21st century poetry

Angry Father | Craig Warburton

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An open palm descends on back
Dealt with force a hefty smack

Then another just as bad
I’m scared, upset, a broken lad

Stinging skin that’s turned bright red
What goes on inside his head?

For him to hit me quite so hard
Then tell me not to be so mard

The anger in his face so clear
But no way will I shed a tear

The gritted teeth and wild eyed stare
I can’t fight back it’s so unfair

When it stops I’m on my feet
Go to my room, a safe retreat

And only when I close the door
My silent tears fall to the floor

But now I know the signs and when
This scene will play out once again

Demolition | Mary Bone

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Underneath bark and wooden planks,
termites gnaw and chew
destroying homes,
making burrows.
Tunnels appear
as they make
their own homes.

Ride On | Oluwasalvage Archibong

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I will like to live an afterglow of smiles
when life is done
like an echo whispering softly down
an empty hall.
When it rains, it rains with vengeance
and when the harmattan strikes,
you can’t smile naturally without bleeding.
Upon my head is a freight
heavier than a fermented cassava
that makes me stagger like a blind drunkard.
Can there ever be sweet without sweat?
Will my tears of grief
dry up before the sun tucks into the cloud?
I would fly away with the wings of fortune
to the remotest sea; sit quietly at its bank and
relax with the loud silence of nature.
May the morning mobs the evils that survived the night.
I shall be resolute regardless
and stick my head above like a Nazi’s prisoner.
Just like the River keeps flowing,
i will keep moving on.

Skyward | Joan McNerney

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Another hot day at
the playground filled
with shrieks from kids
tumbling down slides.

Shouting boys hop on and
off the whirling carousel
as girls sing songs to
double dutch jump rope.

Waiting for my chance
on the swing. Finally
one is free as I clutch
the metallic link chains.

I pump myself up
pushing pass trees,
feeling cool breezes
brush over me.

All the noise is far below
as I rush towards
blue skies. My feet are
walking on clouds now.

More at https://www.amazon.com/Muse-Miniature-Joan-McNerney/dp/9389074509.

Secret Cemented Underworld | Rising of the Sun

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Our existence had been an escape.
Sefless and innocent we were.
We knew nothing but yawn .
Searching for suck to pin-point.
When we grew up.
We knew their had been a secret,
hidden from our prescence.
Maybe heavy for us to carry.
Engulfed with devil’s blood.
The tales from devil’s world.
There had been a secret before we was.
Secret of our generation.
The one as a master key to our future.
How to get to underworld?
With confusion bloodshot.
We haven’t unlock any.
Many journey to embark.
Many keys to open.
Many throb enstrangled.
Inside underworld lain black blood.
The race is tough but never be scared to hold to the end.
Our secrets was tied innocently in unknown far place.
No light for action.
No source of animal reaction.
Clumsy thoughts that play violently on our cloud.
Our minds emptied with free-fall erosion.
Awake, my soul!
Empty heart, rise to your feet to.
There is more in the cloud to see.

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