OPEN MIC ARCHIVES
December, 2003

Open Mic Encore I  November, 2003

Open Mic Encore II November, 2003

Open Mic Encore III  November, 2003

 

December 1, 2003

Poetry
~Joseph Pelkala

Poetry is ultimately, a piece of mind,
An expression of the soul projected through words.
Poetry is freedom.
A key to the lock of feelings,
Like a dam, dying to burst open.
A person could truly be described as the key or a lock.
What do you want to be?

-=0=-

POEM
Sarah DePriest
 
Grinding coffee
smells.
 
Writing
stinks,
churning,
thinking,
brewing,
words
onto a page.

-=0=-

UNKNOWN FLOWERS
James FitzGerald 
Flowers for the kitchens
From gardens that you grow
Flowers for the operas
To divas every show
Flowers for the wife
On your anniversary
Flowers for one you loved
Placed in the cemetery
Flowers for Her Majesty
Who walks the village street
Flowers for a mother
Deserving of a treat
Flowers tied to railings
Flowers by the road
Flowers for the grieving
Of someone I don't know.

-=0=-

Snowy evening
faisal zahoor
           
            The memory of my old days
            Sweet and sour in tastes
            Was weeping in snowy evening.
 
            The evening among bare and tired trees.
 
            The trees those were looking gloomy
            As Gloomy as the old men in grief.
           
            The old men having mysterious stories.
 
            The wind was blowing as
            The ghosts were flying in moan.
 
            The moan on beloved’s silent death.
 
            The snow was falling
            Over dark lonely path.
 
            The path which was familiar with
            Your silent foot steps.
 
            The sadness of snow was
            Mingling with my heart’s voice.
         
            The voice which has your lost shadows

-=0=-

BEFORE A STORM
Syeda Zahi
               The city sobs and weeps,
               While all around silence seeps
              
               The streets smell of gunpowder,
               Or of blood that men do spill.
 
               Like etchings, motionless & still
               Men watch, sans power or will.
 
                Their freezing arms, icy cold
                Their heated bodies, bronzed gold.
 
                Their faces, showing hate & ire.
               Their eyes, burning coals of fire.
 
         Tyrants heed the signs & tremble
         Look up, hear the Heavens rumble

-=0=-

A Tear Coursed a Channel on My Cheek
by Bill Albright
 
A tear coursed a channel on my cheek
Its origin known only by my heart
Let it pass in joy
I prize its moment dearly.
 
But I fear one day
The tear will not be alone
A torrent I shall cry
If I see no gain from my coming, my going.
 
No complaints though about the torrent
It will wet the dust we all become
Though I knew them not, someone may know
A tear coursed a channel on my cheek.

-=0=-

hi
hello
hell
devil
diabolical
evil
eve
adam
apple
picking
nose
face
body
move
dance
hip-hop
drugs
high
hi

emily

-=0=-

 fLY
Tshaka 
Being totally enchanted by its great luminance
this young brown spotted fruit fly
full of exuberance and
virgin curiosity
circled
this new adventure,
this incandescent beauty
and then with the same verve
circled downward as
its wings scorched
BRIGHT RED
reminded him forever of his private joy.

-=0=-

A   rain-soaked garden
      shower-laden leaf
      thirst-quenched flower
  --  An unslept dream
 
  A   dew-tipped horn
      moisture-laden bush
      pearl-sprayed branch
  --  An undreamt time
 
  A   breeze-blown tune
      wind-swelled flute
      note-heavy cloud
 
  --  A circle squared
  --  A dream unslept
 
  Ai Minami

-=0=-

 Virtues
Cheri Rooks
Curiosity breeds a loving generosity
Adventure is what sent her
To a place that is full of grace
Wonder is a drug like no other
Keep the peace don't just jump, leap
Be, its always more than what you see
Take a good look but don't be fake
Don't wait you say you will but you wont
Hesitate you'd never, never, just always late
True to yourself its the greatest virtue
Imagine the senses wide open
Looking you can see the smell of what's cooking
Living to have and love to be giving

-=0=-

PATIENCE
   by Clay Barton
 
Patience is waiting 30 minutes on a spouse
When she is to return in 5 minutes from the house.
It is going fishing with the wind in the east
When right there they seem to bite the least.
 
Patience is when your child's line is a tangled mess;
Where to start untangling is anyone's guess!
Then the kid takes your line for some fun,
And then comes to you with another tangled one.
 
