OPEN MIC ARCHIVES

THE OLD WOOD SHED

John M. Boyd

The tin roof tainted rusty red

Creaked and leaked with rain

It seemed as if the metal bleed

Crying out in pain

Aging walls of weathered boards

Swaying left and right

Moan and groan with one accord

Throughout the stormy night

Hinges made of leather straps

Flap against the frame

Once they held a door perhaps

Now they hang in vain

Winter's fuel was stacked in ricks

Stored for days ahead

Now there's just decaying sticks

Inside the old wood shed

A musky scent has filled the air

Where moldy wood chips rot

Time will see the wood shed fall

As nature takes the lot

~#~

AURORA'S PLEA

JIMMY S. RODRIGUEZ

Oh,

holy lord Oak,

Odysseus once sacrificed cattle and orchestrated altars before thee.

Hence prithee have mercy on me.

The glimmer from Apollo, Nana, and the stars have helped thou grow'st,

and I do not comprehend why thy shade must frown to my soul.

If thou remain'st alive and haughty,

it is due to mother nature's assistance.

As the ravens shelter upon thy bush,

allowed I must be to protect me from harm,

and let a zephyr fondle my wounds and forgive me from all I have sinned.

A lost soul I refuse to become.

God,

if thou exist'st,

slay me now,

so I may seat to thy right.

~#~

SKY SOUP

John F. Migliore Jr.

Adrift in tumult sky

A boiling cauldron high

Gulls roil in sky soup

~#~

Nadir

by Dara McGee

Pager, cell phone

e-mail and fax

everyone talking

no one listening and

(I)

Ice-T, Ice Cube

Vanilla Ice

Brittney and Backstreet

Eminem and

(I think)

Buy this, buy that

Go here, go there

Act now

And life will be perfect but

(I may)

Big Brother, Real World

Fear Factor, Jerry Springer

and no one cares at all

(Be going mad)

~#~

SHADOWS
Lawrence Bennie

In all of us there lies

a side so out of touch

that we cannot wait till it dies.

For some it is a curse,

a chain that cannot keep them away

from the sight of a jewel-crowned purse.

For others it is like a lover,

it takes them by night, rules them by day,

and leaves a mark that they can never truly cover.

For others it is their only foe

a solitary dark cloud in an otherwise blue sky,

the only torment they will ever truly know.

Whether we grow darker is our own choice,

to turn on ourselves is our own doing

for all must overcome the shadows to hear the voice.

~#~

ON A TRAIN… Written on 8/7/02 1AM
Andrea Castro

I stepped on a train to

Midtown Manhattan at 7 in the morning

And I slowly analyzed the

Various Mixtures of Faces

And the air felt heavy

And I was saddened

I was surrounded by heartless people with their own personal soap operas

that were filled with different problems

Each one with tired minds, hearts, and bodies

Each exhausted

And sleeping while standing

And the air felt heavy

And I was saddened.

The woman

Sitting directly in my front view

Slept and did not feel the sudden

stops and jerks of the subway

And I wondered… What has this woman gone through,

that her wrinkles thoroughly covered the outer cringes of her

eyes?

And the air felt heavy

And I was saddened

And the woman right beside her

Did not even notice the homeless man sitting to her right, as she stared into

space?

heavy hearted, and eyes, half-closed

And the air was heavy

And I was saddened

~#~

ON THE WINGS OF ANGELS
JESSICA

ON THE WINGS OF ANGELS,

ILL FLY AWAY FROM HERE.

SOAR ABOVE THE CLOUDS,

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER YEAR.

ON THE BACKS OF BIRDS,

ILL LEAVE MY PAST BEHIND.

A MYSTERY AHEAD,

NOT KNOWING WHAT ILL FIND.

ON THE PATH OF DREAMS,

ILL FIND MYSELF AND MY HEART.

ON MY OWN I WILL STAND.

ALL OVER I WILL START.

ON THE WINGS OF ANGELS,

MY LIFE BEGINS AGAIN,

A LIVE THAT LIVES FOREVER,

IN A WORLD THAT NEVER ENDS.

~#~

SHADOWS (of Viet Nam)
Charles R. Murdock, II

It matters not the time of day,

There are shadows that will not go away.

If I turn around and use my inner eye

I see hazy visions of days and years gone by.

From playing soldier to combat real

Shadows follow and bid me to feel.

