Poetry Corner with Poison Ivy and Friends

WELCOME!!!

I am so happy to see everyone return to the Poetry Corner with Poison Ivy and Friends. This is our 4th edition of our fun poetry challenges. We have returning poets along with a new poets sharing their love of poetry. 

The poems coming to you in this edition are absolutely amazing. Every challenge touches base on a different genre with a twist. All poets receive the same challenge but no poem is ever the same. 

POETRY CHALLENGE 

Poets were given three paranormal photographs, which they were to only chose one photo to write their poem. From that photo, poets had to come up with a paranormal fairytale poem. And within that poem they all had to use the phrase "Through the looking glass."

I hope you all enjoy the fairytales being brought to you today. Let's all open our eyes , our ears and mind as we look through the looking glass. 

HAPPY READING!!

PHOTO #1

Covenant of Devotion by Jesse Batista 

Peering Through the looking glass the hell hounds await

Three sets of eyes guarding the gate

A woman adorned in a white vail and black lace

The man she still loves vanished without a trace

Her soul to be damned as she waits with anticipation

Nothing but hope, certainty and adoration

The falling moon rises and the rising sun sets

The clock stops ticking but, she has no regrets

Her only desire was to be by his side

Ever so content to be the eager bride

The sacrifice she made and the deal was done

One hundred years passed, the demons have won

She holds her conviction as her form starts to tumble

Her body folds forward. Her frame starts to crumble

All is now fading her fairytale a blur

The dark shadows have come, time to collect her. 

PHOTO #2

A Walk With The Dead by Sebastian Andrews

Awoken by the cry of the baying hound

Legions of the dead are all around

Stones stand tall, the ground they adorn

Soulful peace, no need to mourn

The moon dances with the swirling mist

Something the shadows cannot resist

Some dance with moon and ascend to the light

Some descend to the darkness, their doleful plight

Flocks of night heron glide on the wind

Surreal as I stand I awe.  Have I sinned?

While an unnatural sight, my soul is inspired

Was I given the answers to which I inquired?

It is a wondrous sight and I feel no fear

For it’s only from the looking glass through which I peer

               

​  PHOTO #3 

Through The Looking Glass by The Lozt Poet 

Gather round and listen close to the tale I spin,

It might sound false but there’s truth within.

Inside one of the oldest houses in this state,

There lived a young woman who met an awful fate.

She was the fairest in all the lands and that my friend is no lie,

Her beauty was without question and she caught every suitor’s eye.

One by one they’d come from near and far for a chance to gaze upon her beautiful face,

Hoping to win the ultimate prize and end the night in wedded bliss wrapped in her loving embrace.

Hard as they tried none could win the heart of the fair maiden try as they might,

It wasn’t until a mysterious suitor blew in on a dark and frigid night.

Mysteriously he appeared once the sun had set and the land was lit by the moon,

Just one glance at him made every man fear and hate him and every woman swoon.

He walked through the town straight to the door of the home the woman laid her head to rest,

He walked with a gait filled confidence and arrogance because he believed he was the best.

His hand rapped on the door until it flung open and he was greeted by her father,

He slyly smiled and asked forgiveness for his intrusion and said he didn’t mean to be a bother.

He pushed his way inside and spoke to the man about a business proposition,

The woman’s father heard as he weaved his deal and made only one condition.

The mysterious man wanted the ultimate prize, the one thing nobody could ever claim,

 He wanted his daughter’s hand in marriage in exchange for the promise of wealth and fame.

Without a second-thought he agreed to the terms set forth by the mysterious visitor,

He agreed to offer up his daughter to the dark and mysterious suitor.

As his daughter listened to the deal from her place in the stairs,

She screamed in protest and the men jumped up from their chairs.

When she saw them turn to look at her she ran to the top flight,

There she stood as she declared she was not a prize to be won or a thing to be sold and threw herself to the floor as the men watched in fright.

Her body flew through the air and made a sickening thud as it hit the ground,

That was the last day her lungs filled with air and when the fairy tale began to be passed around.

They say that upon her death her father received none of the riches or fame he was set to gain,

The mysterious suitor left as quickly as he came but left the man something to remind him of his pain.

