Humanity’s Voice
by
Cuong Dao
Copyright @ 2012 by Cuong Dao
Cover art – Tehrell Porter
Book title - Matthew Rodriguez
Mentors – Merridith Duellman,
Bonnie Dahl, Marsha Swails,
and Bonnie Waddick
“Writers reform rubbish writings into wonders."
"One Piece"
Sit at a round, wooden table,
Papers scatter everywhere,
Scribbles roll in white balls,
Shreds of fluttering doodles,
Drifting in space to pay heed,
Patch together imagination,
Missing a jolt to jumpstart,
Smooth elbow slides in sweat,
Forehead bangs the surface,
Ideas pour into void mind,
Shake to clear sluggish senses,
Paint a picture with words,
Grinning while laminating.
“Alluring Beauty”
Her head tilts aside,
Blemishes loom onto face,
Troubled breathing?
Ancient eyeglasses,
Lips curve into a smile,
Kindles the florid skin,
Cheek muscles ache
From facial expressions.
"Dawn On Beauty"
The crimson skies shimmer
Upon maiden’s unmarred skin,
Hair wavering with the zephyr,
Irises reflect an array of hues,
Further illuminate perfection,
Pills to prevent a heart attack.
"Attachment"
Connection problem?
Thousands of miles apart,
A strain that must be,
Countless years ahead,
Paths in all directions,
Fate at an intersection?
Relive memories together,
Same laughter as before,
Or no facial recognition?
Favorite color shaded,
Mindsets transformed,
Life in a roller coaster,
Connection problem?
"A Place To Remember"
"Go on," whispering voices,
Sweet mothers gently push,
Tiny fingers poke at knowledge,
Silly children laugh cheerfully,
Winged guardians illume paths
Until growth of lustrous feathers.
Consume wisdom to survive,
Trials bruise stalwart body,
Tests greatly drain inner spirit,
Failure nears if soul flicker,
"Pathetic," a projecting echo.
Stumbling on rocky grounds,
Hands ram into pointy stones,
Fingertips drip ruby globules,
"Ah, more!" an entity exclaimed,
Shadows harvest clumps of doubts,
Leeching humanity's evolution,
Footprints… Remnants of man.
Tripping due to dependent on sight,
Mold current conditions to adapt,
Drop curtains on fatigued eyes,
Concentrate on sound vibrations,
"Whoosh," by circulating zephyrs,
Wind currents nudge forward.
Blindly bump into friends,
Grab arms to hold balance,
Bond stabilizes the weight,
Unstoppable power surges,
Tear down any obstacles,
"Let’s go!" booming yells.
Spot a glimmering opening,
Mental images tickle nerves,
Replenish any lost stamina,
"Now!" muffled halfway,
Leap into a heap of whiteness,
Newfound world materializes.
Familiar, smiling faces,
Triumph of their darlings,
People stand to applaud,
Excitement roars the setting,
"...," effects of stupefaction,
The finale burns into memory.
"Another Day"
Stacks of sheets,
Work day repeats,
Energy depletes,
Itching for sweets,
Recess obsoletes.
Require a drink,
Glasses stink,
Stroll to sink,
Hands dyed by ink,
Revert to pink.
Project completes,
Deadline meets,
Walking to streets,
Buy roasted meats,
Hunger deletes.
"Company"
Swirling snow docks on grounds,
Flakes melt in just seconds,
Odds of evolving into a blizzard?
Accuracy of weather forecast?
Something always unknown.
Feet splash in slushy puddles,
Boots crunch on white powder,
No skates for slippery frost,
What other hazards lay ahead?
Something always unknown.
Imaginary world on shoulders,
Footprints sink into the soil,
Trail continues to stretch,
Only an individual track?
Something always known.
"Rest Now"
Possess no pets
Due to regrets.
Last house cat
Became a mat.
Brutal pain,
Slain in lane.
Texting drivers,
No survivors.
Dig grave in yard,
Memories stored.
To the deceased,
Peace at least.
"Sacrifice"
Born with blissful ignorance,
Giggle or laugh during baths,
Carefree to paddle in water,
Cries summon gliding hands,
Roll in circles from tickling,
Simply play until bedtime.
