I Am My Own

Do not hold me back
Do not try and stop me
I will not be controlled
I will not be beat down

You can shout
You can hate
You can deny
You can lie

But you will not quiet me
You will not hush my voice
You will not overcome me
I am my own

My World's Song

My world is a simple song
With happy melody,
Jumping and jiving
To the beat of time.
With citizens who smile,
Dancing and swaying
To the beat
Of my world's song.

Each step is a note
Each word is a chord
Each one can be heard
All around the world
And all the people
Dance and sing
In perfect harmony
and synchronization.

The song is alive
And it plays on.

Blue Summer

Cloudy, 55 degrees.
Wind blowing
Trees with purple leaves.
Rain pouring
Upon jackets,
Tugged tight around cool bodies,
Searching for warmth,
Hanging on to hope,
Rushing through the streets
In-between drops,
Feeling the beat
Of the wind on their backs.
Run to doors
Of houses and havens.
Doors thrust closed
And locked up tight.
Eager eyes peer out
From behind closed curtains,
Weary from rain and wind,
Alive with hope
For a ray of sunshine.
Yet, their eyes look in vain
For it is the time of June
In sorrowful Wisconsin.

Plea for Guidance

I want to find my way
Past the prophets and soothsayers
I want to see a light
Burning from on high
I want to find the truth
Yet I am lost in a fog
Stranded in the desert
I have followed blindly
Now I seek my sight
But find it out of reach
I am adrift in a sea
Without a gust of wind
To point the way or to guide
I wait, I pray
For some guidance, some day

Joleen

I never knew such patience
And such simple forgiveness
Always optimistic with a smile
Never false or pitting on airs
Embracing a stranger
In accepting arms
Welcoming a friend
With joyous songs
Never a discouraging word
A smile and a laugh
That lights up a day
Such a role model
An angel gracing Earth
Dearest friend and guide
You will never leave my heart

Only With You

Only with you. my smile is real
Only with you, I feel comfortable in my own skin
Only with you, I can laugh out loud
Only with you, I am proud to be me
Only with you, I can forget all insecurities
Only with you, I feel loved
Only with you, I can rejoice
Only with you, I want to spend the rest of my life

Extra

In the chorus I stand
A faceless spectator
Moving set piece
Personified background
Never a star

Theatre

Oh to be on stage
To paint a picture
Create a scene
Entertain an audience
Fantasize a while
Pretend for a moment
Capture a mind
Hold a heart
Sing a song
Dance a dance
Speak a line
What a line!
What an art!
Oh, theatre!

Outcast

Sometimes, I feel alone
Separated from all surronders
Even when at my side
I feel they are miles away
A thousand eyes turn to me as one
All I can do is look back
And to wish to be among them
No matter how I try
I cannot blend in
I cannot sink into the crowd
Rejected and outcasted
My smile is painted on
My kind voice quivers
My heart shatters

Rondel - Daydream

Rondel

This is a French form of thirteen lines and is made up of two rhymes. There is a refrain, which is set up by the first two lines of the first stanza. The rhyme pattern is A. B. a. b.. and .a. b. A. B. for the first two stanzas and a quintain for the final stanza that mirrors the first two stanzas, with the last line repeating the first line of the first stanza a. b. b. a. A. It is usually constructed of lines of eight syllalbes.

“Daydream”

Sometimes, I find my eye gazing
Off in space unguided and free
I enter a world amazing
Imagination holds the key

So, so many questions raising
And all answers are up to me
Sometimes, I find my eye gazing
Off in space unguided and free

In this free world I am praising
All my great hidden joy and glee
That I can release so freely
When my mind and heart is blazing
Sometimes, I find my eye gazing

Rondeau - What a Burden

Rondeau

This is a form that is made up of three stanzas: a quintet, a quatrain, and a sestet. The first phrase of the first line of the quintet is acts as a refrain and repeated in the final line of the quatrain and the sestet. There is no required meter, though the English form often uses pentameter or tetrameter. The rhyme scheme would be: Ra.a.b.b.a....a.a.b.R....a.a.b.b.a.R.

“What a Burden”

What a burden is this life
That must go on so filled with strife
With endless toiling
And all souls spoiling
Each day cutting like a knife

Where each day is filled with hatred rife
And so happiness is felt by husband or wife
With thoughts so cruel and boiling
What a burden

Yet, I beg you, do not give up on this life
We shall not all end like Lot’s wife
One day, we will rise up from this foiling
We shall no longer be spoiling
What a burden

Rime Royal - When Pondering

This is a stanza form that is believed to be of Italian origin. It is thought to be a variation of the Otta Rima with the removal of the final line, leaving the structure to be a seven line stanza of three rhymes: a.b.a.b.b.c.c.

“When Pondering”

When you are wandering
Past the known world
And you find yourself pondering
With thoughts whirled
And begin to feel your mind unfurled
Do not feel bemoan
For you are not alone

Limerick - Sight o're a Hill

Little Suzzie climbed up a hill
To see if she could see more than nill.
She cried out in delight
For she saw a grand sight:
The other side of the hill.

