Author: poetryfest

I am a wave in the ocean.
Lost and small,
Lingering on the surface.
Wandering from here to there.
But I have the ability to transform.
To become greater than myself.

I have seen new places,
I have met new faces.
But all that is so fragile.
All faded.
They come and go.
And I stay here again all alone.

I am a wave in the ocean.
The water is dark as hell.
There is nothing underneath.
Only pain fell.
How long must I wander?
How far shall I go?

I run as far as I could,
But my feelings found me,
Over and over again.
Now I need to stop!
No more hiding.
No more run.

I am a wave in the ocean.
Small and so delicate.
But never once made me break.
Never even suffocate.
I am atop the current,
I am on the top of the current.

Because I am a wave in the ocean.
I am just one of all.
But I am who crossed the ocean,
I am who made it through.
I thought all the storms,
To see the rainbow.

Szandra Vetesi

Agonizing Soul, I Cut THE RED RIBBON TO FREEDOM. Releasing the anguish of my dark past, I’m no longer paralyzed from the lies that held me bond. The walls of Jericho have crumbled. My stony heart has turned to joy. My heart rejoices in the rhythms of our ancestors drums. My river of tears are dried up, My Face, scarred of contaminating acid of demeaning words.

I Cut THE RED RIBBON TO FREEDOM. My Voice is boundless; unmuted from the Trauma; shout songs of praise, underground Negro Spiritual hymns “Song of the Free”. The River runs red with my blood. Flowing freely down the Nile bank. The lotus, the regeneration of life, the refreshing spring cleanses my soul.I found peace, and now, I rest on mellow grass.

I cut the RED RIBBON TO FREEDOM from the venomous words, spoken from the fragmented heat. I release the restricted, expectations, unrealistic Cinderella fairy tales.

I cut the RED RIBBON TO FREEDOM I unlock the iron, shackles encircling my feet, my hands, and my neck. Mm mm! The taste of my freedom is sweet honey combs, slowly dripping, and landing, on my thick lips. Awe! Forgiveness has set me free.

I cut the RED RIBBON TO FREEDOM. An eagle trying to fit in with birds. I Rise. Ascending, soaring in my strength. Gliding effortlessly, against the strong winds, hurricane rains, fierce storms. My strong wings stretch wide. East, south, north, and west. I dance to the rhythm of the whistling winds, rejoicing in the beauty of my glide. Guided, by the gentle wind, weaving through the thick clouds. Coasting, effortlessly, in the fiery radiant skis. The breeze softly whispering. Free.

I Cut the RED RIBBON TO FREEDOM shouting from the rooftops. Victorious warrior. I tear off my garments of sorrow and pain. It’s a new season filled with new wine and refreshing April rains. My body is purified with sweet oils of myrrh. Behold it’s a new season, and I’ve done a new thing, I have covered all my nakedness of shame.

I Cut The RED RIBBON TO FREEDOM. a new blushing bride, my countenance sparkles, glittering, with flakes of gold. The sunshine, glaring, on my face. Charms radiate colors of aura. Purple, violet, and blue royalty and piety.

I Cut The RED RIBBON TO FREEDOM. No More Chains. No More Sadness. No More Shame. No More Lies. No More Pain! Forgiveness has set me free

I Am Free

I Am Free

Can’t you see what’s in front of you?

Past the reality you believe is true?

Behind the Golden Arches and feinted happy meals

Sitting in the dark distracted by a movie reel

Or before a false idol to whom you kneel

Living a robotic life of nine to five

For pieces of paper not worth a dime

Entrusting your life with the “heroic” boys in blue

Who are trained in fact to never trust you

Voting the puppet on the left or the puppet on the right

When both are created distractions to make us fight

You think this “revolution” is a result of a deadly police chokehold?

Your movements are actually led by agents on a Democratic payroll

Tearing down historical statues with a hypocritical mob

Only erases history while also ushering in Martial Law

For the slavery that was an integral part of our history

Paying reparations to black people seemed necessary

Though for those living today who still think it evens the score

After the damage done, reparations are needed no more

So within our politically-correct world, in any future endeavor

Pulling the race card has become revoked and buried forever

Without history, the same mistakes will be made

Take your eyes off the black mirror and see the sick political charade

We think we are moving the world toward improvement

With our rallies, picketing, and cute little movements

LGBT-LMNOP, it makes no difference to me

You’re all being used to implement a new policy

Among its many hidden agendas, lies another evil idea:

That your movement is nothing but a front to legalize pedophilia;

Feeling empowered with #MeToo? I say, Boo Hoo!

