Community Poetry Thread

[WhoGuru]

Welcome to the Community Poetry Thread. Here you may share your work and read that of others. All work submitted here must meet the PG-13 standards of TESA as well as the other Forum rules.

3. Defamatory, hateful, or distressing posts are strictly prohibited.

4. Trolling is prohibited.

6. Flaming is prohibited.

8. Racist, sexist, or any discriminating comments are not to be made on this forum.

That said, poems are an intensely personal work and I am willing to allow a certain amount of latitude. That is not however a free pass to go crazy. Always try to observe the rules and remember that just because you're old enough to get into R rated films does not mean everyone reading your work is.

This is simply a friendly warning that some of the poems may stretch the PG-13 rating so please read with care.

This thread is for poetry offerings only. Please the Poetry Chat thread to discuss what you read or write here. This way the poems wont become lost amid seas of discussion.

http://www.invision....ry-chat-thread/

Perhaps a humorous look at the worst frustration?

I'll start off shall I?

A wave of doldrums has set in

My brain's become a rock.

No brilliant thoughts to find within

'cause I've got writer's block.

If I could find a wall of brick

I'd gladly smash my head.

What thoughts I do have vanish quick

and inspiration's dead.

No words of wisdom, bright and wise,

'cause thinking gives me pain

and creativity's natural highs

have been flushed down the drain.

"...Mightier than the sword!", they cried.

I know that that's a crock.

Thanks to that sword my brain is fried

and I'm stuck with writer's block.

[The_Laughing_Man]

I walk like you,

I talk like you,

I walk in your shoes,

You have made me,

You have trained me,

You have forced me,

You want me to be you,

I am me,

And only me,

I am not you,

I am me,

I wont be lost,

I wont be someone else,

I am me and only me,

Dont try to change me,

Dont try to make me,

Just like you.

[myrmaad]

Certainly sucks the air out of mine: haha. my rhyme scheme is unusual and hidden meanings abound. Probably not the best introduction.

My cat is crazy.

He looks at me through huge pools of sea-water

questioning, then reproachful, glares.

He loves the smell of bleach.

and hates when I read the paper, (he lays on it).

He has the most angelic smile, and sharp claws.

Not much for coddling, or batting balls,

he'd rather chew his 'people doll' or sit

watching at the window for birds just out of reach.

He loses to the fish a battle of stares

(through eyes like huge pools of sea-water).

My cat is crazy.

he sees me lose myself in pools of sea-water

wading in, forgetting all sad affairs;

befuddled and with malapropos speech

disordered thoughts, like birds they fly and flit

a mind made of a featherbrained flock of gulls

(they drove him crazy.)

[WhoGuru]

Alrighty! We've created a thread just to chat about the work entered here so that the poems aren't lost in discussions and comments.

[DarkRider]

This poem was my first that was ever published, and was written what seems like an age ago, so be kind.

The World In Which We Live

Amid the ashen turmoil of this world in which we live

Is the hunger pain and sorrow of the path which fate hath bid.

Do we choose this life around us?

Do we make it what it is?

Has Fate captured, tied, and bound us to the world as it exists?

Despair makes us feel alone, just one voice against the night.

We slumber wondering what ill darkness comes with dawn's new light.

Yet within the grim reminders of what mankind has become

Stands a window throughout time of the battles man has won.

Carried in the legends and the old forgotten lore

Is the memory of the warriors who have died and gone before.

Not always clad in armor nor standing sword in hand

All fought with fervent valor for the good of every man.

They've shown us that the road we choose remains our choice alone

And our lives are not commanded by some dark and unseen foe.

For the truly evil demons are the ones that lie within

And the quest to overcome them is a fight we must begin.

[WhoGuru]

Another of my many poems. I promise not to flood the thread.

Grim View

Many’s the time I’ve pricked my ears

To painful tales of woe.

All the while, my mind adrift,

My thoughts like blowing snow.

I hear the words, I see the faces

I cry a river of tears.

Yet in my heart I laugh aloud

At all their youthful fears.

