Tag Archives: poem

Inquiring Minds, Poetry/Quote of the Week

Courage – A quote for the Year, Month, Day, or hour whatever it takes….

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CowardlyLion

“Courage! What makes a king out of a slave? Courage! What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage! What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist, or the dusky dusk? What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage! What makes the sphinx the seventh wonder? Courage! What makes the dawn come up like thunder? Courage! What makes the Hottentot so hot? What puts the “ape” in apricot? What have they got that I ain’t got?” 

“Courage!”

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First of all give yourself a break from what you didn’t accomplish last year….and then give yourself a pat on the back for all the things big or small that you did accomplish this year.

NOW…find the courage to do it all over again….I’m not talking about resolutions….just the courage to try….if you fail in that trying then you tried in that failing…yeah yeah I know you heard it all before….but have the courage to fail…..or even the courage to succeed…

Stick your neck out….ask that girl/guy out that you have been eyeballing,  write something of substance, jog down that street, lift that weight,  deny yourself that donut (at least for this week or month), join a cause that’s been prickling you, express an opinion or participate in a constructive dialogue with another, travel near or far to a new place you have never been.  Give someone needed encouragement…be less selfish (I do need the occasional back rub…:) .  Be kind to yourself and don’t beat yourself up over your failings…guess what, your human.

Perfection is relative  but the world likes uniqueness so find the uniqueness in you and share it with others  and exploit yourself…in a good way I’m saying …I’m also good at sex but I’m not gonna be a Gigolo..or maybe I can be…:)

I found the perfect thing while I was shopping this weekend to help me get to that place this year….it called out to me from the store shopping shelf like a clarion call on the battlefield….read the label carefully below.

oldSPICEFRONT

Who wouldn’t want to smell like COURAGE!…Well I tried it and it smells good…..I’m not sure what real Courage smells like…but its a good start for the year..My wife likes it, so that’s good enough for me!

So go out and find your courage….:)

Inquiring Minds, Poetry Work

The Thing Inside – A poem

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hyde

The Thing Inside

It dug deep inside of me and slouched in

the corners of my mind where it directed

me where to go.

It pulled the strings and propped me up

like a caricature in a show.

My emotions were muted like hearing the

sound of a loud glorious church bell

down deep in a dank musty well.

I floated but there was no water to be seen,

no apparent wave had struck me yet I felt

slapped just the same.

I spied you amidst lights, and through the

wall of sound that I had to walk around and over

and under to get close to your side.

You looked sad and wanting to my brown eyes,

because your blue eyes found mine and

I knew it in my soul to be true.

We were connected me and you.

But this thing that slouched, and slithered and sat

this thing made my eyes see you as a trap

I had to traverse or never make it back intact.

This thing inside had a magic wand, which it tapped on my temples

ever so softly as it laughed at me in glee and showed me the shadows

which raced behind everyone’s

heart along with my own.

My memories were dim as I woke in bed, the creature who once

had crouched inside was seemingly gone.

“Foul creature!” I screamed inside, but no answer came

Thankfully.

But mayhem had been met by me that previous night and the

damages I had accrued could not be undone.

I think of that thing that was once inside

and wonder if it will always abide.

by Philip Wardlow 2012

Inquiring Minds, Poetry Work

I Recall – A poem

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I Recall

I recall her smile the first time I saw her

Radiant and warm with a hint of

Laughter at the edges

I recall her eyes

Deep and blue;  eyes you didn’t lie to

Because they could see right through you.

I recall many things about her

As I sit on my front porch swing

Gazing  up at the nighttime sky .

Thinking. Just thinking.

Bringing the past to the present

As I so often do.

I recall the sway of her hips.

A woman’s hips

Hands,  my hands enveloping her  from behind in

A loving embrace.

I recall her smell ;   fresh and sweet  like vanilla ice cream

topped with raspberry syrup.

My mind likes to wander to thoughts of her

The wonder of her.

My wife, and  my life.

I recall it all.

by Philip Wardlow 2012

 

DSCN1869

Inquiring Minds, Poetry Work

Dust to Dust – A poem

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DusttoDust

A scream escapes me as my body goes to the nether

Disintegrating into grains of dust to fall up into the desolate and

be carried away down a flowing river of no direction.

