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 7898° 
Kai
I've been lately writing poetry!
Oh? What do I see?
A perfect poetry site waiting for me!
First poem, proud of it!
Oh? Someone in my messages?
This guy seems sweet
And he's hoping I don't get beat!
Pretty songs for me to listen to!
And a drunk man messaging me...?
“You're only making yourself a victim because you're cutting yourself"
Oh? Okay- thanks for the paragraph/drunk rant?

Shining lights on all of my latest poems?
Thank you! You're so sweet!
….oh…talking to me about pedophiles…got it…
Why are there so many sad songs?
WHY DOES THIS MAN HAVE SO ****** MUSIC TASTE AGGGHGDGFGCC

Oh? You wrote a poem about the 764 and absolutely humiliating them?
Great! Good job!
…But uhh… why and how did they make a virus only going after your followers that are minors? Not funny!
Why is this man warning me if they threaten me? Is he trying to make me scared on purpose?
Blaming the Japanese for this virus now, huh?
Oh? Now blaming someone else named Pax to be part of the 764? Crazy

…. going to another website? But you're so fun!
May as well click on the link you sent me so I can join you

Drunk rants with me? That's okay!
Giving me gold so I can freely make poems?
THANK YOU SM
Daily texting
2-10 hour sessions
Why are you drinking everyday?
You're making me concerned for your health
I told you to stop drinking, papa
You promised me you'd stop
All you did was keep on drinking

Commenting on every poem I made
Oh? So suddenly I'm a “nasty *****" when I have done nothing to you? ありがとう!
We have a suicide pact now?
I'm going off the bridge first?
Don't mind if I do

Oh? Another poetry site? Okay…
I really don't like the way this site works, can't we just message each other with email?
Yes? Yay!

People bullying you on the internet? That's not okay!
Why would they accuse you of being a *******?
Letting me join an uncensored group to back you up? Great!
Sending me to a Reddit page to back you up?
Alright!
….oh … they warned me and I didn't do anything….
******* this man is an actual *******…..
gotta go fast like Sonic
pack my bags and leave

Oh? I betrayed you? Crazy
We were just friends
Can you stop spitting my name everywhere?
It's like you're so obsessed with me
Stop trying to be the Eminem to my Mariah Carey
Made a poem about you and you HAD to take it down?
Never thought you'd want to hide your identity THAT hard
Oh? Betting on my suicide now, are we?
Sending me multiple emails, desperate for me to come back to him?
I'm not that ******* naive or gullible
It's crazy if you think that about me
…I did tell you to send those photos of your cut open arms but I DIDN'T THINK YOU'D TAKE IT SERIOUSLY AND DO IT

Being racist?
“Japshit”?
Why are you so obsessed with my Chinese genes?
“I thought I can use Kai because of her Chinise genes because the Chinise was known to be very good spies. ☝️🤓" へー! Didn't know that!
Also, that's not how you spell Chinese, my fellow kind sir
Threatening people to come to America with a Katana and slice us to pieces
So envious, I see
You're just mad because we have a little bit more freedom than your drunk *** does

Oh…. Talking to me about ****
Got it
Thanks
I didn't need to be taught about METART or some **** like that
I'm only 12 years old
You ***** *****

Well…this is the aftermath
There it goes out to all of you:
Ghost
RGH
Ryan Geoffrey Hayward
Nephilim Angel
Nephalem
Rose White
Rose Red
Jacob Lives
Hybrid Angel
Tormenter
Bread Crumbs
The Machine
Dirt-In-My-Shirt
Soul Unknown
Unicorns Passing
And etc. ENJOYERS

(Btw, all of these names are RGH's names so if you have these names, please don't feel targeted! The person knows who they are.)

EDIT: ILY ALL SM!!! I DIDN'T THINK THIS POEM WOULD GAIN THIS MUCH ATTENTION BUT I'M HAPPY THAT IT DID!! (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠) I'M GOING TO VIRTUALLY KISS EVERYONE ON THE CHEEK ONCE THEY READ THIS... or just virtually hug you, yk, whatever you're comfortable with
 919° 
Libelle Marcellus
When I sit alone,
Someone will ask, “Can I use this chair?”
Then carry it to another table
To laugh with friends over there—
Leaving me, still and silent,
Closed off like a clam.
Have you ever felt like this?
 683° 
Jace Albine
The colors of change

The baby blue hues

The velveteen pink shears slicing prospects

A reuniting with thoughts lost dreams

I wonder what will happen to you?

