The Poetry Marathon

She stood, poised,
ready to take on the world
The ballroom was waiting,
and people were whispering
“Would she falter?”

She stood, poised,
ready to leave the past behind
She had emerged from the cocoon
of her parents sudden death
Her grief was not for display

She stood, poised,
her dress, a conscious choice
Her shoulders bare, free of burdens
The colour black, emphasizing
strength, fearlessness, and elegance

She stood, poised,
ready for the future
The ring on her finger, the
unconditional support of her fiancee
helped her shed her shyness and emerge

She stood, poised,
ready to sit on the empty throne
A queen in the making, her
kingdom, her people were her focus
She had left her insecurities behind

(c) Vijaya Gowrisankar

With skin of faded ivory,
The lady awaits her Lover’s arrival.
Her brown hair pinned up in a tidy fashion atop her head, reveals the soft curve of her neck, awaiting a soft kiss.
The ladies dress stands out starkly against her skin,
A deep Shadow collecting at her tiny waist, before falling in the thick curtain at her feet.
It is held Aloft by fine jeweled thread, one across each shoulder,
Allowing the highest amount of skin to show.
A site that will surely excite her lover, when he comes.
She stands alone in the dreariest room in the house,
Knowing that she will practically glow and it’s dim, poor lighting.
It will attract her lover all the more.

Beloved spirit I know your light is fierce and your flame burns bright.

When anxious thoughts cloud your mind in the middle of the night.

Breath my love and let wondrous dreams take flight

Capture the visions of pleasure and indulge as your subconscious enters rem sleep

and your body disconnects from the daily trauma you experienced in life.

Beloved spirit let the world miss you as rest overtakes your precious glow.

Release any inhibitions you held captive during the day.

The darkness of the night is your friend as now you have permission to allow your restlessness to engage.

What did I learn?

I wandered afraid,

they didn’t like me

they never have.

Two red checkers

they fell down the stairs

the class would then howl

as they dragged us away.

They threatened to call them

my friend would plead,

for only two checkers

to complete a set.

My heart pounded

then I got hit

by one stupid bitch

after I hit her.

I’d been provoked

a bully she was,

she left me in tears

for two red checkers.

They didn’t like me

I meant no harm

driven to tears

backed to a wall.e

Elegant lines chased in black

against a porcelain white.

Lady, standing all alone,

who’s your lover tonight?

Half-turned and prepared,

perhaps to smile or refrain,

those and more are jealous,

would you dance with the likes of us?

Daughter Aphrodite, cool and shy,

would your auburn head turn

to come and stay awhile?

Pretty little lady,

dressed in black,

remember this is temporary,

whilst you stay in best dress.

Every dress has a dream, maybe two.

For me, today, my dreams came true.

One, to drape the body of Lady Maribou.

To be featured in a painting was my deux.

My lines are sleek, my fabric smooth.

Night black of silk and made to move.

When worn, there’s nothing left to prove.

And, honey, let me tell you, I’m never booed.

We’ll live this night together, she and I.

Tomorrow, off to the shop, to clean-dry.

But for this moment of glory, I won’t cry.

There will be others, dresses’ dreams don’t lie.

8/6/17 3:17
Sister

She looks like you.
Pale and eyes full of longing.
Sand shifting through the hourglass
of her body.
Calculated.
Were you always this hard?
I could sharpen my intentions
on the
slab of roman concrete
your nose.
I always envied you,
your curves.
Your pooling bust and
rumbling hips.
But it’s your wrists that I miss
most of all
Small wrists keeping the sky
from crashing down.

the woman in red

She saw her at the other end of the room

and thought to herself

that she needed a new dress maker –

her frock was not as stylish as the woman in red.

She envied the other woman’s beautiful taffeta

and her silk shoes –

her gems studding her hair like stars.

She knew, then, beyond a shadow of a doubt,

that was why she stood alone at the table

while the woman in red filled her dance card.

She was,

certainly,

looking for a new dress maker.

R. L. Elke

© Aug 5/17 prompt 22

Clad in a black and
Beautiful dress, she waits
Her eyes on the door
Never wavering till it
Opens, revealing at last….

The pizza guy with her order of
A double cheese pizza
With extra topping
And Coco-cola.

No dessert though, she’s dieting.

I’m the best negotiator to ever hold office.
I will make the best deals in the history of deals.
I can talk China into moving jobs here
before you can draw up a contract.
The Presidents who took office before me
will wish they could have been as good
a President as I’ll be President.
You want to fire your missiles at us?
I have a strategy to disarm your missiles
before they leave the launch pad,
but I won’t tell you because I want you
worried about what I’ll do next.
Besides, why would you fire at us.
I can make you a deal so good
you’ll want to become the 51st state.
And if you won’t take the deal,
I’ll wipe you off the map.
Prompt 21