet lips, light our fuse Senses lost giving in to our feelings Touching, surrender, as control we lose Naked bodies, our senses reeling Opening, giving, nothing concealing In turn offering ourselves in love Now with no thoughts of self or same Becoming a pure, loving treasure trove And with that love I cry your name We have created an everlasting flame. ----- Lunar Ballet I lie awake with the stars out on stage. The moon moves along like a dancer Moving gracefully from page to page. Each one pirouettes her, then steadies her All cast off, until, just she is standing there. Now the moon completely owns the sky The stage is hers and we the audience look As have not others in all the years gone by? Even the most hardened heart has not forsook To pause a while amazed how long they took. Such is the power the moon holds over us all And so she has for millions of years or more The Sun is king; she has the ability to enthral. Poets and writers, have created all this lore But simply put, the Moon we all adore. ----- Magic No more is it the time of magic, its now of men Merlin and all his kin have left the stage and sleep Slumbering in their cave awaiting until when Once more they must emerge from sleep so deep Working spells, as evil from the land they sweep Then once again in battle we will see the way The strength of arm with sword, or axe and shield, Again the mighty kings must field and fight the fey And blow for blow, and spell for spell, or yield For in the end the weaker magic will lose the field. ----- Quantum Spirit In an increasing circle of yellow light, He pierces the dark world of his children- Entering the world, scattering night. Blackness vanishes from the world of men And for a while the slate is clean again. Somewhere there is controlled darkness, There light and truth cannot penetrate, And hatred grows in a festering mess. The men who live there silently wait Feeding out lies, deceit, and teaching hate. Too many are aware preferring love instead For it is mans way to look towards the Sun And anything dark to feel fear or dread The coward would merely turn and run, But the hero says the day has just begun. ----- Quiescence The sky is dark outside but I see your eyes Shining brighter than any star could ever, To me, it will never ever be a surprise. Finally I am glad that you did discover At last, that we will be together forever. Outside the night creatures create their sounds Whilst we mortals inside have made our own. Now in satient state listen to feathered clowns Smiling, realising how, close we have grown And thankful also for their friendly drone. Finally the world is still as we slumber Even the avian’s outside contribute nought. Mortals such as we sleep and remember In our dreams all that tonight has bought Probably everything in Eternity we sought. ----- Solar Power The young sun is a child no more, instead He has learned his craft in spring, and now Rising early he calls us all from comfy bed To share as much together as time will allow Hoping he has learned what he needs to know. He has four cousins they are the winds Who he uses in the lessons taught by time. When they blow we bless or curse, or remind That the sun has at last reached its prime. We must be careful to watch each daily climb. For those that are foolish and ignore each ray Will soon find out what sun block means, See those lumps appear and they rue the day They exposed themselves to solar schemes And a surgeons knife destroyed their dreams. ----- Starting With A Kiss “Should I kiss thee?” I think looking into your eyes Knowing what we have started can never end. Knowing that with the kiss and loving sighs Our love will be forever, never need to mend, Starting with a kiss as now upwards we ascend. I have kissed thee, and looked into your eyes Now what has happened I hope never ends For I know thy kisses and thy loving sighs Forever, loving, and never needing amends, Starting with a kiss as now upwards we ascend. ----- Twilight Thoughts As twilight begins to dim the evening sky You hear the birds giving their final calls. The wind in the trees echoes daytime’s sigh Seeing shadows lengthen as suns light falls And the sun disappears down blackened walls Finally the sun sets and daylight is gone. And daytime scenes disappear with the light Sentient familiars standing, waiting the dawn As references change to become those of night Then tactile senses replace those of sight. ----- Windscreen Reflections Shaded trails of asphalt filled promise I pushed time in one end of today, And saw how those