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      The Society
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      Beauty, Poetry
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      4
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      11
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      Humor, Poetry, Poetry Contests
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      January 14, 2018
      Beauty, Culture, Essays, Humor, Poetry
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      38
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      21
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      18
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Humor

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Poetry
Humor

‘A Slice’ and Other Petrarchan Sonnets by Peter Austin

The Society
June 5, 2021
Culture, Humor, Poetry
9 Comments
. A Slice from a sonnet by Eleanor Alexander For me, my friends, no graveside vigil keep, With gnashing teeth and sodden handkerchief And grievous howls of outraged disbelief That I, so virile once, am six...

A Poem on the Australian Mice Plague, by Norma Pain

The Society
June 3, 2021
Culture, Humor, Poetry
18 Comments
. To the Residents Down Below I am a bookish kind of rat And like each rat before me, I’ve come to the conclusion that There’s few folks that adore me. Although I feel that this is wrong, I try to be...

‘The Birthday Rose’ by Cheryl Corey

The Society
June 3, 2021
Culture, Humor, Poetry
13 Comments
. Her birthday cake was verily a sight--- A work of art, a sugary-sweet confection, That much to all the revelers’ delight, The baker decorated to perfection. It brought a special twinkle to her eye, To...

Two Poems on Old Age, by C.B. Anderson

The Society
June 1, 2021
Beauty, Culture, Humor, Poetry
26 Comments
. Default, to a Fault There are as many deeds I ought to do As there are jobs in urgent need of doing. My task is knowing whether to pursue Them, or, too overwhelmed, to stop pursuing. As numerous as shores...

A Poem on the Collapse of Darwin’s Arch, by Susan Jarvis Bryant

The Society
May 25, 2021
Culture, Humor, Music, Poetry
69 Comments
. Fallen Arches “Not one change of species into another is on record… we cannot prove that a single species has been changed.” ---Charles Darwin I heard today that Darwin’s Arch had crumbled. Its lid...

‘The Tale of Tatyana The Temptress’ by Jeff Eardley

The Society
May 25, 2021
Humor, Poetry
12 Comments
. Her name was Tatyana she had eyes of steely blue, She seemed the sort of girl from whom you’d learn a thing or two. So ample in the bosom and so slender in the hips, And every man she came across would...
Nubien, King of Armenia

‘On Turning Seventy’ by James A. Tweedie

The Society
May 23, 2021
Culture, Humor, Poetry
37 Comments
. Today I will be turning seventy, An age I’ll claim with some temerity. I’ll welcome it with both serenity And sober, grave, austere solemnity. I’d hoped to celebrate my destiny By jotting down some...

A Woke Version of Cole Porter’s ‘Anything Goes’ by Julian Woodruff

The Society
May 20, 2021
Culture, Humor, Music, Performing Arts, Poetry
26 Comments
. Everyone Knows Fog and smoke! Such confusion we’re subject to! So much danger to me and you From the yahoos without a clue! Now we’re woke! It’s high time that we reassess This society’s thorough...

‘Phones’ After Poe’s ‘Bells’ and Other Poetry by Paul Buchheit

The Society
May 19, 2021
Beauty, Humor, Poetry
17 Comments
. The Phones with apologies to Edgar Allan Poe Phones, phones, phones, See the people with their phones, Silver, pink and paisley phones, On the subways and the buses and the sidewalks, all alone, Lost in...

An Interpretation of DarkSide Ransomeware’s Apology, by Bethany Mootsey

The Society
May 18, 2021
Culture, Humor, Poetry
4 Comments
. Light Side an interpretation of the apology by the DarkSide ransomware hackers Our motives are mercenary, and apolitical.Putin puts in a good word; we’re good guys!We’re taken aback that we hacked...

‘In Praise of the Helicap’ by Jeff Eardley

The Society
May 14, 2021
Humor, Poetry
15 Comments
. in response to Mike Bryant's "CDC: New Guidance" “The Helicap’s a wondrous thing,” I heard the salesman say, I ordered one from Amazon, it came the other day. It fits just like a bathing cap; it's...