We’re all being raped by the same corporate few

Oh, so you were a victim who didn’t stand a chance?

You had every chance to open your eyes at your own ignorance

In Hollywood, no sexual ritual means no role

And these “innocent” Lolita’s did as they were told

All to walk a red carpet and become a household name

Do we really envy those who suck corporate dick for fame?

We need not worry about millions dying overseas

Of poverty, drugs, wars and disease

Oh, but you did your part for third world countries—

Paying an extra dollar for your Starbucks teas?

Still, you sit with your coffees, chatting and laughing

While our children are taken and sold into trafficking

So today, as you enjoy your tea or latte

Remember with each sip,

another child dies today.

I try the light, but it won’t turn on.

This year’s tragedies

have come and gone.

But all of it’s still fresh in my memory.

And thinking about

It only brings me misery.

The civil unrest and political

bickering is never-ending.

The love and decency is gone

there is no use in pretending.

The light is fading.

The world is changing.

Our positivity and

love is degrading.

We’re turning against our sisters

and our brothers. From our fathers

and from our mothers.

Our love and compassion

has to come back.

Let us find the light, the light we lack.

Let’s be lights within the darkness.

And light and ignite the world with love.

Why do people take offence
so easily these days?
It seems that almost everything
offends in certain ways.

No matter what is said or done,
written or expressed,
someone somewhere, who knows why,
will be visibly distressed.

There once was something called “free speech”
where opinions could be shared.
Conflicting views were called debates,
feelings respected, but not spared.

Most people, then, could take a joke
and share one in return.
It wasn’t seen as bullying,
and the world was not so stern.

Ethics always seemed quite clear,
don’t be unjustly cruel,
but if you made a dumb remark
you’d be called out as a fool.

People stood for elders,
pregnant women, or infirmed,
when riding on the train or bus.
an etiquette easily learned.

Men opened doors for women,
and let them enter first.
But chivalry’s now forgotten,
it’s a relic of the past.
When did people grow so soft,
can’t take some joke in jest?
Especially if it’s said in fun
and no insult is meant.

Now almost everything you say
will be dissected word for word
to find something derogatory,
or race or gender slurred.

I don’t know how it came to this,
it’s all just gone too far.
The rules we had in place for years
fell well below this bar.

Some even want to change the text
In classic literature,
so it won’t offend the snowflakes,
so sensitive and pure.

Now, you better take such care,
don’t write that, let it pass,
or someone may take you to court
And sue your sorry ass.

Well, I’m sorry I can’t do that,
wrongs can’t be just ignored.
Society has swung too far.
Too much has been outlawed.

It is a writer’s solemn duty
to tell the truth he sees.
Inform the lost and blinded
who can’t see the forest for the trees.

Everyone has rights I know,
But not to the extreme
where the majority must tiptoe
like elephants through cream.

By John Hansen 2020

I HOPE SHE KNOWS

My chest is a city,
My heart; a castle,
where she lives and never deserts.

I hope she knows;
My skull is a street of thoughts,
where her colorful memories parade
and her pleasant words visit on loving days.

I hope she knows;
Her smile is a medicine,
A pill that dissolves in heart and cures aches,

I hope she knows;
Her glistening eyes lighten my world like a London street.

I hope she knows;
My butterflies crave her orchard,
I hope she knows;
Her undying beauty is my trademark.

I hope she knows;
My heart beat is the rhythm of her magical giggle,
Her voice is a lullaby that lures me to bed.

I hope she knows;
I’m a pilgrim,
I hope she knows
I’m a tourist on a mission to explore her world.

Poem by: Jacob Black, Genre: Historical Fiction.

BLOOD AND SAND

I and my tribe were from the land of Gaul,

but on account of the Romans, my people did fall.

They took our children, our old and sold them as slaves,

They raped all of our wives and then they put them in graves.

I tried to defend my wife with all of my might, but the Romans fought dirty, they never fought a fair fight.

They crowded me and then knocked me out before I had a chance to finish the bout.

I woke up in a rusty cage, and in my heart, I felt nothing but rage.

I yelled and screamed to be let out of my hold until I found out that I was sold.

I was bought and brought to the Colosseum In Rome, It’s foundations built upon blood and bone.

They pushed me into the arena and put a sword, a shield in my hands.

I was about to fight on the blood-soaked sands.

Out of a large iron gate came three different gladiatorial men.

The Murmillo, The Retiarius and the Thraex Thracian.

The crowd, the massive audience for them began to cheer.