promises diminish Like the red cars that pass, I am in the way And my marvellous thoughts easily decay. Flashing bands of what has mattered Are ignored and pushed well out of sight By impatient, ill bred cretins in well catered Four wheeled drives impressed by might, With little though for others, or what is right. Patiently I spur my horseless carriage on Carving my way through fume infested track Wondering if this time, I will see the dawn Before I have to turn round and head on back Or attempt to get off, and take another tack. Suddenly I’m free and can move at my pace What heat there was is now a flowing breeze. Brooding cameras prevent the thought of race And the clear road ahead only serves to tease. None too soon, a leafy street is there to please. back to list |
Leny RooversAs words turned into razorblades that stuck into the softness of my throat- it bled. My heart had been wide open, strings were plucked until they almost broke- I shared your dread, had looked Death in his face before, awe-struck. Our bodies are like blades of grass, minute, cut off before there is a chance to bloom. And if we live to flower and bear fruit, our roots can be attacked by creeping doom; no time to taste these fruits- Death takes the loot . As pain is etched into the flesh of life, each nerve-end screams for mercy and respite; yet Death will wield the hot blade of his knife, until your body has fulfilled his rites. ----- Growth As bone is eaten slowly from within, your muscles wither, can’t support your weight; you fight a battle you can hardly win- this illness attacks all, the small and great. Is there no distinction, is it just fate? The pains are not as bad as they begin; they come in peaks and then they will abate, but all too soon they creep under your skin, and trembling bones get brittle as they grate. Is it bad luck, or just to clean your slate? There’s no way out, you have to face this fiend and trust this painful lesson leaves you cleaned. You’ll leave this life much lighter in the end- this enemy might proof to be your friend. ----- Prănayăma I feel the flow of breath reach its six ways as it spreads slowly outwards from my core- an even stream of Prăna, till it stays in throat’s still lock- I then exhale once more. To witness breathing clears an inner door. Each inhalation straightens out my spine, it brings the air into my arms and legs as from my sit-bones to the seventh shrine clear Prăna flows along my Nadi’s pegs- I watch breath rise and fall in perfect eggs. While different mudras lead the inner air to certain stages of the stream of life, I’m faintly hearing Ujai breathing’s fife. Attention on my breath turns into prayer. ----- Reflections VI I see the lines time’s pen drew in my skin as sorrow and oft laughter made their mark. At first unnoticed, spider’s threads begin to slowly trail from crow’s-feet deeper arc; the mirror shows me new ones- born when dark. The eyes still seem the same, they do not age, though life and love bore insight from sharp pain; my still reflection tells me a new page ‘s been turned as peace softens tears’ furrowed strain. Awareness deep within now holds the reins. I watch my face with love, as a dear friend, yet living in the world, bound to transcend. ----- Rotterdam 1940 As cruel hands pull out your beating heart, its arteries no longer bear your blood. Your body crumples when your soul must part- another life is smothered in its bud. All red is rinsed away in heaven’s flood. Once you stood proud, your arms embraced the world, but envious eyes shot poisoned darts your way; your strength grew weaker as more bombs were hurled and it was clear you wouldn’t see the day. Why does the end of love sets off to betray? An empty shell raises his arms up high, it all began when death turned black our sky. ----- Storm With angry fists Storm beats my windowpanes, rattles the roof-tiles, whistling his fierce tune; his cold breath creeps in small cracks, chilling veins. Behind groaning trees, a sliver of Moon shows her face, swallowed by clouds all too soon. In staccato rhythm rain drenches all; dark shapes of people, huddled up in capes, lean into the wind, are kept in Storm’s thrall. The whole world is crying, nothing escapes, as icy fingers tear shrouds into scrapes. Inside, I turn up the heating and sound; my cats cuddle close, afraid of the noise, even the small one, my queen of great poise, leans into my neck- her tail curls around. ----- Touching Grey covers of fat clouds obscure the Sun, his rays of light and warmth can't reach my land, while