new poetry – Page 36 – POETRY FESTIVAL. Submit to site for FREE. Submit for actor performance. Submit poem to be made into film.

Read Poem: Fear of Failure, by Tracy Stanley

Today is the day. Today is your day.
A new job – like a new book – a new chapter.
What will be inside?
Who will you be inside?
This noisy, nuanced and imperfect place.
A few words follow which are wistful and wise. Take heed.

It may take a while for to find your way. DON’T PANIC!
Expect times when you will be lost in the forest,
And others when you will soar high above the fray.

You will find your anchor
When you are preparing for battle and building your alliances.
Now, while these battles may bruise you
They will leave you stronger.

I know there will be nonsense
Like flotsam on the sea.
Accept this and embrace this.
This is organizational life in all its colour and majesty.

And never apologize for asking a question.
Seek what you want and
Recall the words of folk from Northumbria,
‘Shy bairns get nowt.’

And on those long and weary days
When you feel beaten and battered
As if you have, ‘not valued’ tattooed on your forehead,
Recollect that there are few things in life that cannot, not, be fixed,
By positive thinking, poetry and chocolate.

So, keep your friends close and your chocolate closer,
And remember, that you can only fail.
When you hold this thought tight in your hand,
And lift your hand up to the heavens,
It will fly away.

Read Poem: I didn’t know I loved you, by Jane Ellyson

Five years have slowly past
Since you went away,
Although I feel your presence
At the strangest times of day.

It’s like you whisper in my ear
When I think of anything insincere,
Or I sing along to a favourite song
And then I remember that you’re gone.

I didn’t know I loved you,
Until you went away.
With a hole in my life, I’ve come to regret
The things I didn’t say.

I think of you and wonder if you ever think of me
It’s too late now
We’ve missed our time
As you’re no longer free.

Will I ever get a second chance
To tell you how I feel?
What I mistook for friendship
Was a deeper love, so real.

I’m thinking of you now
On this gorgeous, deep blue day,
Breathing in the northern beauty
Looking out over Byron Bay.

* * * * *

Poem written to celebrate launch of novel Over Byron Bay.

Read Poetry by Sophie Naylor

‘You are not any more beautiful
With sunlight shining
Through a gap in
Your thighs

You are not any more desirable
With hip bones as prominent
As the self hatred
You feel

I promise you, darling
Taking up less room
Will not make you
Any happier

Less you means:
Less laughter
Less light
Less love’

Blog: https://girlvsworld.home.blog
Instagram: @_girlvsworld_

Read Poem: NANA, by medina shah

my father misses being
my mothers second favorite man.
i miss your hearty laughter,
i miss watching you
hold soft babies in strong arms.

i remember the way
you taught me to ride through
forested paths and open road,
how you smiled at me,
loving how different than you
i was. and will always be.

i remember, when you left,
it all became fragile and i felt it crumble-
but it wasn’t real.
the heavy anchor of
your soul held steadfast
despite thick, crashing waves.

you were a lone flower
blooming in fields of infertile anarchy.
you were a glorious sight,
a sigh of relief,
a colorful ray of hope,
shining despite the engulfing darkness.

you did not just attract miracles,
you created them,
from droplets of blood
and single grains of sand.
you pierced away at your own flesh,
to nurture your kin.

nani misses your warm voice.
the tangible love of the 1960s,
two joys that came, three joys that went,
the force field you encompassed her with,
like a burqa in kashmiri streets,
reeking of gunpowder in high valleys.

you let me climb your back during sajda,
held me through stormy days and nights,
you held our home together,
like the blue and green embroidery
of the peacock tapestry on our wall,
or the harmony of bismillahi-rahmani-raheem.

Read Poem: TEMPTRESS, by Taylor Grace

Her eyes
Gravity pulls you in
Don’t resist
She always wins

Sultry presence
Smoldering
Igniting a blaze

The curves of her body
Caressing your mind
Sparks flying
If only, in another time

Her bosom
Amplifying from her chest
Just enough
She caught you peeking
Entertaining your gaze she leans forward
A sexy little tease
If only you could kiss those breast

Intoxicating temptress
No need to cast any spells
She knows what she’s doing and does it so very well
Merely a vision or right out of your fantasies

Her tone, speaks sexuality
“Come hither”, she whispers
Before you even realize
You have followed her command
She possesses an unknown energy
You are completely lost in her trance

Leading you to her chamber
She will take you
She will please you
She will use you
She will steal your last breath
She will leave marks on your body of pleasure and pain
Just as you are coming undone
She will leave you
With nothing but a gaping hole in your chest
And she is gone
As you lay there struggling to find your breath
You will die with her image and still wanting her more