Yet feeling’s a risk I dare not take

For fear that a pressured dam may break.

There are shadows that follow close behind

As I journey through this fragile time.

I see friends and places once dear to me

Yet in this time there is only me.

I play the part that others have known.

They do not see that I am all alone.

Yet in the darkness I always see;

Those shadows gently beckoning to me.

Shadows are but curtains thin;

That scarcely cover what is within.

It shows traces of passed things known;

Never revealing all that could be shown.

At Arlington as far as eye can see,

White crosses stand so silently.

There is a shadow so close it seems;

And no one hears the silent scream.

~#~

I was there when my friend need a hand i was there. When she was sick I was sick she was there. That is true friend but i lost that friend she past away .I lost my friend and my poem is not much of a poem

mechelle

~#~

The pussy-willow above the creek

Is touched by trout -

The outburst of pollen streaks!

Jane Frost

~#~

Life is like a.....

flower waiting to bloom,

dream to come true,

broken winged bird that can't fly,

teardrops falling from my eye,

cloud in the sky, a person's smile,

that's a heartbeat away.

Tomora Pace

~#~

I WANT TO WRITE THIS POEM
Sonia Andreacchi

I want to write this poem for myself

I want the words to ring through your ears

like flight through an angel's wings

I am afraid of so many things

but I can't tell you...

you don't really know me

and in a way I really wish that you could

I don't really know why

but I want so much to share something with you

I don't know why..

~#~

Silence

Dolly

Feel. I speak not of a myth aqueous with love and fantasia

I speak not of a tale as I spoke, long ago, in another era

I speak not for you to swim in dreams nor to praise this vow

For I speak in oath, in delicacy. Feel now

I spouted of a raptured flame, an ecstasy in sight

Yet, now, I speak not of an ilk delight.

Not with one embrace, one touch, one vow of love

Not with one entwined light

Only a gaze of thy face,

Tender caress worth a thousand embrace!

You see the light, I see thee, I feel thee

I am in my land, home at last, none but with the face of thee.

Ay! God rest my soul for eternity

To shower down upon me one last look at thee

Thee, the reseda of my dolor

My soul takes I to thee, moons away and I breathe deep to my core.

Seek why in all lands, it is only thee

Seek why your nighness bespeaks emperyon to me

Seek... Yet, I see not through.

~#~

The Last Hour
Delores Shanee Simmons

The last hour of my life will be the happiest one

Cause I'm getting ready to go back to paradise to have some fun

I'll be in a place so full of ecstasy

And I'll thank God for finally setting my soul free

The last hour of my life, family and friends don't cry

Go out and have some fun, don't kneel by my side

You see me, I'm chillin waiting for God to call my name

On your last hour, you'll probably do the same

So go along, you got your own life to complete

My work here is done, my heart took its last beat

~#~

"THE POEM"

EDGAR D. ADAME

I find myself writing your name on the sand of this beach

And reaching for you stars that can never be reached

Dreaming of dreams that will never come true

Like dreaming that one day I will be with you

I'm looking for love, where love can't be found

Whispering words that don't make a sound

I find peace within, yet inside of me there's a revolution

I hear words that i cant understand

As i feel the stardust rub off of your hands

I smell the air that traps me here, and I'm so confused

I say "I love you," and speak with words that will never be used

I see things around me that I don't comprehend

Mending wounds that will never mend

I look in to your eyes and see fire and water reunite

And then I come to understand, you alone are my freedom, my darkness and my light.

~#~

WHISPER IN THE WIND

SANDARA THOMAS

The words I love you

Can you hear them in the wind

With distance between us

I whisper everyday

The wind has promised to let you know

To let you hear my whispering

I whisper softly to the breeze

Let him hear and know it to be true

That when the wind carries it so far

All my heart will go to

With every word I whisper with care

Every word I mean

Every word I need you to hear

Every time I say

I love you

~#~

They get on the plane, so unaware.

But one insane, who doesn't care.

The plane takes off, he smiles inside.

His one intent, so will abide.

He walks the aisle, knife in hand.

To carry out, his only plan.

Over the speaker, you hear him say.

The death he brings, to you that day.

It's a bumpy ride, hang on tight.

As all inside, die on this flight.

So I say farewell, you will all be dead.

