Three Poems on Sleep and Dreams, by Joshua C. Frank The Society July 24, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Love Poems, Poetry, Villanelle 18 Comments . Back to Sleep In very early years, now far behind, When I returned to earth at midnight deep From nightmare scares within my frightened mind, My mother rocked and sang me back to sleep. I hid in bed from...
‘Poorer by the Day’: A Poem by Shaun C. Duncan The Society July 22, 2023 Culture, Poetry, Satire, Villanelle 14 Comments . Poorer by the Day a villanelle They pay in promises they will betray; A scam as cold and ancient as the sea. While those who work grow poorer by the day, Their masters mint fool’s gold to give away To...
‘July 20, 1999’: A Poem by Daniel Magdalen The Society July 20, 2023 Human Rights in China, Poetry, Villanelle 4 Comments . July 20, 1999 a villanelle for Falun Gong Practitioners after 24 years of persecution Your path is narrow, yet look at where it goes As you seek truth and truth defines your ways; The land of bliss waits...
‘Half the Night’: A Poem on Growing Old, by Cynthia Bernard The Society June 8, 2023 Poetry, Satire, Villanelle 16 Comments . Half the Night a villanelle My stomach isn’t working right. Bubbles, gurgles, twinges and sighs Kept me up for half the night. I’ve got hives too, quite a sight— Neck, belly, all over my thighs. My...
‘A Poetic Heretic’s Poetry Tips’ and Other Poetry on Poetry, by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society May 20, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Humor, Poetry, Villanelle 34 Comments . A Poetic Heretic’s Poetry Tips a villanelle inspired by Dr. Salemi's essay "Poetry As The Philosophers Stone" Don’t listen to the howl of highbrow spiel From preachy creatures out to flatten...
Winners of Friends of Falun Gong Poetry Competition Announced The Society May 13, 2023 Human Rights in China, Pantoum, Poetry, Poetry Contests, Villanelle 14 Comments . FIRST PLACE . Tooth and Claw a pantoum by Susan Jarvis Bryant Observe the tooth and claw of savage deed. Beware the ferric breath of looming dread. Don’t let the taunt of terror sow its...
‘Poet, What Dreamer Thou Art’: A Poem by Cheryl Corey The Society May 8, 2023 Beauty, Poetry, Satire, Villanelle 18 Comments . Poet, What Dreamer Thou Art "I feel more and more every day, that as my imagination strengthens, that I do not live in this world alone, but in a thousand worlds." ---John Keats I’m busy doing nothing,...
Poems by Human Beings Versus Poems by AI Poems by ChatGPT: Take the Quiz The Society April 22, 2023 Essays, Haiku and Senryu, Limerick, Poetry, Villanelle 30 Comments . Human Poetry Versus ChatGPT's AI Poetry Can you tell the difference between artificial intelligence poetry and human poetry? by Evan Mantyk and Mike Bryant Artificial intelligence, most notably ChatGPT, is...
‘Extinction Event’ and Other Poetry by Carey Jobe The Society February 11, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Villanelle 14 Comments . Extinction Event The sky burned black the day the giants died. A flaming mountain pierced the turquoise bay. When doomsday comes, the clever know to hide. The thunder woke a mammal safe inside the burrow...
Poems on Politically Correct Churches and Language by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society February 4, 2023 Culture, Poetry, Satire, Villanelle 48 Comments . Church Mice a sonnet corona There is a tale that’s writ in German history. A church was passed each Sunday by a train. Its death-knell whistle blew as it flew swiftly To Hell as stricken souls shrieked...
‘Thorns Grow with Song’ by Maura H. Harrison The Society January 9, 2023 Beauty, Poetry, Villanelle 6 Comments . Thorns Grow with Song It’s time to rend our hearts and look inside The chambered will, into the voices in The vein: thorns grow with song. A hope applied With mercy calls the tuner of the tidal Pull of...
Two Different Views on New Year’s Resolutions: Poems by David Whippman and Evan Mantyk The Society December 31, 2022 Culture, Poetry, Villanelle 16 Comments . New Year’s Resolution a villanelle by David Whippman And what have you resolved for the new year? I guarantee your vows will be in vain. Oh, I don’t doubt that right now you’re sincere. But soon,...
‘Crimes Against My Sanity’ and Other Poems on Parenting by Anna J. Arredondo The Society December 29, 2022 Culture, Humor, Poetry, Villanelle 22 Comments . Crimes Against My Sanity At any-given-time o’clock While tidying my house, I find--- Oh look---is that another sock? It really isn’t such a shock; My kids for chaos were designed At any-given-time...
