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2011 Poetry Form Challenge#14 PentastichLets look at a free verse example of the form.
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Pentastich Challenge Replies
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Kathy AndersonLeaping waves while watching moonbeams Play with their reflections there A horn headed lass sings to sunsets Burnished by the voice of earths child Wild on the ocean or asleep in the sand. Ever vigilant even in dreams The merest tremor in the land Awakes her one eye of blue The other orb a different hue Dreams of emerald trees and jade seas. You may hear her at dusky twilight Or that tinkling laugh while you dream For she brings the amber to every sky you will see And silver fishes to your waiting rod Along the shores you walk in summers melodies. ----- Sunset Red Hear the running of the wave Waves run red with sunset rays Scattered beams of light there play Waiting to skip on the shores Sandy lanes where love remains. Hear the call of friends at morn Where dawns pink recalls red On the eve lovers found the 'shrooms Mushrooms gold behind wan moon As twilights glimmer leads their way. back to list |
Divena CollinsI walk this day on a road to nowhere There is nothing in front or behind I hear not a sound either side Not a voice or sweet bird song Tho` to venture on I must. Void is the darkness before me I see only one glimmers of light Far across the silent waves Where the skyline meets the sea But moonlight fades. Could it be then that this is a sign For heaven and earth to see Before great changes are made From experiences of tranquility Or the calm before a storm.  ----- Cornwall Revisited Tiny little cottages `neath a cliff top high On a winding cobblestone road Now leads towards a smugglers cave That once held pirates teasures Now empty apart from the tide. Tiny coves hide to explore within Crustaceans awash from an ocean blue Limpets that cling to the rocks With the pungency of seaweed green `Midst a salt spray from the sea. Skeletons of shipwrecks washed ashore From a fierce and turbulant storm Barely recognised and beyond repair Once fishermen now lost and gone In a relentless watery grave. Still the seagulls screech their song Above ghostly mines of tin Many a long shift the miners bore From early morning until late dusk Spent and paid for by lives. Once more sun shines on an azure sea And the beautiful landscapes thrive Untouched as it was of olde Withholding those memories Of a lore recalled from the past.  ----- Dark Abyss Vast is the sea that carries me forth From inland cliffs thro` ocean waves Awash with motion towards my fate At the foot of the sea bed I am none other than a pebble. Down I float in a darkened abyss Where I cannot see speak nor hear No sun nor stars no moon above Nor can I breathe the air I am no more than a grain of sand. Here do I lay so long now forgotten From past storms `neath the sea bed No longer in motion to sail the ocean All that has now survived For all that I am, shall be driftwood.  ----- Derelict Cottage Once there was love in this old abode Of a family that is now long forgotten Memories linger in every room Laughter and tears echo the moors From the past of bygone days. How sad this derect cottage appears When once there was warmth therein How cheery the log fire glowed When the family all gathered around What bygone tales did they tell. A ghostly ruin that crumbled to earth From the snow storms, winds and rain With nothing left to repair If bricks and mortar could tell a tale The tragedy would be known.  ----- God Bless Mama I could not wash away the tears I felt inside For the agony of loss was so great You raised my hopes when they were low Encouraged me when I needed it Oh how I missed you Mama. You were always there when I needed you For a mother as well as a friend You gave me your all and much more I never expected you to die so young Oh why did you have to go. I think of you often and still see your face How could I ever forget that smile You were everything to me and I was proud To have had such a lovely mother as you Oh how I loved you Mama . I still cannot wash away the tears inside Tho `it has been a good few years My memories of you shall now forever be Always dearer in my heart and thoughts God bless you Mama.  ----- Silence So quiet is this day of perfect silence No birds are singing in the trees Something must be wrong Even the breeze dare not whisper It breathes of death. There is not even a murmur to be heard Of open mouths that cannot speak Something has happened Waves of the sea are without sound And ebbs in silence. There is but a haunting calm in the sky Throwing shadows of deep discontent That feels so strange World without sound may be heaven Perhaps that is why.  ----- Time My time has come to call it a day And retire most gracefully For words and rhymes I did my best There comes a time I can do no more But to say goodbye. I am mentally tired bodily fatigued With a mind thats not mine any more I need to relax and rest awhile For the pressure is driving me wild And wearing me down. I feel I shall never achieve my goal And maybe I left it too late For my age it is ever creeping past So now I need to slower the pace And let time drift by. But I wish you well in all you may do And I shall forever remember The times that you have stood by me When you taught me how to dance How could I forget.  ----- Tree Hugger The growth of a tree is a wonderful thing Strong of trunk for the branches frame Growing like arms spread out wide With leafy hands and sap bearing veins To endure all weathers. In wind and rain and the burning hot sun We never think that a tree has feelings It only takes a moment of time To appreciate beauty that trees can give And cool shade beneath. Are we too wrapped up in our own illusions Where would bird go if they had no trees To build there nest within shade When a weeping willow weeps for love Sympathize and give her a hug.  ----- Waltz of Flowers Tchaikovsky`s music drifts thro`the glade The orchestra strikes soft notes Faeries awaken and stretch their wings For the ballet of the flowers waltz And the dance begins. Round and round the faeries pirouette Within a sacred faerie ring, To magic spells of musical descant As they dance in a mystical trance In a soprano of song. As they weave in and out of the ferns, Rose petals float in the breeze Releasing sweet the scent all around Whilst toadstools take their bow To deep notes of lore. The whispers of leaves upon the bower To the gentle hum of the bees When raindrops sprinkle thro`the clouds And the orchestra takes a final bow The waltz of flowers end.  ----- Whispers I hear them in the darkest hour When I am tucked up in my bed Whispers of love divine That delights my awaiting ears I lie await for him. To arouse these aching desires How his arms reach out for me Our bodies entwined To be my lover one more time And surrender to love. Come my love unto my dreams In a fantasy of loves passions Entwined in a sensual dance Of loves sweet harmony together When gently caressing. The furnace has now extinguished, Of flames that burned with desire Flicker and dance in the night Now spent of vigour and passion That echo`s of whispers.  ----- Woodland Powers Strength from sap of the branches strong With powers that flow through leafy veins Aromatic oils from Cedars balm Enhanced by morning dawns sweet dew And soothing salves from the honey bee. Woodlanders gathered from far and wide With ailing bodies and of troubled minds For relief from medicinal herbs To feel this effect from natures source Of healing powers of the forest. Sickness and strife spread thro` the lands Nature provided her own perfect cure A source from trees shared by all Remedies there from all things that grew Upon ancient trees of the forest.  ----- Wolf Song How knowingly you walked towards me Gazing through beautiful amber eyes You sensed the love and respect Which forever remains in my heart No fear whatsoever between us. For you had come to me so willingly I caressed your thick soft coat When we walked I felt complete As if spiritually it was meant to be I cared for your existance. I am only ashamed, I am part of a race Which eradicated your forefathers I saw only a beautiful social animal Raising cubs with no hindrance from man You had captured my heart. I am grateful for the spiritual feeling You stirred in the depth of my soul And forever treasure the privilege To have walked among your pack and heard Your wolf song, on my departure.  back to list |
Maggie CusickHere in the valley just beyond the rushing fall so long ago when first we met a time of rash youth and madness a time when our true love was born which would last for eternity Through the long golden summer we clung as we danced lingered in softness of moonlight bathed in the newness of romance no one but you and me on earth to enjoy the beauty of love The coming of autumn brought shadows of your past as slowly our music ended at coming of night I waited through the lonely dreary darkness but knew in my heart you were gone  back to list |