The World Trade Towers, are straight ahead.

adam hockenbery

~#~

9/11 Perspective
Barry Dent

As they woke up that morning,

It seemed just another day

With the morning sun adorning

The sky in the usual way

Every one of them an individual

From so many walks of life

A brother, sister, aunt or uncle

Mom, dad, husband, wife

A goodbye to their loved ones

As they headed out the door

Into a car or subway that runs

Under the street they poured

Entering those massive towers

On the way to do their work

Had no idea that evil powers

Prepared at airports did lurk

Up the elevators they all went

Prepared for that busy day

Elsewhere, Moslems Hell bent

Planned to attack easy prey

While going about their business

Deep into his or her daily task

Suddenly each became a witness

As the evil removed it’s mask

The first plane came crashing in

Death and terror did abound

Where good people had been

Now only fire could be found

For all those people up above

The inferno had just begun

A final call to those they love

There was nowhere to run

The second tower was struck

Before many could get out

Evil caused this, not bad luck

Now there was not a doubt

Much more carnage and death

In that building did occur

So many took that final breath,

In a hell none could endure

As people watched from below

Survivors ran for their lives

So many brave acts would show

In bad times, goodness thrives

All those firemen who raced in,

To rescue countless in peril

It was a battle they couldn’t win

They died as buildings fell

Soon nothing was left standing

Except a mountain of rubble

Collapsing structures did bring

An end to suffering and trouble

As the nation watched in horror

The chilling scenes that day

Evil doers watched this terror

Pleased, they had their way

Satanic leaders gave their nod

To unspeakable deeds done

Gave homage to their false god

As one true God looked on

A disaster woke up our nation

Made us take another look

Yes, you could call it reeducation

People turned back to The Book

Thanks to God for being there

In good times and the bad

For sending Jesus Christ to bare

The pain for the sin we had

That was the supreme sacrifice

To show ever lasting love

On the cross, he paid the price

All sin forgiven from above

Our Father, please be with us

And lead us in a good fight

For only with your guidance

Will our cause be right

You are able to devise the plan

For leaders to put in place

If you are with us, no group can

Destroy this human race

Be with our military personnel

As they enter into harm’s way

May wounded and dead who fell

Find favor on judgment day

Praise to God, His will be done

Good people believe on Him

With His power, enemies will run

The Lord will deal with them

~#~

BELIEVE IN GOD
KUTEZEHER

GOD IS THE ALL MIGHTY WHO KNOWS ALL,

EVERYTHING FROM BIG TO SMALL,

SO WE SHOULD ALWAYS GIVE HIM A CALL,

EVEN WHEN WE RISE, NOT ONLY WHEN WE FALL.

GOD IS THE ALMIGHTY WHO SEES EVERYONE,

AS THEY ARE HIS DAUGHTER OR SON,

THUS TAKES CARE THAT THEY RISE AS THE SUN,

SO WE SHOULD NEVER MAKE HIS FUN,

AND WAIT UNTIL HIS GLORY IS DONE.

WHATEVER HE DOES IS 4 OUR WELFARE,

AS HE KEEPS EVERYONE IN HIS CARE,

SO THIS IS A REQUEST TO HIM NEVER DARE,

AND THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO SHARE,

WITH EACH ONE OF US HE IS FAIR.

~#~

The Song
Neil Ferguson

Sitting on a glass of champagne i leave my

hopes behind.

i take a miser's place by a door and lift

my dainty hands to an insidious mouth

and ponder day and night.

Sleep you will dream, horrors

and nations burning life from the proles

"waiting till the last shall be first

and the first shall be last"

A slogan that fills the ignorance

to a level one can stand

fallen, asazel, teach us how to read

pains in my chest and side from chains

places by half human, half monster, top

hats, brilliantly shining in the luster of

garbage can fires spurred by alcohol

Is this what we choose? dead prematurely

but considered alive?

No.

~#~

SEPTEMBER
JOHN MCLAREN

beautiful rain falls from the sky

I can smell the wet concrete

~#~

Just Turned 90...
Kathryn Dawson

It's that time of your life,

Like the point of a knife.

When you reach that certain time,

Your life flies past like a rhyme.

You may have had your own,

And watched as they've grown.

A child or two and a wife,

You've seen and worked hard to strife.

Or have you seen horrors to tell?

Have you been through paradise or hell?

None will no but you,

And wherever you are it's true.

