OPEN MIC ENCORE II
September, 2003

The Sea and Me
Ursula Wheeler
As I sat by the sea
Watched her approach with playful curiosity
Introducing herself to my toes… then my knee
Retreat with a bow of courtesy…
 
Bit by bit she crept up on me
 
Suggesting I’d follow and see
 
Luring me
With a promise to cure in me
This longing
Old as the sea
 Grabbing …
At more and more of me
Urging me
To trust what will be
 
Do away with this me
Give in to the sea
Forever
Just be          

-0-

Hidden
matt  
Let me tell you about this egotistical guy I know                          
See, everybody gets fooled by his fake facade, but not me 
He acts all cocky, but this motherf*cker is as insecure as they come
Yeah, you could say he marches to a different drum
but you’d never know,
See he keeps all that emotion inside
He’s just a coward, afraid of what everyone else thinks about him
He’ll act like your words don’t phase him,
But he takes it all in,
What you don’t know is my man’s got this Achilles heel for a heart
From the start he was soft, actin’ like he’s got his shit together
He’ just a scared boy, he don’t know what the hell he wants
See but you’d never know that-
Everyday with this mask, this “costume” if you will
A camouflage in a totalitarian society
a sense of peace in a copied form
I don’t mean to lose you, but my man’s kinda twisted-
He’ll have you believe he’s just quiet,
But my friend just finds too much satisfaction in listening
Or maybe he’ll say he’s just a private person that needs space
But see this is his “outlet” from the pattern regarded as typical,
A mere statistic.
So if you ever see this guy don’t be fooled like I was
You just gotta intrigue the figure in the reflection.

-0-

TRYING
Black Candle
 
I’m trying so hard and dying so hard just to fulfill your dreams
I’m lying so hard and falling so hard to stay on track
I’m trying so hard to be what you want and find myself at the same time
It’s so hard when all you worry of is what people see when they look at me as yours
All you try to do is hide us from the world
I hope for you to scream the truth
I hope you die alone in a rotting imprisoning soul
I wish for you nothing more and nothing less
I dream you kneel down and cry to me
For all these years I’ve been trying to be what I don’t want to be You made me something sick and evil
Now I’m trying to get over this

-0-

                        MY FATHER'S GARDEN
                                           -Written by: Corrie I. Smith
Amazing grace
Has saved my soul
I have entered into my father's garden
And seen his wonders
Mountains moved by prayer
The flowers are entangled with prayers and dreams
Murmurs of peace
Trees rise up into the sapphire sky
And bend back down to earth
Beckoning.
Whispers of passion and love
Float through the sun soaked air
And come to rest at my humble bare feet


-0-

Haiku
Title: Cycle
Peter Brown 
Boy sees father die
and vows to remember him
So he takes his gun.

-0-

SOLE UMBRAGE
  -cressida linnea
 DUSTY SHOES I'M IN
 KEEP WALKING IN YOUR SHADOW
 THE LIGHT NEVER BREAKS

-0-

Endless Nights
James Howard Ford
Another night I stare beyond the dark corners in my bedroom,
a night I would cling to my restless soul for peace.
 
The night is hopeless and leaves me desperate for a moment
of solitude and the relief of a tortured heart.
 
Just weeks ago I could crawl in a bed full of dreams but the
lost of another has left me victim to eternal nights and sadden
days.
 
My eyes are overwhelmed with sorrow as I look around to find
silence and no you.
 
Can you free my spirit so it could live again my Lord?
 
Will I only see rain covered sky with a roar of thunder
crashing to the ground?
 
Will I see playgrounds left with foot prints where children
use to play?
 
Where can I find paradise at this time at night?
Paradise is too far to come so soon.
 
I cannot wait until the day my eyes rest and my soul is
relieved from another day of endless nights.
 

