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The sun shines
And takes the pain away
Brightens up a dull dark day
Warms the cockles of your heart
With a bright blue sky
And no clouds in the way
I think it’s gonna be a lovely day!
 0° 
Juan Gelman
Mi padre se llamaba José.
¿Por qué José?
¿Por qué se llamaba José? Tengo
que detenerlo en esta pregunta:
¿por qué te llamabas José? Ahí va
mi verte como si no quisieras
tener alma conmigo. La palabra
es una falta de palabra
en el rostro de tu mujer.
La he visto en los desfiles del error.
Y ahora me siento a veces
a esperar tu pérdida.
Cuando el dĂ­a no es mĂĄs
que esa enfermedad,
el sol no sola. El anuncio
incompleto de algo desconocido
baja con la tarde y veo
la cama donde moriste
y tu silencio que no se mueve.
¿Por qué José?
¿Por qué te llamabas José?
 0° 
Silva Mee
I came
to the foreign city
hoping to find myself
but instead
I have lost myself
even more
The psychic tattoo
of paternity
darker than
fate’s blackest ink

The guilted knife
of maternity
cutting you
near to the brink

A prodigy alone
in the shadows
offspring of
scorn and disdain

Begging for love
and acceptance
from parents
— called heartache and pain

(Dreamsleep: June, 2025)
 0° 
Yashkrit Ray
"Listen to elders"
I always hear here and there
"Even fools grow old"
This haiku is not meant to offend or disrespect elders. While many elders are wise and experienced, the poem serves as a reminder that critical thinking and respect should be earned, not assumed. It's a humorous reflection—not a harsh judgment.
 0° 
David P Carroll
A colourful rainbow in the sky
So colourful I can't deny
With colors that danced oh so high
It arches with grace
Bringing smiles to my face
Oh colourful rainbow
A bridge where dreams flutter and fly.
Rainbow 🌈
 0° 
Hu Sahm
If I must go up
I will go
My body comes back down
But I will not

Within two bow’s length
Or less
I will whisper in my heart
To the heart of my heart

Avenge me
Avenge me
 0° 
Charmour
If tears were red,
they'd have seen —
my white pillow stained by morning,
red marks blooming on the bedsheet,
on my face,
on my shirt.
My eyes, still puffy,
still red
from the bleeding of the night before —
not from wounds,
but from weeping.
Eyes not meant to bleed,
yet they did.

And still,
no one noticed
the colourless blood I’ve spilled.
i wish my eyes never bled.......
 0° 
Kalliope
He was somber for most of his life
Until one day, he simply said no-
He wanted to explore, to be as he is,
Not swallowing storms just to cope.

So he'll make the changes, and drive all the miles,
Blue eyes lighting up in the sun-
Feeling lighter with every breath,
His traveling soul on the run.

He’ll gather stories of a life well-lived,
Dark days fading into the past-
A history he once held way too tightly,
Now softened by joy at last.

Maybe he’ll sing after drinks at the bar,
Or trade tales with unguarded delight.
And though it’s all so wonderfully new-
You can tell by his face: It’s just right.
There's not a playbook on how life should be
Let go and follow your truth, life is better lived free
 0° 
MS
It engulfs me
The vision of you,
But I can’t reach out.
 0° 
Yonah Jeong
rain rains
on the rivers

rain rains
on the clouds

rain rains
on the umbrellas

rain rains
on the cheeks

rains rain
on the flowers

rain is mixed
with tears for our future.
 0° 
Sherri Woodman
I felt safe in my depression                                                       ­Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  all black with no sharp edges
 0° 
Kaiden
As you float away,
Leaving years of your life behind,
Will you ever stop to think what it would be like
If that specific decision wasn't made?

As you take your final breath,
And look around the room,
Will you wonder about what else could happen to you?
About the life you could have had without him.

