Since I've taken a creative writing class and I'm in an AP Lit course, it only makes sense that I wound up with a lot of poems on hand. Seeing everyone else's poems kind of got me in a poetic mood, so here they are. More may appear if I get in the mood to write them. Newer ones are up top. :>

Unimportance - written in the Ballade style
Spoiler:
Every part of life is instability;
The one constancy to life is that we fall.
Though we climb to the best of our abilities
It may seem we cannot make it out at all.
Tragedy the best of men befalls,
Though after grand and lofty dreams they chase.
Life can seem a long and drawn-out brawl -
This is a fact I readily embrace.

Although to most it seems to be a pity
Most deeds, good or bad, often seem small
For in life’s deeds’ hierarchy
Everyday life is valued least of all.
Though few know when we rise or fall
In the everyday lies a certain kind of grace
And it’s a liberating feeling to be small.
This is a fact I readily embrace.

Grand dreams keep hopeful minds busy
As every person dreams of feeling tall.
To be the talk of every town and city
To have one’s name by loving crowds called.
But grandeur is the worst burden of all
Corrupting those who so doggedly chase
After the spotlight’s glowing prison walls -
This is a fact I readily embrace.

How can any man or woman rise without a fall?
When free to fail we exercise our grace.
But I find my overall importance to be small;
This is a fact I readily embrace.


In the City - written in the Rondel style
Spoiler:
Bright lights burn across the city,
Rushing wild emotion below.
A million people come and go,
And in the night the twinkle is so pretty.

The night air is coarse and gritty
Although all the lights are aglow.
Bright lights burn out in the city,
Swirling dark commotion below.

Rust corrupts the shining cities,
Hollow are their eyeful shows.
Emptiness nulls that blazing glow:
The brightness that once was pretty.
Bright lights die off in the city.
Choking pollution below.


Autumnal Air - written in the Rhyme Royal style
Spoiler:
The tiny, falling embers I adore,
Spinning through the cool wind that smells of leaves -
Autumn is here and I want more.

The colorful trees rustle in the breeze;
There is an atmosphere of quiet ease.

As cool wind and warm leaves play in my hair,
I take a deep breath of autumnal air.

The cinnamony smell of pumpkin spice
Wafts warmly from one of autumn’s staples
Sweet pies disappear within a few bites.

Wishbones snap across a laden table,
And all eat as much as they are able.

At the Thanksgiving table I take my chair,
And take a deep breath of autumnal air.

Chillsome sunsets set the forest ablaze,
Autumn’s red crown aflutter all above;
I watch creation and I am amazed.

Apples and cider and the joys thereof
The sweet fall season is my greatest love.

So I run through the leaves without a care,
And take a deep breath of autumnal air.


Bird Nerd - written in the Rhyme Royal style
Spoiler:
At night on silent wings he flies away,
Spreading lovely feathers painted snow-white -
The Tyto alba striking at his prey.

Black-eyed barn owl is lord of the night,
For in his rounded eyes, blackness is bright.

Soaring high to strike with beak and sharp claw
The Strigiformes leave everyone in awe.

Gentle buzzing heralds Trochilidae;
Though he is often difficult to see
His feathers gleam like jewels throughout the day.

Bedecked in lovely emeralds is he,
With an amulet of brilliant ruby.

Humble hummingbird is dressed to the nines -
Archilochus colubris simply shines.

Somber Corvidae spread their black-dyed wings;
Hirundinidae fan their forked tails
And Passeriformes with sweet voices sing.

From the marching ostrich to tiny quail
Aves possesses grace that’s off the scale.

For such majesty, mankind has no words;
True beauty is simply for the birds.


On Life and Snow Cones
Spoiler:
Sunlight streams down on people in the park and I watch them
Contemplate the meaning of life and the sweet taste of snow-cones -
Give it some thought and then a little more.
Answers like this don’t come easy.

I nibble at the frozen treat and lean against the bench
Flinch a bit as a rubber ball zings overhead but smile some,
Because let’s face it, kids are too cute.
They’re all just so doggone precious.

That gets my thoughts turning - what’s worth living for, anyway?
Shift uncomfortably because that sounds so bleak and morose.
Honest, it wasn’t meant to be so dark.
I’m just trying to work it out.