Patience is when you look all over
Until you finally find that four-leaf-clover.
It's waiting on a deer at a stand;
Or on a clerk at a counter unmanned.
 
Patience--playing cards when you have no luck,
Or getting detail when you carve a wood duck.
Patience--Lord, you should have a store
Where we can all go to get us some more.
 
We need to gain more patience each day,
For the many persons who don't think our way.
I think, Lord, we would ever be a winner
If you kept our patience from wearing thinner.

-=0=-
My Mother
Frederick Lomax III  
She carried me in her womb for nine months
Sacrificing everything so I may be born
She fed me, changed my diaper and loved me no matter what
Her teachings of love, honesty, and forgiveness have made me strong
She comforted me when I cried and kissed my booboos when I got cut
Teaching me to trust God and to admit when I'm wrong
She held me close when my dreams filled me with fright
Always working hard to keep a roof over my head to shelter me from the rain
Even today I still look forward to her kissing me goodnight
She's always been my shoulder to cry on whenever I'm in pain
I always felt she was strict and too tough
I now realize she was just trying to raise me right
She always stuck by me even when things got rough
when her lesson were complete she gave me wings and let me soar
I've inherited her sensitivity and her heart
She's more than a mother to me much much more
She means the world to me and nothing could keep us apart
She raised me and now her job is done
This is a wonderful woman and I am so proud to be her son

-=0=-

SWALLOWED
COREY VAUGHAN
 
Swallow the medicine, the burning arrow flies free
You’re now alone in the forest, moon shadows
Tare and seek your soul, any medicine for me
 
The rush, pulsating through body and mind
On fire, the medicine hits like bullets
Or snake bites dreams become unkind
 
The burning tingles as you lay in a sweat
On soggy leaves under forest canopies
This medicine I regret
 
Find myself finding it again and again
Find myself in the woods with a broken arrow
No more friends no more life just sin
 
You and I alone in the woods, swallowed

-=0=-

Winter was coming and I was sick.
I needed food and I needed it quick.
But all I had in my cattle barn
Were some horses and a ball of yarn.
I was thinking on killing the horses for meat
And stewing it together with a beet.
It would feed me but I'd feel bad
My horse would die and I'd be sad.
I went around my little house
Searching for a spider or mouse
I was in the cellar when I hit the wall
It was crumbly and I watched it fall.
Behind the wall were sacks of flour
I took it upstairs; it took me an hour
I baked bread and it saved my life
I was able to feed my sick wife
The kindness of G-d is never ending
Take notice of the favors he's sending.

 

YEHUDA COHEN

-=0=-

EARNED FREEDOM
Written by Antonio Aguilar            11/24/03
 
Everyone today wants and wants
but the reality is what has anyone earned.
Freedom is not like candy
It is handy but should be treasured.
It took past generations to fight for it,
we need to see the light.
Everyone believes that everyone is free,
but laws are what hold are freedom here.
Look around other places,
I would not want to trade.
Protect it like if was your last breath,
because as it was hard to earn,
it can disappear within a blink.
So when you say your free,
ask yourself if you have earned it.

-=0=-

The best country in the world.
Dave Kessel
I was told that my country was the best in the world
Every time in the school yard its flag was unfurled.
I was told to be proud of belonging to it.
I was told other countries simply weren't worth shit.
 
So, I 'd count my blessings every time I'd wake up
And look out the window at the mountain top
Over which morning rays would their light softly shed
And exclaim " What a country!" while still lying in bed.
 
"We have mountains, valleys, also rivers and lakes,
Our forests have wolves, moose and deer and snakes.
In the sky, there are stars, so pristine and divine.
How beautiful is this great country of mine!
 
How lucky I am to be living in it;
I would die for my land if it ever were hit
By the enemy bombs or missiles or bullets.
May forever its leaders continue to rule it!"
 
For as they often said, full of pride, vim and zest:
"Our country is great!" ," In this world, it's the best!"
 
Then one day, a misfortune my homeland befell-
Its economy suddenly plunged into Hell;
Our rulers were toppled and new ones emerged
On the blood of the people, the new rulers gorged.
 
Many people, including myself, were exiled
And in faraway lands, wretched, poor and reviled,
We began to rebuild our sad, trampled lives
With no glory, no pride and no zesty high-fives.
 
And in those new lands I began to behold
That in them their leaders all these same stories told
To the countries' small children, women, men and the rest
How their great nations were simply the best.
 
Only they had the woods filled with sumptuous game
Only they had big weapons which could kill, wound and maim.
Only they had the skies with bright starlets all lit
All the other lands, nations and countries were shit...

