Submissions by atarliss
POEMS AND SHORT STORIES
Poet Introduction
The only thing I know is that I write because I need to.
SONG LYRICS
Published
21st May 2014 7:51pm
21st May 2014 7:51pm
Hymn to the Sea
Far away
Beneath the starry sky
Your gentle waters moan
Far away
With a wrenching cry
You claim again your own
For what comes
From the waters
Will fall again—
Thus return.
What rises
From the darken’d depths
Will yet sink and
Quench its burn.
For from dust to dust,
That is how we come,
And from wave to wave
We gently go.
Sailing on
Through timeless waters
We only know
That far away
Beneath the starry sky
Your gentle waters moan
Far away
With a wrenching cry...
Beneath the starry sky
Your gentle waters moan
Far away
With a wrenching cry
You claim again your own
For what comes
From the waters
Will fall again—
Thus return.
What rises
From the darken’d depths
Will yet sink and
Quench its burn.
For from dust to dust,
That is how we come,
And from wave to wave
We gently go.
Sailing on
Through timeless waters
We only know
That far away
Beneath the starry sky
Your gentle waters moan
Far away
With a wrenching cry...
69 reads
5 Comments
OBSERVATIONAL POEM
Published
21st May 2014 3:36pm
21st May 2014 3:36pm
Starry Sky
Stars glimmer perfect in the sky
Jewels on the velvet cloak of night
So beautiful they shine on high
Orbs so far away sing and sigh
Spheres are spinning, spewing light
Stars glitter perfect in the sky
Infinite their world from mine
A different place, a different sight
So beautiful they shine on high
Silver gems twinkle shy
Yet far away they roar so bright
Stars glimmer perfect in the sky
A plasma web, a glaring eye
An ancient sun with time-worn sight
So beautiful they shine on high
They fade...
Jewels on the velvet cloak of night
So beautiful they shine on high
Orbs so far away sing and sigh
Spheres are spinning, spewing light
Stars glitter perfect in the sky
Infinite their world from mine
A different place, a different sight
So beautiful they shine on high
Silver gems twinkle shy
Yet far away they roar so bright
Stars glimmer perfect in the sky
A plasma web, a glaring eye
An ancient sun with time-worn sight
So beautiful they shine on high
They fade...
55 reads
4 Comments
SELF POEM
Published
7th May 2014 8:06pm
7th May 2014 8:06pm
Measured Time--A Villanelle
How does it slip away?
These measured breaths of precious life—
How quickly time does stray!
Beautiful moments of quiet days
Mixed with bitterness of strife—
How does it slip away?
“Always another,” we still say,
Though standing on the edge of a knife—
How quickly time does stray!
Nothing can be done to keep it at bay,
This sandy stream of measured life—
How does it slip away?
In hastened daylight we still play,
Pretending night shall bring no strife—
How quickly time does stray!
There is nothing to keep...
These measured breaths of precious life—
How quickly time does stray!
Beautiful moments of quiet days
Mixed with bitterness of strife—
How does it slip away?
“Always another,” we still say,
Though standing on the edge of a knife—
How quickly time does stray!
Nothing can be done to keep it at bay,
This sandy stream of measured life—
How does it slip away?
In hastened daylight we still play,
Pretending night shall bring no strife—
How quickly time does stray!
There is nothing to keep...
47 reads
4 Comments
OBSERVATIONAL POEM
Published
6th May 2014 8:12pm
6th May 2014 8:12pm
Of Diamonds and Water
Diamond
Priceless beauty
Glistening, shimmering, glittering
Perfect clarity, simple purity
Shining, glimmering, sparkling
Price-less beauty
Water
Priceless beauty
Glistening, shimmering, glittering
Perfect clarity, simple purity
Shining, glimmering, sparkling
Price-less beauty
Water
59 reads
3 Comments
OBSERVATIONAL POEM
Published
6th May 2014 8:06pm
6th May 2014 8:06pm
Purple II
Purple is the color of a midnight dream when you wake with a smile but can’t remember a word.
