Category: Poetry Festival

Read Poem: WORLD OF GAME, by Mantri Mark

(This song is dedicated to Athletes, Games & Sports personnel)

Best Be a Dare Devil
Olympics Best You Worked Hard
Efforts Lead to Success
Try and Win World of Game ǁ

Best of Luck You’re Strong
You’ve Blessing from Nature
The Deeds Are Cheers to Your Land
Best You Swing Like a Spring ǁ

Your Actions Are Great
People Welcome Sportive Work
Can’t Imagine Style of Actions
You’re Great, Like a Legend ǁ

Power of Sport Is Laudable One
Nobody Stops Your Dashing Speed
Competition Is For You to Clinch
Win, Cup and Gold ǁ

Be True To Conscious Game
You’re to Support the Team
No End for Dashing Style
Be In the Legendary’s List ǁ

Be For Style of Life
People like Stylish Moves
Cups and Medals are Game of Life
Raising Hand Is the Luck of Stars ǁ

You’re Bold and Brave
Prove Your Worth for Land of Soil
Love will Shower on Acts of Success
You’re Great In This World of Sportǁ

Time Can’t Stop Speedy Acts
Seasons Change, But, No Halt to Speed
Who Can Stop Forehead Stars?
Golden Day’s Ahead, Further in The Game ǁ

The Best, You’re the Best
Hopes, Be Have the Hopes
Great, You’re the Great
Try A Gold for Your Land

Read Poem: Climate Change, by Gloria J. Wimberley, M.A.

Spurious and sputtering
Spring sprinted
in
all huff of yellow
and puff of pollen
then rush of rain
(too cold this veil of melted icicles)
Shriveling the delicate pink & white
of unaware blossoms
…petal babies trembling
defenseless against
Old Man Winter
and Mother Nature’s
ancient ardor
and weather war
…Summer emerges as the
victor as the
sultry sun rages
in heat & leit of light…
Dragon Celosia, Dahlias, and devil vines
thrive
in silent threnody
–no Asphodel
for a vernal epitaph
________________________________
Brief bio-note:
Having taught English at an inner city college in Little Havana in Miami, Florida, as well as teaching at colleges and universities in the Washington,DC-Northern Virginia area for decades, Gloria J. Wimberley, MA, prose editor for Middle Island Press, now lives in the woodsy warmth of her West Virginia hometown in Appalachia. Her poetry collection Dialect of Dahlias was nominated for a Pushcart Prize by Edgar & Lenore’s Publishing House of Los Angeles, and her social media profiles can be found on Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. Her poetry readings appear on YouTube.

Watch the MAY 2018 Poetry Readings

 

Poetry Reading: MORBID DECEIVER, by Bob Mazzei

Poetry Performance Reading: Families are the treasures of heaven, by G.B. Smith

Read Poetry: Ballad Of The East Wind, by Mark Tierno

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read Poem: WHAT HAVE I LOST?, by Diane Burrow

What Have I Lost?
(Afterthoughts.)

What have I lost?
Was I truly tossed and
Shuffled among schemes
Seemingly for betterment,
Reasons for acting, masquerading
As morality of the highest?

There’s a thread
Slotted somewhere inside
The footsteps of those men
Who influenced my way,
Whose dreams are nothing less
Than slaughtering the many for any deal,
To realize a peace they
Cannot sustain, maintain.

A little sacrifice for the many.
‘In the end they’ll see it my way’
While I revile my wife and spoil
My children for a greater cause:
The many, not the few.

What have I lost,
Alone among
The everlasting flowers
Singing one-time songs?

Read Poem: The Taste of Black, by Aaliyah Salia

Bitter to the tongue; like overbrewed coffee or ninety percent dark chocolate,
a heavy lump down my throat, I crave for sweet water.

Not too hard to describe, but not too easy to understand.
Like blood, just not sweet. The metallic taste everyone knows, but no one can bear.

An addiction, an overdose,
never tiring, always novel to the tasters.

It burns, it hurts,
the pain doesn’t die.

Like drinking alchohol,
but deadlier and raw.

I don’t want it,
I need it.

I don’t need it,
but I crave it.

Don’t give it to me,
It’s foul,

Give it to me,
I might not live anymore.

Poison for some,
Elixir for some.

Sinful for some,
Paradise for the rest.

Read Poem: Paint yourself, by Phil Utumapu

Freedom calls my name like a mother searching for her lost child.

Do not chastise me with criticism, instead, free my spirit with love and understanding.

Discipline me with your wisdom, showing me the path with actions and deeds.

Anyone can tell a good tale, but proof walks in your shadow.

For the picture you paint of yourself will show the purpose of your life,

and your purpose, may save my life, in the end.

BY, Phillip Utumapu

Thank You Very Much.

Read Poem: Howl for help!, by Khatuna Tsuladze

Smile,
Give the world your smile!
Show
Not your back!
Pray
To survive
From me;
Drown
In the Black Sea
Bottom…
Hop,
Hop,
Hope…
Restricted to the corner,
Inhale the sky,
Exhale the sun,
Spit out the rain,
Soak the ground,
Howl,
Howl
For help!
Penetrate
Inside the hole,
Holy dreams
Paint
On the canvas of my soul;
Disguised in elements,
Hint
You’re coming
To welcome the Earth,
Water,
Air,
Fire;
Howl,
Howl
For help,
My Dear!

© Khatuna Tsuladze

Read Poem: Rough Flight, by Gary Beck

Migratory birds
fly south for the winter
to escape the cold,
find good feeding grounds.
Imagine their shock
when they finally land
in North Carolina
and it’s so cold
they just keep going
until they reach
Miami Beach
that’s so crowded
with SUV’s and hummers
they can’t even find
a place to land
and get something to eat.

Read Poem: THEY WERE EATING LIVING THINGS, by Nicole Marie Kupper

A)

And the food-stamps were cut off

Three months or more

The children’s eyes were

Stuck in the black of their pupils

And the doctor said wait

And the CPS officer said wait

And JFS said take a hike to the FREE STORE

And the chicken they got there got real hot

Came alive in the old oven

And blew up.

B)

And she said

Mom, the food’s alive

It’s eyes are seeping

A sunrise contraption

Green cucumbers

The color of grass

The blades are strangling me

Chocolate like mother earth

The vegetables on TV dance so happily

Then why can’t we buy any food

Colors are everywhere why can’t we eat

Shh.. the mom said, you have a fever

Then in the store at the top of her lungs

The girl began to scream.

C)

The hungry children

Stood brown on the unsuspecting road

Walking up

Crossing at the stop light

They saw their mother sell their toys

And they would try to stop her

On the hot, black tar

Of the Cincinnati road.

Read Poem: Bright Creation, by Constantine Argiropoulos

In the vast universe
a fragile human heart
beats outside exposed
for the first time,
billions of stars
mark the unique moment,
it is so bright
everyone must
shield their eyes,

the umbilical cord
is cut with precision,
a cry emanates to every
corner of human existence,
there are tears
mixed with joy
so much to absorb,

to celebrate
the special occasion
poignant refined music
emanates from
the lips of an artist,
each universal note
feels like a warm caress,

time recedes,

the future is a
dancing silhouette
stark like a skeleton
as full as a
bucket of wet kisses.

Constantine Argiropoulos
April 30/2018