-0-

it's barely after midnite
im hearing the rain pour
cant sleep, thinking of you
missing u so much more
 
im always gonna love you
that's never gonna fail
wishin you were here with me
as the rain is joined by hail
 
the wind picks up quickly
while my tears slowly fall
knowin you wont forgive me
worse than you not knowing me at all
 
hating myself forever
everything's lost and not found
it's all my fault, i wanna scream
as the sirens begin to sound
 
everyone around starts running
desperately tryin to take cover
as i stay here in shame
my heart begins to smother
    

kaley kane        

-0-

Minimal Sanity
Lady Enyce

They said my theories and what I saw was pathological
and the help I needed was psychologically
They became excessively concerned with my potential noxious personality
Claiming that I was losing my touch with reality
Finally they thought I was an over intellectualized child
Taught so many things that my mind had gone wild
The talking techniques they used with me pyschotherapeutically failed
It took me on a deeper journey that never would be derailed
There was no remission of my symptoms and I was required institutionalization
This only led to greater difficulty and decompensation
I never met the social criteria
I would be alright one minute, but the next i would resolve to a bitter state of hysteria
I came to realize that I'm something these people could never consume
So I sit here, quiet and content in my hospital room
Note: ( I am not really crazy)

-0-

I look outside when the rain falls down my window frame
And I think about my life and wonder if ill ever learn to love again
I've felt the hurt so many times I just want it to go away
It happens every time always the same
 
You'd think id have learnt by now that love is just a wicked game
Tears run down my cheeks as I think about being alone
My stomach feels tight and a lump in my throat tells me im in pain
It happens every time always the same
 
Inside I feel sad, sad and alone
the pain seems gets worse
The more pain the more hurt then misery is upon me once again
It happens every time always the same
 
My hopes and dreams destroyed with words
Words of anger, words of hate
Smiles are turned to tears of desolation
My self esteem low my confidence shattered
It happens every time always the same
 
Take the pain
Take the sorrow
Take the hate
Relieve me of this anger
Because... it happens every time, always the same

Becca

-0-

Answers to Gwen
Ben
How do you relate power to self control?
Seeking ones boon in anticipation of extol;
Preoccupied with a conditioned disposition,
Thus, progress persists only with attrition.
 
With her hands she detracts the breast,
Her affirmation be not without wrest.
There is no quarrel, only sordid obedience;
Awarded the guilt of inescapable expedience.
 
Commanding, be the path to devastation,
Expelled was the insult paid upon reparation.
Distracting her potency with an injurious tease,
Discovering provisional sanity in ease.
 
Amplifying strength with irrational delusion;
Perilously vanquishing spirit in illusion.
Ultimately, exalted submission propels her uncontrollably steep,
Alas, her insistent aspiration is satisfied in contented sleep.

-0-

“Hidden Wounds”
brenda b 
The tears she cries are saved
inside a bottle, in her soul.
Each one is counted carefully.
Each one crimson red you know.
 
Too many times she’s hidden
behind an armour that won’t shine.
Too many times she’s given up
Herself to hide the lie.
 
She’s sure that if you see her scars
too soon will cause her pain.
But if She opens up the door
She won’t be crying in the rain.
 
One day She’ll give away the power,
shed the walls she hides behind.
She’ll open her wounds and show you
who she really is inside.
 
Time will take its toll on one
Who battles every day,
with demons in her mind
who steal her world away.

-0-

S.T.R.E.S.S.
By Alesia Mercedes Medeiros
 
This one word means many things,
yet no one can describe it in the same way.
 
To me it is my problem,
My mental disorder.
 
To me it means
Stress Tension Rage Energy Sycotic Syndrom.
 
It may sound crazy to you,
But to me it means everything.
 
It means all of the anger in you
Finally wants to let you know how you feel inside.
 
It means that you feel,
Like everyone is against you.
 
That no one understands,
What it's like in your shoes.
 
That their life is perfect,
Compared to yours.
 
Some people it's money,
others it's family issues.
 
But no matter what the cause,
We all feel it.

-0-

Lethargy
Kim Colwell
My darkness Void
Stars fade Out
Like a deep black Hole
Centered in my Soul
 
Filled with Emptiness
Based on No. 6
Pray never a Day
Let me be taken Away
 
Standing Alone
One of two Many
Forever Falling
Never hearing my Calling
 
No light Shines
Lost all Hope
Feel the Curse
Can it be Worse
 
Life seems Unneeded
Being Useless
Dropping Fast
Breaking this human Cast
 
Cold and Wet
Heart Dead
Twisted Brain
The cross' blood stain

-0-

God i've bled,
for so long,
my blood has come down my eyes,
i tried so hard to stay alive,
but my love for you I can retry,
this is what I can do is pray,
For  my love can be so damn true,
My heart is starting to grow,
You don't even know on what i've been threw,
I have faught to make my life better,
So you don't have to bother me,
So stop hold your breath and let it be,
So can't you see,
This is what i've been going threw,
My feelings are getting weaker and weaker,
Now my face is turning pale,
in this life i have failed,
now my life is starting to drop,
My heart is really getting stepped on,
can my life get recharged,
now my brain cells are starting to erase,
This is what i have faced,
so what is this common place,
so now this is where i have been placed,
Now i'm Just a Disgraced,
I'm in my own little place,
so long time to get replaced.
 
