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DAWN OF THE NEW YEAR (April Contest)

I sit and shiver in the dark
awaiting this year's first new day
bathed in starlight cold and stark
as the old year quietly slips away
...My thoughts wander as I wait

The silence gives me room to brood
about the last year's fails and foibles
and the wrinkles I've accrued
from twelve more months' toils and troubles
...My breath fogs as I contemplate

A coyote mourns on a far ridge
as sickle moon sets in the west
in a sky as chill as in a fridge
in a world in which I'm a mere guest
...Perhaps the brush wolf calls his mate.

In the east the darkness fades.
the sky turns slowly black to gray.
Details appear in nearby glades;
the last of last year fades away.
...like all the others, lost to fate.

Time falls through another cataract
toward lands where aging memories dwell.
Yesterday can never be brought back
any more than the tide's swell
...it wears men like a kitchen grate.

I look down on my worn coat's sleeve
and see a spot from a sun spear
joining others weaving through limbs' sieve.
As sun rises, shadows appear
...and day's hours accumulate

Which turns my thoughts to days to come
away from the past now set in stone
another number added to the sum,
Thoughts best considered when alone.
...now making my brood hesitate.

Sunlight soon floods this lonely hill
bridging the night and day's dim schism
and as a new day often will
it shifts my mood to optimism
...and I 'm prepared to meet my coming fate.

Style / type: 
Structured: Western
Review Request (Intensity): 
I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back
Last few words: 
It'd difficult for a person to determine what is one's best but I think this one is pretty good
Editing stage: 

Comments

perplexed at the theme at first, then went back to read the guidelines for the contest and now I see. I like this a lot. It gives one the feeling that the contemplation of one's end doesn't have to be sad and dreary. Nice! ~ Geezer.
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There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.

Yeah the contest is give your best prewritten poem. Kinda hard for a poet to decide what his/her best is don't you think?

author comment

A good poet's thoughts... Much enjoyed Stan!
BTW thanks for the word (schism). I like to learn new words.

❤❤❤❤❤❤

Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words
........Robert Frost☺

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Glad you enjoyed your visit. And learning new words Is important for poets isn't it? I hope you and yours are doing well

author comment

I find your poem exceptionally good. The end lines of each strophe rhyme, so that it would be fine to have somebody compose music to accompany it. Do you compose? Anyway, this is appears to be the best choice for the April contest. Looking forward to the results. No crits at all.

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"My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies; fairy tales of yesterday will grow but never die, I can fly, my friends.” – Freddie Mercury

The only thing I compose is poetry. Thank you for taking time to visit. BTW since I'm the contest director I am not eligible to win a contest. It just wouldn't look right in my opinion. So you should enter. It's mostly for fun anyway and who knows? you just might win

author comment
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