- Pronouns
- He/Him, They/Them
It's time for voting to begin with the poetry contest! Who has the best words? (Also we decided to remove author names from these to begin with, but if the authors want to make themselves known, no objections here)
Ballot:
Give a little joy
Give a little smile
Have a lot of fun
And be happy all the while
Add a little courage
And mix in some fun
Blend in some patience
And dance in the sun
Stir in some hope
Some peace, joy and laughter
And remember to be
Happy ever after
So when times turn bad and your face is a frown
You always have to turn it upside down
And there is a twist!
You’ve become an OPTIMIST!
Give a little smile
Have a lot of fun
And be happy all the while
Add a little courage
And mix in some fun
Blend in some patience
And dance in the sun
Stir in some hope
Some peace, joy and laughter
And remember to be
Happy ever after
So when times turn bad and your face is a frown
You always have to turn it upside down
And there is a twist!
You’ve become an OPTIMIST!
A blade of grass stands up tall
But a leaf seems to fall
So what am I like?
I've always seemed scared
While my friends, always dared.
"Come on, we'll run fast during our hike."
But I always said no.
I always prefer to go.
So does that make me fall like the leaf?
Well, I'm very smart as well.
I know what person built each individual well
And I always liked history more than anyone.
They asked "Who won the city of Calais after the 100 years war?"
I always repsonded "The French won!" I loved being smart, because that meant I could try to prevent war.
So does that make me stand tall like the grass?
Well I realized today that I can be both,
I can be like the leaf and fall
Or stand like the blade of grass and stand tall.
I just chose when I am what.
But a leaf seems to fall
So what am I like?
I've always seemed scared
While my friends, always dared.
"Come on, we'll run fast during our hike."
But I always said no.
I always prefer to go.
So does that make me fall like the leaf?
Well, I'm very smart as well.
I know what person built each individual well
And I always liked history more than anyone.
They asked "Who won the city of Calais after the 100 years war?"
I always repsonded "The French won!" I loved being smart, because that meant I could try to prevent war.
So does that make me stand tall like the grass?
Well I realized today that I can be both,
I can be like the leaf and fall
Or stand like the blade of grass and stand tall.
I just chose when I am what.
Title: You Are Not Alone
I feel your agony up my veins,
like a prisoner held up in chains.
The pessimism that has been inflicted to you,
no longer will it ever torment and accrue.
Fret not, for you will be okay, my friend.
This challenge does not spell a "dead end";
You are never alone venturing this path,
For together, we shall fight through this despairing wrath.
I feel your agony up my veins,
like a prisoner held up in chains.
The pessimism that has been inflicted to you,
no longer will it ever torment and accrue.
Fret not, for you will be okay, my friend.
This challenge does not spell a "dead end";
You are never alone venturing this path,
For together, we shall fight through this despairing wrath.
The Gavel Left Behind
When the day breaks, and the eye is opened, what is it that comes rushing in? Is it the glories of the morning dew or the pains of life’s many blades? What world, what story demands of us a perfection so unreachable in the here and now? So often that gavel slams upon the unforgiving wood, and that clammer echoes within us crumbling what joys remain. There are shouts and accusations all around that tear at us and so the slam of the gavel gets ever louder until nothing else is heard. The morning light get’s a bit dimmer and hope flies just slightly closer to the ground. If we squint hard enough in the lowness of the light we come to see that it is not only they around us who slam the gavel but our very selves piercing at our hearts.
Were we not so precious as to take care? The world gaveled us away and now here we have done it to ourselves. What is there left of life if we can not even live at peace with ourselves? It is what comes after the gavel. That instrument of self hatred, despair, pain, and confusion be set aside and in its place be put something infinitely greater. Speak not of the mirror darkly but of the mirror radiant. Beyond that enslaving gavel is the comfort of reality in all its beauties and horrors. There in the mirror is our reflection. What does it show beyond what they say and beyond what we say? What has the light of truth bestowed in reason to us that the gavel never could? First and foremost let the gift received be one of forgiveness. May no error or regret survive the power of reconciliation with self and the love that comes with moving past past faults.
We are brothers and sisters in the Lifegiver’s family and so may this morning dew bring us to the difficult but truest love that the mirror brings. Most poetic is the truth that we always have a choice: The tyranny of the gavel that rules from a broken past or the kingdom of the mirror that promises and fulfilling future even though difficult may befall us. If you are courageous enough to look in the mirror, I hope you see the beauty in and beyond yourself, the same beauty that I see in you.