While they booed at me and threw rocks at me to cause me doubt and fear.

But I gripped my sword, my shield, and held them tight. I wasn’t ready to back down from any fight.

I attacked the Thraex Thracian with the two curved blades first.

He made me bleed but I made him bleed out the worst.

With my sword, I beheaded him with a sideways slash.

His headless body collapsed to the earth with a crash.

My name was chanted and roared from the crowd, but for killing a man I wasn’t proud.

Next to attack me was the Retiarius with his trident and net.

He was fast and strong, you could bet.

He was a highly-skilled fighter, his net wrapped around my shield, so I yanked it tighter.

I pulled him towards me with all of my might, making him fall and roll to the right.

With my sword I lunged through the air, he lunged toward me with his three-pronged spear. I just barely missed his killing blow, but I cut him hard and deep, his blood did flow.

The Murmillo was next to attack. He was on me every step of the way, he gave me no slack.

He carried with him a short sword, a large shield. With them, he expertly knew how to wield.

He smashed his shield right across my face. From his brutal blow, I tried to brace.

But I fell crashing to the sandy ground, the Murmillo now on top of me started to pound.

He punched and kicked me as hard as he could, so slamming my shield on his toes, I made him fall where he stood.

I then picked up my sword, about to slash at his head, but he countered cutting my chest deep, the wound bled and bled.

I disarmed him, he disarmed me. We both fought for life, we both fought to be free.

The crowd was now cheering louder than ever before, they knew this wasn’t just a battle, that this fight was a war.

We fought back and forth for over an hour, punching and kicking with all of our power.

We were covered in scratches, covered in blood, the blood-stained sand had turned into mud.

The Murmillo choked me with his powerfully-built arms. so I put them both in a hold to his alarm.

I broke both of them with a snap, in anger, in pain, he head-butted me hard with a whap.

I shook my head in a daze to shake off the dizzy phase. Once my head was all clear, I noticed on his face was sorrow and fear.

I grabbed my sword, but I couldn’t drive it through the Murmillo’s heart. All of this killing inside of me was ripping me apart.

I’ve become nothing more than a beast. I don’t want the Romans exploiting me as they grow rich on me and feast. So I threw down my sword in defiance to the state.

To their cruelty, bloodshed, to all of their rape.

The Roman Emperor yelled to his men from his throne, that my flesh was to be flayed from every bone.

Twenty soldiers with swords and whips came through the Arena’s iron gate.

And in their eyes, I saw nothing but cruelty, contempt, and hate.

They surrounded me on every side, but I wasn’t going to run and hide.

I would give the Romans all the pain that they gave to me.

They need to be shown that every man, woman, and child has the right to be safe and free.

We are not animals to be bought and sold, our lives shouldn’t be bought for silver or for gold.

I picked up mine and the Murmillo’s blade. Then through the Romans, I slashed and slayed.

But too many surrounded me on each side. As they lashed their whips at me, in pain I cried.

Once I was on the ground, they really began to beat me down. But I kept rising up and hitting them back, But they kept up with their vicious attack.

As they run me through with their blades. I yell IF YOU DON’T STAND UP TO INJUSTICE AND TYRANNY FREEDOM DIES AND FADES!!!!!

I am useless
And I refuse to believe that
I am wonderfully made
I realize this may be unexpected, but
“Live your life to the fullest”
Is totally a big lie
“Wasting your time alone with freedom and solitude”
Being left behind
Is more important than
Being surrounded with other people
I tell you this,
Once upon a time
There was a very cheerful girl, and that’s me
But
I felt a little melancholy
Somebody told me
I am vulnerable
I do not conclude that
I am strong enough to take a risk and prove to them that I am not useless
At some time in the future,
I am worried
No longer can I say that
I can touch other people’s heart
It is seen vividly that
I live my life miserable
It is foolish to presume that
I can socialize with others and spend some time with them.

(Read it backwards)

Like a silent wave
Humanity is lost in a dark cave
We exist
We persist
In moments, we resist

There’s not an ounce of sunlight
Same story of endless human plight
We suffer
We share
When struggling, we care

The voices in the head
Missed and dismally unsaid
We concur
We reckon
To survive, we give in

Through many promises and dreams
Comes ruthless bloodshed and screams
We protest
We detest
At the end, we remain aimless

We ask ourselves what’s next
As world shivers and disconnects
No one’s trying to get this right
Truth rarely shouts
Peace and justice is far from sight

POET personal blog link – http://www.alliamthinking.wordpress.com

Genre – Political