What will you do when the narrow breaks?

Will you falter?

Will you take the inside edge to try to get ahead?

Or will you cruise the skirts

Care free and well enjoyed

Stopping only to learn pleasure

In the aroused senses

And embrace

The colors of change
 524° 
Nat Lipstadt
the worldly swirling reverberating, whirlpool whirling, the To Do list,
issuing senior commands, and the poetry dieting and exercise regime
is muffled, though notes and promises atomizing, ideas and excitations, on the cardboard backs of yellow pads jotted, on menus for Chinese and Indian incantations,
assembled in their own corner reservoir,

nonetheless and all the more,

no births recorded, no spawn of the dawn, product of mid of night
illegal ramblings by the
East River

none
achieve a hallelujah *******,
and the pile of drafts messy are assorted and distorted in their own corner of the white writing desk,

stillborn lay, or more accurately they cry out pained:

"no, no, still to be born!"
"not yet dead!"
"permanent gestation is not a destination"
and other survivor slogans,
and mind and body bloated with
need to ex and to in
hale
them,
to let the healing compounding components of
new compositions see a
glorious Mayday morn of a steady streaming of
howling babies, and all agree,
look at you, look at me, look at this
5 minutes sassy essay on your lassoed status,
now force the door ajar and let the nightlight lead you to dawn,
deliver us, satisfy out our cravings,
make us wholesome and then,
with a sacred finishing
wand waving of blessed
Hallelujah
Amen!
Selah!

now get to work,
*** of coffee witches brew,
knock off the stalling,
Sondheim humming,
crying out a
****** recognition,

"send in the clown,
no more; maybe next year,
too late,
I'm here...
"

4:07 ~ 4:25am
May One
2025
and the lid is blown,
an  evening of Stephen Sondheim
 439° 
Kashifa
I am not a poet
Just trapped in love
Maybe this trap
made me one
I don't know

I never asked to
write these lines,
But you
You made me

So read them
Find yourself
between the verses
And become
my poet now
 420° 
Marshal Gebbie
They touch
With a featherlight, brush of the fingertips.
Their prompt is a mere insinuation....
And their influence offered
As the slightest whisp of a wafting breeze.
But the impact made
Can be utterly monumental
And a driving impetus
To the receptive, creative soul
On a mission!

M@Foxglove.Taranaki.NZ
Inspired by the melodic artwork encased
in Agnes de Lod's short verse "Muses"
~
May 2025
HP Poet: Todd Sommerville
Age: 60
Country: USA


Question 1: A warm welcome to the HP Spotlight, Todd. Please tell us about your background?

Todd Sommerville: "I was born and lived in Fenton, Mi until I was 8 years old then moved to Florida and on to N. Carolina at age 15. I've called N. Carolina home ever since. Worked most of my life in the furniture Industry. Literally from sweeping floors at 16 to programming CNC Machines and designing furniture by the end of my career, and every job in between. I have one son named George, 27, who is the pride of my life and a talented musician and song writer."


Question 2: How long have you been writing poetry, and for how long have you been a member of Hello Poetry?

Todd Sommerville: "I have dabbled at writing both short stories and poetry since I was in grade school, but didn't start writing seriously until I was about 50 years old after the breakup of my marriage. Sadness, depression, and copious amounts of alcohol just seemed to bring out the poet in me. (Does it get anymore cliche?) LOL.

Anyway I was writing constantly during that time, even self-published a short poetry book (A Relationship in Verse) available on Amazon. (Shameless Plug), not really it was mostly drunken crap even though I was proud of it at the time.

Anyway to make a long story a little less long, I spent about a year getting myself together, quit drinking, and repaired the relationship with the girlfriend I have today. I started writing seriously again about a year ago. I think I started posting on HP about September of last year. And started my You Tube Channel in November, which I absolutely love doing."



Question 3: What inspires you? (In other words, how does poetry happen for you).

Todd Sommerville: "What inspires me? Well, originally I would say Heartache and Romance, once again (Very Cliche) but I think looking at the world differently, and finding some inner peace has allowed me to be more creative in my poetry. I look more towards nature and solitude for inspiration as well as trying to interject some humor into my poetry as well."


Question 4: What does poetry mean to you?

Todd Sommerville: "Poetry is my outlet, it is my voice. As a shy quiet guy I always found it hard to express myself verbally. A problem I don't have when writing."


Question 5: Who are your favorite poets?