Not first time to blow candles,
Severe results with this wish,
Sight unveils skintight masks,
Maggots squirming in orbits,
Snakes dangling from heads,
Screaming while squirting gun.
Relocation into a stone statue?
Sculptor surely chisels stiff lips!
Marbleized eyes grind sockets,
Heart trades for knowledge,
An exchange willing accepted,
Yet always those "What if...?"
"Down This Path"
Surviving to vanquish this darkness,
Avoid straying from proper path,
Pulls of these enticing temptations,
Sap spirit with grueling trials,
Usurped by a hungry revenant.
The world of goodness crashes,
Shattering inhabitants like frozen rain,
The collision vibrates a soft ringing,
Soon it erupts into screeching shrills.
Unable to restore to former glory,
Numerous reasons for this result,
Friendly swords thrust heart,
Nonexistence with close ones,
The reaper curses for ignition,
Resentment boils into violent bursts,
Mere water won't douse vengeance.
Murky smudges smear upon
Merciful, righteous judgment,
Merge into an unknown hole,
Darker than darkness itself,
Cannot escape from vortex.
Warm, radiating sunlight hugs,
Flashes of past intimate contacts,
Sensory sight along with touch
Numbed by slithering shadows,
Choose to undergo this mutation.
"Manacle"
A youngster in solitary,
Metallic element rattles,
Chains grapple ext
remities,
Crawling frost crackles,
Streams from arctic heart.
A teenager stands alone,
Bears melancholy face,
Aura startles strangers,
Frightened to approach
A ticking time bomb.
A man from assembly line,
Mass production of clones,
Chip in skull suppresses
Utter incineration of life,
Sizzles skin before contact.
"Destiny"
Gripless soles,
Feet slip,
Flinging limbs,
Briefcase unclasps
Fluttering papers,
Gasp quickly
Dominated by
Deep groan,
Delicate head
Lands first
Upon grounds,
Solid cement,
Looming clouds,
Hazy lights,
Faint honks,
Lying sprawled,
Skull rumbles,
Seeping blood,
Last sigh,
Promotion today.
"Live On"
Truck with explosives
Destroyed by fearless Marines,
Saved their dear comrades.
"Tribute"
Stain in Ramadi,
Navy Cross hangs on tombstone,
President salutes.
"Bargaining"
Lay the only child,
Parents weep throughout lifespan,
Praying to exchange.
These three haikus are dedicated to
my dear friend, Jordon Haerter.
"Frantic"
Heart pumps
Burning blood,
Melts snowstorm,
Muscles twitch,
Trigger Happy,
Nerves tingle,
Goose bumps,
Locate target,
Tunnel vision,
Devise distraction,
Car bombs,
Detonate explosives,
Blazing combustion,
Inferno consumes,
Men shriek,
Flesh charred,
Sly assassin
Exposes prey,
Slimy scum,
Killing methods,
Snap neck,
Slash jugular,
Classic headshot,
Presence detected,
Swear filth,
Chaotic gunfight,
Bullets ricochet,
Friendly fire,
Objective slain,
Mission accomplished,
Now run.
"Nature's Ways"
Jet fighters roar rumbles,
Pebbles tumble from peak,
Bumping into other rocks,
Loosen stationary boulders,
A colliding chain reaction.
Tons of fragments bounce
Onto man-made arch dam,
Materials chip from impact,
Surface lines with scratches,
Digging dents in the center.
Defense crumbles to strikes,
Cracks ripple the exterior,
Water squirts from pores,
First time mingling with soil,
Birth of a natural connection.
Concrete pollutes the body,
Driving into the openings,
Smashing walls for freedom,
Failure floods guardians,
A ravaging weapon unleashes.
“Fin”
Tranquility vanishes before the storm,
Everywhere winds rampage wildly,
Shaking environment of its serenity,
Grounds crumble to pounding rain,
Thick clouds block piercing lights,
White flashes of charged particles,
Only doom looms in the skies.
Bodies cannot remain controlled,
Death taps on trembling heads,
Gasping with whimpering cries,
Dread randomness of thunders,
Frightened crowd seeks shelter,
Curling themselves in far corners,
No rest shall come this night.