As you close your eyes
For one last time,
Will you forgive your child,
For trying to save you?
Or will you still love him after death?
i just hope she leaves him one day
Listen to the sound
of a butterfly
flying by

Feel the wind
from a bumblebee's buzzing

Clouds in the sky
The endless artwork
Three poems written by my beautiful wife.
 0° 
Qualyxian Quest
The religious conservatives are haters
Gay people, Muslims, modernity
Time tick tocks
I take care of my son

Falling
Falling
Falling
Pero un pequito fun

                Day is Done.
 0° 
Denxai Mcmillon
Can a daffodil
Not be deserving of praise
When near sunflowers?
 0° 
Zahra
I used to be
a difficult kid
when it came
to eating.
I didn’t
raid fridges
in quest
of food.
To ensure
my good
health,
my mother
fed me
spoonfuls
of bone pulp
on bunk beds.
She’d scoop
it out,
blowing air
to cool its fire,
then press it
into my
mouth
with the
quiet panic
only a mother
knows
fearful I’d turn
my head,
or spit
what she
believed
might
save me.
 0° 
Soul
The Lake of Woes
brimmed with crimson blood,
as darkness stirs
in the kingdom of the dead...
Answer my question please...
Is the future of our mother green earth going to be this?
mesmerized
eyes lost in the
heat, moment.
this night lit only
by blazing fire
and I want you
to dance with me.
I had someone's extra time and money
So I planted it in the rose garden
Man , that was a waste of time !
 0° 
MetaVerse

     Corinna, wake
     For Heavens sake,
You slothful Slug-a-bed!
     May is long past,
     And June flyes fast;
Roses are cherrie-red.

     Corinna, rise;
     Open your eies;
You sleep far far too much.
     Get up, or els
     Suffer the smells
Of an oven hot and Dutch!

 0° 
irinia
I carry your hands like waves breaking on the skin
your eyes get flammable like capsicum on innocent tongue
I have long conversations with this boiling sea
the sea bears the roundness of the moon
the moon reveals its wounds
the wounds shed their skins to feed
an undiscovered earth
 0° 
deanena tierney
So many things
I care nothing about now
As society says I should
My soul disagrees
 0° 
badwords
Beneath the surface of our giving,
A quiet echo, always living.
The hand extended, the gift bestowed,
Holds traces of what the heart is owed.

In every act of kindness shown,
A seed of self is always sown.
A smile exchanged, a burden shared,
The giver leaves their soul ensnared.

Transaction speaks in whispers faint,
Not loud enough to mar the saint.
Yet woven in the tapestry,
Is the thread of reciprocity.

Evolution’s pen, so deftly writ,
Has carved the rules; we benefit.
To give is to connect, survive,
To keep the fire of bonds alive.

But purest light, we chase, we yearn,
For altruism that won’t return.
A gift devoid of self, of gain,
A spotless deed, untouched by stain.

And here, the fallacy takes form,
A standard raised against the norm.
To cast aside what’s real, profound,
For lofty heights that can’t be found.

For in the real, the flawed, the small,
Lies beauty woven through it all.
A kindness fraught with give and take
Still soothes the wounds that living makes.

Should we dismiss imperfect grace,
Because it wears a human face?
Or hold it close, and see it whole,
A blend of heart, and mind, and soul.

The saintly act, the selfish cheer,
Are not as distant as they appear.
For even joy in giving free
Forms part of our humanity.

So let us honor deeds once spurned,
Where subtle trades of trust are earned.
And measure worth by what is done,
Not by the motives of the one.

For if perfection is the goal,
We’ll find no virtue in the soul.
Yet in the flawed, the fractured light,
Shines something real, and something right.

Reflection
Altruism is no saint’s domain,
But the hand that lifts through joy or pain.
A mirror held to humankind,
Revealing heart, and what’s behind.
A Reply to:
https://hellopoetry.com/poem/4926937/what-about-me/

**Synopsis**
This poem, Altruism's Mirror, explores the multifaceted nature of altruism, juxtaposing the realistic, transactional aspects of human kindness with the idealized concept of selfless giving. The verses acknowledge that altruistic acts, though often celebrated as purely selfless, are deeply entwined with human psychology, biology, and social constructs.

