Football Elation

I walk to my home.
Sit on my couch
And play in the superdome
while I am slouched

I throw the ball 50 yards
For my receiver to catch
As my guards
Protect me while I get some food from a batch.

I run the ball
My men leave gaps
The ref makes a call.
T
O
U
C
H
D
O
W
N
!   He says, while I collapse.

The Texans win!
I am like a puppy I am so excited.
This ends the Superbowl in Berlin.
I leave my room enlightened.

The Prelude

Three hours away, the bus arrives at the meet.
I try to think of anything but the race.

Two hours away, runners that have finished, all of them elite,
Walk around with triumph on their face.

One hour away, it’s time for me to prepare.
Off go the long pants and slippers covered in morning dews,
A tried and true process starting, that ends with a prayer.
And on go the tank-top, the shorts, and the familiar shoes.

Ten minutes away, my blood running cold, I walk to the start.
My teammates, with similar grave expressions, are all preparing;
Stretching, jogging, trying to keep our will from falling apart.
Preparing both mentally and physically, for the hardship vastly approaching.
A man appears with a firearm in his hand, signaling for us to step up to the line.
“Runners on your mark!”
I shake off a chill that runs down my spine.
A quick wish is uttered for safety and haste on the journey about to embark.

*POP*
The gunshot pierces the blank silence, now torn
Disrupting the blissful calm before the storm.
*BRING*
The electronic chime of my watch starting
Its owner leaving the line and quickly departing
*ROAR*
The crowd, last to react, roars and engulfs my fears
Thundered over only by my heartbeat, which is pounding in my ears.

Life in the Clouds

When you are little
Just born anew,
You try to lift your wings.

But when in doubt of a misstep,
You cry,

But start again.

You stay under
Your mother’s safe wing,
Until your learn
To stay afloat.

When you finally
Lift your wings
And fly

You are off on your greatest
Adventure!

Soon in your flight,
You bump a storm
That keeps you from the clouds.

But soon enough,
You wait and see,
Your wings are dry once more.

You’ll lift your wings,
Into the sun.
And you’re off!
To fulfill your destiny.

A Fairy tale Nightmare

Where am I?
What is this place?
Am I dreaming?

I woke up and I was in another land far different from mine.
There was snow, white as clouds and d-dwarfs?
Dwarfs as small as mice.
I was different as well, I had black hair like the night and I had
the lightest skin, lighter than snow.

My dress?
It-it was different, it had yellow fabric up to my waist an-and
Beautiful bright bice blue drapery on my chest.
I-It was amazing, but it wasn’t my fairy tale.

My family?
My family wasn’t dwarfs, they were birds, and mice and deer
and my color was light blue not bright.

My fairytale was back home with my evil step sisters and stepmother.

I wasn’t the fairest of them all,
i-it wasn’t me.
I am the kindest of them all.

Take me back,
back to my fairytale.

Greetings from Poetryland!

We are thrilled to announce that this year’s Vision+Voice Poetry Contest has had more submissions than any other year in our 7 year history.
WAY TO GO, POETS!
Our judges will now begin carefully going through all 750+ poems to select the very best for recognition.

Winners will be announced on February 15 – stay tuned for the big announcement!

I AM A DOG

I am a dog🐕🐩🐶🐆🐘🐾
I am a dog and I am free
I am a dog out in a tree.
But I want some tea.
Also I need to pee.
I need to flea..
I am a dog and I can see.
I am a dog and I can hear me singing.
Out in the world I can smell flowers
but now I want to take a shower
but it’s all the way up in the tower
It took an hour.
my mouth taste sour
it’s just my super power.
My feet hurt i need to go back.
I feel dizzy i feel like a haystack.
I try.
My town says hi.
I’m just not that guy.
I can’t be named fi.
I can see.
The one who is waiting for me.
I don’t know why I don’t go.
But his name is joe.
Don’t wanna scare him with a hoe.
BUT NO.
I’ll just go.
But what so.
Im hurt.
Ima scert scert.
I try.
I just can’t stop the lie.
Yeah i’m that guy.
I don’t say hi.
That’s my life.
I’m not a rose im a dog a mean dog a hog.
My house is a log there is a lot of fog.
Don’t feel bad or mad or sad that’s life to me have a nice day.
I’m going away tell you mom i said hey.
I’m not going to pay.
I’m not going to stay.
You don’t need me.
eneway.
Nobody likes me.
I’m lonely and out like a phony.
So don’t call me a pony.
There is snow.
Ima go.
Santa won’t say hoho.
I’M cold no wonder i have a big toe.
Joe would not take me.
He will take my sister tea tea.
She is different cuz she says hehe.
I feel a tear drops down my face.
My sister thinks its a race.
Even if it is she always gets 1st place.
I don’t know why but she has a shoelace.
I’m sad that i’m mad but I had all the love.
Now i’m just a mean old glove.
Look at me.
Ima mess.
So don’t put me to the test.
Oh no its joe with my hoe.
Im go go goooooooooo!
A person walks up to me.
I tried to run but I decided i’m done.
He was like i love you hun.
He picked me up.
He was not joe.
He was not trey.
Or collin.
His name gorge.
He gave me a kiss.
I felt happy.
Also I need to take a nappy.
I’m not snappy.
He gave me a paper.
I put my paw on it.
I’ll still be sad i miss joe.
My dad said you can’t be sad or I will be mad.
I lived a good life.
TO BE CONTINUED IN I AM A DOG AFTER LIFE.

Fear

Fear holds you captive in place.
It’s like a dark, cold wave that washes over you.
You are frozen in its space.
Then all of your troubles hail down anew.

You can hear it coming from a mile away.
It makes you want to hide.
You’ll do anything to keep it at bay.
But it’s high tide.

The POUNDING rises from heart to your head.
You close your eyes.
You hold your breath.
You are swept away.

Wanderlust

Traveling the earth.

City to city, state to state, country to country.
Shopping mall to shopping mall, capitol building to capitol building, foreign language to foreign language.

Monuments, museums, maps, marvels,and miracles. Sights, sounds, smells, sweet and savory sips.

Walking around, catching the train, and riding the bus.
Meeting new people, speaking different languages, experiencing foreign cultures. Swimming in the ocean, hiking up mountains, biking the city, seeing the sights.

Watching and listening to the fast – paced, noisy, hum of the city. Smelling the fresh ocean air and feeling the sand beneath my feet.

Keepsakes, postcards, photos and memories.
More stamps in my passport, the journey never ends.

My ​wanderlust​ never fades.