"outdid" poems
EᔕᔕᕼI
~ ⚪♫⚪ ~
The kitchen's air is redolent with spices,
peppers and cinnamon, all-spice and star
anise, thyme and curry. The cooks are
shouting orders; taking rose-silver pots
and copper pans; each having the print
of the Lily of Aurelinaea; from the wooden
shelves, plates and bowls from the cup-
boards; some are stirring soups over
coal-fire stoves; others are dicing carrots,
potatoes, fresh poultry and more.
~ ⚪♫⚪ ~
Esshi, in a light-green off-the-shoulder
dress of rose-silk with a triple ruffle trim,
lined with yellow ribbon, a thigh high slit and
white lilies beadery, is speaking to the head-chef
who nods. "Certainly, Lady Esshi." he says
and turns to his busy staff. "Bring out
the paella pans! We have orders for the
Queen Mother!"
"Yes, chef!" a woman says as she pulls
out a rose-silver paella pan and places
it on the stove. The head-chef turns to
Esshi. "You need not worry, Lady Esshi,"
he smiles. "I will make the dishes with
care."
~ ⚪♫⚪ ~
"You always do, Bael," Esshi chuckles as
he washes his hands and she walks to
the corner, sighing. 'My Lady...'
she thinks worried.
"Lady Esshi?" her thoughts are broken
by a woman's voice. She turns to see a
florist behind her. *'So lost in thought,
that I did not hear the door open.'*
She thinks as her eyes fall on the flower
vase.
~ ⚪♫⚪ ~
The vase is art noveau style; a deep emerald
green with a maiden in flowing silks, her
hair bejewelled with lilies. Esshi's eyes then
rise to look at the flower arrangement - white
lilies with lilac kisses, purple roses and
several stems of lavender.
"Lady Ainhara said I should bring this to you."
"It's lovely," Esshi sniffs the fresh flowers.
"Very beautiful! You certainly outdid yourself.
It's for our young Queen, I take it?"
"Yes. And Lady Ainhara said I should bring
you this also."
She sees her place some paper, quill and ink down
and Esshi smiles.
Sep 15, 2018
Sep 15, 2018 at 3:41 PM UTC
Momentary
mourning peace.
Mama pours a glass of mulled wine,
lights a scented candle
(- "cherries on snow" -)
and drinks to ol' Joan.
Passed down with the jewellery box,
somewhere in the will, the daughters
receive the annual chore of roasting
the turkey (delicious!) and the veggies
(good job!) and (could you pass the?) breadsauce
for their brothers and husbands huddled
on a threadbare sofa -- and a younger girl,
barely there, staring at a laptop screen.
Mama's not festive - always too tired -
barely celebrates, but orchestrates.
Years barely there 'cause she's needed in their kitchen
and someone's gotta cook can she please get a hand? and
one chivalrous male puffs out his chest, takes one for the team, gestures to the girl with no discernible attention span and
half-laughs an "ay, one day this'll be you!
Best get in there while you're young!"
((A baritone chorus of laughter.))
"You outdid yourself on the turkey."
"S'great, ain't it? Pass the potatoes."
Sometimes here, sometimes Spain.
We stay over. It's tradition: we're
scattered across the country,
maid duties are the least she can do.
Never our kitchen or living room.
Tiny. Messy. Unwelcoming.
Come Boxing Day, Mama gives
a bear hug goodbye and an
"it's good to see you";
Because it is, she thinks.
Thank you for inviting me
to carry out your labour.
I'm just grateful to be needed.
A month of red 'SALE' tapes
scouring the clearance shelves;
overtime for extra cash
scraped to afford the food she cooks you;
paying half for gifts she'd brainstormed
while Dad buys partial credit on the gift tag.
We vanish from your house
- like elves -
by morning.
Dec 7, 2018
Dec 7, 2018 at 8:17 AM UTC
Seasons melted one into one,
Transfixed was I at the magic they flaunt!
Harvesting love is all I did,
Plenty of hearts I need to feed.
A heart started homing the heart of one more,
Transfixed was I at how love could soar!
Harvesting love is all I did,
Love is what life embodied.
A time walked into another time,
Transfixed was I at the passage of prime,
Harvesting love is all I did,
Although it’s time who outdid.