-Mike Catano-

-0-

HOW CAN I?
mercyjulian
How can i smile?
How can i laugh at the world?
When my heart is filled with sorrow and regrets?
How can i smile, if there's a tears in my eyes?
How can i console myself that this too shall pass?
Im tired of being alone;
So, how can i smile?
How can i make this life worthwhile?
Do i need someone to let me in into my life?
Or do i need to pretend im a fighter, although i know im not?
How can i move on...if im still standing in yesterdays path?
Im not a fighter...how can i begin a new life?
How can i forget the past?
How can i forget yesterday's ache of the heart?
How can i? How can i? How can i?

-0-

FAKE JUSTIFICATION
by Dina Oboczky
 
Biting... twisting... reminding me each time.
Tearing inside... it only gets worse.
Imaging myself going insane
Becoming attached to my skin...
it is now a part of me.
This bond that is undeniable will become questionable,
unseen... carved away... lost amongst emotions and
the commotion of mixed and confused feelings
Trapped in a circle of different kinds of people
never staying in one place or one heart
that truly feels one way
Can you justify your actions?
Do you justify your actions by making up your problems
and your lack of strength?
I am now a part of this world...
I have started to blame my actions and my hidden insanity
on the excuse that I am not strong.
Though I am not as strong
as I would like to be,
I am still at fault.

-0-

SUICIDE
Josaphine Thorpe

I wait for death the way others wait for the delayed train or wedding day,
with great anticipation.
Being miserable, but happy to show people that I am not sadistic,
when i really am.
I don't care about my life and if it wasn't for the fact that I was afraid of there being nothing or hurting my family and friends,
I would have died yrs ago.
I don't want to be stopped and I don't need you to understand,
I just need to to know!
It's nothing you could have prevented,
I was always screwed up,
but no one knew it except me and I liked it that way,
No help could have changed that
No one could have changed that
I relished in the fact that i was different,
I looked forward to death to escape the happiness of life!

-0-

The Law of Illumination
Copyright©2002
Eric Lee Musse
 
Love yourself above all existence.
Do all things with extreme persistence.
Be sure your character has true consistence.
To anything in life, have no resistance.
Remember to focus and on yourself rely.
The greatest of all, yourself, you must never deny.
Not all truth is truth, because some are lies.
But this is one truth - that you can surpass the skies.
You can achieve all things IF, in yourself you believe
And it's so much better to give than to receive.


-0-
PHILOSOPHY  OF  LOVE
 mrs  saima 
one  day  in  the  mist
i  wrote  on  my  wrist
for peace love in  the wars
for everything love like stars
a precious feeling that cant ends
a paradise moment at the weekend
in the east and in the west
only love  is  the  best
the smile and the laughter
like bubbles in the water
love is like a deep sea
we can feel  but cant see
God created love in eden
like roses in a garden
a gift from heaven a golden truth
a light in darkness for the earth
philosophy of love is too deep
the key of love we have to keep

-0-

LISTENING TO YOUR SOUL
Written by Nasra Al Adawi 2003
 
Have you ever listened to your soul
The gentle whisper that is heard by no other than yourself
In all this silence, its your only companion
Hear its words, listen to the rhythm of its feelings
Somehow, you get distracted-misled by life
Still it will talk to you, never leave your side
You try as hard to block it,
‘cause it is the consciousness that lives within you
-0-
September 11-”God-o-mighty”
Holly 
As the planes came down and hit the twin buildings, they crashed in the walls and caved in the ceilings. A lot of people injured, a lot of people lost, everybody’s loved ones who knows what the cost.  We thought maybe a hoax or maybe Osama is the terrorist’s host.  With a touch of the remote, Mr. Bush came on” I’ve been up since the crack of dawn.  I’m very sorry about the terrorist attack, and I assure that they’ll be back.” A country full of cries, did he live or did he die? The firemen say with a saddened sigh,” yes, sorry ma`am   he died today.” Today, today in a very sad way.”
So let’s get together and pray. Why did this bad thing happen today? Far in differences, but close in prayer.
We pray to god with our hands in the air.  We pray, oh please restore our lair and restore our loved ones to healthy care.  But there are still things that we still have like dreams and prayer, love and care.  We even have a world to share.
To take it upon ourselves to do what’s right, and never fight, and never start a war.  So we stand together, together
As one, we’d like to tell you it isn’t fun.  To see people die, to see people cry, to hear people murmur “why oh why, did he have to die?” So please give those people love and care,
And “god-o-mighty hear our prayer!”

