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 Mar 2015
Prodigy
I used to be able to write poems.

I could make them rhyme,
make them happy,
make them sad.
I could make them flow,
make them float,
make them feel.

I could put into words
everything I felt,
everything I knew.
I could pour my heart out
onto the paper,
onto the screen.

But then something changed.

I lost the spark that I had,
that inspiration,
that drive.
I lost the thing that kept me going,
that encouraged me,
that pushed me on.

I lost the one who made me laugh
when I was tired,
when I wanted to quit.
I lost the one who told me to write
when I was out of ideas
when I was frustrated.

I lost the one who made writing worthwhile.

I lost you.

I used to be able to write poems;
Now, I just feel them.
 Feb 2015
MereCat
In my town
    The streets are paved
         With gold
              Because the rain
            Runs an infinitely unfinished race
        And the streets
   Are run thick with sky
       That swills above blocked drains
            And the street lamps
               Take a bathe in the puddles
                  And their lights
                       Unravel and swim
                     And sometimes
                  The wind gusts through
              And lacerates the
           Rivers of hoarded treasure
       So that our good fortune
           Is molten and fickle
             But somehow viscous
                  And the promises
                        Of our childhood
                            Wrinkle like
                               Aging skin

In my town
       The streets are paved with gold
           And so are the broken pieces
   Of their beer bottles.
 Feb 2015
Amitav Radiance
The morning face
Aglow with warmth
Darkness paves way
To a bright new day
Gossips of the night
Under the starry world
Without inhibitions
Wanton hearts danced
Forayed into darkness
To steal into the secrets
Unwrapped souls
Heartening pleasures
Two reckless souls
Lay there, waiting for new day
To renew the night’s pact
Kissing the morning face
Quivering lips welcome
Beautiful dreams come alive
The crimson blush
Reminds of a fervent appeal
Another day
Shall slip into the night
As will two souls cusp
Yearning for a union
Till, another day beckons
 Feb 2015
Ranjini Malhotra
ghagras twirling
               veils swirling 
                                   anklets tinkling
silver at her neck
how she adorns herself!
regal as a queen
but cannot conceal
her banjara soul


gypsy blood flows in her veins
a thousand stars alight upon her veil
fuchsia and orange set fire to the dusk
twilight is thick with her magic
she sways with the grace of a peacock
bends like a willow to the breeze
dances in celebration of her soul
her smile a universal knowing


none can slow her pace
beauty this wild leaves only a trace
slips airily past eyes
drunk with desire
to beguile the moon in his heaven


she answers the call of the wanderer within
casts only laughter on the restless wind
this desert rose
this woman child
this gypsy queen
this banjara
This poem is called Banjara. The Banjara are a colorful group of nomadic people found in India in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh and in Sindh Province in Pakistan. They are often called the gypsies of India. (source Wikipedia). Banjara women are often beautifully dressed.
If my life were a painting,
It would be of the night.
Of rain on pavements,
Reflecting street lights.
And sat on a bench,
shadowed and dark,
Would be a boy in a coat,
Too big and covered in marks.

But life isn't painting,
But a series of stills,
And if you wind the reel forward,
The boy grows, the coat he fills.
And now, another figure joins him,
Pulls him off the bench, to his feet,
And now, they start dancing,
In each other's arms, down the street.

Drenched in rain,
He takes off his coat,
Wraps it around her,
And pulls out a ring and a note.
With a tear of joy, she nods,
With a nervous laugh, he stands,
The sun starts to rise,
As they hold each other's hands.

Then, just a frame or two on,
A small figure runs up to the pair,
And the boy - now a man,
Lifts the child in the air.
Smiling, he holds his wife and child close,
And wipes the rain from their faces,
As the sun is overhead,
And light shines onto their embraces.

And so a new painting forms,
Brighter, now the sun's above,
And the coat around her shoulders,
Reminds her of his love.
In light of the fact you ******* hate me,
Please refrain from your ******* game,
You've made it clear through years of torture,
That disgust runs through your every vein.

In light of the fact you know I'm lonely,
Please stop reminding me every day,
I don't need you to show me a new path,
If it's alright with you I'll just stay.

In light of the fact I've heard your crying,
Don't think I believe your act,
I'm fully aware that you feel emotion,
I was there the day you cracked.

In light of the fact you wish I'd die,
I might decide to do just that,
Would it make you feel so much better?
If my heart's line was finally flat?

In light of the fact I'm sick of your ****,
Could you please shut the **** up?
If only you understood quite how hard it is,
To drink trust from a broken cup.

