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Devin Johns Dec 2024
Only the sloth knows
he can outrun the jaguar
and out-leap the monkey.
He could strike faster than the snake,
and his cry would drown out the howling wolves,
but he knows no haste,
no desire,
no shame,
no pride,
for the sloth knows
all that ever was
and ever will be,
that nothing will ever change,
and everything is new,
the inevitability of love and death,
the futility of struggle.
The future flows over him,
as he aligns himself
to greet his destiny fulfilled.
His heart, though, is never still,
roaring with silent elation
for your joy and mine
and of those before
and those to come,
wailing a soundless lament
for all our pain.
Matthew Harper Oct 2024
Wrath

No matter what I do or say,
I’m never enough, always a step away.
I try to keep up, wear myself thin,
But all I feel is the burn within.
If I could change, I swear I would,
But trying and failing still hurts, as it should.


Pride

In the mirror, I see a man undone,
Not proud, but broken, the lesser one.
No arrogance here, no smug facade,
Only a soul bruised, and left flawed.
Superior? No, I shrink from the view,
Hating myself far more than I do you.


Lust

Lust is a sneaky, seductive beast,
I’ve given in, but found no feast.
Those urges led to hollow roads,
But I broke free, shed those heavy loads.
Desire comes, but I’ve learned to be,
Unshackled, with a heart finally free.


Greed

I once held tight, refusing to share,
The world was mine, I didn’t care.
But time changed me, and now I see,
Greed’s lost its hold, no longer on me.
My hand is now open, I’ve learned to give,
Unburdened, I can finally live.


Envy

I used to ache for someone's life,
Trapped in longing, never satisfied.
Why not me? I’d wonder and weep,
Until something shifted, I could sleep.
Now I’m a man content with less,
Grateful in ways I never confess.


Gluttony

Food may not be my chosen vice,
I’ve drowned in pleasures, paid the price.
It is but the need to fill,
The endless void that lingers still.
This hunger for escape, it eats away,
But I know its tricks, it's clear as day.


Sloth

I set my goals, yet never reach,
Room to grow, but I don’t breach.
I drift through days, no purpose found,
A ghost in waiting, with silent sound.
What is my worth, what should I be?
I ache for meaning, to finally see.
sarah shahzad Aug 2024
Poem on Sloth and Nature


Throws itself around on its tail,

Trees wrapped between its globe,

Shallow pools reflect in repeat

It’s all it sees now,


Dried up meadows,

During the summer rays,

The trees cool off,

Humid air rises on,


Delicate branches,

Made just for itself,

To wrap around,

And hang upside down,


Its world is all that it sees,

The trees between each other,

Leaving no far space in between,

Its world, the one, it is able to grasp.

https://poemtheart.com/embrace-of-the-canopy/
By Sarah Shahzad, July 2024
This poem beautifully captures the unique and serene environment of a sloth in its arboreal habitat.

The poem begins with the imagery of a sloth moving slowly and deliberately, using its tail to navigate its surroundings. The “trees wrapped between its globe” suggests the sloth’s entire world is encompassed by the trees it inhabits. The “shallow pools reflect in repeat” implies a sense of continuity and repetition in its tranquil life.

The “dried up meadows” and “summer rays” indicate the heat of summer, while “the trees cool off” suggests that the trees provide a respite from the heat. “Humid air rises on” evokes the tropical climate where sloths are often found, highlighting the contrast between the dry ground and the cool canopy.

The poem emphasizes the sloth’s relationship with its habitat. The “delicate branches” seem perfectly suited for the sloth to “wrap around, And hang upside down,” capturing the essence of its slow, inverted lifestyle. This suggests a harmonious adaptation to its environment.

The final stanza reflects on the sloth’s limited yet contented perspective. “Its world is all that it sees” indicates that the sloth’s life is confined to the trees it lives in. “The trees between each other, Leaving no far space in-between” suggests a dense, interconnected forest canopy. The phrase “Its world the one it is able to grasp” conveys the idea that the sloth’s world is small but complete, defined by what it can physically interact with and understand.

Overall Interpretation
“Embrace of the Canopy” portrays the sloth’s intimate connection with its arboreal environment. The poem uses vivid imagery to highlight the sloth’s slow, deliberate movements and its adaptation to life among the trees. It reflects on the sloth’s limited but fulfilling perspective, finding contentment within its immediate surroundings. The poem captures the serenity and simplicity of the sloth’s existence, emphasizing the beauty and harmony of life in the treetops.

Embrace Of The Canopy   Sloth
Zywa May 2023
With the proceeds he bought the bank
the water company and computer halls
Modern Monopoly. He invested
in advanced filters and the internet

With a wink he kept his title
'Landlord'. Ah, the good old days
Now we are the owners, we pay
the subscriptions and pay off our debt

Things are going well, fewer members
are active, there is talk on the sidelines
and self-interested owners
collect proxies

The administrator acts
opportunistically and follows
the outside world
There is a call

for another system:
with so little involvement
a transfer of power will do -
blank until business is done
Democratic decision tot delegate executive, legislative, and judicial powers to one person of group of super-rich

Landlord / Corps noble (noble body), Corps social (social body) / Aristocracy, Oligarchy

Association of Homeowners / Corps législatif (legislative body) / Democracy

Delegate / Corps commun (communal body) / Populist totalitarianism (Ochlocracy)

Collection "The drama"
Zywa Apr 2023
Today was a draft,

but tomorrow I will start --


a fresh piece of life.
"Tri sestry" ("Three Sisters", 1901, Anton Tchechov)

Collection "Shelter"
Zywa Feb 2023
Between a problem

and my actual action --


lies a nowhereland.
Column "Wees geen eikel" ("Don't be a loaf", 2023, Ellen Deckwitz)

Nowhereland: Limbo, after: Limbus puerorum = Antechamber of heaven for unbaptised infants

Collection "Actively Passive"
Zywa Nov 2022
There's always something,

something that is in my way --


even if it's me.
#168 "Sir Bumble makes complete" / "The completion" (1981, Marten Toonder)

Collection "Bearer Toonder"
Zywa Oct 2022
Stop it! Stop your talks!

Or do you want me to think --


and make a mistake?
#114 "Heer Bommel en het nieuwe denken" (#114 "Sir Bumble and the new thinking", 1966, Marten Toonder)

Collection "Bearer Toonder"
Zywa Jul 2022
I never go far

in my yard, I'm too afraid --


that I will get tired.
"The introduction - Faxing to Ger #1", May 2nd, 1997 (2017, Nicolien Mizee)

Collection "Out of place"
Zywa Apr 2022
An automatic

contract extension is ease --


instead of reason.
Conservatism

Collection "Half The Work"
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