a venture outward
secluded private domain
spying the intruders
Tag: haiku
Existential
we all have value
but none of us is special
living is so hard
Ivor Steven
The Sum is One
One
Sky above
Five oceans bind us
The one air we breathe comes from
Trees
Behind The Stone
When looking for home
If you roll away the stone
You won’t be alone
Lost For Words
lost worlds
lost wars
lost objectives
lost subjects
lost children
Cold Nights
Empty, I return unsold
The sheets are cold
No crease to hold
Nor unfold
~~~

Ivor Steven was an Industrial Chemist, then a Plumber, now retired, and has been writing poetry for 19 years. He has had numerous poems published in anthologies and online magazines. He is an active member of the Geelong Writers Inc. (Australia), he is a team member/barista with the online magazine Go Dog Go Cafe (America), and a writer with the Coffee House Writers magazine (America). You can read more of his work on his blog – Ivor.Plumber/Poet. Ivor was originally featured on The Short of It on March 4th.

Submissions are now closed but if you’d like to be featured on The Short of It in the future,
click here for the submissions guidelines.
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Freya Pickard
Abyss
shriek into the void
dark shadows shatter, dissolve
still empty inside
alone in abyss
my screams no longer echo
finally absorbed
a soul-touching croon
expands to vast crescendo
calls me back to life
Alive
clasped closely
– I do not wish to escape
held by darkness
– his cold embrace, a refuge
he lives
– because of my blood
I am not yet dead
– he needs me alive
Victim
docile, I submit
ecstasy, then sudden pain
give myself freely
moonlit muscles enfold me
metallic kisses drown me
you cannot live without me
I need you to sustain me
what have you woken
in the embers of my soul –
dark flame of your heart
Attitude
with an
attitude as
bad as my boots, I strut,
swagger and sneer – untouchable
bite me!
killing for sheer adrenaline
no emotion this side
of death; why should
I care?
Suicide
no one hears me
therefore I do not exist
pale ghost in shadow
I step out into sunlight
erupt in blaze of glory
~~~

Freya Pickard is the author of The Kaerling series, an epic fantasy. She writes mainly fantasy tales and creates poetry in order to rest the prose side of her brain. She finds her inspiration in the ocean, beautifully written books, and vinyl music (particularly heavy metal and rock). Freya was featured twice in The Short of It – May 2020 and October 2020. Her piece, Sailing, featured in the first anthology – was selected for the Pushcart Prize.

Submissions are now closed but if you’d like to be featured on The Short of It in the future,
click here for the submissions guidelines.
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John Collins
Intellectual Beauty
Don’t judge the cover
Intellectual Beauty
Hiding in plain sight
JOY…
Just let yourself be mindful
Open your heart, free your soul
Yearn no more and be JOY!
On a Day like This
Life doesn’t get any better than this
Soaking up the joy
From the radiance of our day star
Sitting is enough
Nothing to do
Watching the day go by
Gentle clouds soaring
Flying with the spirits of the sky
Open Love
No longer hiding
In Fear of insolent stares
Love for all to see
Safe Haven
Nightmares and Dreamscapes
Playground of the subconscious
Hiding Memories
Re-enacted, Translated
Safe haven for the mind’s eye
The Meaning of Us
Eyes see entwined souls
Hearts beat in time as one heart
Eternal Rapture
~~~
Author of Of Magick, Myths and Monsters and A Dark State of Mind; John is a self-proclaimed poet and storyteller. Hailing from the coastal city of Swansea in Wales, his passion for writing stems from his childhood imagination. It’s this passion that’s kept him fascinated, and a lover, with all things “Weird and Wonderful”. John was first featured in May 2020 as well as published in The Sound of Brilliance.

Submissions are now closed but if you’d like to be featured on The Short of It in the future,
click here for the submissions guidelines.
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Festival Of Colors
Inspired by Reena’s Exploration Challenge #222 & Eugenia’s Weekly Prompt – Faraway
spring, love and color
bright holi celebrations
sadness faraway
A Climb To The Top
Inspired by Sadje’s What do you see #125
day of hiking ends
body aches, mind is free
nature’s therapy
Bleak
Inspired by Sadje’s What do you see #122
desperate desires
the latest technology
we will die trying
NOTE: Have you noticed that the left hand’s fingers are bending backward, or is it just me?
Pure Haiku – Ghostlight theme Acceptance!
So happy Freya to have this piece selected for the Ghostlight theme and to be in a group of such talented writers! ❤
travel to the stars past conscious experience into the surreal
If you enjoy the short and succinct, join me at I Write Her for the minutiae!
This haiku is part of our Ghostlight theme.
Mighty
hail to her glory
the enlightened reigns supreme
her majesty blinds