Jem FarmerAmid the weald land trees she lies, The girl whose eyes shone with amber dreams, Her hair the shades of golden rain, With russet lips she sang her song The voice of a soulful nightingale. Before the dawning of the day When sunlight dances o’er the forest ground Her honeyed-voice sings of love With the braying of the wolves Calling for a restful day. Tendrils of early light Stretching through the darkest green Vibrant hues reflecting life In rainbow of colour greet the day And nature’s love is born again.  ----- Another Language In lives gone by, I spoke their language, The ancient words of Mother Earth Without the aid of a mobile phone. I could touch the breeze in harmony And understand the chorus of dawn birds. I tasted sweet ambrosia, The honeyed nectar of the gods. I danced in the wooded pantheon To the beat of single drum While listening to the moon. Yet now I have forgotten The ways of age old mystery, I have lost the joy of creation. Yet an echo thunders in my soul Drawing me to the forest trees.  ----- Cicada Waltzes As the sun rises, animals and trees Rejoice the season of life Deer are dancing in the forest glade To cicada waltzes played in the meadowland And the tawny owl hides in the viridian leaves. Rainbows of colour ripple in rivers Trout and salmon, swimming upstream In celebration of the summer, In celebration of living, In love. Yet one place remains dark, Encased in frosted ice and snow, A gnarled oak tree with no song to sing, Excluded from the sun’s living rays, A place untouched by love. Steely eyes staring from the darkness Seeing nothing but wars of sorrow, Yielding to the fates of destruction A gateway to nothing: Where I end my days.  ----- Circle in Motion Majestic limbs reaching for the sky Capture a breeze that whispers in the night Ancient wisdom drawn from deep within, Deep within the core of Earth And I can hear Her heart beat. Cooling canopies keeping out the sun Or the first droplets of rain While I walk among the bluebells A mystical arcana That chimes amid the green and brown. Wild winds of fragrance bathe the air Cleansing the breath of life Life nurtured from death’s debris Scattered on the ground The circle in motion Here in the weald lies absolution A loving mother giving up her heart The certainty of our creation The essence of life Are found here in Her heart and soul. ----- Crystal Cascade A forest of callous crystals cascades through the cavern Like a carousel of tears frozen in time; Barren and bereft, devoid of emotion, Unwanted and unheeded, Deserted in a desolate place. Slipping and sliding, this way and that Avoiding the dual with destiny But fate says there is nowhere to run; In coldness she weeps ebony tears Beneath a cheerless carpet of snow. From the snow burst quartz flowers Reflecting the beauty she knew as pain In a heartless world of Man As destiny decreed it should be Until humankind is deserving again.  ----- Disquietude On the wall mirrored moonshine torments Aching eyes staring within darkness As drowsy dreams drift without vision Confused thoughts consort with nightmares And I just want to sleep. A battle of wits in shadows of reality Turning the page of yet another book Insomnia incites my own insanity Chaotic memories sleep cannot silence And dawn breaks on the horizon.  ----- Guarded Secret From the beginning of time The fiery flames have burned in her belly Flames that nurtured life Beneath her robes of green lands and blue waters Dwells the Mother of all. Her history told in geology Her mystery a guarded secret Through countless days She has seen The joys of life celebrated Amid the pains of war. In Her boundless beauty Her wrath roars without mercy She knows no compassion Yet she consoles with Her bounty Those who heed Her call From the crystal top mountains To hidden oceanic depths Crowned by twinkling stars Beneath the veil of summer clouds In meadowsweet pastures Her children play  ----- Iris Dreams Golden shadows on seas of blue Touch my eyes with your beauty Let me linger awhile in your serenity In that peaceful place of the garden Where the iris blooms. Vibrant summer roses cannot compare To your delicate allure Nor can the sunshine daffodils Grant me that exquisite unity I find in an indigo dream.  ----- Light of Destiny She appears; a vision before my eyes, This lady knows me, my voice, my name She knows if my journey is true And guides me when it’s not For she is the light of destiny. She can see through my lipstick smile And taste the tears I cry She knows the darkness of my fears And consoles my heart when I face pain For she surrounds me with divine love. As I kneel in her lunar light I cannot run away, She holds my heart in her eternal embrace Yet I am free to fly And be the best I can be.  ----- Just a Bloke He lives across the road In a house adorned with flowers An ordinary chap Just a bloke I think I’ll call him Dave. I don’t know what he does all day Or even where he goes From a suburban balcony He seems the friendly sort He’s okay is Dave!  ----- Majestic White There in majestic white he stood Amid the bowers of the weld His chocolate eyes watching The glade where the fairies play And the unicorn stood in silence. Cascades of ivory silk Ripple in the evening breeze The muteness of the moment Shivers on his stilled ears As the fairy dance began. Music lost to human ears Blows gently on the wind And while the unicorn observes In the realms of fantasy I bid you dance with me.  ----- Name of Love Cast out by the clothes I wear Shallow judgements of who I am Because I wear jeans and not a dress So many empty words to break my heart Said in silence behind my back. Why should I care what they say When a lipstick smile is all I need It is not me who can’t accept the truth Yet I feel alone in a dark place Suffocated by prejudice You can’t understand my pain The daggers of shame that pierced my heart Falsehoods and frustration made it worse Living behind barriers built of denial With no room to breathe I tried to change reality Believing love belonged elsewhere Not daring to be myself I could not change my desire, My love of her.  ----- Pebble of Thought Salty seas mingle with fish and chips As pebbles crunch; sliding between toes Thunder grey seas reflect The fate of slate grey skies Upon ocean-worn stone, Each shingle stone a single memory Slowly released to the sea An ebbing echo of a long lost thought Tides of time flowing like ink From poet’s pen to an empty page.  ----- Postkart zu einem Freund A post card sent to you, my dearest friend, As azure skies now blend into twilight, An end to this another sunny day, And I can feel the scent of Black Forest trees Relaxing aches within my hiking limbs. Those limbs that climbed upon the mountainside Then stood to hear a yodel for a goat My camera captured the snowy peaks So we can share the view when I get home Until then dearest friend I say adieu!  ----- A Smile at Dawn In those early hours of dawn When sunlight barely shines And crystal tears of dew sparkle On tender lawns and lashes It’s then I gaze on your smile. The smile that beguiles my eyes And lifts my heart from sorrow A gentle ray of wonder That breaks the solemn darkness And gives my soul its hope. You smile through my fears While awakening the ache The endless yearning to feel you close Recall the gentle embrace of love All caught in my gaze.  ----- Solid Oak Its roots spread deep into the ground As stretching branches reach for the sun Yet it stands still for centuries Watching how the world has gone Without a word or wanton sigh. But as I lean against the solid oak I feel an echo far below As light trickles softly through the leaves I hear the voice, deep and wise, surmise All life is of the Earth  ----- Sylvan Secrets Silent thoughts held within; Within an aged heart, Every whisper caught on the viridian breeze Held within the secrets of life If only we should ask. Eternal beauty rustles in their leaves A joyful aria and echoes of refrain The music of truth’s delight Reflecting nature’s awesome wonder If only we should look. If only we should stop to hear the song That echoes in the trees We would hear their spirits strain And understand with ease If only we should stop.  ----- Village Fete Humming bees and lavender define A summer’s day as children play upon the green Building daisy chains of forget-me-nots And cicadas sing among the grass That grows wildly in the park. Foaming froths of ginger beer Cheer the child while mum and dad sip tea Cream teas in the marquee for one and nine Spin the wheel for a penny And win a bottle of wine Tombola turns the raffle prize A jumble of clothes for sixpence Find a treasure with a threepenny bit The joy of bric-a-brac has no measure With memories of times gone by.  back to list |
Ryter RoethicleCelebration of Truth It is so beautiful after the rain has passed, The air is still and fresh with wet fragrances. A kaleidoscope of aromas surround the senses And the birds loudly celebrate the Earth, Singing openly with joy as only they can. Surrounding me is a forest of flowers, Shining, freshly risen from the hammering rain, The various types of roses and others smile Opening their petals and scents to everything, Showing themselves off as the tarts they are. As the Australian Sun reaffirms herself Steam rises from shiny green grass Gradually the lustrous shades will vanish. The familiar brown landscape will re-appear, And this moment of peace will be forgotten. ----- Conversation Sandman, please pour sleep into my eyes This wakened state is of no use to me at all My love is fast asleep and I need join her I know my admission is no surprise, The waking state is where I don’t want to be To be always with her is what I prefer To have her by my side night and day One night of dreams is a simple request, And surely not to difficult a task What you ask is all too easy for me I question, have you weighed up all? Are you prepared perhaps to fall in love