In light of the fact I've had enough,
Maybe you could leave me alone?
If you let me get on with my crumbling life,
I'll let you get on with your own.
 Feb 2015
Mirlotta
When the boy was born

He was born with not much hair

But swaddled up quick

In much too much

Soft pink cotton

Because colours mattered

Even back then

Even if you were colour blind and couldn’t care less

If the cotton was pink or blue or

Green



And then the boy turned one

Wispy hair like outdoor breeze

And a little pink

Pinafore dress and pink tights

And far too many

Cooing aunties with blood splatter cheeks -

The uncles weren’t expected to coo

(Even back then) because

Cooing was a girl’s

Thing



So after time the boy was two

Fine blonde hair with more ribbon than pigtail

And his very first

Barbie doll (he called it Barney)

And not enough

Time allowed to play with

His older brother’s toy cars because

“Doesn’t Barbie want some attention, darling?

Cars are only for your

Brother.”



In a bit the boy was three

Tufty yellow hair like grass

And his first

Ever day at the nursery at the top of the hill

They read a book about

Pinocchio and the boy

Went home and asked his

Mother whether he would get  

to be a real boy

Too?



It wasn’t long and the boy was four

Curly hair like thin blonde string

Youngest in reception class

Even back then he

Didn’t want to

Wear a skirt

(the girls wore skirts)

When all the boys were

Wearing ironed straight grey

trousers



All too soon the boy was five

His hair was long: his father wanted him

To grow it out like Rapunzel because

That’s how he had to look if he expected to marry a prince

But the boy didn’t

Want to marry a prince because

He wanted to be a prince

Even back then and

Princes never married other

Princes



In a while the boy was six

His mother had told him not to be so silly

When he’d asked to cut his hair

Because it was absurd to think of a

Girl with short hair

Or a boy with long hair

Even back then

Especially back then

When the world was even younger and even more

Judgemental



By his next birthday the boy was seven

He’d cut off his hair

With the classroom safety scissors

His mother cried and in class

They played a game with Venn diagrams

Where all the boys went in one circle and

The girls sat in another but

The boy went in the boys’ circle

And his teacher told him to stay behind after class and she’d explain Venn diagrams

Again



Soon enough the boy was eight

And he was outcast and called weird not because of his funny haircut

But because the other children

Couldn’t see him for him

And let their sight be clouded

By the body the boy was caged in

And when the boy rattled at the bars

They laughed and jeered

Like he was the prime exhibit in the zoo they went to on

School trips.



It took time, but the boy was nine

His father was trying to convince him to grow his hair again

But he didn’t want to

He didn’t want anything but

To be allowed to be himself

But even though uniqueness and

Individuality was promoted

In his School Assemblies he knew

No one like him and that meant he was

Strange



The boy blew out ten candles

Wearing a party hat on his head

But no one came to his party because

No one wanted to be his friend

Except for Sarah and she was

Even more outcast than him because

She played kissy-tag with other girls

And even the outcast look down on the more outcast

Than them so Sarah hadn’t been invited to his

Party


The clock ticked and the boy was eleven

He’d dyed his hair a lighter shade of blonde

To disguise the black poison gas that

Shrouded his happiness like a soul-******* coffee machine

His parents were worried

Because hhadn’t grown out of it

And it wasn’t just

One of those things and the other

Children noticed and they

Jeered



The boy turned twelve but he didn’t want to

He ran his hands through his cauliflower hair

And he wanted to die rather than

Have to lie about who he really was inside when no one would accept him

And when he ran the blade across his wrists

He felt more bitter relief than anything

As the pain washed away with the

Rushing red river of blood and shame and he didn’t listen to bullies anymore

Because he wasn’t just dead inside he was

Dead
(I'm not trans myself, so I'm deeply sorry if this offends anyone. If it  does offend you, please don't hesitate to tell me and I will take it down.)
 Feb 2015
Kamille Elizabeth
I never think much about the fact that I am black.
I know I am black.
Like I know I am a girl,
Like I know I am an American,
Like I know I am nineteen.
It is a fact; I am black.

I hate when people say I am not.
My parents are black.
Their parents are black.
We are black.
Look at my skin,
It's dark and it's beautiful.
How could I not be black?
I am black.

I hate when people say I don't 'act' black.
How does one act to be considered black?
How am I acting? How is it not black?
Look at my skin,
It's dark and it's beautiful.
How could I not act black?
I am black.

I hate when people say I speak like a white person.
A way of speaking is not exclusive to race.
I am not white.
I do not speak like a white person.
My words are coming out of my black mouth.
I speak properly,
The way my black parents raised me to.
Look at my skin,
Its dark and it's beautiful.
How could I not speak black?
I am black.

I HATE when people say I am a white person trapped in a black body.
I have NEVER heard anything more insulting.
I am NOT trapped.
This color is NOT a cell.
I wear it proudly.
Look at MY skin,
It is DARK and it is BEAUTIFUL!
How could I ever be trapped?
I am black.