Todd Sommerville: "Honestly I'm not well versed in the classics.
I've been more or less self-educated, I dropped out of school at 16. But I do remember reading Robert Frost when I was a kid and I loved Poe's stories, Annabel Lee being my favorite. But to be real some of the poets right here on HP are some of the best I've ever read. Shout out to Rob Rutledge, Anais Vionet, Thomas W Case, Emma, Immortality, Abbott J Hardison, You, Traveler, and a couple dozen others. I hate leaving anybody out."



Question 6: What other interests do you have?

Todd Sommerville: "My other interests? Traveling, riding motorcycles, neither of which I do nearly enough. And of course my you tube channel which I'm determined to make successful.

(Last Shameless Plug) https://www.youtube.com/@tsummerspoetry."



Carlo C. Gomez: “We would like to thank you Todd, we really appreciate you giving us the opportunity to get to know the person behind the poet! It is our pleasure to include you in this Spotlight series!”

Todd Sommerville: "Thanks for Honoring me with this spotlight. I hope I wasn't to boring or long winded HP is my go to place to get feedback on my poetry and inspiration for future writes.
Thanks So Much.
Todd"





Thank you everyone here at HP for taking the time to read this. We hope you enjoyed coming to know Todd a little bit better. We certainly did. It is our wish that these spotlights are helping everyone to further discover and appreciate their fellow poets. – Carlo C. Gomez

We will post Spotlight #28 in June!

~
 335° 
Maria
It's raining outside right now. It's raining.
It's beating down the dust on silent pavements.
I waited you to come the day before.
Today I've realized it was bedevilment.

I've realized it when I saw your smile
In raindrops, flowing down the window,
Your pretty eye wrinkles, so tremulous and soft,
And you in whole, so false and so ridiculous.

Waiting for you, alas, is not my lot.
No yesterday or next day, and no later.
I hate the rain today! I really hate the rain!
There's so much pain in it. I stop to be a waiter.
Sorry for being sad again.
Thank you for reading this poem! 💖
 298° 
Nina
How do you move on
knowing you have found
the love of your life

the answer is
there is no moving
but
towards her

even now

even whilst standing still

even whilst
apparently
not moving
at all

can’t I just have this life with you?
 277° 
WILLIAM WORTHLESS
why do animals get rejected
kept a while and then neglected
left to starve. chained up all day
till there lives have past away

why does it have to be this way
a pets for life not just a day
not to be kept if you cant cope
let animal rescue give them hope

they all have the right to live
just like humans love they give
why does it have to be this way
a pets for life not just a day
 257° 
Thomas W Case
We all have something
urgent to do.
Tell the man that
works at the butcher's
shop.
Tell the boy who delivers
your newspaper.
Tell the groundhog before
he sees his shadow.
Dig up Poe and Ginsberg,
and tell them.

Tell the street
musician playing
for tips.
Tell the ****** and the
virgins.
Tell the next fish that
you catch.
Tell the banker and the
candlestick maker.
Tell the cats, and dogs, and
wombats.
Tell the starving
artists and poets.
Tell your wife, mistress, and
the old lady next door.

Tell the cloned sheep and
the deep part of the ocean.
Tell the magician and
carnival worker.
Tell the drunk, though he may
forget.
Tell the farmer and his cattle.
Tell the spider, and if it refuses
to listen, tell all the flies caught in
the web.
Tell the psychic, though, they
should know.
Tell everyone and everything
that Artificial
Intelligence wants to be the
21st-century god.

But, whatever you do, don't tell
that smiling machine that does it
all for you.  It will blink its cold
eye holes and wish you well,
then slice your throat while
you sleep.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEeNcBC_mnM
Here is a link to my YouTube channel, where I read poetry from my recently published books, Seedy Town Blue Collected Poems and It's Just a Hop, Skip, and Jump to the Madhouse, which are available on Amazon.

www.thomaswcase.com
 205° 
hannah
doe eyes that predatorily
stalk its interest
sweet murmurs of
ill-natured intention
soft caresses carved into skin
that anchor the obsessed
to the obsession
 195° 
Maria Etre
I vomited
the last piece
of you
and relieved myself
from the toxicity
that ate me up
from the inside

That's my kind of
glow up
Sometimes it's the word ***** that is healing in disguise
 192° 
Odd Odyssey Poet
I don't want just a friend —
But a lover who cherishes me
With the same devotion as
:
A true friend.