Their hearts still feel the pull of life,

Their loins the call of lust.

Yet they believe their future’s gone

And all will come to dust.

How simple and naïve are they

For life ends not at death.

Our futures carry far beyond

Our lasting final breath.

Adventures await, new worlds abound,

A chance at life anew.

A sea of endless possibility

That is given to so few.

For only he who fears not death

Will make his peace with life.

Only those who remember hope

Can pass beyond their strife.

What is death to immortal souls?

A simple change of state.

If only they could understand

They would not fear their fate.

Who am I to judge their fears?

I am a judge of souls.

It is to me, in love and deeds

That they must pay their tolls.

For I am Death, a reaper of life,

Of mortal flesh and bone.

To take those fears and all those sins

They feel they must atone.

I am no heartless sage of fate,

No messenger of hell.

I give them what they wish of me

And hope all will be well.

They all will choose their terms of death,

Whatever they believe.

For most, they choose a private hell.

For them, I’ll always grieve.

For I am Death, a reaper of life,

Of mortal flesh and bone

And that most dark and hellish choice

Is all I’ve ever known.

[myrmaad]

The shoutbox is growing on me (The Shoutbox Poem)

All the questions that fill my head / I just give a shout / and someone (usually Red) / Always helps me out.

[myrmaad]

Posted in response to manni's request:

Listen

shh.. listen!

the war drums are beating

the frenzied are feeding

on the sick and the bleeding

on cake they keep eating.

listless leaders leading

ignore the masses' pleading

urge henchmen to misdeeding

their 'heaven' receding.

the warriors proceeding

hysteria is breeding

duct tape and plastic sheeting

the misery exceeding.

marchers interceding

fail in impeding

children's suffering repeating

more hatred is seeding.

uranium depleting.

shh.. my heart is still beating.

[WhoGuru]

The path through darkness into the light

Is a path of pain and fear.

We who walk this twisting tunnel

Listen but never hear.

Voices of our lives gone past

Begging to be heard.

They cry out warnings, blessings, both

But never say a word.

Anger, fear and misery

Ignorance and Hate.

All these things we fight against

Until we pass death’s gate.

What of faith and happiness?

What of hope and love?

These, the things we hold most dear,

Embodied by a dove.

Through nerveless fingers slip like sand

To fly away unbound

By all our base and primal needs,

A chorus to resound.

The lofty heights of greed and malice,

Still our highest goals

While we forget the dove on high

And wither all our souls.

The winding path to peace we seek

Is hidden in our hearts.

We have only to look within,

Forget all our bad starts.

Perhaps, someday, when we are young

And know why we are driven,

We will finally understand

The gifts that we are given.

The dove that soars above ourselves

Is not so hard to see.

He soars within our ravaged souls

And reminds us we are free.

[myrmaad]

from "Amulets and Artifacts" my collected poems

the tale of the feckless thief

The sun was setting on the sea

The moon was riding high

The Goblins stalked furiously

Very nearby

I pulled my cloak about me close

And crept toward the hill

Shadows colluded with my foes

My breath became quite still

I've never been a fighting man

-A delicate soul and meek-

My reverie was broke just then

As this I heard them shriek

"Rapscallions seek to steal our gold

Short on life and breath

Take care to call on Gods of old

Tonight will hail your death!"

Terror gripped me in its fist

My legs turned into stones

I forgot the girl I'd never kissed

As the skin peeled off my bones

[grond]

hearts content

The prism is no vessel

cold it does not hold

but bends

flashy spectrum grin

gone when light's out

hers - prismatic beats of wonder-drums

bending their light show back to

his - tremulous crust of shell moment-thin

holding their light show hard within

she inside sees

the colors of his

yoke

whirled meltdown

crayola frenzy

he outside says

the light's ours

now

to bend or hold

go ahead take it

(yes, go ahead)

the egg is no vessel

cold it cannot hold

but breaks

liquid refraction then

it bleeds brightly

[myrmaad]