As a sick and twisted parting gift that would force him to see his daughter as she was before she took her last breath,

Every time he looked through the looking glass she’d appear on the stairs and repeat the actions that led to her death.

She Waits by Missie Randall

Standing on the staircase

Watching the world outside her realm take place

She is surrounded by those gone before 

Gathering from them the power to make her more

She stands waiting for what only one alive knows

That with every day her power grows

She will pass through the portal 

That separates her from the mortals

She longs to once again know loves embrace

Instead of the cold touch of this place

Stuck between heaven and hell

She still has enough power to cast her spell

Though it will take time

She will return in her physical prime

She has watched her loves soul be born anew

And everything he has gone through

Even though his body is still young and carefree

Through the pull of their souls he can see

Her standing there

Knowing she will always care

Her greatest fear

Is it will take too many years

For her to get enough power 

Before their longed for hour

Their time will come to pass

But for now he will only see her through the looking glass.

The Fierytale Ending by Brandi Chanthathep

I awoke from a dream 

with tears in my eyes,

Horrifying nightmares 

of hearing children's cries,

I couldn't save them

and it would never leave my mind,

Though, I sought the peace of Heaven

I knew I'd never find,

So, I left my bed barefoot 

in the quiet of the night,

Feeling my way through darkness

without the help of sight,

Going forward 

through darkest black, 

Going forward 

to find the way back,

Finally, I reached 

the creaky porch,

Darkest black 

from fire scorch,

There upon the ruins of my castle 

once so fair,

I observed the destruction

as I ascended the stair,

Numbly, I proceeded

beyond the sign that read "CONDEMNED",

Past the charred wreckage 

where children used to play pretend,

I reached for the door 

of the beginning and the end,

To hand deliver the message 

that no one else could send,

I turned the tarnished 

knob of brass,

And entered through 

the looking glass,

I lit an old lamp

left beside the door,

And I made my way 

across the floor,

The recurring episode 

began to unfold,

As soon as I crossed 

over the threshold,

Memories made 

of finest gold,

The kind no merchant 

ever bought or sold,

The type of gold woven 

into dreams come true,

A tapestry of memories

gleaming every day anew,

Like a classic tale 

that begged to be told,

It was a timeless love song

that never grew old,

Too quickly it was followed

by sirens scream,

Cutting the golden thread...

no more dream,

They became only nightmares;

starless, black, stormy night,

Struggling to breathe

and losing the fight,

They were only 

just barely out of reach,

And I stood by helpless,

I watched the levee breach,

Into a torrent 

of fire and smoke,

I watched my babies 

cough and choke,

Chaos of flames 

raging out of control,

The endless torment 

consumed my soul,

I walked through the castle halls

meandering, lost,

Hating, debating,

contemplating the cost,

How could I even

choose to go on?