Rime Couee - Cut Short

This is a two rhyme poem that originated in France. It begins with a rhyming couplet of eight syllables followed by a line of six syllables. It then repeats to make a structure as shown:

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.a.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.a.
x.x.x.x.x.b.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.a.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.a.
x.x.x.x.x.b.

“Cut Short”

Sweetest blossom, growing taller
Is this lone life all you thought her?
Do you hunger for more?
Withering blossom, shrink smaller
Take peace, think of how you once were
Think how you were before

Quatern - Tears

As the name suggests, this is a French form made up of four four line stanzas. There is a repeated refrain, much like the various French forms, but there is not specific rhyme. There are eight syllables per line, but there is not meter. The Refrain is the first line of the first stanza, which becomes the second line of the second stanza, the third line of the third stanza and finally the last line of the last stanza.

“Tears”

I cannot help but cry my tears
For now you have left me alone
To walk this world isolated
To be only half of a whole

In deepest sorrow, misery
I cannot help but cry my tears
Loosing you was my greatest fear
And now I am forced to face it

With loud shouts and terrible moans
I weep and shake in such distress
I cannot help but cry my tears
And cry you name forevermore

Though they say the pain will soon fade
And in my heart I know you would
Wish only to see me happy
I cannot help but cry my tears

Pathya Vat - Stay

This is a southeast Asian form with a short syllable count. There are four lines of four syllables and lines two and form rhyme.

x.x.x.x.
x.x.x.a.
x.x.x.a
x.x.x.x.

“Stay”

Please, do not stray
My heart you hold
Twas you I told
My love, so dear

Pantoum - Dreams in Sleep

Pantoum

This was originally a Malaysian form, but was later adapted by the French. The rhyme pattern is as follows; A1, B1, A2, B2, ... B1, C1, B2, C2, etc, the last stanza being Z1, A2, Z2, A1, note the reversal of the final repeat couplet thus completing the circle. There is not set meter or length.

“Dreams in Sleep”

May you find rest in sleep
Let sweet dreams lead you
Quiet peace you keep
May each dream come true

Let sweet dreams lead you
Let your imagination fly
May each dream come true
For life so quickly passes by

Let your imagination fly
In sleepy slumber slow
For life so quickly passes by
Greatest happiness may you know

In sleepy slumber slow
May you find rest in sleep
Greatest happiness may you know
Quiet peace you keep

Ottava Rima - Prayer for Spring

Ottava Rima

This is quiet simply a Sicilian sestet with a couplet. However, it has been found to be more popular than the Sicilian octave among most poets. It has no set meter and the rhyeme scheme would be: a.b.a.b.a.b.c.c

“Prayer for Spring”

Winter woes fade away
For the time is coming near
For spring to come I pray
Hear those birds, my dear?
Oh let today be the day
For another snowfall I so fear
Oh spring, please do call
How I dread another snowfall

Horatian Ode - Ode to Distraction

Horatian Ode

This ode is named for the Latin poet Horace. It is a short lyric poem of quatrains made up of couplets.

"Ode to Distaction"

Sing to me my dearest one
Distract me from the day now done
For night does shine upon us
And I need to pretend we will not just be dust

Sing to me songs of joy and hope
Allow me a way to cope
And leave my sorrows behind
Oh please sing and be kind

Pretend with me we have endless days
Pretend this difficult life is not a maze
But a pretty path, long and clear
Oh please sing to me, dear

Set down your work and come to my side
Sing to me and be my guide
Through this constantly dwelling life
Please sing and quiet my strife

Just a moment, just a while
Give me a reason to smile
And forget my tiring woes
And raise me from such lows

Pray your song raise me high
So when I wish this fair world good bye
I may be happy and at peace
Or if be impossible, I will have your song, at least

English Ode - Ode to the Cat of War

This ode consists of three ten line iambic pentameter stanzas. The rhyme scheme is: a. b. a. b. c. d. e. c. d. e.

“Ode to the Cat of War”

Kitten prancing, pouncing about the room
Why must you glide and move so very fast
Jumping about all day will be your doom
And yet with no mind, you have such a blast
You run, run here and there without a care
Purring, crying, meowing all the way
Like a tyrant over little kingdom
With little thought you have no fear, you dare
Oh what a silly, dizzy game you play
I shall sit and wait, wait till you are done

Kitten flying, run, running all around
Surely, yes, you must be tiring now
Crying out and making such big, loud sound
What grand chaos you do cause and allow
Clawing at furniture, table and chair
Knocking over glass,china, vase and lamp
Spilling food, juice, tea, and drinking water
You cause me such great anger and despair
How you make me want to scream, shout, and stamp
You have made the room look like grand slaughter

Kitten rolling on the ground and purring
Rubbing read and body across my feet
Walking away and then so returning
Like an annoying bird you chirp and tweet
I push you away and ignore your cries
No, I will not cuddle nor pet nor brush
No matter how long you do cry and purr
Refusing to give into greedy lies
Yet soon, my anger you do sooth and crush
I give in, hold you close, and pet your fur