I am in no way white,
Nor do I ever want to be.
I am black
And black is beautiful
I am black; that is never going to change.
 Feb 2015
epictails
Be careful little lady for the world is ill
It beguiles you deeply to its will
And then you wake up everyday with no thrill

Love they judge as taboo
The hopeful who cares they misconstrue
As an idiot with a loose *****

The truth is but a faraway fancy
With people living for themselves only
Lies here and there, truth being heard deafly

Peace is a dying cliche
Violence, aggression all they pray
The dignity of many turning into decay

So you see my dear,sweet innocence
Open your eyes but embrace this reality with grievance
One that has lost its meaning and balance
But with you, a believer, a kind soul, might still give it a chance
Do take action with love and not vengeance
For you can still save a world stripped of conscience
This is the (sort of) sequel to my poem A Letter to Mother. This would be like the mother's reply to her child's questions. I urge everyone who gets to read this to let your little siblings or children  know how they can take action in issues that have shaken and continue shaking our morale as a society.
Here is a young boy,
His heart has been crushed,
His innocence has already been stolen,
By the gun in his hands.

Here is a teenager,
Death a normality,
Trusting only in hate,
For those he once loved.

Here is a young man,
Believing in revenge,
For a crime he never saw,
Against someone he never knew.

Here is a father,
"Protecting" his daughter,
Showing her the path he chose,
Putting her finger on the trigger.

Here is an old man,
Regretting his life,
Hating himself for all he did,
But all too late.

Now here is a young girl,
Who lives far away,
Who doesn't understand,
But knows she is hated.

People avoid her,
Afraid? Or unsure?
The garment on her head,
Fills her with shame.

This girl never touched a gun.

The boy did not know what he was doing.

His daughter doesn't want to ****.

But it is too late now,
Society has grasped a concept,
And it's claws dig deep,
It won't let go.
 Jan 2015
Unpuresoul
My tears aren't of pain
I have nothing to gain
I just have to keep my demons tame
It's hard to do when you're insane

I cry from my shadows point of view
Hoping my life will reach a breakthrough  
Thoughts flow through my head like a typhoon
If I am to die it will be to soon

How many trials must I endure
To take the test is to be sure
My heart is everything but pure
I will fight; it is my turn

Have you tried suicide, it is quite nice
For if you fail your life will not suffice
The gate keeper is the one you must entice
While you take the chance and roll the dice
 Jan 2015
eunsung aka Silas
dew drops glisten
as the morning light dances
in peaceful silence

in peaceful silence
the great eastern sun rises
greening the ridges


Greening the ridges
Of the mountains and the vales
Delightful—serene.

Delightful— Serene
Flowers Waltz Upon The Ground
Feel The Rising Sun

Feeling the rising sun
Beaming on angelic faces
Leaving a heart dazed


Leaving a heart dazed
In love with this tranquil scenery -
A true beauty!

A true beauty
Of love and colours,
Brightening life forever.


Brightnening life forever,
Like a dove engulfed in a clear sky,
Yet a trick of our sore eyes.

Yet a trick of our sore eyes
Cannot obscure the glistening
Of whispered rain


of whispered rain
which drenches our mother earth
in a warm and loving embrace

In a warm and loving embrace,
The winds prance apace
While the rain sings its tranquil grace


while the rain sings it's tranquil grace
my soul dances with joy and
my heart joins in the song of the universe
To anyone who would like to add onto this, please leave your lines on comments and I will update it as
people add on.  This is an ongoing collaborative piece.  

The format is 3 lines, and 1st line begins with the last line of previous 3 lines.  I discovered this way of collaborating on a different site and it's like playing telephone with poetry.  You can add multiple times as long as you are not responding to yourself.  It feels like a fun game with words.

1st stanza & 12th stanza written by me
2nd stanza written by John from Austin, TX
3rd stanza by Timothy: http://hellopoetry.com/timothy/
4th stanza by Marian: http://hellopoetry.com/marian/
5th stanza by Cat aka catbrd:
http://hellopoetry.com/cathy-s/
6th stanza by Blythe:
http://hellopoetry.com/blythe/
7th stanza &11th stanza by Mercury Chap:
http://hellopoetry.com/mercury-chap/
8th stanza by Snowy Writer:
http://hellopoetry.com/SnowyWriter/
9th stanza by Parsavagely Kompenere
http://hellopoetry.com/parsavagely-kompenere/
10th stanza by Pamela Rae:
http://hellopoetry.com/pamela-rae/
A teenager, consumed by hate,
Stayed up incredibly late,
Struggling to sleep,
Though the darkness grew deep,
He convinced himself of his own fate.

His hands reached to open the pills,
As he sought to make himself ill,
But he remembered a friend,
Who prevented his end,
And in a moment he ran out of will.

Alone he decided to write,
Of how he was feeling that night,
The response he received,
Filled him with glee,
And drowned his heart in delight.

So he started to write more and more,
For longer than ever before,
He finished a book,
Immediately hooked,
Though he wasn't sure exactly what for.
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