Video Link of Poem: https://thebrokeninsideofme.com/2019/08/03/temptress/

Read Poem: Bully, by Travaughn

Who am I to be labeled as perfect &
Who am I to try & label that person?
I find your worthiness a surely contest for narcissistic complex
Placing your pride against me cuz you insist to feed your ego
Simply, I feel for people feeble to the healthy knowledge of self
They caught up trynna get wealth
Whereas I’m living in stealth
My motivation is seeing destiny’s new perspective
Become effective with effort
Paint perfect pictures of wonder &
Who are you to judge my imperfections &
Who are you to think I’m disconnected?
Lack of conscience may embrace the problem
I’m just a product from the proper process
You judge me like an option
I take precaution then filter the toxins
I’m one of many from the land of the lift offs
I been took off
While y’all out contemplating ways to get off
I listen to the muses as they sing
Then let my soul vibe inside its dream
Been trynna hold on
to the most amazing love on
This planet & you take it
Well focus, I’m just trynna make it
Living my life just
And you can hold on
To this most amazing love on
This planet; Yo, here take it &
Focus, we’re just trynna make it
Living our life just living this life
And you can yell into my face all day; you won’t have control on me
Gone & spread your rumors all day; you won’t have control on me
Yes, sticks & stones may break all bones
But this world can never break me
Who am I to be labeled as perfect &
Who am I to try & label that person?
I find your actions have a lack of passion
Using your powers to belittle those &
While you exert this fickle role
I’ve seen into your soul &
I can understand your fighting demons, but you won’t admit it
Cuz your conflictions is an issue & can’t find forgiveness
Causing threats don’t seem to faze you
So as I face you, you’ll have to face life’s truths
Paint perfect pictures &
Who are you to judge my imperfections &
Who are you to think I’m unprotected?
Wasn’t content to consent your torment &
While they say that ignorance is bliss
I sit round & circumvent
Transcending the trends you try to represent
I tell you; I steady be giving you nothing but good vibes &
Life’s not easy, but through the hard times got to find reasons to simply smile
It’s all experience to paint a perfect so profound
So keep this feeling & just
Hold on to this most amazing love on
This planet; Yo, here take it &
Focus, we’re just trynna make it
Living our life just living this life

Been trynna hold on
to the most amazing love on
This planet & you take it
Well focus, I’m just trynna make it
Living my life just
And you can yell into my face all day; you won’t have control on me
Gone & spread your rumors all day; you won’t have control on me
Yes, sticks & stones may break all bones
But this world can never break me

Been trynna hold on
to the most amazing love on
This planet & you take it
Well focus, I’m just trynna make it
Living my life, just
Judge ye not lest ye be judged
Release the grudge
Martyr the flow to release the love
I plead through mud
It’s a wonderful time to make a difference
You seeming different
Keep persistent with your interest
Hold on to this most amazing love on
This planet; Yo, here take it &
Focus, we’re just trynna make it
Living our life just living this life

Read Poem: Addicted to Amazement, by Diana Zimmerman

let’s become addicted
to amazement
that dizzying electric surprise
when the unexpected
explodes
before our eyes
on our taste buds
over our skin

let’s take it in our coffee
in our water
in our wine
until we can’t live
a single hour without a
surge of glorious disbelief
to calm us

we will claw the earth for it
find it under stones
in the hearts of
little shells
peel it with our teeth from the
bark of tender trees

dianarenee.com

Read Poem: THE DEVIL’S CLUTCH, by Kevin Parish

Eerie hands paint the canvas black
While wisps of smoke still linger
Surely, evil has become manifest
Where once were talented fingers

Brushstrokes of darkness in shades of gray
Follow along haunted lines
Lost are the souls whose eyes behold
This gallery of Hades lies

Countless virgins sacrificed
Off cliffs over a raging sea
Whilst serpents slash down below
Awaiting morsels from the jubilee

The wetness of the fresh blood glistens
With the sinister artist’s touch
As another one falls from arrogance
Into the devil’s clutch

Read Poem: PASSIONS, by Carrie Moon

The word passion evokes pictures of a hot, steamy night,
But the passions I speak of are guided by God’s
There is passion in everyone, just waiting to ignite,
If only we could all follow our dreams without a fight.

When creativity courses through our veins,
We let go of routine and God holds the reins,
We give vent to our innermost soul,
Churning out labours of love, to reach our goal.

To be filled with passion is to be so alive,
To embrace every task, not only to survive,
This I’m sure is a pure, euphoric feeling of glee,
When you accomplish small steps, of the future you see.

Your stomach knots up in delight and such joy,
As you nimbly move on from each task so coy,
You smell the success of your passionate displays,
You know you’ve created uniqueness, in God’s ways.

Creative people are definitely a breed apart,
They focus furiously to produce their genre of Art,
They write and they dance and they act and they paint,
The passion so grabs them, that they might even faint

They love to create, sheer bliss to give to the world,
A precious part of their passionate hearts unfurled,
And when there’s a lull, and some quiet in their life,
They thank God for creativity without any strife.

Read Poem: HOME, by joshua anand skater

i wake up beside your huddled body
wrapt in sheets cocooned in silent dreams
i pry myself awake and watch you
beauty condensed to sleepy peaceful knot

sand-stuck eyes and weary muscle conspire
to move my groaning shambles down the hall
the burner clicks, the gas explodes in fire
the beans spew out their sour perfumed gall

drowsily i stir and watch the air expire
and foam the milk in oval spurts of steam
and stumble back – the splashes sweet
the stickiness still hot on weary knuckles

the cup sits by your head you do not stir
faint flare of lip and blush of tiny nostril
i sit erect and watch you as i savour
the too-hot liquid gulped down my greedy throat

new paradise to silent sit and linger
in atmosphere of love and want and peace.