When the day breaks, and the eye is opened, what is it that comes rushing in? Is it the glories of the morning dew or the pains of life’s many blades? What world, what story demands of us a perfection so unreachable in the here and now? So often that gavel slams upon the unforgiving wood, and that clammer echoes within us crumbling what joys remain. There are shouts and accusations all around that tear at us and so the slam of the gavel gets ever louder until nothing else is heard. The morning light get’s a bit dimmer and hope flies just slightly closer to the ground. If we squint hard enough in the lowness of the light we come to see that it is not only they around us who slam the gavel but our very selves piercing at our hearts.
Were we not so precious as to take care? The world gaveled us away and now here we have done it to ourselves. What is there left of life if we can not even live at peace with ourselves? It is what comes after the gavel. That instrument of self hatred, despair, pain, and confusion be set aside and in its place be put something infinitely greater. Speak not of the mirror darkly but of the mirror radiant. Beyond that enslaving gavel is the comfort of reality in all its beauties and horrors. There in the mirror is our reflection. What does it show beyond what they say and beyond what we say? What has the light of truth bestowed in reason to us that the gavel never could? First and foremost let the gift received be one of forgiveness. May no error or regret survive the power of reconciliation with self and the love that comes with moving past past faults.
We are brothers and sisters in the Lifegiver’s family and so may this morning dew bring us to the difficult but truest love that the mirror brings. Most poetic is the truth that we always have a choice: The tyranny of the gavel that rules from a broken past or the kingdom of the mirror that promises and fulfilling future even though difficult may befall us. If you are courageous enough to look in the mirror, I hope you see the beauty in and beyond yourself, the same beauty that I see in you.
Rainy Day
Familiarizing my gaze with the ground
How long have I been wearing this frown?
Man, just yesterday I gained an extra pound
Both my neck and my heart are feeling down
Puddles pooling all around
I’ll be pretty damn lucky if I don’t drown
Hey, hold on, what’s that sound?
EEP! Okay, it was just thunder.
A little something tugs right up at my lips
Really, I don’t think I should be feeling like this
Try to force my grin back into a scowl
See myself in the reflection and can’t help but smile
Whoops! That’s a deep puddle - got mud in my boots
A bunch of expletives start to line up; damn it, shoot!
Take breath and another step forward: what could go wrong?
Soon I’m splashing every puddle and humming my favorite song
Got home and dried off; that was loads of fun
Take a glimpse outside at the shining sun
Feel a bit of disappointment but I cast it away
Cause now I’m looking forward to the next rainy day
Familiarizing my gaze with the ground
How long have I been wearing this frown?
Man, just yesterday I gained an extra pound
Both my neck and my heart are feeling down
Puddles pooling all around
I’ll be pretty damn lucky if I don’t drown
Hey, hold on, what’s that sound?
EEP! Okay, it was just thunder.
A little something tugs right up at my lips
Really, I don’t think I should be feeling like this
Try to force my grin back into a scowl
See myself in the reflection and can’t help but smile
Whoops! That’s a deep puddle - got mud in my boots
A bunch of expletives start to line up; damn it, shoot!
Take breath and another step forward: what could go wrong?