As I stand by your pit and think,

Your life had lots of links.

But your time had grown old, as you'd lain in your bed,

What exactly was going through your head?

Those horrors I mentioned so early on,

Maybe you've passed that to paradise to live long,

Your in heaven that's all I can tell,

But I know you will live there well.

You're a dear friend and you've helped a lot,

Even though some times were like rot.

Deep in the earth so safe and sound,

Leaving us not in heaven but down on the ground.

Even though you turned 90 today,

You're still that long distance away.

I can't help but feel selfish to,

Not for me but for losing you.

~#~

Reflections
Luis Angel

As I lay on my back, gazing into the night sky

I see myself staring back at me.

Is it true?

If you gaze into eternity, you will find yourself.

I have looked; I have found nothing but anguish and turmoil,

two very good friends that have never let me down.

I will always know that they wait around every unforeseen corner,

Ready to pounce upon me the second I am wary, the very second that I forget that they are out there waiting on me, waiting to strike in an unrelenting struggle to control my life, take my sanity, and drain me of my essence.

They wait; oh do they wait, quite patiently as a matter of fact.

They wait for my guard to go down so that they can force me out of the race in my mind.

To take me to some unknown forsaken part of my very own hell,

Where everything is not what it really seems, somewhat like my life…

…Lying on my back, gazing into eternity.

~#~

COLORFUL CASCADE

By: Kat Langworthy

Outside the leaves are falling

sounding just like rain.

A cascade of rainbow colors

against my window pane.

~#~

The Destiny of a Sunflower
Jules Dufton

As a seed, I get planted, watered by the rain, and fed by the soil.

Slowly I feel myself grow, taller and taller, Eventually I am able to open my eyes, to reveal who I actually am.

I stand so tall, looking at others around me, they are the same as me,

Some with towering stems, some with small heads, but all smiling,

Day by day we grow, passersby marvel at our beauty.

I open my eyes, I am so beautiful, so tall wanting to find my destiny.

My head feels so heavy, my leaves turns brown, my stem starts to droop,

until eventually I can't hold my head high, my leaves are dying, I want my destiny, I am awaiting it beckoning it to me.

I struggle to open my eyes, everyone of my friends is dying, where is our destiny?

Then a noise of the harvester becomes louder, and louder, Hooray to our destiny.

Its found us!

~#~

Love of a Lifetime
Lisa Stokes

it was early one spring in a field of flowers

the two people sat and talked for hours

the sun was a glow and the breeze was light

as the two starred into each others eyes till the day became night

she rested her head on his big warm shoulder

as the north wind started blowing and the air became colder

they starred at the stars in the sky that night

feeling closer to heaven for it felt just right

he reached to his pocket where a small box had been

and he placed it in her hand, said he'd had it since he was 10

she looked in amazement and couldn't believe

he had saved something so long, what could it be...

she opened this box and a tear came to her eye

as she took a deep breath and said with a sigh

I remember back when you were just a boy

and this lil plastic ring was no more than a toy

You said to me then , someday it will be real

and you will know just how much love i feel

as she took the ring out of the lil white box

below the soft padding were 10 glistening rocks

as she looked at him with a smile of dismay

he said to her, this will be the day...

i have saved enough money to buy one a year

and hoped that you would still love me , my dear

I will place these diamonds upon a bed of gold

and cherish your love till we both grow old

will you marry me darling, and make my dream come true

she looked in his eye and said,"yes I will....Marry you.

~#~

Your World, Your Domain
Jory

By this poem, I clarify your insane

Your Hypocrisy, I can see thru' your lies

Your Beliefs, I can see into to ur eyes

Take a look at your inner face

coated with shame and covered in disgrace

and in your soul, there is a hole

complete with empty, because you scru'd your whole

take a look in a mirror, look at your reflection

because i think its about time you made an inspection

look back at your childhood, and make a ressurection

learn to once again, be so grateful and not question

he blessed you with his holy blessing

and you could care less

By this poem, I clarify your insane

trapped and alone in,

your world, your domain

i guess its time i make my resurrection...

