The Poetry Marathon

Through the fog I can see the light,
Filtering in like a rainbow of lasers.
My heart starts to lift,
No longer a sinking feeling in my chest.
I close my eyes,
Inhale deeply,
I am at peace.
The worries of yesterday gone,
The promise of tomorrow taking its place.

The levels rise,
One by one.
Move fast to keep up,
One small misstep drops you into the unknown.
With each level,
Comes new faces,
New situations.
Think quick,
Or get left behind.

How does one silence the mind anyway?
The thoughts pour out,
Steady stream,
Non-stop,
Like word vomit.
Coming so fast I barely have time to make connections,
Forgive me for the incoherent banter.

Running from it all,
Once small and meek.
Watching as they pass,
Hiding in the shadows.
I cower alone,
Remaining unnoticed.
Now,
Brave,
Strong,
Fierce.
A force to be reckoned with,
I emerge from the shadows.
They take notice,
Now they are the ones running.

The cool morning air against my face,
The chirping of the crickets my only companion.
I am at peace in my happy place,
Full of serenity and tranquility.
With each step I take,
I become lighter as the stress melts away.
By the time I reach my front door,
I am floating on air,
Calm,
Focused,
Centered,
Ready to take on the day.

Large open field,
Leaves color of fire,
Crisp cold air.

An unkindness soaring through the air,
Make their presence known,
Forewarning beware!
Wishing to be left alone,
You hurry through; too pressed to care.
In the distance arises dawn,
And the Ravens begin to appear.
You quicken your pace, looking in the direction from which they have flown,
And you say a little prayer.
For all the kindness you have shown,
You hope to be spared.
You look up to see him perched high on his throne,
Staring back with a glare,
You feel deep in your bones.

Life is everchanging.
With each different path taken,
A new view emerges.
And we converge,
Trying to see,
The new vision that has come to be.
Steady is the hand that passes,
This everchanging form of ashes.
Like looking through a Kaleidoscope,
Your heart begins to fill with hope.
All the intricate shapes and bright colors,
You move around, praying to find others.
Only to reach the last lonely stop,
Where you lost your Kaleidoscope and felt your heart drop.

I would like to start by Congratulating you all on making it this far –
Welcome to your final exam!

This test is made up of the following three parts:
– 20 multiple choice questions
– 20 short answer questions
– 1 500-word essay

Not only will you be tested on your knowledge of the material,
But also, how you are effectively able to apply it in your day-to-day living –
As well as your ability to adapt and change, when the unexpected occurs.

You have 1 hour to show your worth,
Plead your case and fully prove yourself.
You will be graded based on someone else’s opinion of you.

Good luck to you all…
You may start –
Now!

I see your words,
Hear your call.
I look to the left,
Look to the right.
No way out,
No escape.
Trapped,
Blocked in by this barricade –
How do I break free?
I try to yell,
But it’s no use.
You can’t hear me,
You don’t notice.
Too wrapped up in the memes on your screen,
To see that life is moving on without you.
The power dying,
You finally move.
Pick your head up to see the world,
Only to find yourself alone,
Surrounded by nothing but the wall you built.