But I do wonder - what makes people go on with their lives?
Let my head hang and think on the raging hatred in the world.
Why do we stand defiant of the pain?
What drives us to commit evil?

Is it loss or pain or grief? Is it anger, is it fear?
Frown because I don’t know too much about negativity.
Maybe looking through a lens of hurt is
The only way to understand.

A rush of cold sweet blueberry livens up my parched mouth.
Smile somewhat as color and joy return to my bleak thoughts.
Those kids are harbingers of happiness.
And there’s some peace about me now.

It’s days like this when I want to kick back and stay forever.
Wish every day could be the same - kids and sunshine and snow-cones.
I grin - this is what makes life worth living:
In the misery, there’s still good.


(These next ones are based upon my forays into novel territory and, as such, are a bit personal and don't make quite that much sense out of context.)

Lights
Spoiler:
Lights.
The shimmering city with dazzling streets,
A shock to the senses but candy to the eyes.
Clothed in chroma and swathed in shine, it glints
In many colors - gold, white, and bright red.
Lights.
Don’t get blinded.

But all this beauty goes unnoticed
By a fractured, weary band of denizens, for
Sorrow howls through their hollow hearts and
Hopeless worry fills their hung heads.
Lights.
Don’t get blinded.

Then like a ray of sunshine, she arrives.
Smiling though blood and tears are on her face,
She is at once both glad and mournful, and
Her words sing with the hope of a truth that was once dead.
Lights.
Don’t get blinded.

Cold laughter echoes from the crowd
As the broken king of broken streets
Walks beside her, laughing, saying,
Come now, girl, don’t look so frightened.
Lights.
Don’t get blinded.

Darkness covers his approach;
The hopeful girl is silent now
Her voice is stilled by terror and
Her bright heart is filled with a cold dread.
Lights.
Don’t get blinded.

The flicking lights still shimmer on.
The signs never dim in glinting brightness.
Shining on the city and its broken king, as
Her blood pools on the broken streets, dark red.
Lights.
They’re all blinded.


Disillusioned
Spoiler:
In these days of bravery and light,
We look in awe to our heroes standing strong.
They march like soldiers to the tune of valiant war cries
And every kid alive rises up to sing along.

Proud and tall like statues in the square:
The bold proud people daring us to dream.
They teach us to be noble even in the dark times,
And set our laughing little hearts agleam.

And we so want to stand upon their shoulders,
Because they’re always brave and cannot fall.
Just like them, we dream of being heroes
And for all the world to see us standing tall.

So we take a little stab at having courage.
We wonder where we’d end up following their lead.
Engaging in the pettiest heroics,
Deluded into the commission of grand deeds.

But every hero pays a price for their heroics.
And we thought that we would get away scott-free.
But we desired to be called upon for greatness,
And for greatness, we paid a tragic fee.

A bitter death rewarded all our dreaming.
Our stupid hopes have tossed a life away.
The cost was one thing we could never have accepted,
But it was one that we were forced to pay.

And so here in the place where there once was light,
We stand and wonder where we ever went so wrong.
Marching like soldiers to the cadence of war cries -
You never told me I would have to sing along.


Lonely
Spoiler:
The feeling is close to me, so close that it’s
Second-nature to have it on hand; it’s like
Breathing, almost, but toxic and yet
Without it, I feel overexposed like
A million-degree day, and the only clothing I have is
An overcoat.

I could throw it away if I wanted to, but
If I did, everyone would see the truth and that’s
The one thing that I cannot accept, because
Inside, I am a mess but I must be
A blazing symbol of courage to
The world.

To say that I resent my lot would be
A lie; I do not, in fact, wish I was someone else because
If anyone in this world is hurting I’d rather it be
Me, because I can handle it and I hate to see
Anyone else in pain, so it’s better
This way.

But it would also be a lie to say
That I don’t wish that things could be a little
Different, because I do; not that they would
Change irrevocably, just enough to let me not
Feel so unsettled and so acutely
Aloof.

But I know that I’ll keep on being
The same, standing just a bit removed from others because
I have to; otherwise, I run the risk of losing
My focus, so I will keep on being
Lonely, because I cannot find the words nor will to express
The truth.