The devastating assault ceases,
Water drips on Mother Nature,
Soft breezes loosen tensions,
Sun's glow grows with each blink,
A vivid rainbow materializes,
Standing side by side with kin,
The worst ends with smiles.
"Mirror Speech"
Straightening crooked spine,
Posture displays decline.
Enunciate each word,
Why syllables slurred?
Cure may be water,
Gone tiny daughter.
Mumble for aid,
Hopeless maid.
A disappearing act
Cannot be tracked.
Brita spits out a trick,
Voice box quite slick.
Finally reciting resumes,
Brace for conference rooms.
"Amateur"
Lady, don't tease,
Flirting expertise.
Thrust forth a lily,
Must be quite silly.
Startling reactions,
What future actions?
Cater stomachs first,
Then quench thirst.
Red wine with steaks,
Cake with gold flakes.
Mental image of bill,
Time to pour a refill.
Dinner dents account,
Maybe should recount.
No tactical retreat,
Just store receipt.
"Sweet Tooth"
She clings to a man,
Possesses dark tan.
Neck must be sore,
Head rises to adore.
Good looks bestow on face,
Features girls would chase.
Massive, bulging arms,
Sexual appetite forms.
Her stumble caught,
Surroundings forgot.
Romance in another dimension,
Spectators swell with tension.
"To Falter"
Fool! Utter sweetness
Before she departs,
Rally scraps together
To summon courage.
Fool! Tackle all fears
Before land on knees,
Spurn the restrains
To squeeze her hand.
Fool! Remit the hearth
Before even sparks die,
Frigid winds sweep
To disperse remnants.
Fool! Press upon lips
Before lingering stops,
Why forfeit intimacy
To bear with alienation?
"Moments"
Every day awaken from slumber,
Life glisters like glistening ambers,
Now eerie shadows enshroud clarity,
Harsh changes deteriorate mind.
Frostbite creeps into soul within time,
Minutes instantly morph into hours,
Weekdays skip to reach weekends,
Months memorized as dreadful years,
Precious seconds captured in stasis,
No detection of subtle heartbeats.
Solids disperse into gas particles,
Body phases through the room,
Sensational scents disrupt shift,
Transformation reverses rapidly.
Potent suction of unknown force,
Feeble resistance to such power,
Standing in front of a familiar being,
Warm bursts surge from within,
Those eyes grow the essence of light.
Breathe deeply while shutting sight,
Meditate to cool burning sensuality,
Ample confidence of doused flames,
Content with swift extinguishment,
Gradually unfold to view surroundings,
Instead only a dazzling face appears.
Longing to banish those mem
ories,
Loathe occasions of near success,
Resolution to detach emotions,
Yet throughout a simple farewell,
Why audible cracks from vocals?
Throat throbs from swallowing,
Lose prepared words to a trance,
Wishy-washy of future meetings,
Forceful days of cold-shoulder,
Effortless nights of wild dreams.
"Remnants"
Why do I still remember
Her birthday in November?
Most senior crew member,
Desertion in September,
Worse than a nonmember,
Soon this smoldering ember,
Vaporization by December.
"Chase"
Friendship at first glance,
Or potential romance?
Gamble on slim chance,
Buddies cheer to advance,
Wooing odds enhance,
Fly First class to France,
Land’s mesmerizing trance,
Cocktails before a dance,
Grace of that tango stance!
"Scandalous"
Girls stare at this male,
Muscular body on sale,
Their top secret tale.
"Serenity"
Solo stranger seeks
Everlasting peace for weeks,
Nothing except shrieks.
"Spar"
Pump blood into hearts,
Thrashings during martial arts,
Bruise numerous parts.
"Wanted"
Stuffy, boiling jail,
Shackled until bail.
Canines sniff trail,
Reeking odor of ale.
Scramble to turn tail,
Running limbs fail,
Speared into a rail,
Squashed by a male.
Giant mashes scale,
Arms violently flail.
Diet pills always on sale,
Someone save that whale!
Inhaling to exhale
One desperate wail.
Eating dirt with a snail,
Face anything except pale.
Scraped by shale,
Binge drinking tale.
Undergraduate from Yale,
Suspension letter in mail.