The Poetry Marathon

An airport, a place that takes you where you want and need to go,
But what if this place were used differently,
What if you could just buy a ticket and it takes you anywhere?

Imagine that ticket you hold has no destination,
Imagine there are two paths to follow once you pass security,
Imagine one path says “need” and the other says “want”.

Picture going down the path “want”,
Where do you really want to go, where will it take you,
In the end, you end up in a place beyond your wildest dreams.

If only the airport worked a different way,
The element of surprise to go anywhere I want while not needing to know, just wanting to go somewhere else,
Just buying a ticket with no intended destination.

Even in the night, the light of day makes its presence known,

A sunflower that would normally be shaded in the dark of night,

Can be seen by the mere company of fireflies.

As if mimicking the night sky bringing together the two opposites,

The sunflower is a portrait of the sun,

And the fireflies are like stars shining in the night sky.

For the night has come but darkness brings life to those who light the way,

Making us see the world differently,

Because even in the night the presence of day shines bright.

Light is always there whether it be the moon illuminated only slightly,

Or the stars giving off faint lights to guide us on a journey in the night,

It is never fully dark in our world for there is always a chaperon to see us through the night safely.

Today is the day,
Time to take that test,
Hopefully, you studied well.

At the door your tech is confiscated,
But luckily, they are kind enough to give you a dictionary,
And then it sinks in, how do you use it?

A gigantic book sitting on your desk,
The way you stare at it makes it seem like it’s a monster,
Taking your seat, you keep looking over at it, as if in fear.

The test begins and there it is,
A word you don’t know, you reach for your phone, but remember, it’s not there,
Another look at the dictionary, reaching out to touch it.

Your eyes are closed because you feared it would harm you,
Opening it, you see nothing but words, but not the one you’re looking for,
Thinking to yourself, how do you use this thing?

But it’s just that simple, the words are in alphabetical order,
So all you have to do is look for the word by spelling it out while searching,
In the end, you find what you’re looking for and laugh to yourself.

Why was I so terrified of something so useful, but ancient,
Technology, I presume makes us a little dumbfounded by the simplicity,
No longer will an old dictionary give me the chills.

I grow, you grow, we grow together,
When you are down I will be there,
Just lean on me when you are weak.

Stronger, we are together,
For our bond feeds our strength,
The closer we are, the longer our bond lives.

In this field of many, we stand out,
None of the others have such a connection,
For they stand strong, but alone.

No, we are not afraid to show such a prominent display of affection,
For we are a signal of support,
Presenting that such adoration and strength cannot be acquired alone.

Walk into the temple, be humble, have respect,
Almost like stepping into the gates of heaven,

Statues of miniature Buddhas lining the walls,
Creating an ethereal feeling as if your soul is being lifted.

If you stare at all the small statues for too long,
It’s as if the mind has been tricked with an optical illusion,
It seems as if they are all moving, calling to you like a higher power.

The music in the background enhances this celestial sensation,
Taking over your other senses along with your nose as you smell the burning incense,
There’s no need for the awareness of touch,
For you have been caressed by something impalpable.

Exiting the temple is like a bridge between worlds,
For that other worldly feeling has disappeared,
And you are no longer a victim of the illusion of such peace,
However, the memory of such a feeling is stuck within to give you peace during troubling times.

What you will need

1. Peace of mind
2. A place to live
3. A body of water
4. A scenic view
5. Serenity

Let’s try a new dish,

How about a piece of mental freedom,

You would think all we need is peace of mind.

We need a little more than that in these times,

But please make sure you have enough because we might need a ton,

A place to live is always a good touch,

And a body of water to calm the mind.

That’s what I’m talking about,

Add a little more of that peace of mind,

A scenic view to escape to will do just fine.

Don’t be afraid, you know we need more,

Keep pouring that peace of mind,

Make sure you mix it well it has to be just right.

Finally, we can add a little bit of that serenity,

Now let’s put it in to bake,

We will see how that mental freedom takes shape.

Mmmm mmmm, that peace of mind sure smells delightful,

That place to live gave it the right scent,

And that body of water makes even more enticing.

I just can’t wait for that scenic view to bake right on in,

I hope it makes you feel more at ease,

That serenity will definitely make you go head over heels.

All done and ready now would you look at that,

It came out just right on the first try,

A piece of cake and in no time.

I hope you remember the recipe for next time,

I’m sure you will need it another time,

But for now enjoy your piece of mental freedom.

A mother is accepting of anything,
Whether it be pain from a laborious battle or grief from the loss of one,
She will rise to the occasion for any child even if they aren’t her offspring.

In order to protect the young she will go to war for them, giving her everything,
Her love is unconditional and can never be outdone,
A mother is accepting of anything.

No matter the child’s circumstance, she will willingly bring them under her wing,
Caring for them as if they were her own daughter or son,
She will rise to the occasion for any child even if they aren’t her offspring.

She doesn’t see anything forbidding like coloring,
The only forbidden concept is to shun,
A mother is accepting of anything.

Open your minds and listen to that motherly instinct sing,
It shouldn’t be imaginary to anyone,
She will rise to the occasion for any child even if they aren’t her offspring.

A mother’s love is an example of what we need to bring,
For love is all we need to be accepting of any and everyone,
A mother is accepting of anything,
She will rise to the occasion for any child even if they aren’t her offspring.

Hi I’m Denisa and I’m currently teaching in China but I’m from Detroit, MI.