~#~

THE PATH WE TRAVEL
GORDON BAYNE

In a world that swallows the young live we

Strive to be the strongest because the

Strongest will survive but what will be left

In the end so those who make it to the end

Will grow to be cold, callous and hollow

Transparent is the reflection of the soul

And tomorrow doesn't look better once again

Poor elements cloudy weather stay grounded

In reality filled with hostility at the fork

In the road one path corrode life erode the

Other bright with lights but rarely traveled

So like sheep to the slaughter we follow the

Path to our self demise without blinking our

Eyes no second thought we may self destruct

But we will be safe with the same taste no

Replace haste breeds tragedy where could

Live longevity, harmony but we stay blind so

Is this the makers design my mind stay

Focused on the light at the end of the

Journey traveling the path less traveled

~#~

PEGAN
Salome

AFIKAN.

YOU CALL ME BY

YOUR FATHERS NAME.

EBONY FIGURINE, HAUNTING MY

UNCONSCIOUS WITH THE PASSIONS

RISING, FROM THE INK POOLS IN

YOUR EYES.

ASHANTI. WITH SUN KISSED CHEEK BONE

HIGH WITH CENTURIES PRIDE, AND

SHATTERED REFLECTION.

YOU MOCK MY BROWS FINE LINE,

WITH YOUR EARTHLY PRESENCE.

I'VE TASTED SWEET CINNAMON OF YOUR ESSENCE

ON THE QUIVERING FULL LIPS,

OF MY URBAN TRIBESMAN.

AND FAITHFULLY WILL I GYRATE IN YOUR TEARS,

LIKE RAIN CALLING ITSELF TO FALL .

FROM A CLOUDLESS SKY.

ELI.

~#~

WHAT USURY!

Leila Zalmai

Today I bartered yesterday's innocence in trust of tomorrow's payment

Supine before you, heart and soul protesting the very intent

Appeasing their ache with your promissory note, I quelled their desire

But you have not paid!

Your empty words were substitute for the heart's fixed seal

What usury!

Would that I know what you now sought...eternally before you it would be laid

Ah, but to no avail! For the heart is not to be compelled

And so...I continue to seek the one to assume your unatoned debt

~#~

THE DEER
Neil Bridgens

In camouflage the huntsman waits

his pouch as red as ink,

he's killed a hundred deer before

who wandered along this stream to drink.

No sky he sees, his pallet dry

no hesitation feels he,

the deer with silent feet draws near

no muzzle tip sees he.

This night is silent as a mole

the knuckle turns to white,

the deer moves not an inch each way

his caught between the sight

no sound is heard after the fall

the skull remains the same,

a two inch bullet hole

is lodged within the brain.

By fireside the huntsman sleeps

a changing of the tide,

the deer with silent thirst

no more shall cross the river side.

~#~

The Dance Of The May Flies

Our kisses, while tender

are as urgent as a breaking tide

probing, seeking, to taste, to know

to touch where our fingers fail

to speak the unspeakable

to trade fire for fire

We touch like the blind

memorizing every square inch

feeling every bone and sinew

knowing every dip and rise

every hair and lash

like we just met

We feel every rising breath

every shudder like a shock wave

rolling across our bodies

your stare, holding me down

commanding, yet pleading

a moan escapes you

We explode in gritted agony

tasting in our mouths

a thousand gratitudes

then your fingers dig as you gasp

as the second wave catches up

then a third, and a fourth...

Our kisses, while urgent

are as soft and sweet as honey

we speak with our eyes

and touch with our lips

our hands promise 'forever'

as we dream of the next time

-Andreas Fei Marakis

~#~

I lived my life in many forms

been down the path of least resistance

which caused my need for much assistance

I shed this skin to be reborn and challenge yet another form

I follow no one but my heart

unconscious goddess with ability

to cause me such humility

a parody of art which refuses now to start

If I once should cause you pain then I too shall accept the same

and if I twice should pay this price then loneliness shall greet me

yet if I thrice deny my christ I'd simply be forgiven

I question what my life is worth when whispers speak your name

The horizon with exotic tint floats across a fragile wind

My hopes and dreams upon the stars that you'll be looking from afar

I drift and drive amongst my mind without the thought of fear and war

When my eyes break that gentle seal the sun will rise again

Sullivan Vullo Jr.

~#~

There is more at Encore I.
Even more at Encore II.
Would you believe more at Encore III.

Go check out the AHA Archives for more poetry. If you would like to send in your poem to Open Mic. Go to the AHA!POETRY Homepage for new ideas.

OPEN MIC ARCHIVES

Updated September 1, 2002