Through vivid imagery and reflective tones, the poem weaves a narrative that critiques the pursuit of "pure altruism" as an unattainable standard, likening this pursuit to the **Nirvana Fallacy**. It invites the reader to embrace the imperfection inherent in acts of kindness, emphasizing that flawed and transactional altruism still holds profound value in fostering connection, survival, and mutual support.

The poem also highlights the inherent beauty in altruistic acts, regardless of their underlying motivations. It challenges the dismissal of acts deemed "impure" for carrying elements of self-interest, reframing them as authentic expressions of humanity.

**Artist’s Intent:**
The poet aims to reconcile the tension between the ideal and the real, urging readers to move past the binary of "selfless" versus "self-serving" acts. Through this piece, the artist seeks to celebrate the complexity of altruism, emphasizing that its worth lies not in its perfection but in its impact. By embracing the transactional nature of giving as part of the human condition, the poem calls for a more compassionate and pragmatic view of altruistic behavior.

Ultimately, Altruism's Mirror is a meditation on human nature, inviting readers to find beauty in the nuanced interplay between generosity, self-interest, and connection. It challenges the notion that altruism must be pure to be meaningful, suggesting that the flawed, everyday acts of kindness are the truest reflections of our shared humanity.
 0° 
Elliott
I’ve been told I’m kind
I’ve been told I’m selfless
But as soon as I set a boundary I’m the bad guy
I’m sick of being walked all over
I’m sick of being taken advantage of
I’m sick of bending over backwards
I’m not the bad guy, or at least I try not to be
I don’t want to be the bad guy but you make me out to be
Stop making me out to be the bad guy, cause that’s just the wrong definition of me.
Written on 6/9/25
cut
i tried so hard
please forgive me mom
im sorry

im
so
so
sorry
i'm back after a month (i think)
 0° 
Elena Rosi
We’re more alike
than what we think
I certainly didn’t have to blink,
I already knew my heart
was made of ink.

Ink that helps me trace
words almost extinct.
In this community
Problems don’t shrink,
But our strength doesn’t sink.
Writing is not a hobby, it’s a way of life ✹✹
 0° 
Jana B
A bit tired
Casting for inspiration
Soul in there
Soulful
Sad
Separate
From everyone
Trying hard to say something
Acceptable
their
forms
like
wax
melted
in
white
smears
down
their
vase

star­Â­s
abandon
them

their
moon
eclipsed

beautiful
still
the
sun
whi­c­h
once
sustained
them
is
now
their
sworn
enemy

and
their
cloyi­ng­
scent
fills
only
the
nostrils
of

the

dead



SoulSurvivor aka
Write of Passage aka
Invisible inc akam
Catherine Jarvis
(C­) 1/31/2016



I have to throw away the flowers
I received on my birthday

They aren't white lillies
but the sunlight coming through
the window highlights them
 0° 
unnamed
I know how life is
People always let you down
Yet , the world still turns
Yes, I, too, used to have a Friday Face
and it was always in a happy place
on my face as you would expect.

but it fell
as I fell from grace
no longer a Friday Face
just a face
in the crowd
not even allowed to smile.

To grin?
no
already been
seen too much grinning
sinning
winning
*** all,

the fall
the fell
tensing as well,

I'm getting a Pug
a plug ugly Pug
if only to make me look
more attractive.
I hold my breath and count to ten, and sometimes, when I'm really bored, I hold my breath and do it again.
 0° 
Victor Hugo
Le Meurtre, d'une main violente, brise les liens
Les plus sacrés,
La Mort vient enlever le jeune homme florissant,
Et le Malheur s'approche comme un ennemi rusé
Au milieu des jours de fĂȘte.
Schiller.

I.

Modérons les transports d'une ivresse insensée ;
Le passage est bien court de la joie aux douleurs ;
La mort aime à poser sa main lourde et glacée
Sur des fronts couronnés de fleurs.
Demain, souillĂ©s de cendre, humbles, courbant nos tĂȘtes,
Le vain souvenir de nos fĂȘtes
Sera pour nous presque un remords ;
Nos jeux seront suivis des pompes sépulcrales ;
Car chez nous, malheureux ! l'hymne des saturnales
Sert de prélude au chant des morts.