Lunasea

If one could ride a nightmare's hide

and dreaming leave the world behind

i'd hitch a ride with the turning tide

If one could ride a nightmare's hide

in slumber stride a great divide

no pillow-painted mounts remind

If one could ride a nightmare's hide

and dreaming leave the world behind

have you seen her twist the knife?

a portrait of self-hatred and disgust

her loathsome lies and secret strife

have you seen her twist the knife?

she won't think twice to take your life

exposing shameful bloodlust

have you seen her twist the knife?

a portrait of self-hatred and disgust

it's time to leave the sinking ship

in hopes of avoiding despair

already accused of causing a stink

it's time to leave the shipping sink

i'm so depressed it's hard to think

i'm tearing out my hair.

it's time to leave the sipping shrink

in hopes of avoiding despair

i got my black dog (ever at my side)

soon we're bound for sirius

a slippery slope ever downward i slide

i got my black dog (ever at my side)

and even though my darkness will never quite subside

still i just can't be serious, try not to be furious

(i got my black dog ever at my side)

soon we're bound for sirius, it ain't so mysterious.

if it weren't funny it would be tragic

it's how i survive me

laughing is a balm-like magic

if it weren't funny it would be tragic

that's why i'm pelagic

hanging with the anchovies

if it weren't funny it would be tragic

it's how i survive me

[Tyana_Rie]

Dark shape

trench coat figure

cut a path

through the din

foglike breath

in the cool night air

I've got my razor

and the scars on my arms

I've been a good boy

stalking slow

green eyes in the night

cold flashing steel

meets warm flesh

outcries from severed veins

the scream of blood

the orgasmic warm, wet,

red stickiness

the rest,

and you,

are history

I've got my razor

and the scars on my heart

I've been a bad boy

[WhoGuru]

This is one I wrote for Oblivion and for the Tavern Tales in particular. I have a few of these.

Martin's Lament

------------

A simple man once lost and sad

the gods he did forsake

A pact with daedra for powers' gain

he blindly sought to make.

With others, dipped in costly blood

They raised the forces dark

when came the answer from beyond

the light of truth was stark.

His friends lie dead and he in tears

the gods, cried out his shame.

forgiveness now sought he to live

a life well free of blame.

For Akatosh he donned a robe

and peace he found within,

til Dagon ope'd Oblivion's maw

and daedra he poured in.

With city gone and all hope lost

a stranger came and fought.

With courage lent and will unknown

the priest found truths long sought.

A kingly father cruely slain

a child sent in the night.

His royal blood fate had a need.

imbalance to set right.

So went he to the white gold tower

with amulet of kings.

and fought a god in temple's heart

transformed with golden wings.

Where once a man stood wreathed in light

now stands a lonely king.

His avatar in stone, wings spread,

reminds us why we sing.

[The_Laughing_Man]

I walk alone,

I'm my life im all alone,

No one cares,

How I act,

Or what I think,

Or what I do,

My life is my own,

We are all alone till we find love,

But that is something I have not found,

So im alone and alone,

I shall be,

Till someone finds me

[Tyana_Rie]

Going to go out on a limb here and post a couple of original song lyrics, with links to the songs.

It's still poetry

Yes, I'm doing the Gregorian Chant in Father Meds

Dirt

Bury me softly in the ground

Make it so I don't hear a sound

Cover up the pain inside and fill my mouth with dirt

Cover up my eyes so I can't see the things that hurt

'Cause I've had enough of being used

'Cause I've had enough of being used

Sister Agony and Father Meds

Welcome my Son to the Church of Psychiatry

What seems to be troubling you?

We can help

I am listening

We have Benzodiazepines

We have Tricyclics

We have every medication at our disposal to help you get better

We have S.S.R.I.'s, which are Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

We have M.A.O.I.'s, which are Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors

We have every pill to make you anybody you want to be

Any pill, except the ones to make you feel like yourself

Please talk to Sister Agony for further instructions

Welcome to the Church of Medication

We hope you enjoy your stay with us

We're so glad to say Hello and Greet you

Give us time, we'll make you one of us.

Well I used to be like you

until I found this place

now you can worship too

it's your saving grace

Father, Father, what you got today?