-=0=-

Life is nothing but just a dream,
What else is death but an awakening scream;
At sleep you are from your first breath,
Wake up o being it is time for your death;
Death is for all don't you be mourn,
What is to scare it is for what we are born;
A life is certain after you die,
Indeed it is when you open your eye;
Don't then be sorry for what you have done,
Hurry for still there is time till sets the sun;
Let dreams be harsh and you are asleep,
Body is what you are trapped in deep;
So buy the heaven with your deeds,
Will get fruits later, now sow good seeds.
 
Abdul Mueed Quazi

-=0=-

 Autumn
Gerard
With splash of yellow, red, and gold,
Riotous hue and colour bold,
Nature bestows her crimson touch,
To modify all green to blush.
 
Brook and stream reflect the bloom,
That Fall has spun upon her loom,
We to that beauty should aspire,
Peace and calm  our soul acquire.
 -=0=-

Expression
(Because i find communication so difficult.)
Andy Murray
What is the worry today dear, what is bothering you.
You’ve nothing to worry on what is pushing through your face.
 
Nothing, go away, nothing happened today.
If I can’t help myself there is nothing you can do.
It is something I can only do alone. It is one
unfolded globule of unorganised goo, sloshing through
a brain too small to contain its censored cold stew. It is
the feelings I can’t express, oppressed by limited language,
stone society, a wasted face and modest ability. It is
trying to escape, through breath and paper, into space, it is
slowly setting my face into plaster, a statue, a bust. It is
breaking through my voice, a quaking tremor, without love, but lust.
This is what you see pushing through me.
This is my dilemma.

-=0=-

To my mother and father
sara galusha 
There are so many things to tell you
To thank you for everything that you have done for me in my life
Ever since I met you when you cradled me up into your arms
When you brought me into this world
I knew that you were my mother and you were my father
Every time I look into your eyes I know that I am yours and yours forever
When you taught me about this world I want to thank you
I know that there were some tough times
Down the road but we got through them
For 17 years of my life you both were there
By my side through all these times.
 
I never really showed you how much
I appreciated what you have done for me
For putting clothes on my back when I was cold,
For feeding me when I was hungry,
Cradling me in your arms when I needed you.
Telling me how much you love me
Thank you for everything that you have done for me.
Even though we don’t have a lot of money we know how to stick together
We love each other and we need each other.
For now and for many years to come I want you to know that I will be thankful for everything that you have given me.

-=0=-

TRUE FRIEND
padma gurung
I need a good friend
someone to share to be with
the one whom I could trust upon, rely upon
be with that someone with no inadequacy
I am deeply in need a friend of such quality
I need someone beside me who really cares
with no jealousy, no hidden animosity
no taking advantage of anything
Oh! friend, the one I am greatly in need
let me share my joy and hidden beauty
I need you just you touch my everything
this time I am lonely you are so far away
I don't know where you are
just the matter of faith
yet my soul is searching for my true friend
I wonder where am I right now
a clock without a hand
each day I say, "hi! friend" inside me somewhere
in the air you could hear my voice I believe
anytime is the right time
but when in blue grumbles too much
you no here beside me
I feel sad with my lonely eyes
without the moon in the darkest night
yet you are my strength
tomorrow might be the better day
so, I walk alone with my open arm
in search for a true friend....

-=0=-

in a few moments the rosebud..
k  lynch
the rose is still unripe
small in senses connubialis
and yet most definitely red
and still
the bird pecks
for the scent of dawn in anaglyph
 
in a few moments
the rose will be all rose and red
but for now sufficient
in amaranth affidavit..

-=0=-

FEBRUARY 1951
Donald Hager
 
I went to the game alone
I sat alone
I cheered alone
I went to the dairy bar alone
I walked home
The snowflakes were falling through the still winter air.
Through the street light, gently.
They cared about me, they hugged me, I took them home.
Snowflakes are not like people.

-=0=-

Autumn to Winter
Colm MacEoin
   The ground was bronzed an gold by leaves that fell from trees by gentle breeze.
   Autumn winds are blowing around sweeping our feet right off the ground.
  
   The weather grows cold, it's starting to snow, and now the winds have stronger blow.
   Winter is here!! Winter is here!!
   It's time to join in the holiday cheer.

Open Mic Encore I  November, 2003

Open Mic Encore II November, 2003

Open Mic Encore III  November, 2003

 

 

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Page Copyright © AHApoetry.com 2003.

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