Soon I’m splashing every puddle and humming my favorite song
Got home and dried off; that was loads of fun
Take a glimpse outside at the shining sun
Feel a bit of disappointment but I cast it away
Cause now I’m looking forward to the next rainy day
Dawn will come again
Don’t let the darkest nights and all the terrible fights
Swallow up your life
For the last twilight lights and the sunset might seem,
But never are truly the end
Let the twinkling brightness of the stars above
Carry you through your strife,
And keep that smile on your face
For dawn will come again
Hold on to the Spring in your step
Even through the longest Falls
And during Winter, remember some are only as far away as the next call
Through loneliness, laughter and hearty cheer will always be your friend
There is no worry, no doubt, no fear, that a light heart can not mend
Forge on, shoulders up, hope held to your chest, even if you have to pretend
Because even when all comes to an end, dawn will come again
Don’t let the darkest nights and all the terrible fights
Swallow up your life
For the last twilight lights and the sunset might seem,
But never are truly the end
Let the twinkling brightness of the stars above
Carry you through your strife,
And keep that smile on your face
For dawn will come again
Hold on to the Spring in your step
Even through the longest Falls
And during Winter, remember some are only as far away as the next call
Through loneliness, laughter and hearty cheer will always be your friend
There is no worry, no doubt, no fear, that a light heart can not mend
Forge on, shoulders up, hope held to your chest, even if you have to pretend
Because even when all comes to an end, dawn will come again
As one we have stood in the pitch black night
Waiting on the breach of the sun's warm light
We have endured the wrath of a life unwanted
And emerged from the darkness, our souls undaunted
We have have stared into the faces of blood stained gods
And we have fought so valiantly against the desperate odds
We have pushed and pulled against our fate
We have burned both wicks 'til hours late
We have played dead man's hands against a stacked deck
And pulled ourselves from 'neath the wreck
With our broken bones and hearts of stone
We have pushed ever on
We alone have set the tone of our stories when we're gone
Stories of our warriors and our valiant acts throughout
Stories of the drive and push to overcome the doubt
We have scraped and struggled to walk the razors edge
And now we stare into the face of death as we stand on the ledge
We give the reaper a knowing smile and he gives us a nod
As we prepare for another war, against the mounting odds
We will not be conquered
We will not be taimed
We will not be pushed aside
For Unbroken we are named
Waiting on the breach of the sun's warm light
We have endured the wrath of a life unwanted
And emerged from the darkness, our souls undaunted
We have have stared into the faces of blood stained gods
And we have fought so valiantly against the desperate odds
We have pushed and pulled against our fate
We have burned both wicks 'til hours late
We have played dead man's hands against a stacked deck
And pulled ourselves from 'neath the wreck
With our broken bones and hearts of stone
We have pushed ever on
We alone have set the tone of our stories when we're gone
Stories of our warriors and our valiant acts throughout
Stories of the drive and push to overcome the doubt
We have scraped and struggled to walk the razors edge
And now we stare into the face of death as we stand on the ledge
We give the reaper a knowing smile and he gives us a nod
As we prepare for another war, against the mounting odds
We will not be conquered
We will not be taimed
We will not be pushed aside
For Unbroken we are named
I might be tired, and I might be broke
But I got a smile and a half pack of smokes
Landlord is on me, and the tax man too
But today ain't for worries, it's about me and you
You might be tired, you might be broke
But you got a smile and a few good jokes
Collection man calling you three times a day
But as long as we're together, man life's OK
We can get lost, or drive up the coast
We can talk about the good times, make a cheap beer toast
The best things in life are usually free
And I'm cool with whatever as long as you're with me
We're just a couple losers doing what we can with what we got
Might not be a rich man, but with you I got a lot
We might not be much but babe we got a shot
Got this beat up old Saturn with the ripped up seats
But it feels like a Cadillac when we hit the streets
Going nowhere in particular, just out to see what we can see
Might not have much, but this is the life for me
You can bring your guitar and sing an off-tune song
We can scream the words even though they're wrong
The best things in life are usually free
We can pack our bags and dissappear for a day or three
We might be tired, and we might be broke
We can go down to the pier and have a nice long toke
Yeah life is good long as you're with me
One of these days hopefully it'll be us three
But I got a smile and a half pack of smokes
Landlord is on me, and the tax man too
But today ain't for worries, it's about me and you
You might be tired, you might be broke
But you got a smile and a few good jokes
Collection man calling you three times a day
But as long as we're together, man life's OK
We can get lost, or drive up the coast
We can talk about the good times, make a cheap beer toast
The best things in life are usually free
And I'm cool with whatever as long as you're with me