‘Freedom in Forgiveness’: A Villanelle by Dan Tuton The Society December 28, 2022 Beauty, Poetry, Villanelle 17 Comments . Villanelle for Timothy When chains of cold resentment in the end Entangle souls and circle ‘round to bind, There’s freedom in forgiveness, my dear friend. When grievance woos the wounded to offend And...
‘St. Joseph’s Hymn of Praise’ and Other Christmas Poetry by Brian Yapko The Society December 25, 2022 Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Villanelle 27 Comments . St. Joseph's Hymn of Praise Matthew 2: 10-15: “And when the Magi were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee...
A Poem on the Harry and Meghan Netflix Show, by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society December 8, 2022 Culture, Poetry, Satire, Villanelle 54 Comments . A Right Royal Circus a villanelle Roll up! Roll up! Come hear the desperate call Of sparkless Markle and her spurned buffoon. With pleas for privacy, they welcome all. They welcome all like flies upon a...
‘Aunt Helen’ by Geoffrey Smagacz The Society December 5, 2022 Beauty, Poetry, Villanelle 16 Comments . Aunt Helen Aunt Helen told me it was time to go. It hurt her to sit upright in the bed, a fact I'd rather that I didn't know. It's OK, I can turn this gear below. Please don't; a flattened mattress hurts my...
A Poem on the Movie Eternal Spring, by Evan Mantyk The Society October 24, 2022 Culture, Human Rights in China, Poetry, Villanelle 15 Comments . His Pen a villanelle written upon watching the movie Eternal Spring His pen flies back and forth, a righteous flurry That recreates the scenes of saintlike deeds, Giving shape to all that once was...
‘To a Cloud’ and Other Poetry by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society September 17, 2022 Beauty, Poetry, Villanelle 41 Comments . To a Cloud You’re a pillow of marshmallow. You balloon and bob and billow As I sprawl beneath the willow __On the grass. You’re a swish of whitest feather. You’re...
‘Drunk on Compassion’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko The Society September 9, 2022 Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Villanelle 48 Comments . Drunk on Compassion How good it feels to open up your heart And groove on how compassionate you are! You advertise your causes on your car And list your Facebook “likes” upon a chart. You march in...
‘A Villanelle for Robert Hoogland’ and Other Poetry by Joshua C. Frank The Society August 27, 2022 Beauty, Poetry, Villanelle 32 Comments . A Villanelle for Robert Hoogland Hoogland was imprisoned for calling his daughter female Their mouths are gagged, their hands are bound; Their children taken by the state, These parents have no legal...
‘A Hopeless Rondelet’ and Other French Form Poetry by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society July 10, 2022 Culture, Poetry, Rondeau, Rondel, Villanelle 27 Comments . A Hopeless Rondelet All trust is dead, Killed by lies in love’s disguise. All trust is dead--- It’s buried in a sigh of dread. Its memory spills from mourning eyes. Can Truth rekindle sunless...
‘The Mass Mock-Shock of Monkeypox’: A Villanelle by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society May 23, 2022 Covid-19, Culture, Poetry, Villanelle 21 Comments . The Mass Mock-Shock of Monkeypox a villanelle Shun the mass mock-shock of monkeypox--- Force-fed fear declaiming death is nigh. Spurn the ceaseless bleat to lock down flocks. Snub the...
‘Resist Arrest Instead of Arresting Resistance’ and Other Poetry by C.B. Anderson The Society May 12, 2022 Beauty, Culture, Humor, Poetry, Villanelle 14 Comments . Resist Arrest Instead of Arresting Resistance In Denmark, something now is very rotten, As fetid as the food-scraps in the trash That we have, somehow, carelessly forgotten To take outside. Our mood...
‘Mind Games—Three Cerebral Triolets’ and Other Poetry by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society May 7, 2022 Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Triolet, Villanelle 25 Comments . Mind Games---Three Cerebral Triolets Propaganda It wants your mind. It wants you blind. It warps and washes wayward brains. It gains control of humankind. It wants you blind. It wants your mind To cave,...
Four Poems for Shakespeare’s Birthday, by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society April 22, 2022 Culture, Humor, Poetry, Shakespeare, Villanelle 15 Comments . Remembering Ophelia His scathing tongue had thrust her to the edge. It nudged her through the willow’s sunless fringe. She teetered on that petal-littered ledge Where Hades howls and bluest moons...
Three Poems on Thinking, by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society April 4, 2022 Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Villanelle 36 Comments . Birdbrains a villanelle “When you control a man’s thinking you do not have to worry about his actions.” ---Carter G. Woodson If we just parrot newspeak without blinking And push...
Poetry for the Canadian Trucker Protest, by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society February 19, 2022 Culture, Poetry, Rondeau, Villanelle 25 Comments . Shining Armor The knights roll in. They have a rift to heal--- A rift that stokes the embers of despair. With grit they steer their trusty steeds of steel. They come in peace to seal a vital deal With he...
‘Road Trip’: A Villanelle by Evan Mantyk The Society February 12, 2022 Beauty, Poetry, Villanelle 26 Comments . Road Trip I ride the countryside for you my friend. The white and yellow lines can’t separate The dots I will connect at this trip’s end. With spinning force that pushes on the bend Until the highway...
‘Starbucks Villanelle’ by Matt Hsu The Society January 31, 2022 High School Submissions, Humor, Poetry, Villanelle 9 Comments . Starbucks Villanelle Will someone call an order for Elaine? I have a bunch of stuff I need to do. The wait today is driving me insane. This one dude wants a pinch of sugar cane. I can’t believe he’s...
‘A Sentimental Villanelle’ and Other Christmas Poetry by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society December 25, 2021 Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Terza Rima, Villanelle 28 Comments . A Sentimental Villanelle This year I’m wrapped in Christmases of old--- The tinseled tree and glee of hearts on high. My mood is laced with myrrh and graced with gold. The air is spiced with mulling wine...
‘Journey’s End’ and Other Poetry by Talbot Hook The Society December 19, 2021 Beauty, Children's, Poetry, Villanelle 2 Comments . Journey’s End To Adventuresome Children at Bedtime Mountain, forest, stone, and stream all glisten under sun, While golden morn and midnoon beam call children out to run. But after day has had his say, see...
‘Four Thousand Four Hundred Miles’ and Other Poetry by Lionel Willis The Society November 27, 2021 Beauty, Poetry, Villanelle 5 Comments . Four Thousand Four Hundred Miles The shiny willows waved in yellow bloom Inland beyond the spit of dirty sand Where you and I stood, wishing we could zoom Due east and pace that other treasured land Across...
‘Who’s the Villain Now?’ and Other Villanelles by C.B. Anderson The Society November 19, 2021 Beauty, Humor, Poetry, Villanelle 24 Comments . Who’s the Villain Now? My poems drip with vitriol and gall,Each stanza driving home a heartfelt curse—A side-effect of drinking alcohol Incessantly. I lack the wherewithalTo temper my intemperate...
Three Poems on Having COVID-19, by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society October 15, 2021 Covid-19, Culture, Pantoum, Poetry, Villanelle 48 Comments . A Pox Upon My House a pantoum I heard the hiss of sickness as my mind cracked. I scoured and bleached and reached new hygiene heights. I locked down, muzzled up and shunned all contact--- Its moans and...
‘Heartfelt Baptism’ and Other Poetry by Mike Ruskovich The Society October 7, 2021 Beauty, Poetry, Villanelle 3 Comments . Heartfelt Baptism The morning rain that washes this day clean of yesterday's despair, of last night's sleep, and promises to turn the pastures green by falling gently, penetrating deep, is waking spring in...
Two Autumn Poems by Angel L. Villanueva The Society September 25, 2021 Beauty, Poetry, Villanelle 7 Comments . Autumn's Hand I reach across for autumn's hand, When leaves begin to ride the air, To walk amid the changing land. Though I have yet some days unplanned, And winter waits to bring her glare, I reach across...
‘Cancel Madame Butterfly’ by Brian Yapko The Society September 17, 2021 Culture, Humor, Performing Arts, Poetry, Villanelle 30 Comments . Cancel Madame Butterfly today! Such racist music cannot soothe the soul. Let’s never show another hate-filled play. The King and I must also cause dismay Since white composers can’t know ethnic...
Fairytales in the Age of Transgenderism: Two Poems by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society June 22, 2021 Culture, Humor, Poetry, Villanelle 22 Comments . Grimm The days of steering princesses from danger With sweet salvation’s life-sustaining kiss From shining-armored knight or regal stranger Are now considered horribly remiss. Young damsels in...
‘A Woke Recipe for Disaster’ and Other Poetry by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society May 15, 2021 Culture, Pantoum, Poetry, Rondeau, Villanelle 26 Comments . A Woke Recipe for Disaster a villanelle Heap fresh and zesty chaos on despair. Rub salt in history’s wounds till hatred sticks, Then sugar discontent with bogus care. Pour rage and scorn on free-speech...