When my reason for being

was dead and gone,

They were everything 

in life to me,

All of the beauty 

of sky and sea,

I gave them all 

I had to give,

Because they were my 

only reason to live,

I wondered if it was worth it 

to continue to dream,

When the price of fantasy 

was an endless stream,

A relentless flow of memories

from when the levee broke,

A raging torrent of broken dreams

that all went up in smoke,

I ran my hand along the walls

where the pictures used to hang,

I stared blankly into their room

remembering the songs they sang,

Then a vision whisked me away

to sweeter times,

Filled with lullabies 

and nursery rhymes,

I saw a memory 

of my little knight,

Battling dragons 

with all his might,

And another memory 

came to call,

Of my little princess

dancing at the ball,

How cruel the memories

of fantasies and fun,

Music from the jewelry box,

and smiling in the sun,

Now they were ashes,

cast into the sky,

Particles of clouds

that rained down while I'd cry,

I walked through the kitchen

and toward the cellar door,

Wandering through the emptiness

until I couldn't take it anymore,

As I opened the door

I felt myself entering the looking glass again,

And suddenly I felt like I hadn't 

since I couldn't remember when,

Such a peculiar joy 

suddenly came over me,

As I held up the lamp 

so that I could see,

I could hear their laughter,

a smile lit up my face,

I hurried down into the smoky darkness 

below the staircase,

I've never experienced 

such extreme deja vu,

I felt again like I did

when the golden dream was new,

In my mind, I heard their voices

urging me on,

My brave, young knight

and my princess of the golden dawn,

At the bottom of the stairs

I could see my old mirror,

And, suddenly it seemed

like I was seeing much clearer,

For a brief moment I wondered

how my mirror survived,

When nothing else in the house

made it out of the fire alive,

The thought quickly vanished

as their faces appeared,

The smoldering memories

and the air had cleared,

There they were

staring back at me,

The sweetest sight

that I thought I'd never see,

But I was bothered by something 

that I saw in their eyes,

As empty and vacant 

as cloudless skies,

I searched for the aliveness

that I once knew,

Yet, it seemed as if

I could see right through,

How was I hearing 

their voices in my head?

Speaking dark mysteries

from the realm of the dead,

I wondered why their voices

sounded so cold,

Speaking to me through

the mirror of old,

Then they began to beckon

to enter the looking glass before me,

Unsettled, I wondered

if this was really the end of the story,

I questioned, 

"Are those Spirits behind your eyes really you?"

Could the dreams of my fairytale 

once again come true?

I heard them telling me 

to leave this world behind,

That beyond my reflection

waited the answers I longed to find,

They told me that everything

I was seeking was on the other side,

They assured me that in their presence

I could forever abide,

Forever and always

in eternity,

I could have my babies 

right there with me,

No more haunting 

memories,

Back to the sweetest dreams

of ease,They told me to close my eyes

and I would see,

The gates would open into 

peaceful certainty,

My answer to my children 

was spoken in love,

"How can I ascend 

to the Heavens above?"

"How I've longed to see you,

But how can I stay?"

Before they could answer

I was Spirited away.

THE END!! 

Outstanding! Congratulations Poets! You all once again have risen up to a new poetry challenge that has blown me all away and of course all your new followers. 

Thank you friends for joining us! 

See you for the next poetry challenge. 

Remember, if you're ever interested in participating, please email me, Poison Ivy at poisonivysnbv@gmail.com or find me on FB. 

Poetry Corner with Poison Ivy and Friends

Welcome back to the Poetry Corner!

My friends and I are so excited to have you back for our third edition of the poetry challenges. We really do think you'll enjoy these entries. 

The challenge wasn't as easy as it may have seemed. This time around the participating poets were given the Title of their poems along with a theme. They were challenged to create a poem of fantasy and destruction, but they could only use the title, 

"The Weeping Sparrows."

Happy Reading!

The Weeping Sparrows by The Lozt Poet

Do you hear that low cry coming through?

Did you ever think the legends were true?

The ones that spoke of the days without light,

The time when ogres and dragons would fight.

The sparrows tried to bring peace between the two,

They tried everything they could think to do.

Nonetheless the ogres and dragons battled each other for control of the land and sky,

Never gaining control no matter how hard they would try.

They fought from dusk until dawn,

The dragons would swoop down with their talons drawn.

The ogres would anticipate their move and stand very still,

They’d move at the last second hoping to make a kill.

Many villages were decimated and countless lives were lost,

As the battles raged on no matter the cost.

The war raged on as they swallowed up the land and trees,

The ogres and dragons chased each other throughout the lands and seas.

At the end of it all both species succeeded in their mission,

They chased each other throughout the land right into extinction.

Those who got to see their end still speak of how much the birds wept that day,

Their tears fell from the sky and wiped the traces of their painful memories away.

Only one creature remembers when they used to roam,

This place that humans now call their home.

And that is why even to this day the rain always follows,

The sound of the weeping sparrows.

The Weeping Sparrows by Poet Jesse Batista

As the birds soar through the soiled thick air

They query below to the city square

 Masses of garbage lay in the streets

Flowing to the rivers where nature eats

Once blue waters have turned to gray

Foul and tainted where the children will play

Billowing plumes of industrial smoke

 Stifling, Suffocating the Majestic Oak

Glooming skies but, clouds are none

The mist it is smog and blocks out the sun

Another moon rises and the humans, they sleep

As the wild beds down the Sparrows, they weep.