‘Epigrams for Today and Tomorrow’ by C.B. Anderson

The Society
May 11, 2021
Culture, Epigrams and Proverbs, Humor, Poetry
24 Comments
. Raw Now, listen, if you want to know the truth: The world's a battleground of claw and tooth. . Spare the Details Elections, like the spawning of the salmon, Are something we would rather not...

‘Ode to Numbness’ by Thomas Benstead

The Society
May 11, 2021
Culture, Humor, Poetry
7 Comments
. Piteous Fools! The time has comeWhen all men seek to be is numb.The toils of our daily lifeDo overwhelm us all with strifeWithin ourselves; we aim to findA refuge somewhere for our mindTo have its day of...

‘For a Friend Fighting Cancer’ and Other Poetry by Lee Goldberg

The Society
May 10, 2021
Beauty, Culture, Humor, Poetry
8 Comments
. For a Friend Fighting Cancer And so it seems before the dawn that darkness reigns and hope is gone. I understand that is the way you feel. But dawn will come, and then bright sun. One day your struggle will...

‘How to Be Trendy on Campus’ by Sarban Bhattacharya

The Society
May 9, 2021
Culture, Deconstructing Communism, Humor, Poetry
14 Comments
. Entering college is an easy way Of making lots of friends, a herd of mares; Just drink a toast to Lenin any day, Down vodka’s revolution with your cares. Attending climate rallies might just aid Your...

Split Nursery Rhyme Poetry Challenge

The Society
May 7, 2021
Culture, Humor, Poetry, Poetry Contests
67 Comments
. Split a line from a nursery rhyme and use the halves to open and close a poem. Post yours in the comments section below. This challenge comes from Joe Tessitore, who offers the below two examples: . "The...

‘Living in a Purple Wood’ by Roy E. Peterson

The Society
May 5, 2021
Culture, Deconstructing Communism, Humor, Poetry
16 Comments
.. Whoever said that change is good Is living in a purple wood Behind a tree behind a bough; A purple horse and purple cow, For progress is a purple haze Confusing nights; confounding days. Our education...

‘Dactylic Proverbs’ by James A. Tweedie

The Society
May 4, 2021
Culture, Epigrams and Proverbs, Humor, Poetry, Poetry Forms
19 Comments
. Set your priorities—don't be uncouth—know the Secret to happiness lies in this truth: “Though the Sum of all things is a secret worth looking for, Perfect lasagna is something worth cooking...

‘Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliaphobia’ by Mike Bryant

The Society
May 3, 2021
Culture, Humor, Poetry, Readings
33 Comments
.   "To indulge in hippopotomonstrosesquipedalian tergiversation is not to show your erudition: rather, it is to be superficial.” ---Steven George Krantz Thalamic tarantismLed to...

Epitaphs of Great Poets and Writers

The Society
May 3, 2021
Culture, Humor, Poetry
46 Comments
Compiled by Roy E. Peterson Readers are encouraged to add other great poets' and writers' epitaphs in the comments section below, or write a poem for their own epitaphs. . Prologue Both authors well and...

On the Hypocrisy of Gov. Newsom, and Other Poetry by C.B. Anderson

The Society
April 27, 2021
Beauty, Culture, Humor, Love Poems, Poetry
17 Comments
. The Tale of Governor Do-as-I-Say-Not-as-I-Do-som It’s funny how Democracy In many states now colored blue Produces rank hypocrisy, A birthright of the privileged few. And there we notice Gavin...

On the Couple Who Accidentally Painted Over Modern Art, and Other Poetry by Julian Woodruff

The Society
April 26, 2021
Art, Beauty, Culture, Humor, Poetry
14 Comments
.  Brush with Shame In reference to “Couple accidentally paints over $500,000 artwork,” Ben Cost, New York Post, 4/3/21 The whole world over they are in a stew: Our artists and creators share the...

‘Spring Fling’ by Cheryl Corey

The Society
April 26, 2021
Beauty, Humor, Poetry
8 Comments
. O Spring, you’re such a tease, Fickle as a good-time lover; Temptingly, you hover Warm against my cheek, Windless, save a zephyr; And oh so soft your whisper Of promise, only to hide Away again. I...