days get shorter since summer's brief run. In long winter months his touch has been banned, I miss his comfort and caressing hand. A small strip of light for just a few hours, is all the solace now left for my soul; there is no pleasure from spring's bright flowers as they lay dormant, in seasons' control, awaiting their key to play a new role. For four long months these stifling blankets shroud Sun's face- his warm embrace is not allowed. ----- Twilight's Peace While twilight ends this cold and too short day, I listen to a weeping flute’s lament. As cloud-ships in full sails take thoughts away, clear voices send their prayers on joy’s ascent And peace of dusk then covers day’s torment. As night’s soft arms embrace eve’s rosy clouds, I hear storm’s whistle in the trees outside; sharp contoured houses wear a mist of shrouds. As sounds of strife and laughter both subside, The Lord of Night bids welcome to his bride. They watch the golden stars on sky’s soft black and follow trails of comets on their track. Their dreaming transforms all our offered pain, in exchange for a chance to start again. ----- Watching There is a silent watcher in my mind, investigating every wisp of thought. Among the bits and pieces that he finds are faded threads of dreams, no longer sought- once brought to light, they vanish into naught. As breath flows in, my chest expands with air; each cavity is filled with living force while outward sighs give birth to silent prayer. I am connected to my inner source, In deep surrender I now trust Thy course. Enveloped by clear consciousness I rest, in confidence I'll one day pass Thy test. ----- Winter Birds Amidst red finches and blue tits, my solitary robin waits; capped bramblings search for favoured bits, greenfinches scurry with their mates as friend blue jay samples spilt dates. Bold jackdaws chase green parakeets, swinging from long peanut chains; newcomers in our cities’ streets, they’ve taken over parks and plains- competing now with beaks and brains. My lonely robin still awaits sweet reuniting with its mate. All summer long they were a pair, yet wintertime they cannot share. back to list |
Dinah SerritelliI smile at the images that fill my head Sitting comfy cozy in my favorite chair, Through my memory maze I softly tread My mind roaming from here to there Shuffling around with nary a care I’ll keep the good…discard the bad Shred the thoughts that made me cry Living with regrets is just way to sad Better to leave the sleeping dogs lie, Why? I’d rather be happy…that’s why. back to list |
Nicola Wynter"You need much help dearest lass." Says the tawny good elf lad, So he puts the wine glass In front of her to make glad Her sorrowed eyes, no more sad. He set about her old home Like a train passing through night And left a trail of gnomes To guard her treasures right And cleaned away the dirt in sight. Now the lass is smiling fine To find her home clean in time For the lad that came to call To win her hearts treasure all. ----- Elemental The wind touched my soul and said, "Now is my time, now not yours." Rain fell not in sheets, not lead Me to believe it was ours, Just the way nature rules hours. #2 Ocean felt her face, so she sighed And cried "who and what are you ?" Enveloped as in a dream, shy Yet curiously drawn for true, The ocean met human thus, too. #3 Sand tickled her feet when she ran, Ran from the seas embraces, Found she couldn't see these ones, Only to find herself in traces Of the same feelings, same places. ----- Prisoner Never made a wish of dreams That would take me prisoner now A prisoner of mind, it seems, It seems dreams have become low To real to stop reeling that blow. To this wish of a love so pure That only time could make it gone, Take it away without a sure Point of return within the dawn, The dawn of new times forgone, New times swan of days withdrawn. ----- Red Sun Now that I'm warm I'll recall Early Octobers sun was red The orange and gold and all Coppery at days end, I said, "How God paints the earths kindred!" His call to us so plainly shows What we miss if ignored by The by, as nature brings low Creation, as we pause to sigh At the beauty recalled, n'er why. ----- Yuletidings Light comes up so very rosy and gay Like potpourri of dry posies in vase, Of gilded blue glass full of starry rays That tell the tidings of this days grace For Christmas morn has come to show its face. And this gift belongs to this very day, The blessings of a new birth, good new ways. back to list |
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