Mar 29, 2016
Mar 29, 2016 at 1:48 AM UTC
As he gazed on my face
I saw waves of emotion
rise and crash
in his deep almond eyes
and I became a river
hurtling down to join
the mighty current
When he whispered to me
honeyed words of passion
in the enormity of silence
I blossomed
into
a red tulip of love
As he played on the strings
of my heart’s violin
I got tuned
into an alluring symphony
When he held my palms
I evolved into
a beautiful painting
on a blank canvas
When he cupped my face
to stamp on my lips
the seal of love
I became
a flitting butterfly
When he lifted me up
in his arms
all the stars came down
to see the spark in my eyes
wondering if it outdid
their combined lustre
Dec 1, 2017
Dec 1, 2017 at 10:36 AM UTC
quipping maliciously
the learned scholar
outdid himself
and keeled over backward
into a huge barrel
of seething criticism
Mar 9, 2015
Mar 9, 2015 at 4:26 PM UTC
The 25th of April was just gone
I had no time to prepare
My beautiful kids done wrong
I had to just watch and stare
The mother decided it was best
So they took the bus
The night before was a sleepless rest
Then everything rushed
Now I stay in this dark room
Holding their toys
His favorite was his vroom vroom
Because it made the most noise
The livingroom hasn't been touched
I keep the door closed
This feeling is more than enough
Cause my heart has froze
They were more than just two kids
They gave me light
My niece and nephew outdid
Everything in sight
Rose could barely make words
Cyler was a chatter
Together they were beautiful birds
And the world didn't matter
I taught them beautiful things
Like beatboxing a sound
I wanna handle what life brings
Even if they aren't around
I don't know how to stop my cry
Because I miss my loves
I wish I could've got a better goodbye
*Maybe one last hug...*
Apr 28, 2016
Apr 28, 2016 at 10:20 AM UTC
YOUNG-OLD-LADY
I saw this ad in the paper and I was intrigued by it
Because it said: young-old-lady
So I got in touch with her!
She said: “I am young in heart but old in body”
But my *** drive is still quite hardy.
So I put her to the test and she outdid all the rest.
You see: I was a young woman of the night
Until I got into a fight.
She was twice my size- and messed up both my eyes
So it became hard for me to see, so I did things naturally.
My hands would pull down their pants in a hurry
Because my vision was quite blurry.
Then I got to be known as the universal queen
Because I had (Russian) rushing hands and (roman)
Roaming fingers and their pleasures would forever linger.
So now, I am older and have to advertise
To get more clients down the line.
You‘ve just been added to my clients list
So pay the money and do not get ******
Sep 25, 2014
Sep 25, 2014 at 1:58 PM UTC
I've got nothing. In the world of words and here I exist non-complacent,ready to jump into anything.... I sat with a flower and it only outdid me. I once turned down a flame and it bumped up and burnt me. I took a leap of faith and it leaped up and bit me. How did he do and who did he do it to to make it all surreal?
Mar 23, 2015
Mar 23, 2015 at 12:20 AM UTC
One, two three,
Do you see yourself with me?
One, two, three
I really have to ***
One, Two, Three
Four is being left out
One, Two, Three
You're a fire that doesn't damage but heats me up
One, Two, Three
Million times
To light me up
I like fireworks but you already outdid them
Fourth of June
You left too soon
For my eyes to get used to pure pulchritude and grace.
Dec 1, 2015
Dec 1, 2015 at 2:18 AM UTC
top of the heap
you are King
and along comes someone to show you a thing
a new way of doing what you have done for years
at first, you judge him by his looks, only,
his long hair his ragged jeans
his sandals and ***** feet
his passivity his long beard
and he looks preoccupied
taken away by drugs or drink
his mind blown by crack
**** or LSD
he seems to hover so slow so deeply
occupied in a world he made for
himself burnt out we
used to call it
then when the day is over and you look
closer at the results and not the
scruffy exterior
you see he outdid you
and you have been the
King for thirty years
knew it all
you thought you were sure
and here this man rides in
on a stinking mule
in sandals looking like
a beggar
and changes every ******* thing?
Aug 3, 2017
Aug 3, 2017 at 7:18 PM UTC
i'm trying to understand
be patient with me
really outdid yourself this time
can't reach far enough
to jump to the conclusions
that would make any of this alright
wrong names and tiring games
changing your mind
in the middle of the night
the universe
just really wanted me to know
that the only thing i can get from someone like you is a pretty lie
and short-lived one at that
can't even keep the ruse up
long enough for me be hypnotized
letting the anesthesia wear off
before you bleed me dry
cause you get pleasure from watching the last of my hope die
Oct 24, 2021
Oct 24, 2021 at 9:48 AM UTC
I hate the way you smile when you talk about her,
I hate the way you look forlorn when you think about what you did.
I hate that I wasn't there to be part of what you were.
I hate that I'm always second best, always outdid.
I hate the way I melt when our eyes meet.
I hate the way the toxins disperse.
I hate the way your eyes make my voice sweet,
I hate the way I make it so much worse.
I hate that I see love in your colors,
And I hate that I don't know if its' mine,
Or if its' others.
But I love the way those colors shine.
But most of all I hate that I can't hate you, even if I had to.
Because it's true. I have always loved you.
Dec 1, 2016
Dec 1, 2016 at 1:53 PM UTC
i hope i don't miss
your ****** cavalier with the paint stains on the rooftop,
your out-of-place beard hairs that i'd pluck with my teeth,
your chipped tooth that you had fixed a few times then gave up on,
your eyelashes that outdid mine every day,
your timberlands,
the way you were my best friend,
my lover,
my everything.
i hope i don't miss you forever.
Feb 27, 2018
Feb 27, 2018 at 9:39 PM UTC