‘A Tribute to Prince Philip’ by Paul A. Freeman

The Society
April 24, 2021
Culture, Humor, Poetry
6 Comments
. The gaffe-prone Duke of Edinburgh has died, who asked if native Aussies still chucked spears and told some Brits they’d end up slitty-eyed for living in Beijing too many years. Yet what a gap this man of...

‘The Seven Dwarves of Old Age’ by Roy E. Peterson

The Society
April 24, 2021
Humor, Poetry
10 Comments
. The seven dwarves of old age __Have come to live with me, But what could be the use of them __Is more than I can see. First Napper came and gave a wink __And slept upon my bed. Warm afternoons are quiet...

A Poem for the 457th Birthday of Shakespeare, by Susan Jarvis Bryant

The Society
April 22, 2021
Culture, Humor, Poetry, Shakespeare
43 Comments
. Bardolatry He boasted an iambic ear, That playwright with insight, Shakespeare; Yes, Measure for Measure He’s given much pleasure With Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear. The Bard’s jealous...

‘The Madcap, Rambler-Driving Poet of Ogden’ by Tonia Kalouria 

The Society
April 22, 2021
Humor, Poetry
12 Comments
.   __Like Don Quixote’s windmills, rhymes keep spinning in my head! My dark-passion is to write Light Verse; my curse, to go unread. __I keep submitting—vain attempts!— though earnest, judged a...

‘Pilates’ by Jeff Eardley

The Society
April 19, 2021
Humor, Poetry
14 Comments
. She started her Pilates class, Upon the Internet. The city was in lockdown, So, she knew, some work she’d get. She started on her webpage, Working hard into the night. She knew it wasn’t easy, So, she...

‘Lumbar-Fusion Post-Op Blues’ by Jeff Kemper

The Society
April 18, 2021
Culture, Humor, Poetry
21 Comments
. The Odyssey of a recovering patient of the Orthopedic and Spine Specialists (OSS) hospital in York, PA; January 2019. (My hospital experience could not have been better. Surgeons, nurses, aids, therapists,...

Four Petrarchan Sonnets by Peter Austin

The Society
April 17, 2021
Culture, Humor, Poetry
9 Comments
. . On a Starred Night derived from a George Meredith poem On a starred night, Prince Lucifer uprose; From smoke and stink and howl of the distraught And sulphur stench and brimstone, change he sought. Garbed...

‘My Magic Machine’ By Norma Pain

The Society
April 16, 2021
Beauty, Children's, Humor, Poetry
23 Comments
. I wish I could build me a magic machine, A magic machine that would last, Till the octopus sings and the Orca grows wings, And the lowly worm ceases to cast. I’d fashion the walls out of wonder and...

‘The Game of Life (CCP Edition)’ by Bethany Mootsey

The Society
April 15, 2021
Deconstructing Communism, Human Rights in China, Humor, Poetry
4 Comments
. We appreciate your purchase of this version of the game That caused Mr. Milton Bradley to become a household name. Though we cannot laud the methods for his capital success, We endorse Life, with some...

‘How to Write a Formal Poem (That Doesn’t Seem Like One)’ and Other Poetry by C.B. Anderson

The Society
April 14, 2021
Culture, Humor, Poetry
23 Comments
. How to Write a Formal Poem(That Doesn’t Seem Like One) abandon capitals at all times. TrustYour sense for sound but, please, avoid rhymes. ChooseA rhythm you can readily adjustAnd phrase what you mean so...

‘CDC: New Guidance’ by Mike Bryant

The Society
April 13, 2021
Covid-19, Culture, Humor, Poetry
37 Comments
. Dillard “Sparky” Barker Is a Doc at CDC. He’s announced a market- Driven cure for you and me. Helicaps—not beanies Are the answer to our prayers. The downward blowing breezes Now defeat all virus...

‘Messed Up Doesn’t Rhyme with Best’ by Phillip Whidden

The Society
April 13, 2021
Beauty, Culture, Humor, Poetry
5 Comments
. Is poetry that’s free as free as all That?  Surely it’s the poet who is free Or not.  He makes the choice to make a sprawl Of words (and punctuation?) dribblingly Straight (straight?) along the...

A Poem on Biden’s Infrastructure Plan, by James A. Tweedie

The Society
April 11, 2021
Culture, Humor, Poetry
11 Comments
. Dear President Biden You act as if you were elected To spend my great-grandchildren’s money. By spending trillions you’ve infected Each one of them with debt gone viral, And I don’t think it’s wise...

Short Pandemic Poems by Joe Tessitore

The Society
April 10, 2021
Covid-19, Haiku and Senryu, Humor, Poetry
27 Comments
. The Plague They muzzle their breath, Sealed in rooms as if in tombs, Scared to death of death. . . A Tale from the City They’ve worn my patience very thin So I wear my mask upon my chin “Nose...

‘Unfit for Purpose’ by David Watt

The Society
April 7, 2021
Culture, Humor, Poetry
9 Comments
. Our neighbours bought a sheepdog: a heeler brindled blue, And all was well (or so it seemed) until his faults showed through; For when it came to penning sheep, he lost a large amount, And bit the hand...

Four Poems for Early Spring, by C.B. Anderson

The Society
April 5, 2021
Beauty, Culture, Humor, Poetry
20 Comments
. Rededication The sullen days of winter Remain a galling splinter Within my thickened skin, So let the games begin! Though I’m inclined to focus Upon the blooming crocus, The loom of April fills My mind...

‘Dedicated to Those Who Give up Chocolate for Lent’ by Tonia Kalouria

The Society
March 30, 2021
Culture, Humor, Poetry
16 Comments
. A Box of Chocolates is like Life: (That Mrs. Gump she got it right.) You  never know just what you’ll get, so take a chance: Jump in; don’t fret! Life’s Bittersweet---both dark and light--- but...
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Trending Poems

  • ‘Forked: A Palindrome Poem’ and Other Poetry by Susan Jarvis Bryant 38 comments
  • On the UK Heatwave: ‘Keep Calm and Carry On!’ by Susan Jarvis Bryant 105 comments
  • ‘Ballade of Pride’ by E.M. Schorb 49 comments
  • ‘Creativity, Originality, and Eccentricity’: An Essay by Joseph S. Salemi 38 comments
  • ‘Mistress’ by Michael Pietrack 37 comments
  • ‘Transgender Madness: For All the Children Beyond Repair’ by Karen Darantière 8 comments
  • ‘Awake’ and Other Poetry by Susan Jarvis Bryant 36 comments
  • A Poem for Salman Rushdie: ‘Mightier Than the Sword?’ by Susan Jarvis Bryant 29 comments
  • ‘Byron Swims the Hellespont’ by Joseph S. Salemi 41 comments
  • ‘Cordelia’s Choice’ by Brian Yapko 18 comments
  • ‘After Observing the Working Methods of a Very Important Artist’ by Shaun C. Duncan 33 comments
  • Poems by Théodore de Banville (1823-1891), Translated by Margaret Coats 20 comments
  • ‘Elegy for the Child Never Conceived’ by Joshua C. Frank 20 comments
  • ‘Three Literary Smiles’: Poems by James A. Tweedie 12 comments
  • ‘Aftertaste’ and Other Poetry by Anna J. Arredondo 35 comments

Resources

       Online Teacher’s Poetry Guide

       How to Write with Meter

       Poems of the Year

       Best Love Poems of 2021

       Best Haiku of 2021

 

Poetry Challenges

       Rhyme Two Random Words

       Classic Movie-Inspired Poem

       Bedtime Prayer

       ‘Tyranny of Fear and Lies…’

       What Rhymes with Orange? 

       Turn Famous Poem into Limerick 

       A Raven-Like Poem on Poe’s Death

       Split Nursery Rhyme       

       Poetry Quotes Challenge

       Sonnet in Iambic Monometer

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