We're just a couple losers doing what we can with what we got
Might not be a rich man, but with you I got a lot
We might not be much but babe we got a shot
Got this beat up old Saturn with the ripped up seats
But it feels like a Cadillac when we hit the streets
Going nowhere in particular, just out to see what we can see
Might not have much, but this is the life for me
You can bring your guitar and sing an off-tune song
We can scream the words even though they're wrong
The best things in life are usually free
We can pack our bags and dissappear for a day or three
We might be tired, and we might be broke
We can go down to the pier and have a nice long toke
Yeah life is good long as you're with me
One of these days hopefully it'll be us three
We’re changing the world
Solving our greatest problems
One step at a time
Solving our greatest problems
One step at a time
I had visions last night
And I thought I saw you
I could have been mistaken
The sky was so blindingly blue
And the stars didn't twinkle
They dazzled
I saw a hundred shooting stars
Not falling, rising
There was a bridge of starshine
Full of light and shimmering
We walked on it, hand in hand
And we smiled
Maybe I made it up
To soothe myself
With a thousand cliches strung together
However
One thing
Makes me wonder
We had a dog, you and I
And the dog could talk
And he said that he was proud of me
And so
I think
Things will be better
And I thought I saw you
I could have been mistaken
The sky was so blindingly blue
And the stars didn't twinkle
They dazzled
I saw a hundred shooting stars
Not falling, rising
There was a bridge of starshine
Full of light and shimmering
We walked on it, hand in hand
And we smiled
Maybe I made it up
To soothe myself
With a thousand cliches strung together
However
One thing
Makes me wonder
We had a dog, you and I
And the dog could talk
And he said that he was proud of me
And so
I think
Things will be better
Poems are hard to write
Rhymes are worse
But I want to do this right
I'll have to fit them in every verse
Try to make each word fit
Make everything seem easy
Not doing a good job at it
Even to me, this sounds cheesy
But I'm taking a shot
At this poetry thing
Even if it's not a lot
I'm taking a swing
And I'll do the same for this year
Improvise, play it by the ear
There
That's sufficient
I think this works
I wrote a poem
For you
For me
Rhymes are worse
But I want to do this right
I'll have to fit them in every verse
Try to make each word fit
Make everything seem easy
Not doing a good job at it
Even to me, this sounds cheesy
But I'm taking a shot
At this poetry thing
Even if it's not a lot
I'm taking a swing
And I'll do the same for this year
Improvise, play it by the ear
There
That's sufficient
I think this works
I wrote a poem
For you
For me
How can it be, awake and yet a dream?
I scarcely believe my eyes, my fortune
Each day only rising in my esteem
The good exceeding proper proportion.
A single moment stretches on for years
Only the present, and its gift, exist
The time before unthinkable, austere!
The future, possibility and bliss.
Perfection is too small, ordinary
And flawless fails to properly describe
All the aspects missed by those unwary
Whose qualities the least of his elide.
Time pays tribute and the world falls away
Another exchanged gaze begins the day.
I scarcely believe my eyes, my fortune
Each day only rising in my esteem
The good exceeding proper proportion.
A single moment stretches on for years
Only the present, and its gift, exist
The time before unthinkable, austere!
The future, possibility and bliss.
Perfection is too small, ordinary
And flawless fails to properly describe
All the aspects missed by those unwary
Whose qualities the least of his elide.
Time pays tribute and the world falls away
Another exchanged gaze begins the day.
Sitting under my bridge,
I’m as cold as a fridge
I try to sleep
On the cold concrete
I keep hearing noises
From drunk mens’ voices
I don’t dare take a glance
Because if they see me I have no chance
But I will fight to the end
With some help, can you lend?
I breathe in the disgusting smells
Of urine, alcohol and rotten eggshells
This was never my intent
To live with less than a cent
I had two children and a wife
But a mistake cost me my life
I have nothing I can do at all
Except to look at the graffiti on the wall
I chew on my mouldy bread
At least this is better than to be dead
Sitting under my bridge
I am cold as a fridge
It is only September
Imagine the coldness of December
But that won't stop me
I will set myself free
I will always keep my head up
I will keep on begging for coins in my cup
And I will fight to the end
With some help, can you lend?
I’m as cold as a fridge
I try to sleep
On the cold concrete
I keep hearing noises
From drunk mens’ voices
I don’t dare take a glance
Because if they see me I have no chance
But I will fight to the end
With some help, can you lend?
I breathe in the disgusting smells
Of urine, alcohol and rotten eggshells
This was never my intent
To live with less than a cent
I had two children and a wife
But a mistake cost me my life
I have nothing I can do at all
Except to look at the graffiti on the wall
I chew on my mouldy bread
At least this is better than to be dead
Sitting under my bridge
I am cold as a fridge
It is only September
Imagine the coldness of December
But that won't stop me
I will set myself free
I will always keep my head up
I will keep on begging for coins in my cup
And I will fight to the end
With some help, can you lend?
Ballot:
Voting is open until 10PM EST on the 14th of February
