Dylan Bragg · @dylanbragg
295 followers · 665 posts · Server mastodon.socialComposed by request:
I lost a free and fair election
And organized an insurrection,
Demanding what I’d been denied.
The senators each cast aside
Support, as arguments presented
A plot not quite unprecedented
Nor really even all that shocking…
But Cicero would not stop talking.
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #riddle #ancientrome #spqr #politics #conspiracy #insurrection #history #rome #roman #republic #poetrycommunity
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #riddle #ancientrome #spqr #politics #conspiracy #insurrection #history #rome #roman #republic #poetrycommunity
Dylan Bragg · @dylanbragg
295 followers · 663 posts · Server mastodon.social#mastoprompt "Shrapnel"
A miracle that I’m alive…
For I was there in forty-five
With the joint Amphibious Corps.
The bloodiest battle of the war,
We fought as boldly as we could,
And lost our friends. But I withstood
The rain of steel on land and sea:
I’ve still got shrapnel in my knee.
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #ww2 #war #okinawa #warstories #grandpa #soldier #battle #military #history #poetrycommunity
#MastoPrompt #poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #ww2 #war #okinawa #warstories #grandpa #soldier #battle #military #history #poetrycommunity
Dylan Bragg · @dylanbragg
294 followers · 662 posts · Server mastodon.social#SciFiPrompt "Ancient"
Behind the veil we pull the strings,
With secret handshakes, signet rings,
And ancient ritual initiation.
The governments of every nation
Have members in their highest ranks.
We own the land, control the banks,
And you can see our influence still
In symbols on the Dollar Bill.
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #riddle #secret #secretsociety #society #conspiracy #theory #conspiracytheory #fraternal #order #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
#scifiprompt #poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #riddle #secret #secretsociety #society #conspiracy #theory #conspiracytheory #fraternal #order #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
Dylan Bragg · @dylanbragg
294 followers · 660 posts · Server mastodon.socialFlorescent tubes like those in school
Stood no chance to usurp our rule,
And even when they went compact,
A certain naturalness they lacked
Prolonged our life expectancies.
Though cost-effective LEDs
Have made sure that we’re mostly dead,
They’re proof we pop into your head.
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #invention #ideas #technology #progress #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #invention #ideas #technology #progress #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
Dylan Bragg · @dylanbragg
293 followers · 657 posts · Server mastodon.socialMy sister asked me to write a riddle-poem about her:
Though dressing dolls is kind of fun,
I always get the ugly one,
But even so, I play along.
She’s older, taller, very strong,
And makes rules for Monopoly
That clearly disadvantage me.
And when they trust her to babysit
She walks around like Queen Shit.
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #family #siblings #growingup #childhood #kids #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #family #siblings #growingup #childhood #kids #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
Dylan Bragg · @dylanbragg
293 followers · 656 posts · Server mastodon.socialComposed by request:
Surrounded by dogs I run through the wild
And rain down diseases on woman and child
With quiver of arrows and silver bow.
Sacred to me are the buck and the doe,
The rearing of infants, the virginal pledge,
Transitional times, the wilderness’ edge,
The moon and the forest, the hunt and the chase…
For I am the goddess of liminal space.
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #mythology #ancientgreece #childbirth #hunting #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #mythology #ancientgreece #childbirth #hunting #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
Dylan Bragg · @dylanbragg
293 followers · 654 posts · Server mastodon.social#mastoprompt "Dapple"
All these animals and plants,
The flying birds, the crawling ants,
The creeper and the burdened beast,
From greatest to the the very least,
With natural pigment I will paint,
And give to you without restraint.
Their plumes and coats for you I dapple,
But do not touch that ripe red apple!
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #symbolism #irony #religion #bible #gardenofeden #humanity #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
#MastoPrompt #poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #symbolism #irony #religion #bible #gardenofeden #humanity #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
Dylan Bragg · @dylanbragg
293 followers · 653 posts · Server mastodon.social#vss365 prompt: "Brink"
The steep and rocky recent climb,
And memories of that trying time,
The scrambling over scree on slopes
Of broken dreams and dying hopes,
Are on my left. But to the right
A shear face falls straight into night…
No time to hold debate or think,
Because I stagger on the brink.
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #symbolism #irony #metaphor #life #death #dreams #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
#vss365 #poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #symbolism #irony #metaphor #life #death #dreams #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
Dylan Bragg · @dylanbragg
295 followers · 652 posts · Server mastodon.social#mastoPrompt "Quantum"
To pin me down is difficult,
And so you measure the result
Of movements through a lengthy ring.
But whether I’m a force or thing
Is still unclear. To magnify
Would skew the data: sadly my
Position and velocity
Cannot be known concurrently.
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #science #physics #quantummechanics #particle #uncertainty #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
#MastoPrompt #poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #science #physics #quantummechanics #particle #uncertainty #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
Dylan Bragg · @dylanbragg
296 followers · 651 posts · Server mastodon.socialA wall of water left and right,
Pursued by Pharaoh through the night,
We marched across firm ground till dawn.
His armies with their chariots drawn,
Confused by pillars of cloud and fire,
Sunk down into the muck and mire.
So now I shake my tambourine
And sing of wonders I have seen.