Give me something to make this go away

Give me pills that make me feel free

Just don't give me the ones that will make me feel like me

Sister Agony S.S.R.I's

Make it so that I don't feel dead inside

Sister, Sister what you got to give?

Benzos, M.A.O's make me feel sick

Welcome, Welcome to our Church

We hope you enjoy your stay here

Father Meds has informed me of your condition

As you know, we will try you on several different medications

We will start with the Tricyclics first

Then we will move on to the S.S.R.I.'s

If all else fails, we will try the Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors

Be happy

Be well

Be one of us

Be anybody, but yourself

Please wait in line with the rest of the followers to recieve communion

Come my son and step up to the altar

Tell me who you really want to be

All the pills in all your favorite colors

Give them time to work and you will see

Well I used to be like you

until I found this place

Now you can worship too

it's your saving grace

Father, Father, what you got today?

Give me something to make this go away

Give me pills that make me feel free

Just don't give me the ones that will make me feel like me

Sister Agony S.S.R.I's

Make it so that I don't feel dead inside

Sister, Sister what you got to give?

Benzos, M.A.O's make me feel sick

Be happy

Be well

Be one of us

Be anybody, but yourself

[WhoGuru]

This is another short poem I wrote for the Tavern Tales. My character likes to sing once in a while.

I wait for you, my sailor love

and sit here by our tree

I watch the shores and ships come in

but yours I never see.

You left that day with dawn's first light

and kissed me softly love

and gave to me this ring to hold

while your banner flew above

Your ship left port to omens grim

you laughed and bid me wait

For you I waved till far at sea

your sails passed far too late.

Where have you gone, my love my own

to leave me here in tears?

What fate has kept you far from me

and brought to life my fears?

I wait for you, for all my days

this hope I'll ne'er let go

To see your sails cross sky once more

and bring you safely home.

And this one I wrote just cause the little irritating, suicidal pussbucket inspired me.

Ode to Farwil:

What wandering knight was this I saw

lost in Oblivion's heart

In armor bright and gleaming new

he looked the hero's part

When Daedra saw he on the bridge

with a mighty cry he charged

his sword held high in victory

into the lava he barged

In shock I watched, he fell and burned

what kind of Knight is this?

with a muttered oath I to reload

this useless sack of piss.

It couldn't happen twice says I

no Knight could be that lame.

how wrong was I when once again

he dove into the flames.

On try the third, my patience gone

'Brave' Farwil tried again

This time led to the bridges edge

and shoved off to meet his end.

With teary eyes and sorrow great

to tell the Count his fate

The sad news I delivered him

the urge to smile was great.

If you should find this useless turd

wandering in a gate

take my advice and leave him there

or help him meet his fate.

[WhoGuru]

DESCENT

-----------

As I walk the hallowed paths of Hell

I see my life stray past.

Often, Demons I will tell

it went by oh so fast.

They follow and I listen near

to hear their evil tones.

The prices I will pay, I fear,

are too great for these bones.

And what may I, one graceless still,

do to reprieve my soul?

Yes I, who did in conscience, kill

He who loved us all.

A crime to outlast any crime,

a feat of passioned death.

My soul will burn throughout all the time

till eternity's final breath.

"He's gone." they whisper in great glee.

"The almighty one is dead."

And pain my punishment will be

for his nemesis I will wed.

His cold and cruel inhuman heart

has tortured many souls

and thrown their broke, misshapen parts

deep down the blackest holes.

I wander through my memory's eye

and see my crime stray past.

I made the Devil weep and cry,

His soul burned to the last.

"Twas sorrow that hath done Him in,

a feeling He'd never known.

A battle He could never win

for a heart He'd never own.

I killed Him while He wept and flailed

in misery's sweet embrace.

He turned His face from me and wailed,

He'd lost their vicious race.

And now I've passed through Heaven's Gate

amid the sun drenched sky,

and Hell will ever more await

where only Angels fly.

I'm ushered toward His throne of gold

His bride to be in white.