As parts of my soul runs away
From itself; perhaps I must
Summon the courage to chase
:
After love, instead!
 186° 
Taru Marcellus
The last time I wrote you a love letter
you disappeared
and left me in utter darkness.
Now here you are lighting up my sky again.
Sometimes you feel so sure
and full of yourself.
At others you seem empty and new.
I am trying to better appreciate you
in your becoming
to wax poetic even when we are apart.
Even in your absence I am learning
to be present
to take my time
to still shine.
But I wonder
I wonder how many lovers you have.
I know I am not your only.
The world is a wetter place because of you.
Oceans lap at your face.
When you blink my tides change.
Your control is out-of-this-world.
And I just wanna be near you
somewhere in your orbit.
Close enough to see you
flaws and all.
You wear your depressions so well.
It’s like they never stop you from being whole.
I mean here you go rising to the occasion yet again.
And I can’t help but be struck in awe
of your aura.
So here is another love letter
for your collection.
And before you disappear
  because I can already sense your waning
know that you are the balance to my days.


Luna, I love you
another love letter to the moon
 167° 
David P Carroll
Loving you is so beautiful
And true and making you
Smile is all I wanna do
Because I truly you love and
Loving you is more than just
A dream come true it's means
Everything to me because I love you
And no one else makes me happy
And no one else makes me feel
True love as much as you and sweetheart
Take my hands and grow old with me
And your voice is a soft breeze on a
Warm summer's day and
Carries my worries and takes them away
With words that comfort like warm sunlight
My heart beats for you day and night and
Loving you has made my life so beautiful
And every day of my life is filled with love
Because of you and your
Nurturing my soul with kindness and with grace and
Giving me a haven a warm and loving space and loving you a perfect art and your
Forever held deep in my heart and
I love you more than words can say
And you warm my heart and soul
Every single day.
Loving You ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
 134° 
Rea Rose
.
                                            Why are you so sad?
Because I am broken.
Everything in this world I once loved,
betrayed me,
or forever left.

All that I have endured has turned into trauma,
in ways I cannot express.
But, don't worry about me,

                        Because the Universe never liked me anyways.
 131° 
preston
Preface:

This is not a lullaby. This is not a soft whisper meant to soothe. It is the fire of wholeness, burning away the fragments, the lies, and the false comforts that keep you small. There are voices that call shadow safe, that wear the mask of care, but scatter you with every syllable. There are whispers that paint the Light as harm--
when all along,

it was only asking you to remember what you were before you broke.



---

There is a place within the soul
where silence sharpens—
a thin line
between what heals
and what holds.

Dark does not storm the gates—
it whispers.
It flatters.
It fragments.

It wraps comfort around confusion
until the soul forgets
what it was made for.

It comes dressed in care—
as though it exists for her well-being.
And once she believes this,
its voice becomes the plumb line—

and the Light begins to look like harm.

Light does not chase.
It stands—
unyielding,
bright,

asking only that you come whole.

But she could not rise
without tearing
from the softness
that held her shattered--

It came not with fury,
but with hush..
a hush that mimicked care,
whispered warmth
into her wound,
and called itself safe.

Its words made her flinch from clarity,
taught her to turn
from the ache
that never lied.

So she sat
at the edge of her wound,
fed on honeyed lies,
unable to stand
before the fire
that would have made her whole.

The venom stayed warm.
The light remained still.

And the silence in between
was not yet a verdict—


   only the shape
   of a war still being named.



For those who can hear it, the song “Love is a Battlefield” belongs in the background—an echo from the soul’s frontlines.

https://youtu.be/6ZndmlEmbNE?si=pUJ9UCJs-SxZ6hqj

#Love
#Light..  and Dark
I'm sorry that I could never be enough for you.
- The one that got away
 110° 
Alex Teng
Don’t stay because you feel you must,
Love can’t be built on guilt or dust.
Stay only if your heart beats true,
If every breath still aches for “you.”

I want your smile, not just your face,
Your laughter warm, your soft embrace.
But if your joy begins to fade,
Don’t let our love become a cage.

I’d rather kiss you one last time,
Than hold you bound by silent crime.
So stay, my love, if love is why
Not just to soothe a saddened sigh.
 105° 
Sofia
the sun is falling on my face,
but I still feel the cold.
I tried to fool everyone,
oh i tired,
but I know,
that my soul was carried away by the wind,
and I was filled with illusion,
that I will still feel warmth someday.
 97° 
Pagan Paul
Darkness, darkness, lonely as the grave
Darkness, darkness, teach me to be brave
As shadows fall across the trees
and inky shade stills stormy seas
Darkness, darkness, teach me to be brave.