-0-

WE ARE THE WINGED BIRDS
(Cate Espener)
 
In the playground that day the rain came down hard on us
We were playing in the park and dreaming of
Men and girls in swimsuits dancing
The simplest kind of love at the movies
Fish and chips with popcorn and chocolate
Each Saturday we’d return
For our feast of film and food
Beside the old candy store
With wooden planked floor and gangling old man
Dispensing candy and stamps 
Behind the counter counting licorice and coin 
At the afternoon matinee
We’d find the best of the sticky old seats in the house
And as the lights dimmed, we’d gaze into the future
All light and darkness  
I ran so hard that late summer day
Together we’d make our way
To the top of the slippery slide
Stranded between flood and rabid dog
Who could imagine
At the pinnacle of our youth
Being mangled by a wild beast
Or drowned in a sandbox
But there we were with that fierce memory
Mercilessly growling, ready to pounce
Dog at the bottom, you and I staring back
Terrified of water and dog
Like stranded birds
Ready to fly but nowhere to go
Somehow we survived that terrible day
To dream a thousand more dreams
To survive again and again
So let the dogs growl and the floods come forth
For we are the winged birds, determined to fly

-0-

"ROOM NINE"
E. WILLIAM MARTIN
 
Room nine is haunted.
Someone died once they say.
 
A mother says she saw
Her daughter at the foot
Of her bed before she passed,
A child waving to the empty air.
 
My wife won’t go near there
Except to change the linens -
Freshen the towels
& get out with quickness.
 
Because the ghost sees
A quiet day & marvels at the silences:
Lost in the exhaustion of the darkness.

-0-

-Leaking Essence-
by Isabis Willow
 
A glimmer for the silver
and a knife to seal your kiss
A laughter emphasized
your lost laughter I miss
 
A cold touch upon threads
of skin to cover flesh
veins twist inside the leaf
beneath it's surface crest
 
plastered wood and wired dirt
make up for empty souls
capped my bottle of spirit
the plaster forced to unfold
 
Tried to catch them
can't patch the leak
set out to now find them
my emotions I must seek
 
A book impended inside
the map withers of age
a long hidden road
forgotten in shame
 
Ashes blow
past the crests
of spiritless leaves
noone reports the theft.

-0-

Accident
Jenni Malloy
red lights flashing across white snow
the direction they were going
they don't know
blood drops dripping from shattered glass
what was the speed limit
they were going too fast
sirens sounding from far away
who caused it
they can't say
one wrong turn
going too fast
into traffic
didn't last
screams so loud
crunching metal grinding
bad sounds
bad timing
souls lost in innocence
lives changed in minutes
red lights flashing across white snow
what were their last thoughts
they'll never know

-0-

THE SPECTRUM
  JENNIFER M. MILLER
I HAVE SEEN THE FULL SPECTRUM
OF ALL COLORS AMD RAYS OF LIGHT.
I HAVE FELT THE DARKEST EMOTION,
TO THE MOST WONDERFUL DELIGHTS.
I LIVED PAST HEARTACHE AMD SORROW,
BEEN BLESSED WITH LOVE TRUE AND PURE.
I'M GAINING KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM,
IN ALL THE LESSONS I STILL ENDURE.
I AM LIVING THE SPECTRUM OF LIFE,
CONTINUE ON RIDING THE WAVES.
ACCEPTING, NOT JUDGING ANYONE,
FOR THEIR OWN THOUGHTS OR WAYS.
DOING MY BEST TO GROW IN SPIRIT,
WITH OVERFLOWING LOVE MY GUIDE.
WHEN LIFE IS HARD, STILL CAN'T QUIT...
I JUST KEEP ON THE SPECTRUM RIDE!

           -0-
                 
Hissing, Snarling, Spitting out defiance,
I dig wet claws into the sand, 
Awaiting the next wave.
 
Neal A. Cline                                      

OPEN MIC ENCORE I September

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Page Copyright © AHApoetry.com 2003.

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