II.

Fuis les banquets, fais trĂȘve Ă  ton joyeux dĂ©lire,
Paris, triste cité ! détourne tes regards
Vers le cirque oĂč l'on voit aux accords de la lyre
S'unir les prestiges des arts.
ChƓurs, interrompez-vous ; cessez, danses lĂ©gĂšres ;
Qu'on change en torches funéraires
Ces feux purs, ces brillants flambeaux ; -
Dans cette enceinte, auprĂšs d'une couche sanglante,
J'entends un prĂȘtre saint dont la voix chancelante
Dit la priĂšre des tombeaux.

Sous ces lambris, frappés des éclats de la joie,
PrĂšs d'un lit oĂč soupire un mourant Ă©tendu,
D'une famille auguste, au désespoir en proie,
Je vois le cortÚge éperdu.
C'est un pĂšre Ă  genoux, c'est un frĂšre en alarmes,
Une sƓur qui n'a point de larmes
Pour calmer ses sombres douleurs ;
Car ses affreux revers ont, dĂšs son plus jeune Ăąge,
Dans ses yeux, enflammés d'un si mùle courage,
Tari la source de ses pleurs.

Sur l'échafaud, aux cris d'un sénat sanguinaire,
Sa mÚre est morte en reine et son pÚre en héros ;
Elle a vu dans les fers périr son jeune frÚre,
Et n'a pu trouver des bourreaux.
Et, quand des rois ligués la main brisa ses chaßnes,
Longtemps, sur des rives lointaines,
Elle a fui nos bords désolés ;
Elle a revu la France, aprĂšs tant de misĂšres,
Pour apprendre, en rentrant au palais de ses pĂšres,
Que ses maux n'étaient pas comblés.

Plus ****, c'est une épouse... Oh ! qui peindra ses craintes,
Sa force, ses doux soins, son amour assidu ?
Hélas ! et qui dira ses lamentables plaintes,
Quand tout espoir sera perdu ?
Quels étaient nos transports, Î vierge de Sicile,
Quand naguĂšre Ă  ta main docile
Berry joignit sa noble main !
Devais-tu donc, princesse, en touchant ce rivage,
Voir sitĂŽt succĂ©der le crĂȘpe du veuvage
Au chaste voile de l'***** ?

Berry, quand nous vantions ta paisible conquĂȘte,
Nos chants ont réveillé le dragon endormi ;
L'Anarchie en grondant a relevĂ© sa tĂȘte,
Et l'enfer mĂȘme en a frĂ©mi.
Elle a rugi ; soudain, du milieu des ténÚbres,
Clément poussa des cris funÚbres,
Ravaillac agita ses fers ;
Et le monstre, étendant ses deux ailes livides,
Aux applaudissements des ombres régicides,
S'envola du fond des enfers.

Le démon, vers nos bords tournant son vol funeste,
Voulut, brisant ces lys qu'il flétrit tant de fois,
Epuiser d'un seul coup le déplorable reste
D'un sang trop fertile en bons rois.
Longtemps le sbire obscur qu'il arma pour son crime,
RĂȘveur, autour de la victime
Promena ses affreux loisirs ;
Enfin le ciel permet que son vƓu s'accomplisse ;
Pleurons tous, car le meurtre a choisi pour complice
Le tumulte de nos plaisirs.

Le fer brille... un cri part : guerriers, volez aux armes !
C'en est fait ; la duchesse accourt en pĂąlissant ;
Son bras soutient Berry, qu'elle arrose de larmes,
Et qui l'inonde de son sang.
Dressez un lit funÚbre : est-il quelque espérance ?...
Hélas ! un lugubre silence
A condamné son triste époux.
Assistez-le, madame, en ce moment horrible ;
Les soins cruels de l'art le rendront plus terrible,
Les vĂŽtres le rendront plus doux.