Purple is the color of a summer storm when the clouds pile high and the Earth opens wide in grateful joy.
Purple is the color of a blueberry pie when the steam curls high over crumbly crusts and tongues drip in anticipation.
Purple is the color of frost-stained glass when you wake to see the first winter snow.
Purple is the color of fluttering curtains dancing in the breeze of a new spring day.
Purple is the color of freedom and life.
Purple is the color of a summer storm when the clouds pile high and the Earth opens wide in grateful joy.
Purple is the color of a blueberry pie when the steam curls high over crumbly crusts and tongues drip in anticipation.
Purple is the color of frost-stained glass when you wake to see the first winter snow.
Purple is the color of fluttering curtains dancing in the breeze of a new spring day.
Purple is the color of freedom and life.
61 reads
4 Comments
UPBEAT POEM
Published
30th Apr 2014 10:11pm
30th Apr 2014 10:11pm
Sidewalk Squares
The chalky gray canvas of
Childhood Michelangelos,
The sandy slate surface
That both scraped our knees
And held our happy games
Of 4-square and hopscotch.
We skipped like cheerful
Ballerinas over the crooked
Cracks, playing doctor to
Our mothers' broken backs.
No one else could see the
Beauty in shattered squares.
The rough cement surface
Set the stage for our wild
Scooter races, reaching up
With callused fingers to catch
Us when we swerved around
Corners at the speed of sound.
This simple slate of charcoal...
Childhood Michelangelos,
The sandy slate surface
That both scraped our knees
And held our happy games
Of 4-square and hopscotch.
We skipped like cheerful
Ballerinas over the crooked
Cracks, playing doctor to
Our mothers' broken backs.
No one else could see the
Beauty in shattered squares.
The rough cement surface
Set the stage for our wild
Scooter races, reaching up
With callused fingers to catch
Us when we swerved around
Corners at the speed of sound.
This simple slate of charcoal...
72 reads
5 Comments
OBSERVATIONAL POEM
Published
30th Apr 2014 10:06pm
30th Apr 2014 10:06pm
The Scarlet Letter
Scar across her heart, burning under the
Condemnation pinned upon her breast...
A precious child is held within, away from
Ravenous eyes that will never understand...the
Letter is her name, spelling out the content of her soul--
Enraged saints point and hiss behind polished hands
"That woman."
Least of all repulsive filth,
Endless scorn reflected in her
Tethered eyes...but still she stands, a
Tower of strength,
Ever dreaming of the
Rapture of peace.
Condemnation pinned upon her breast...
A precious child is held within, away from
Ravenous eyes that will never understand...the
Letter is her name, spelling out the content of her soul--
Enraged saints point and hiss behind polished hands
"That woman."
Least of all repulsive filth,
Endless scorn reflected in her
Tethered eyes...but still she stands, a
Tower of strength,
Ever dreaming of the
Rapture of peace.
73 reads
4 Comments
OBSERVATIONAL POEM
Published
30th Apr 2014 1:38pm
30th Apr 2014 1:38pm
The Kraken
Dreadful maw of endless deep
Thrashing through the sailor's grave
Bulbous head, unblinking eyes
Ever bringing dreamless end
Thrashing through the sailor's grave
Slipping through the darkened waves
Ever bringing dreamless end
Writhing in his filthy lair
Slipping through the darkened waves
Rasping siphon, sucking slurp
Writhing in his filthy lair
Milky mantle flaring wide
Rasping siphon, sucking slurp
Bulbous head, unblinking eyes
Milky mantle flaring wide
Dreadful maw of endless deep
Thrashing through the sailor's grave
Bulbous head, unblinking eyes
Ever bringing dreamless end
Thrashing through the sailor's grave
Slipping through the darkened waves
Ever bringing dreamless end
Writhing in his filthy lair
Slipping through the darkened waves
Rasping siphon, sucking slurp
Writhing in his filthy lair
Milky mantle flaring wide
Rasping siphon, sucking slurp
Bulbous head, unblinking eyes
Milky mantle flaring wide
Dreadful maw of endless deep
51 reads
3 Comments
OBSERVATIONAL POEM
Published
29th Apr 2014 10:44pm
29th Apr 2014 10:44pm
Frozen
Whitened winds howling through the night
Sharpened icicles gleaming on the eaves
Bulbous clouds drowning out the light
Sparkling frost glistening on the leaves
Sharpened icicles gleaming on the eaves
Crunching snow caking on the ground
Sparkling frost glistening on the leaves
Fluttering snowflakes cloaking out all sound
Crunching snow caking on the ground
Thickened sleet shrouding o'er the streets
Fluttering snowflakes cloaking out all sound
Silent snow crackling on the trees
Thickened sleet shrouding o'er the streets
Bulbous...