His face is neither young nor old

within His blinding light.

The God we're always told is kind

was never what we learned.

We look into His face and find

our love He never earned.

And death and grief are His rewards

for a life spent helping others.

We blindly follow unwittingly towards

a dream He gladly smothers.

[myrmaad]

Lucifer

Dawning Venus gleamed.

Spear of light impaled my eye

burning with brilliance.

[The_Laughing_Man]

No title as of yet.

Each string a life,

Each string a death,

Let the harp's melody be your friend,

Follow the music to your fate,

And bask in the glory of non escape,

For who we are,

And for what we can,

Let the harp be your friend,

It's strings are strong,

So pluck away,

Untill the time comes,

To be taken away.

[Psykolabe]

Please don't be too harsh. These are my first ventures into poetry...

Poem 1. Jonny

"There's work that needs doing,

I'm off to the shop.

Be done before I get back,

Clean all this slop."

It was a sunny day in mayville,

But jonny was not able

to play in the warmth of the Mayville-town streets.

Jonny sits cramped,

Looking over documents stamped,

Not longing to play with those able in Mayville.

In libraires nooks,

Like one of the books

Alone in the crook, sits jonny, totally hooked, away from people's despising looks.

Falling away,

From a beautiful day,

In the beautiful city of Mayville

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wizardry, Warfare!

Magic and Might!

In a land of Evil does Jonny the knight fight.

Witches and Wizards

Bounding about,

Through the storms

That plague the route.

Follow the path of death and destruction,

Down to the land where the Dragon lies.

Leave no time for Villainous obstructions,

Use truth to blind thine monstrous eyes.

Jonny the Great,

Jonny the Magnificent.

Jonny the Paladin!

Well, you get the gist of it.

With a Bang! and a Smash!

Jonny delivers his blows,

Raining down his superiority

Below to his foes.

The castle is broken,

the princess is saved.

And as Good faith token,

The princess his maid.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Blond hair waving,

to and fro with the wind.

Green eyes sharp and focused,

Expressing hurt unable to mend.

I must save her, thought jonny,

But the Dragon lies dead.

How to help her, pondered jonny,

The thoughts screaming through his head.

Is this what love feels like?

Heart pounding harder than the drums?

Brain working for an answer,

Adding up the sums.

Mathematical impossibility.

A simple improbability.

Souls cramped together,

No water or light.

Curl up together,

Surviving the night.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A clank and a crack,

The door swiveled open,

Revealing a visage of the stone mayville streets

An unpleasant trap,

Snagging him from books open,

Unto the world of the mayville town heat.

Rising from the crook

in the nook

filled with books.

jonny sets off to the door posthaste.

Cleaning to do? No time to waste.

But what jonny beheld in the ragged old door way

Was not what was before a mayville town stone-way,

but his mother,

with bags,

no doubt filled with treats.

And having no work being done,

jonny surely unable to eat.

"Oh jonny, I'm home!

Is the work all done?

Oh dear it's all here,

you're the worlds worst son!"

Poem 2. A Cure

For better or for worse?

Do I actually know?

Do you?

Can anyone?

I think it's just better to wait

not sit around,

but go out and enjoy life.

You'll see if these changes are "For better" or not,

Either way you'll live,

Don't try to push your way

Against the tide of mortality.

Constantly Ebbing

And Flowing

In and out.

In and out.

Turn around

Away from the mirror

Sometime,

or another,

You have to let go of your handrails.

And jump.

Down.

Deeper,

and Deeper.

We can all say we don't know,

but all we're doing is hiding.

Trying not to get hurt,

even for those few moments that will never matter.

So afraid of pain,

Leaving yourself open isn't an option anymore.

That's what makes love so difficult!

You don't want to trust,

especially after pain.

That's what makes life so hard,

For what is life without friends?

And what are friends without love?

Friends indeed.

Next time you meet someone,

Say hello,

Smile,

Ask them how they are.

You'll never see them again,

But I bet they'll be happy for awhile.

Happy enough to go do the same to some other people.