Monarque en cheveux blancs, hĂąte-toi, le temps presse ;
Un Bourbon va rentrer au sein de ses aĂŻeux ;
Viens, accours vers ce fils, l'espoir de ta vieillesse ;
Car ta main doit fermer ses yeux !
Il a béni sa fille, à son amour ravie ;
Puis, des vanités de sa vie
Il proclame un noble abandon ;
Vivant, il pardonna ses maux Ă  la patrie ;
Et son dernier soupir, digne du Dieu qu'il prie,
Est encore un cri de pardon.

Mort sublime ! ĂŽ regrets ! vois sa grande Ăąme et pleure,
Porte au ciel tes clameurs, Î peuple désolé !
Tu l'as trop peu connu ; c'est Ă  sa derniĂšre heure
Que le héros s'est révélé.
Pour consoler la veuve, apportez l'orpheline ;
Donnez sa fille Ă  Caroline,
La nature encore a ses droits.
Mais, quand périt l'espoir d'une tige féconde,
Qui pourra consoler, dans se terreur profonde,
La France, veuve de ses rois ?

À l'horrible rĂ©cit, quels cris expiatoires
Vont poussez nos guerriers, fameux par leur valeur !
L'Europe, qu'ébranlait le bruit de leurs victoires,
Va retentir de leur douleur.
Mais toi, que diras-tu, chÚre et noble Vendée ?
Si longtemps de sang inondée,
Tes regrets seront superflus ;
Et tu seras semblable à la mÚre accablée,
Qui s'assied sur sa couche et pleure inconsolée,
Parce que son enfant n'est plus !

BientÎt vers Saint-Denis, désertant nos murailles,
Au bruit sourd des clairons, peuple, prĂȘtres, soldats,
Nous suivrons à pas lents le char des funérailles,
Entouré des chars des combats.
Hélas ! jadis souillé par des mains téméraires,
Saint-Denis, oĂč dormaient ses pĂšres,
A vu déjà bien des forfaits ;
Du moins, puisse, Ă  l'abri des complots parricides,
Sous ces murs profanés, parmi ces tombes vides,
Sa cendre reposer en paix !

III.

D'Enghien s'étonnera, dans les célestes sphÚres,
De voir sitĂŽt l'ami, cher Ă  ses jeunes ans,
À qui le vieux CondĂ©, prĂȘt Ă  quitter nos terres,
Léguait ses devoirs bienfaisants.
À l'aspect de Berry, leur derniĂšre espĂ©rance,
Des rois que révÚre la France
Les ombres frémiront d'effroi ;
Deux héros gémiront sur leurs races éteintes,
Et le vainqueur d'Ivry viendra mĂȘler ses plaintes
Aux pleurs du vainqueur de Rocroy.

Ainsi, Bourbon, au bruit du forfait sanguinaires,
On te vit vers d'Artois accourir désolé ;
Car tu savais les maux que laisse au cƓur d'un pùre
Un fils avant l'ùge immolé.
Mais bientĂŽt, chancelant dans ta marche incertaine,
L'affreux souvenir de Vincennes
Vint s'offrir à tes sens glacés ;
Tu pĂąlis ; et d'Artois, dans la douleur commune,
Sembla presque oublier sa récente infortune,
Pour plaindre tes revers passés.

Et toi, veuve éplorée, au milieu de l'orage
Attends des jours plus doux, espĂšre un sort meilleur ;
Prends ta sƓur pour modùle, et puisse ton courage
Etre aussi grand que ton malheur !
Tu porteras comme elle une urne funéraire ;
Comme elle, au sein du sanctuaire,
Tu gémiras sur un cercueil ;
L'hydre des factions, qui, par des morts célÚbres,
A marquĂ© pour ta sƓur tant d'Ă©poques funĂšbres,
Te fait aussi ton jour de deuil !

IV.

Pourtant, ĂŽ frĂȘle appui de la tige royale,
Si Dieu par ton secours signale son pouvoir,
Tu peux sauver la France, et de l'hydre infernale
Tromper encor l'affreux espoir.
Ainsi, quand le Serpent, auteur de tous les crimes,
Vouait d'avance aux noirs abĂźmes
L'homme que son forfait perdit,
Le Seigneur abaissa sa farouche arrogance ;
Une femme apparut, qui, faible et sans défense,
Brisa du pied son front maudit.

