The Poetry Marathon

Hour Eight: The Battle

A warrior who declines to fight

needs counsel.

So, he confides in his friend, his trusted charioteer.

“Tell me what I should do?

I see my family, friends, and rulers before me.

My job calls me to slaughter them.

My calling is to love my neighbors,

love my father, brothers, cousins, and mothers.”

The blue one regards his champion,

index finger to chin,

consternation narrowing his eyes.

“Your calling is to fight when there is battle.

You are not God.”

But the warrior was not convinced.

“How can I know God’s will in this war?”

And so the purple one turned his insides out,

vomited all time and space, evil and divine,

like a carnival house of mirrors,

showing the truth, the unknown,

and the couldn’t possibly be known.

After, the warrior fell to his knees,

nauseous,

afraid,

beaten,

shaken, and

persuaded.

“I will fight.”

And it was bloody but for the best.

Her Silver Lining

Shimmering silver highlights
Flowing from her crown

that teasing twinkle
cast from the corner
of her eye

A smile
sinfully lays
Upon her lips 💋

Whisper

A whisper

Can I whisper my thoughts?
They are many, you see

Can I whisper my feelings?
They are a myriad

Can I whisper my intent?
They are floating, still

Can I whisper my plans?
Myopic though they might be

Can I whisper me?
Weird, though I am

Cold

It’s cold in the barn
So the children play a game
Let’s pretend…
There’s sickness in the village
And the fear spreads like a flame
(That will warm us up).

Let’s pretend…
That our parents are coming!
Oh no, they’re left behind!
I hear the miller’s dropping dead!
I hear the tailor’s blind!

Let’s pretend…
We need to collect food now,
Dare we go outside?
Because the winter’s creeping in
And now the tailor’s died.

Let’s…
Go into the forest,
I’m sure we’ll find food there
Some berries in the Autumn
And one unlucky hare.

Let’s wrap ourselves up warmly
The shepherd won’t come back
The snow is falling all around
It’s burying the track.

Wait, what is that knocking?
No, don’t open the door!
Too late, and now the stranger
Is laying on our floor.

Quick, you get him water,
Quick, you get him food.
I will bring him straw for warmth
And try to raise his mood.

His forehead feels so warm, sister
He won’t open his eyes
There are black lumps growing on his neck
That I don’t recognize.

Get back, get back – we’ll leave him
No we can’t! We must!
Wait, brother, was that a cough?
Oh stop fighting, I just…
…feel… so…ill.

They jump, the barn door opens
“Kids! We’re back! Hello?
We found a place to park the car…
Come on, you lot. Let’s go.”

“Blimey, are you guys okay? And who’s that man asleep on the floor?”

It’s cold in the barn,
So they leave the past behind.
It might be better that way.

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Poem based on the novel Children of Winter by Berlie Doherty.
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The Almighty Boss

The Almighty Boss

I can do exactly as it pleases me
I can hire and fire!
I do away with people
Because I am the Almighty Boss

My word is law
No one dare gainsay me
I am the constituted authority
Because I am the almighty boss

No one dare look me in the eye
I shout and bark at subordinates
I can never be questioned
Because I am the Almighty boss

Who are subordinates, anyways?
Where were they when I was rising painstakingly
Through the ranks?
I am unquestionable!
Because I am the Almighty Boss

If I don’t raise my voice at them
Run roughshod over their will
Hurl insults and invectives at them
Intimidate them at every turn
How will they know I’m the boss?
How will they know who’s in charge?
Because, I am the Almighty Boss

AFTER ALL TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY

Do not fret don’t be sad if today you have failed
If things didn’t go and happen as planned
After all my friend tomorrow is another day
There is hope there is hope just work hard and pray

If people you hope to help didn’t help out as expected
Do not worry there’ll be more who are willing when needed
One by one they will come to lend a helping hand
They will come do not fret they will come just in time

If it rains if it thunders if the day turns out bad
Just go on do not stop just move on don’t be sad
Worry not help will come, it will come as a surprise
In no time you will see in your life you will rise.

After all tomorrow my friend is another day
If life is unfair its okay its not fair anyway
Like the sun that emerges on a daily basis
You will too cause after all tomorrow is another day.

JOY

J-Jesus

O-Oath

Y-equally yoked

Jesus is his name we call him.

Let’s picture the Covenant, and fifth oath.

With a testimony.

Gloriously to say,

When he’s in favors.

Of,

Marriage’s.

To become,

Equally yoked.

INFJ

I keep to myself, shut out the world, revealing my true nature in verse.
Neither sense nor rationality can explain my gut feeling, my curse.
For me, my emotions ride deep within the growth of the shepherd’s purse.
Judge me not for I require stability and sensibility dispersed.

Word of Hope

It doesn’t matter
It’s no joke
If you ain’t got no hope
There is always a word of hope
It’s the joke of the joke
That gives you a cloak
So just remember
There is always a word of hope

Copyright © 2021 Roxann Lawrence (Poetessrock)

Steel Magnolia Revisited

If only you had not had the child

and your body was healthy,

what wonders would have been in store

for you and your honorable husband?

How would your mother have felt without

the platinum blonde baby boy bouncing

in her lap or your dad’s smiling eyes

gazing at his offspring?

If only you had not had the illness,

the cancer, the accident, the divorce,

the problem that changed everything.

If only…

But it happened as it did and you go your

way as we go ours – into the wilderness –

into the seasons of the sun.