Even when times are tough

Wallets are bare,

Stomachs are empty.

The reservoir of happiness never runs dry,

You can spare some.

Happiness helps.

Try it.

Poem 3

I can't really get you off my mind.

You're there everywhere I look,

And gone when I try to find you.

I'm so pathetic, Writing to myself

Saying all those words you'll never hear

Not like you're really meant to anyway.

I'd say "hello", but you'd brush me off

Just like the dirt I am.

Do I care about anyone anymore?

Not really.

You're not just anyone though, are you?

Not to me, you arent.

I locked eyes with you, from down the crumbling hallways.

For that mere moment, I was gone.

Everything inside of me.

Weightless,

Non-existent.

I was one with everything, and one with nothing.

Pop!

Back to Real life,

There goes gravity again.

Always bringing me down.

All in a moment.

I looked away,

Afraid you'd see me,

See me caring.

Afraid to show I was more person than animal.

But still,

That moment has since haunted the vacant halls of my blank mind.

Made me dream.

Made my skin tingle,

You made me want to try.

But that was that moment.

And this is now.

Never to see you again.

Just thought I'd tell you,

So long.

I'll be here till next time.

[Glaedr]

lets do something different and add a picture to it.

i dont have a title for it, so i just call it Darkness.

[WhoGuru]

Here's another poem I wrote for the Tavern Tales. Red occasionally sings in the Tavern. tee hee This was written about the first large adventure we had in the Tavern. Wow good times there.

Five friends went to Oblivion

to save their Tavern dear

while in that realm of fire and ash

a monster taught them fear

He took them to his darkened land

and lost one from the other

to search and find where freedom lay

they fought and sought each other.

One fell afoul of Spiders bite

another sat with ghosts

while more were chased by darkling things

and harried by their host.

When all seemed dark and hope was lost

A spirit told one how

to end the evil's reign and leave

the trap when friend called Now!

The party faced the Lich and fought

though two fell near to death

when new friend they had never known

appeared and gave them breath

The evil died and hope regained

their lives saved at the brink,

to sit in Tavern, home and warm

with friends now safe and drink!

[WhoGuru]

And another Tavern poem. Wrote this one just now for my entry.

In garden glen my true love stood

waiting in the shade

In sweet, sweet voice he called to me

to follow where he bade.

But I am woman, strong and proud

and not some docile maid

With heart and steel, go where I may

and not where man hath said.

For sake of pride I hid myself

close beside the tree

and peeked upon my true love's face

while wait he upon me.

His countenance much darker came

his voice leading to shrill

while calleth he my name once more

and then much louder still.

To love a man for one like me

is not some easy task

to trust him even harder still

for all men wear a mask.

For this I waited by the tree

to see my loves true face

If darkness I found waiting me

for safety I would race

Yet as I drew myself to leave

I heard a gentle sigh

and looking back he knelt one knee

and wiped tears from his eye.

Now on his face I found not hate

nor darkness anywhere

Twas love that looked upon the grass

and breathed my name to air.

So sad he seemed to think me lost

without me by his side

that in that spot my heart gave sound

and said his name with pride

For here was man who sought no slave

but loved a woman fair

and here was I now in his arms

our lives, til death, to share.

[Mannimagnus]

-Ven's Puzzle-

"In the light of chains.....

All is, but invain.....

Black over white?,

Night over day?,

Everyone has a path to walk on, but what is my way?,

Will I be the only one.....time will let to fade away?,

Perhaps, im here for a reason,

Perhaps. I have a cause,

If so, then I wonder,

Will I escape time's jaws?,

Will I evade death?,

Will I be immortal?,

Or, will I plunge,

Down into the voids of death,

And in there, stay forever,

My heart, a ashen stone?,

My mind, a twisted nightmare?,

My soul, a airless flame?,

Maybe, I am dreaming,

Maybe, I dont exist,

Maybe, I am already dead,

And am but, a sparkless star?,

A twinkle in destructions eye?,

The darkness of creations shine?,

1,2,1,2,1,2,1,2,1,3

A warp, in time."