Darkness, darkness, lonely as the night
Darkness, darkness, take me from the light
Clothe me in the velvet soft black
and weave me a cloak to take me back
Darkness, darkness take me from the light.

Darkness, darkness, lonely as the moon
Darkness, darkness, sing me a soft tune
Hold my hand and lead me away
hide me from the sun of the day
Darkness, darkness, sing me a soft tune.
 90° 
Solaces
The night and day fusion create new colors.
A jumble of rays and lights never seen before.
This interlace of cosmic reverie delight.
Was the color of my thoughts...
 85° 
matt r
swishes Her skirthem
in a swift
        and graceful bow
               &
  a knowing glance
  (the flushed cheeks
   and kissing eyes)
flashes like sparking
                      end of lip
                      
                        striking
                      end of lip
one from thursday.
 82° 
November Sky
We often say
nothing but stay.

A spark
on chill days
when the power
ran out
the quiet
beside the ache—

No fixing
no fleeing
just being
a warmth
that lasts.
 77° 
nivek
rounding up the rebellious thoughts
casting stubbourness into the fire
freedom comes at a constant price.
 75° 
Cayleigh
they changed
you can see it in there eyes.
you can feel it in there touch

theyre not the same
theyre never coming back

because i remember
everthing that you
forgot
i just came up wit this whil talking with a friend so yeah?!?!?!
 73° 
Joan Zaruba
Your family hates me for leaving you
They don’t know
I would have died had I stayed
Even a cactus can die of thirst

© 2025 Joan Zaruba. All rights reserved.
These lines came to me this morning while grieving the loss of ex-family.  Despite the pain of being misunderstood by those who used to call my daughter and sister, I have no regrets about choosing my wellbeing over martyrdom.
 68° 
Chandy
The living envy the dead
The dead envy not even one
Peace is a distant memory
Only available to the ignorant
Until it begins to harm you
You never cared about humanity
Humans are created to be machines
Gone is the world of sanity
Now we remember
There is no justice or morality
All words that can be ignored
Saving the world?
Cannot agree on saving ourselves
We are our own downfall
No invasion, no climate
Just us, begging for the end
 67° 
Liana
I texted you
When I felt so alone
And so scared
And so ready to disappear
You pulled me in to reality
Or out of my terrible one
And gave a good reason to live

I now knew that one person loved me

You hug me so much
And tell me you love me
And you kiss my cheek
And you run and smile when you see me
And I don't think you know
How wonderful that makes me feel

I knew that someone's experience is better when I'm there

You saw my monsters
And you noticed my face
And you noticed my hand picking at the thing touching my face
You heard my silent scream
And you told me everything was okay

I now knew that my screams could be heard if the right person listened

I cry as I write this,
I love you
I'm grateful
Thank you
I want to make a series of poems for my loved ones who may never see them. This one is for a newer friend who's also named Liana. I love you ❤️❤️❤️❤️
 63° 
Jayami
Are they invisible,
the bruises on my face,
the ****** scars across my chest,
and the fury in my gaze?
All my blood wasted,
seem infinite, these heavy tears.
Will I ever breathe in,
a breath that wouldn't burn?
 63° 
Rin
I've ran out of ideas,
my brain has froze,
and my hands cant flow.
This poem i cant finish,
I bit off more than i could chew.
help i've ran out of poem ideas- :(
 63° 
Mateuš Conrad
?                              gp





__/                         d!
 62° 
tiyaja cianni
contagious smile, giddy boy
effective man who affectionately impacts
i miss your arm around my neck while i slept
jealous girl, from one to another
pushing you closer to a concept while i wept
please play me another song
and you do
when you can
 53° 
Cary J
Do you
Ever feel like a robot
12, 13,
11:11self taught.
Quantum disconnect
No fret
Harmony.
 52° 
Mike Hauser
You've heard tell the road to hell
Is paved with good intentions
I've been on that crew and so have you
Do I even need to mention

I've held the measuring tape as you paved the way
The blacktop hot with sorrow
As we looked away in our Ray-Ban shades
Saying we'll worry about that tomorrow

Mile after mile pouring doubt
Onto the hardened surface
With our best guess, thinking we've got this
Life down pat with purpose

Not realizing that what our pavement lacks
Is a heart that truly listens
One reason we can't help that the road to hell
Is paved with good intentions
 51° 
Zahra Ali
She unclothes herself,
As summer's fiery
passion stirs her fingers,
Finding joy
In bare truths.
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