My mind, my soul, and my will follow into the oblivion after;

each seperate from one another to divide themselves

into a thousand times a thousand

pieces…

My will holds tight to once piece of each as I flow

for I will not let them go

their seperate ways

I will not lose me.

For I am me.

I am me

forever.

by Philip Wardlow 2012

Inquiring Minds, Poetry Work

It took only One – Olivia Engle

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OliviaEngel

It took only one face on the list to make my brown eyes brim,

It took only one big glorious smile to enter into me and

have my heart fill  up and overflow onto the floor.

I didn’t want to look too deeply for it cut too deep,

yet I feel I should for her.

Here was a life never to know another day.

Here was a little girl with laughter in her eyes

and a future as bright as the sun;

I could feel that warmth radianting,

and seeping into me as I saw her

soul shining forth from the screen.

It took only one and there are

so many more.

It took only one and her name

was Olivia Engle.

 

By Philip Wardlow 2012

#unsung

 

 

 

Inquiring Minds, Poetry Work

Torture – an Ode and Poem to the Difficulties of writing…

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Stockade

 

Torture

Writing is like torture as I’m slapped and
kicked to divulge the secret sins of my
past.

My hands are bound and gashed
As the rough hewn ropes cut and
Bite into my fresh raw
Flesh.

Bring out the glowing cherry red poker and
Barbed wire mesh as they apply the thumbscrews with
A sharp twist and turn along with a mocking jest.

With my head stuffed into the block, my
Feet dangle two feet from the ground
No confession is forthcoming from my mouth or mind
Not even as they pour hot oil in my ear and I hear it
Gurgle down.

My strength is waning as nighttime
Waxes by , leaving me with little hope but to
Tell all or soon die.

By Philip Wardlow

Inquiring Minds, Poetry Work

Back Against the Wall – A Heroic Fantasy Poem by Philip Wardlow

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DarkSwordsmanA

Back  Against the Wall

 

Back against a wall I stand,

with my adversaries spread before me;

five, ten, twenty?

I have lost count.

They see the moon from overhead

reflected in my brown eyes;

steady and unwavering.

Think they have me trapped

in this blind alley I did

turn down?

By chance or choice I took the turn;

they’ll never know as

I give them a grin.

Who’s the better man?

Who shall be the first to

come take my blade I say.

They come; either silent or cursing,

Yet still they fall before me.

My blade was destined to taste

their blood it seems.

Death is my partner in this dance, but it is

I who lead and directs my dear partner’s

feet…

…and it is only I who leaves

this dark alley for home with the moon

now behind a cloud and gone from

my dark eyes.

By Philip Wardlow 2012

Inquiring Minds, Poetry Work

Haikus of Life Encountered – A Collection

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Haikus of Life Encountered

A Puzzle 

Puzzle pieces laid

Thousand images form you.

But still a puzzle.

For My Pleasure 

Give me your favor

Dance to any tune I play

Perhaps it will do.

 Your Colors

Colors beget you

Dark to bright in all the hues

I embrace them all.

One Night

Sweet smells, soft skin glows

Your lips beckon to be kissed

Give me a reason

Inquiring Minds, Poetry/Quote of the Week

Time and Love – Quote of the week

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“Give me time enough to love you the right way and I will love you forever”  by Philip Wardlow

GiFs for your Entertaiment, Inquiring Minds, Poetry Work

Raven’s Journey – Poem

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Raven’s Journey

We cut the night air with wings of black,

we cut the life strings at twilight’s blessing.

My brethren and I see far and wide,

for we are many.

There is no escape,

no hole can hide you,

nor disguise

mask a spirit

so foul.

We bring you home to purgatory to sit and

roost in a black shed of despair,

to dwell upon a life where dark leanings

led you to dissolution of a soul that

sought heights they were never meant to fly.

So contemplate, ponder,

wander this dim world between

darkness and light,

and perhaps we shall

return to collect you and

carry you on.

By Philip Wardlow