The Weeping Sparrows by Poet Missie Randall

Come my children and sit right here

I will tell you the tale of the Sparrows tear

You've heard all there is of dragon lore

But you have yet to hear of what came before

There was a tribe so young and free

Revelling in nature's pure beauty

There came a man with evil intent

Only a young man, Sparra and his mate Row 

Would ever truly know

They'd gone to him and said they would tell

He cast an everlasting spell

Turning them into birds

So none would hear their words

The horror that evil man enjoyed

As their people were slaughtered and lands destroyed

Sparra and Row tried to warn them all

But could only weep as another would fall

As the last of their tribe died

Sparra and Row's souls cried

Leaving a tear stain around their eye

That has remained with each generation gone by

Now you all know

The story of the Weeping Sparrows

The Weeping Sparrows by Poet Dara Miller

Gossamer Wings

Weeping sparrows come in the dark of night,

To eat the souls of those who take flight.

In the darkness they live,

Melancholic agony is what they give.

Searching for the hopeless ones, who dare to despair,

They are few, these bringers of truth… uncommonly rare.

These harrowing ones on whom mechanical sparrows prey,

Soul sucking their tears, creating destruction and decay.

Against the machine they rage,

Day after day, turning the page.

Forced to take leave from the light,

To live another day, to stand, to fight.

Piece by piece they destroy,

Weeping sparrows, pirates of joy.

The Weeping Sparrows by Poet Brandi Chanthathep 

I have seen the eagle's spirit 

through the Heavens soar,

I have seen the mystic raven

perched at Midnight's door,

Yet never a sight so tragic have I seen 

as the souls of the weeping sparrows,

Oh, what a dark and sorrowful day 

when the weeping sparrows appeared,

Somehow, they found the refuge 

where the dust and smoke had cleared,

They'd traveled on a mournful exodus 

diving in peaks and swells like bent arrows,

  

When I caught sight of them, I swooned

to the music of their tears,

My heart was overwhelmed 

by the untold stories of their years,

What calamity befell them?

I silently wondered, 

"Whence forth have you come,

dear friends?" I queried,

"From lands of the lost, 

the mangled, and drearied?"

What wicked storm 

in their souls yet thundered?

"What tremendous things have you witnessed

On your perilous reprieve?"

What could leave such beautiful souls

so utterly aggrieved?

Yet, in vain I asked, for I could not 

comprehend the answers that I sought,

"Hast thou witnessed what causes  

the young maidens fear?

Have you heard what compels 

the stoic elders to shed a tear?"

Yet, upon them, the quest of questions

 was all for naught,

"Please, I pray, do tell, dear friends, 

and do not tell a lie,

For, I cannot bear to see you carry 

the burden that makes you cry,"

To the weeping sparrows

 I was a tarp in the wind,

"Were you privy to the cruelty 

of Pharaoh's disastrous dream?

Were you forced to hear the voices 

of helpless children scream?"

They made no reply, 

 not knowing where to begin,

"Share, oh, sparrows, 

thou reasoning for tears,

Cry out for mercy 

to the God Who hears,"

Though not for my sake, set your souls free,

I longed for their liberation 

in the deepest depths of my being,

My rebel heart ached 

to end the suffering I was seeing,

And then, I heard the angels sing,

"Dear friends," I whispered, "May you fly high 

above the bleak sadness of this life,

Escape heartache, through the narrow passes

of destruction and strife,"

And they flew up 

into the vastness of open skies,

Although, I was blessed 

to see them go,

I feel them in the song 

of the winds that blow, 

Wordless wisdom of ages

conveyed through their eyes,

I remember them with

the tears that flow,

Alas, to my despair, 

I shall never know,

The untold pain in the souls of the weeping sparrows.

THE END!!

Wow!! Those were absolutely outstanding pieces of artistry. 

Congratulations Poets, for yet another edition to The Poetry Corner. Your hard work, dedication and continued efforts to see each challenge through to the end, shows heart and your love for poetry. I am so honored to have you all as featured poets here at TPC. Thank you so much for all that you do in the world of poetry. 

Thank you friends for joining us today. I, Poison Ivy, do hope you've enjoyed this edition of the poetry challenges. Thank you for your support of these wonderful poets. 

If you're interested in joining the next challenge, please feel free to contact me, Poison Ivy/Ivy Valori, via email poisonivysnbv@gmail.com

 We hope to see you next time.