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #bible #oldtestament #miracle #legend #poetrycommunity
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #bible #oldtestament #miracle #legend #poetrycommunity
Dylan Bragg · @dylanbragg
295 followers · 649 posts · Server mastodon.socialMy sword half-drawn in wounded pride
The bright-eyed goddess at my side
Appeared, and grabbed me by the hair.
Unseen by all those gathered there
But me, she bid me cool my wrath,
Be calm, and watch the great bloodbath
Between the Dardans and Argives
Unfold: these gain ground; those lose lives.
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #literature #mythology #ancientgreece #epic #trojanwar #myth #hero #goddess #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
#trojanwar #myth #hero #goddess #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity #poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #literature #mythology #ancientgreece #epic
Dylan Bragg · @dylanbragg
295 followers · 648 posts · Server mastodon.socialI am he who goes on high
And drives the sun across the sky,
But not one of Olympian birth.
Primal son of Heaven and Earth,
Divinity’s bridegroom and brother,
Yet unyielding to that other,
Who shall usurp our royal seats
As told, untold, by John Keats.
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #literature #mythology #ancientgreece #romanticism #englishliterature #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #literature #mythology #ancientgreece #romanticism #englishliterature #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
Dylan Bragg · @dylanbragg
295 followers · 646 posts · Server mastodon.socialRiddle 122
The calm and shallow stream begins
Its rapid rise, and all the sins
Of all the world weigh down my load.
The river washes out the road.
Accordingly my name is styled,
For on my back I bare the child—
I’m giving him a shoulder-boost
On pewter medals mass-produced.
(From my book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BKRQ5K53/ )
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #religion #catholic #saints #travel #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #religion #catholic #saints #travel #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
Dylan Bragg · @dylanbragg
296 followers · 645 posts · Server mastodon.social
As rescuers resumed their search,
I played the organ for a church…
But that was just a job, you know?
Abandoned many years ago,
A carnival pavilion’s call
Allured me to its dancing hall.
The salted waters had receded,
But there I found the rest I needed.
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #classicmovies #horror #cultmovies #creepy #blackandwhite #movies #film #poetrycommunity
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #classicmovies #horror #cultmovies #creepy #blackandwhite #movies #film #poetrycommunity
Dylan Bragg · @dylanbragg
295 followers · 642 posts · Server mastodon.socialRiddle 120
My separate parts are often found
In disparate places underground,
And so arose the need for trade
To forge a sword, a simple spade,
Or helms like those in Homer’s song.
Brittle and soft alone, but strong
When formed together in the flame—
An age of history has my name.
(From my book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BKRQ5K53/ )
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #history #science #mining #metallurgy #ancient #technology #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #history #science #mining #metallurgy #ancient #technology #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
Dylan Bragg · @dylanbragg
296 followers · 641 posts · Server mastodon.socialRiddle 118
I was a nymph, now I’m a tree:
Apollo fell in love with me,
Transfixed by gold, and I by lead,
Pursued by him, in vain I fled.
I prayed—my feet were rooted there;
The leaves became my shimmering hair,
Which crown his head in braided loop,
And strangely, go quite well in soup.
(From my book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BKRQ5K53/ )
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #myth #mythology #greek #ancientgreece #gods #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #myth #mythology #greek #ancientgreece #gods #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
Dylan Bragg · @dylanbragg
295 followers · 639 posts · Server mastodon.socialRiddle 119
Today I wed, tomorrow die.
Allow me first to say goodbye,
To tell my sister one last tale...
And will our hero yet prevail?
My time is up—I cannot say.
So let me live another day:
The ending’s sure to entertain—
If so, a thousand nights remain.
(From my book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BKRQ5K53/ )
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #folklore #fairytale #stories #arabic #persian #storytelling #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #folklore #fairytale #stories #arabic #persian #storytelling #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
Dylan Bragg · @dylanbragg
294 followers · 636 posts · Server mastodon.socialRiddle 117
Father of many multitudes,
My sacrificial knife alludes
To deeds intended, never done
That would have slain my favorite son,
But unseen voices stayed my hand.
A test of faith, the whole thing planned...
For when I held that knife up high,
A tangled ram appeared nearby.
(From my book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BKRQ5K53/ )
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #religion #bible #oldtestament #ancient #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #religion #bible #oldtestament #ancient #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
Dylan Bragg · @dylanbragg
293 followers · 635 posts · Server mastodon.social#mastoPrompt "Violin"
I borrowed someone’s violin
But realized the key it’s in
Was flat a single quarter-tone.
Though not ungrateful for the loan
I gave it back: superior ears
Cannot be burdened with their peers’
Prosaic chores. I’d just as soon
Return it rather than retune.
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #classicalmusic #music #violin #vienna #childprodigy #perfectpitch #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
#MastoPrompt #poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #classicalmusic #music #violin #vienna #ChildProdigy #perfectpitch #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
Dylan Bragg · @dylanbragg
292 followers · 634 posts · Server mastodon.socialToday's #vss365 prompt, "Hibernate" gave rise to thoughts of bears.
As I was walking into town,
Displaying my bare and shiny crown,
Some bratty little kids came by
And called me “Baldy.” That’s when I
Cursed them in God’s name, and he sent
Two she-bears who, as punishment
For making fun of hairless heads,
Ripped forty-two of them to shreds.
#poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #bible #prophet #oldtestament #legend #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity
#vss365 #poetry #shortpoems #riddlepoems #bible #prophet #oldtestament #legend #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity