Winners of 2023 SCP International High School Poetry Competition Announced The Society February 1, 2024 High School Submissions, Poetry, Poetry Contests 4 Comments . First Place ($200 Prize) "A Star" John Freeborn, Logos Online School, 12th grade student in Concordia, Kansas. . Second Place "Child's...
‘A Wing-stroked Spectacle’: A Poem by Daniel Moreschi The Society January 31, 2024 Beauty, Poetry 10 Comments . A Wing-stroked Spectacle Segmented sets of starlings sharply elevate towards candescent skies, suspend, then circulate in sync. Their wingspans...
‘A Pro Who Can Con’: A Poem by Mark F. Stone The Society January 31, 2024 Culture, Poetry, Satire 18 Comments . A Pro Who Can Con “Truth” is whatever will further the movement. You’re “credible” if you are telling the “truth.” “School” is my...
A Poem on the Winter of 1949 Blizzard, by Roy E. Peterson The Society January 30, 2024 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 25 Comments . A Blanket of Snow from childhood memories of the blizzard of 1949 on a farm near Bonesteel, South Dakota. The world is all bound in a blanket of...
‘Unshackling the Spirit’: A Poem by Brian Yapko The Society January 30, 2024 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 53 Comments . Unshackling the Spirit I toss and turn at night. I wonder why I’m here. But then with dawn the skeptic’s free, Dismissing faith and scoffing at...
A Poem on Brutalist Architecture, by Adam Sedia The Society January 29, 2024 Art, Culture, Poetry 22 Comments . Once the Future You were the future once, not long ago. Your sterile walls of concrete, brick, and glass Outlined in steel, and jutting angles...
‘Learning to Laugh’ and Other Poetry by William Harder The Society January 29, 2024 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 9 Comments . Learning to Laugh The pathos of a circus clown, with empty pockets inside out, now challenges a small boy’s frown. Bewildered by the mimicked...
A Poem Inspired by Kari Lake: ‘I Can’t Be Bought’ by Mark F. Stone The Society January 28, 2024 Culture, Poetry, Rondeau 12 Comments . I Can’t Be Bought I can’t be bought. They always pan my poems and they have a plan to pay me if I will agree to stop composing poetry. They say...
‘Another Day’: A Poem by Christina Lesinski The Society January 28, 2024 Beauty, Poetry 29 Comments . Another Day How time has wasted, over time, over time. __At least to me, that’s how it seems. Oh how I’ve chased it, back and forth, back and...
‘The Blue Absorbent Towel’: A Poem by Charles Southerland The Society January 28, 2024 Beauty, Poetry 9 Comments . The Blue Absorbent Towel . As he fillets my leg and makes a flap above my knee of skin to sew it shut, interns are watching closely how the cut is...
‘Dear Death…’ and Other Poems on Death by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society January 27, 2024 Humor, Poetry 59 Comments . Dear Death… Don't tickle with your sickle __Don't taunt me when I'm sick. Don’t make me writhe. Don’t spare the scythe. __Be slick and...
‘Ambition’: A Poem by Siân Marlow The Society January 27, 2024 Beauty, Poetry 15 Comments . Ambition We’re dipping our toes in the paddling pool __When we ought to be tackling the seas. There’s no point at all in thinking so...
Readings of Odyssey Book 1 (Solot), A.M. Juster’s East African Proverbs, and Stellinga The Society January 26, 2024 Classical Poets Live, Homer, Poetry, Readings 10 Comments ...
A Poem on Paisley, and Other Poetry by Margaret Coats The Society January 26, 2024 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 39 Comments . Windjam Dry leaves abruptly fell that day— Whirled weathervane communiqué Proposing a quick stroll away Along a narrow inlaid path To venture...
On Living with Someone with Alzheimer’s, and Other Poems by Vicki Roberts The Society January 26, 2024 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 15 Comments . What Time Is It? “What time is it?” he asks of me, __“It’s now eleven o’clock;” “What time is it?” he asks of me, __As I hear the...
‘Requiem’ and Other Poems by C.B. Anderson The Society January 25, 2024 Beauty, Humor, Poetry 25 Comments . Requiem The notes we cherish most Are gathered from the throats Of those who perished young. The song we sadly toast Was sown from wanton...
‘A Star’: A Poem by John Freeborn The Society January 24, 2024 Beauty, Culture, High School Submissions, Poetry 12 Comments . A Star O silent sphere of silver-soft-spun light,Thou crystal pearl strung on an airy veilSuffusing bright celestial delightIn snowy glory o'er...
‘Blessings’: A Poem by Adrian Fillion The Society January 24, 2024 Beauty, Poetry 4 Comments . Blessings Every now and then when I’m in prayer I feel Your famous joyfulness descend. It doesn’t descend, of course; it’s always...
‘On Cats and Love’ and Other Poetry by Benjamin Cannicott Shavitz The Society January 23, 2024 Beauty, Humor, Love Poems, Poetry 4 Comments . On Cats and Love My cat does not explain himself. He knows his reasons. Why must I? He needs to bathe while on a shelf Or hunt some trash? I...
Poetry Paraphrased from Suicide Notes, by Jeff Kemper The Society January 23, 2024 Culture, Poetry 15 Comments . The Plight of a Troubled Young Soul Parts I and II are paraphrases of actual notes. . I. Not Today I know I’m ill; I am not well. In truth, I...
‘Failing at History’ and Other Poetry by David Whippman The Society January 22, 2024 Love Poems, Poetry 17 Comments . Failing at History She always argued when I used to say We were like the great lovers of the past. That was just woolly thinking, she’d...
Sonnets on Famous Ladies of the Early 20th Century, by Peter Austin The Society January 22, 2024 Culture, Poetry 12 Comments . Zelda She and Scott were the face of the Jazz Age, Drunk and riotous in post-war Paris, He scribbling out page on potboiling page To fund the...
‘To Find a Waterfall’: A Poem by Monika Cooper The Society January 21, 2024 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 16 Comments . To Find a Waterfall The wild forest is a spiritual place. Disbelief does not last there. Halfway through My span of life, my sunrise-to-set...
A Poem with a Glossary: ‘The Kakistocracy’ by Phil S. Rogers The Society January 21, 2024 Culture, Humor, Poetry 18 Comments . The Kakistocracy Does the news give you malneirophrenia, __but you've not been to sleep? Do you galumph all day around the house, __your mind in...
A Poem on Iranian Woman Roya Heshmati, by Cheryl Corey The Society January 20, 2024 Culture, Poetry 22 Comments . Because She Walked In Beauty They sentenced her to over seventy lashes, Because she walked in beauty, hair revealed, Which beauty they demanded be...
‘Summer of ’73’: A Poem by Gigi Ryan The Society January 20, 2024 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 13 Comments . Summer of ‘73 It’s sunset and the sidewalk still feels hot. My legs and feet are bare, they do not mind Mosquitos nearly eating me alive. The...
‘Father’ and Other Poetry by Alan Steinle The Society January 20, 2024 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 10 Comments . Father after "So Far, So Near," by Christopher Pearse Cranch (1813-1892). Father, maker of all spirit, infinite, You can ensphere it. Still, You...
‘Smash, Careening Thrash’: A Poem by Maura H. Harrison The Society January 19, 2024 Culture, Poetry 23 Comments . . . Maura H. Harrison is a writer, photographer, and fiber artist from Fredericksburg, VA. She is currently an MFA candidate in Creative...
‘Again’ and Other Poetry by Angel L. Villanueva The Society January 19, 2024 Beauty, Poetry 14 Comments . Again The bench is near where children play And where she sits to dream and muse. She knows her life will shortly fade— A doleful thought she...
‘I’ll Keep My Truck’: A Poem by Mark F. Stone The Society January 18, 2024 Culture, Poetry, Rondeau 28 Comments . I’ll Keep My Truck I’ll keep my truck. I won’t revise my thinking as gas prices rise. My son-in-law berates and blames my truck. It...
‘The Pitcher Plant’ and Other Poetry by Andrew Yeager The Society January 18, 2024 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 8 Comments . The Pitcher Plant The insect dances on a pitcher plant drinking deep the fabled honey nectar. The rim affords a place to lean and slant— heedless...
‘The School Bell’: A Poem by Satyananda Sarangi The Society January 17, 2024 Beauty, Poetry 18 Comments . The School Bell The schooldays weave a maze inside my mind, A maze with streets resounding childish zeal; The world was then a fairy land...
‘Long List of Requirements’ and Other Poems by Russel Winick The Society January 17, 2024 Poetry, Satire 33 Comments . Long List of Requirements The sweet and lovely woman sought __A man to call her own. She had lots of prerequisites __And kept them cast in...
‘To My Brother, After John Keats’ and Other Poetry by Mary Jane Myers The Society January 16, 2024 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 10 Comments . To My Brother after John Keats When I have fears that I may lose my sight before I've savored books I long to read, before famed writers oust my...
‘A Mighty Fortress’: A Poem by Brian Yapko The Society January 16, 2024 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 38 Comments . A Mighty Fortress for Diane My eyes ache from the tears still left unshed As I remember all she meant to me. I still can’t quite accept that she...
‘The Five Ages’: A Poem by Morrison Handley-Schachler The Society January 15, 2024 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 10 Comments . The Five Ages Beneath rose bower and sweet cherry shade Long since have Saturn’s golden people slept And for their sins the silver race were...
‘Song of the Snow’ by Amado Nervo, Translated by Isabel Chenot The Society January 15, 2024 Beauty, Poetry, Translation 12 Comments . Song of the Snow by Amado Nervo (1870-1919) translated by Isabel Chenot How miraculous Nature is! Doesn't the snow give light? Immaculate and...
Bunker Hill in Poetry: The Death of Joseph Warren, by Andrew Benson Brown The Society January 14, 2024 Beauty, Culture, Epic, Poetry 14 Comments . Bunker Hill: The Death of Joseph Warren from Legends of Liberty, Volume 2 Dramatis Personae Joseph Warren – Physician, spymaster, and major...
A Free Verse Poem Rewritten Into Formal Verse, and Other Poetry by Joshua C. Frank The Society January 14, 2024 Poetry, Rondel, Satire 18 Comments . Fallen Hummingbird A formal-verse remake of a free-verse poem of the same name written by my mother on October 16, 2000, in memory of my...
‘Saint Sebastianus’ and Other Poems by Joseph S. Salemi The Society January 13, 2024 Beauty, Blank Verse, Culture, Poetry 19 Comments . Saint Sebastianus Sebastianus, soldier, pinioned, bleeding, Stands at his lonely and forgotten post Unperceived—no, even unsuspected— By the...