And spend life with her through eternity? I wonder have you been alternately led Thinking just of her and her in the bed? ----- G'day Rest of the World Looking beyond the Eastern horizon, See how the red rose slowly becomes the dawn As she opens her petals and forms the early morn The redness denotes the coming day And we are warned about the coming wind and rain. The trees come to life as the darkness lifts There is not much green as winter is upon us So we see mostly empty limbs and a promise That will be fulfilled in just two months time They will be amply covered and no longer embarrassed. The birds are awake and call to each other Their normal raucous calls echoing along the emptiness And again two months will bring a change With protective aggression emerging from the nest But at present that aggression is tempered by the cold. New consciousness awakens with the cold Reluctantly forcing our dreams to disperse As reality forces its way into our minds The eyes open and see the rose at work again But closing them is no longer an option. ----- The Hard Sand Breaks The Hard Sand Breaks ....The hard sand breaks ......And the grains of it ........Are clear as wine. ..........H.D. The hard sand breaks And the grains are clear as wine. The waves one by one run o’er it Each time shaking the pattern they created Til the seventh wave crashes and drops back. The wave this time has broken the pattern of the sand And this process is repeated again and again Until gradually the sea overcomes all the sand Claiming the beach for herself alone Softly, softly, the inevitable crash then softly, softly again The day becomes evening and the tide changes This time the crasheous wave retreats o’er the sand And the following waves move softer almost caressing Leaving its ripple pattern behind in the sand Softly, softly, a gentle kiss, then softly, softly again. ----- Intollerance Rules I am old, I am bloody ancient! Once upon a time I enjoyed kids playing, But now I whinge and bitch because of the noisy brats Disturbing my creative thoughts with their screaming. Suddenly all the lights went out. In time the breaker was switched on Magically the screaming kids are gone Taken no doubt by their sadistic parents To some lit place where they can annoy others And their miserable bloody parents share their pain. ----- July in Penang I head back from my walk now The narrow roads are packed with cars And motor bikes, all in a hurry To get home in five minutes That’s five minutes before they start. The street vendors are busy Selling all sorts of scrumchous tucker All far too heavy in carbo’s Guaranteed to increase my waistline And deny my exercise. Around street tables are young men Bragging about their day And alternating with their Facebook texts I have to be careful as I walk past Lest I step in some of the Bullshit. ----- Just a Scene in Life’s Play In the bus shelter the dero snoozes Gripping the brown paper bag As if his life depended on it. His grizzled face speaks of hardship From which he escapes with wine each day. Although it’s mid afternoon A group of bored teenagers descend on him Hell-bent on mischief and causing misery As a form of their amusement It’s too much of an effort to think positive. Little do they realise there are opposite traits Between the drunk and themselves; He is possibly escaping life, Whilst they have never lived And can’t be bothered to try. But their use of drugs and grog Will probably reduce them to a similar plane And society will think no more of either one. Suddenly a bus appears and the driver pulls in Seeing the stationary bus the thugs move on. Looking back the driver waits and watches As an old lady finally arrives And the driver helps her on and to her seat. The coast is clear now and the angel at the wheel Takes the old lady and the Dero off to the final destination. ----- No Love There is no love in the heart of a city The trees are gone and no green is left It’s all concrete and brick reinforced with steel What love can exist in that? What chance has love without trees, There are no roots, no veins to feed the blood. The birds have no real home except the gutter, The wind has no real song And there are only sewers to remove excrement. What chance has love without trees, When the buildings constantly cast shadows And hide life from the sun for hours, Hiding reality and creating a new faith A faith where gain is all, and money is God. ----- Questions at a Distance Too soon time flies, then lovers must part Spending their time regretting times waste. Would that wasted times together replaced By ones not thought of when love first began. But think again, what did you really miss? Were you not together as much as you could, Or is it that you just long for one more kiss, Perhaps one extra coupling, one extra touch? Consider only that you were there together Two lovers who shared laying souls out bare. A time where love and honesty the only style And lasting promises were made to care. Although apart now love’s still worthwhile, With dreams temporarily replace reality But in reality making love appreciated more.  ----- Questions of Love Is love made of rock, of hard granite stone Heavy and solid, and sometimes a bore? That rock shatters and wears away to sand The constant battering of waves breaking it down Is that what love is and how it degrades. Or is love an illusion of hormones and wishes Where the instinct to breed is only a chore Never receiving anything that was planned Like a superannuation scheme gone wrong And all that’s left is the memory of a promise. Real love is nothing like this and never was. Real love is expecting nothing yet giving all Real love is receiving far more than planned And giving back as much and the more Until in the end there is no need to give. True love is a smile, a touch, a look A look that says everything and doesn’t need proof A touch that can arouse or calm the worst fear A smile that warms your soul A soul that you now know you both share. And in sharing, realising, love is everything. Everything is open to receive what’s freely given. Giving is receiving, but only love truly feels this. In giving my heart and soul, I gain yours And you know, you possess all of me.  ----- Questions of Love II Is love like a flame that flickers and burns But when trimmed it burns smokeless and hot Like oil lamps shine when paid attention to And warming our lives as the years go bye But will become smokey, and die if ignored. Is love like a flower, with a glorious bloom Like an exotic orchid so dearly bought But soon is no more than contractual obligation Superficial, only a colour and a strong perfume Because of a reluctance to nurture and care.  ----- Questions of Love Answered Enjoy the mystery that the moon inspires, Walk down those paths you have never trod Perhaps that will lead you to another path One where your experiences will not help And you’d best have company to help. You must take your heart in your hand And surrender it to love completely In return it will offer you all you wish Where you’ll create and live your dreams And it will paint you a thousand pictures. Those pictures are a million experiences That writes an eternity of loving words Until the final days are just thoughts Where love spirals down into infinity And memories are just the dust of time.  ----- Under Drought The apples on the trees are small, tasteless The tree is starved and thirsty And she is depriving her children of a future. But what future can there be, The soil is too hard, too dry? The promise of fruit is no longer valid There is no rhubarb anymore Nor do the strawberries have promise. The lemon tree is the only one that thrives She’s in a tub close by the door and gets doses of grey water. The native trees still survive They are hardy and used to droughts The foreigners expect to be spoilt And shrivel up under the suns heat And the dry soil below.  ----- Wentworth Falls In front of me are the mountains With the blue haze rising from the trees. The heavy greens contrasted by the black rock And that contrasted by the whiteness of the waterfalls, But most of all is the serenity arising from it all. There is a path that took me from here at peace Round to the thousand steps I once could ascend But now am content to only view And enjoy as if I were a Japanese tourist Still I am left with memories they could never have. Their cameras would never go where I have been Thus will never see the treasures I have. Treasures that are beyond gold and silver, The joy and love of nature that can never be bought And because of memory can be ever enjoyed.  back to list |
Liz RuleCrab apple blossom flying in the morning breeze, pirouetting and showering down a myriad of petals. Splash of the frog, his raucous croak as he reaches his stone. Brocade coats, scarlet and yellow, koi swimming through refracted shapes and shadows. The distant call of the peacock; on the water, pink petal boats floating. The dragon spout of a clay teapot, cups for four.  ----- Rain in the Mountains Rain, rain in the mountains, rain on the rocks and trees, replenish the swamps and rivers, nourish the bush with your bounty, rain, rain in my heart. Water carries its cargo, silt to enrich the soil, pools for insects and birds; it reaches each thirsty root and waters my wanton heart. Waterfalls tumble in torrents, leap over rocks and cliffs, plunge into gorges and valleys, filling up creeks and rivers, slaking the thirst of my soul. back to list |
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