Février 1820.
 0° 
ProfMoonCake
A familiar longing haunts me,
for a face I've never seen,
a body I've never held
and a mind I've never known.
 0° 
Joel K
She called me over when her parents left, and invited me over for a date.
Before I was in her room
It was advised to bring some protection.
Latex?

All for her to be done?
————

Latex Gloves.
I pulled out and began scanning my fingers across her room.

At the end of the room :vines.

Vines from trees, flowers emerging through and from. An allergenic smell emitted—carving out the thick toxins as they fell onto the floor like a staircase of crumbling debris.
Like pages of books falling flat onto the floor ill by the plague and far from recovery.

The smell of lavendery-daffodils. Like new laundry, everything was scented in this room, by color and by smell.

No visualization decoded by my eyes all because they were fried.
Red and puffed.

The frequency in the room, making zap-roided sounds.
Electric like all the different shades of blue, a savory sound and a unironic taste.
I would not want to explain because I kept it all to myself.

I marveled at it all and not whatever was in front of me.

I viewed her emotions as inferior to this delight of a room.

Far better than anything sensory she could of course do.

A distraction these walls became
Overwhelming to me was not the best of both worlds.

The only distractions were nothing but this interior design

I wrote this for comedic purposes and simply out of boredom. It basically just sums up how this guy misses out on what was implied and ends up doing his own thing. Which is more pleasing than what would be implied to him.
Hence the name
“Suggestive Language.”
The Battles of Life,
through sickness, and through health,
through blessings, and good wealth,
all the trials, tribulations, and
everything else,
the wants, and the needs, and
the envious, and the greed,
the feeling of success, and
wanting to succeed!!!
the feeling of hope, the feeling of fear,
the feeling of Challenges, and
the fact that they are near,
don't give in, and don't Cave in,
Stay on the road of
excellency, because
YES!!!
YOU CAN WIN!!!
Keep your eye on the prize,
Keep working for it, and
YOU WILL SEE,
YOU DO HAVE THE ABILITY,
YOU JUST GOT
TO BELIEVE!!!!
AVOID SELFISHNESS, and
CARELESSNESS, and
ALL OF THE ABOVE,
Do your VERY, VERY BEST,
I AM SAYING THIS TO
YOU WITH LOVE!!!!
THE THINGS that we ENDURE,
with AGILITY, and with STRIFE,
the CHALLENGES that we FACE,
THESE ARE THE BATTLES OF LIFE!!!


B.R.
Date: 6/29/2025
 0° 
Daniii
¿Quién soy,
si cada pensamiento que tengo
muere apenas nace?

ÂżSoy el que piensa,
o soy el que escucha al que piensa,
o soy el que duda de ambos?

Camino por el mundo
con la certeza de que todo es incierto.
Y cuando toco una verdad,
se deshace entre mis dedos como ceniza de un fuego que nunca vi.

¿Y si la realidad es un sueño
de un dios que ya se olvidó de soñar?
ÂżY si somos notas sueltas
de una canciĂłn que nunca llegĂł a escribirse completa?

A veces creo que la muerte
no es el final,
sino el despertar.

Y esta vida

Âżno serĂĄ acaso el insomnio del alma?

La gente habla de libertad
pero vive encadenada a nombres, a cuerpos,
a rutinas que llaman “vida”
como si eso alcanzara.

Yo no quiero sentido.
Quiero saber quién lo puso ahí.
Quiero encontrar al que escribiĂł las reglas
y preguntarle por qué las hizo tan rotas.

Porque amar duele.
Pensar duele.
Ser
 duele más.

Tal vez por eso existen las palabras,
para que el alma grite sin romper el cuerpo.

Tal vez por eso escribo,
para dejarle a la eternidad
una pregunta sin respuesta
con mi nombre debajo.

Derechos de autor ©

~Daniii
a hum in the head of the moon

a word in the wash of the stars

heard well above the din
brightly poured forth

red roaring light
in one last lunge

and done

a part           of yourself
apart            from yourself

dusted away
once upon a shelf
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