Poems

In the game of fire and ice
owning the biggest dragon
is no guarantee of success

Author notes: WC 16 https://allpoetry.com/contest/2782570-Inferno

The sands of ancient Egypt
are full of ghosts
who failed to build their pyramid

The pharaohs got theirs
of course

Social critics at the time
filled many scrolls of papyrus
noting this pyramid inequality

Finally someone called
the whole thing
a pyramid scheme

And it stopped

Author notes: https://allpoetry.com/contest/2782587-Build

The history of castle sieges
suggests that the expression
"between a rock and a hard place"
Is an imperfect way to describe a dilemma

When pushed to choose between
"a rock and a hard place"
I choose rock

Author notes: better to be throwing the rock, no?

Peeling the quantum onion
makes physicists cry

Author notes: 4. Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one. Albert Einstein https://allpoetry.com/contest/2782848-Reality-quotes

She comes in,
clasping his hand!
My half empty glass
is now empty
This was our bar!
The bartender knowingly
tops me up.
I dread tomorrow's hangover

Author notes: https://allpoetry.com/contest/2783636-at-the-bar

Trantor skyscrapers
top monthly expense by far
crash avoidance shields

Author notes: https://allpoetry.com/contest/2783652-Sci-Fi-Image-Haiku-Welcome-Contest- https://asimovuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Trantor

Patches of green zebra balls
stretched in every direction
hungrily sucking up the misty
spray all around me, seemingly
growing in front of my eyes

Author notes: WC 25 https://allpoetry.com/contest/2783205-shots-of-summer--I- Image from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/AQn7AuMsO-h2r0VZj6WADtjkM5sOmc4ZxpI51Q_iJ2jBDLJhmgyYWiw/ https://allpoetry.com/poem/15994857-watermelon--by-Elida-Vargas https://allpoetry.com/Oakblue34 https://allpoetry.com/poem/15994871-Delights-of-childhood-by-Malabu https://allpoetry.com/poem/15995450-Gastric-Delight-by-Alf-Collier-noguest https://allpoetry.com/poem/15995933-Childrens-Play-by-Albert-Schepers-noguest

We're not in Kansas anymore
And though this is not your first rodeo
this is also not your father's Oldsmobile
So at the end of the day
pretty please… with sugar on top...
Clean the fucking car

Author notes: This ditty is almost entirely made up of famous movie quotes and clichés to create a coherent story.  I'll give your comment 3 stars for identifying all the quotes

He replays last night in his head
The sighs, the curled toes
the sheer perfection of her...
of her

She replays last night in her head
The groans, the clenched fingers
The sheer raw want of his...
of his

They meet again over that evening's dinner
"How was your day?" she asks
"Fine. Yours?" he answers

But their goosebumps tell the story

Author notes: https://allpoetry.com/contest/2782715-The-Sensualist---The-Ultimate-Experience

Firefly orgies, the scent
of deer musk on wood
still in my nostrils.
It’s July

Author notes: WC 15 https://allpoetry.com/contest/2783206-shots-of-summer--II- https://allpoetry.com/poem/15995701-firefly-night-by-maggie.v https://allpoetry.com/poem/15995866-Mid-Summer-evenings-by-Malabu https://allpoetry.com/poem/15996211-Summer-nights-by-Karen-OBrien https://allpoetry.com/poem/15996429-If-only-a-firefly-visits-the-metropolis-by-Henz-noguest

The fountain in the plaza between them
gently washed away anxiety and worry
I loved to walk in their shadows
eyeing beautiful women
sitting on benches, having lunch
and crossing their legs
A spring ritual of self-affirmation
I used to look out my 68th floor window
onto the sparkling blue harbor
and the green lady, so calm and strong
welcoming the navy during fleet week
Though on stormy days
the gathering clouds did seem
like the hand of god
reaching down

Author notes: I worked on the 68th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center through both World Center bombings.  The plane hit the 72nd floor.  At the plane's speed, hitting the 68th or 72nd.... It was years before I could cross the Verrazano Bridge without tearing up. An indelible bad memory indeed.

They make Writer’s Blocks
From old children alphabets
Remember your spells

Author notes: https://allpoetry.com/contest/2783668-575-Haiku-Contest-