Sharpened icicles gleaming on the eaves
Bulbous clouds drowning out the light
Sparkling frost glistening on the leaves
Sharpened icicles gleaming on the eaves
Crunching snow caking on the ground
Sparkling frost glistening on the leaves
Fluttering snowflakes cloaking out all sound
Crunching snow caking on the ground
Thickened sleet shrouding o'er the streets
Fluttering snowflakes cloaking out all sound
Silent snow crackling on the trees
Thickened sleet shrouding o'er the streets
Bulbous...
58 reads
8 Comments
OBSERVATIONAL POEM
Published
29th Apr 2014 8:04pm
29th Apr 2014 8:04pm
Perfect Love--A Sestina
Rain is a gift of beauty
The incarnation of serenity
These angry drops cascading down
From straining clouds and wild winds
To rest softly on our fields and streams
A perfect paradox of pain and love
The shining stars are a song of love
A melody and symphony of beauty
This glowing light in gentle streams
A softened river of serenity
Rippling with the nighttime winds
Sparkling teardrops pouring down
Blazing sunbeams glaring down
Are another expression of perfect love
Blending with the Chinook winds
To strip...
The incarnation of serenity
These angry drops cascading down
From straining clouds and wild winds
To rest softly on our fields and streams
A perfect paradox of pain and love
The shining stars are a song of love
A melody and symphony of beauty
This glowing light in gentle streams
A softened river of serenity
Rippling with the nighttime winds
Sparkling teardrops pouring down
Blazing sunbeams glaring down
Are another expression of perfect love
Blending with the Chinook winds
To strip...
89 reads
8 Comments
OBSERVATIONAL POEM
Published
29th Apr 2014 2:33pm
29th Apr 2014 2:33pm
Sunrise Cinquain
Sunrise
Golden voice on
The Eastern horizon
Swells to symphony in the West
Beauty
Golden voice on
The Eastern horizon
Swells to symphony in the West
Beauty
78 reads
12 Comments
DARK POEM
Published
29th Apr 2014 3:58am
29th Apr 2014 3:58am
Stood Up
For the first hour,
She is eager.
Fidgeting in her lacy skirt,
Twisting his boutonniere between
Her freshly painted fingernails,
She listens to the click of her
New gold watch against
Her thin, tanned wrist—
Four o’clock.
First date.
For the second hour,
She is nervous.
Twirling her newly-permed raven hair
Around her softened cuticles,
She taps her delicate flats
Eagerly on the cool concrete below,
Her toes wriggling with anticipation—
Five o’clock.
First date.
For the third hour,
She...
She is eager.
Fidgeting in her lacy skirt,
Twisting his boutonniere between
Her freshly painted fingernails,
She listens to the click of her
New gold watch against
Her thin, tanned wrist—
Four o’clock.
First date.
For the second hour,
She is nervous.
Twirling her newly-permed raven hair
Around her softened cuticles,
She taps her delicate flats
Eagerly on the cool concrete below,
Her toes wriggling with anticipation—
Five o’clock.
First date.
For the third hour,
She...
80 reads
8 Comments
DU Poetry : Submissions by atarliss