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Best Poems Written by Mary Taylor

Below are the all-time best Mary Taylor poems as chosen by PoetrySoup members

Details | Mary Taylor Poem

The Ocean

Inspired by the words of poetrysoup poet Vijay Pandit "I think I know why the ocean flows"-From her poem: I think I know why the ocean flows.

The ocean's flow.

"I think I know why the ocean flows" (Vijay Pandit)
A wise old woman once said to me
as we gazed out upon the moonlit sea together.
"Imagine if you were being pushed & pulled
at the whim of Grandmother moon.
Imagine being twisted and turned as if you were
bread dough being kneaded by Mother Nature Herself
and all the while being ever powerful in your own right."

She explained how the ocean, in a single drop
can be brushed away like a teardrop upon the cheek of the earth
by the fingertip of mankind;
but in an accumulated amount it has the ability
to move mountains, and to create vast valleys

It allows us to travel upon it,
enjoy its beautiful beaches all over the world,
and then feeds us with its abundance.
It has the power to wipe out cities
with tsunamis and floods;
or can aid in the growth of plant life
that is vital to our very survival.

The Ocean is so powerful that
it can coerce even the most destructive
volcanic lava into cooling, creating beautiful islands,
and holding within it a whole other world
teeming with life, so vast that much of it
is still yet to be discovered.
It possesses all of this power but is it truly free?

I wonder, does each drop feel lonely and weak
on its hydrological journey,
and then as it falls from the sky?
Or is it content in the knowledge
of its forthcoming oceanic reunion?
That inevitable merging together
of each tiny drop that ultimately
transforms it back into the ever powerful ocean.

Day after day, Grandmother Moon
moves consistently through her phases.
Growing, new to full then shrinking back to anew.
Waxing and waning, constantly rotating and orbiting
in perfect rhythm with the ebb and flow of the tides.
Dancing together, flawlessly, as they have since
the beginning of time in precise synchronization.

Some out there may call me crazy,
Im sure I'm little bit odd, at the very least.
But as I gaze upon the oceans waves,
I can almost feel the pull.
That wise old woman made me see
things differently and it helped me understand
So much throughout my lifetime.
So today, I'm passing this wisdom on to you,
as that wise old woman once did for me.
"I think I know why the ocean flows......"
-Mary Taylor
4/14/2020

Details | Mary Taylor Poem

Failed Dreams

I worked towards this dream my whole lifetime
But it always seemed just out of my reach
The harder I tried to achieve it, 
the further away it seemed to become

I was always told growing up
That I could be whatever I wanted to be
As long as I worked hard for it,
And kept my eye on the ball

No one tells you
No one prepares you for 
what happens when you fail
The feeling of defeat, and loss.
That feeling of hopelessness
that seems to envelope you
Mind, body and soul.

I have fought so hard over the years
Tried and failed, just to pick myself up and try again.
Only to realize failure once more

How long do you ride this never ending Carousel?
constantly and consistently
Round and round, 
only to end up in the same place you started.
Back to square one, over and over

When is enough, enough?
A day, a week, a month, a year?
When does one decide that
it is no longer feasible
To continue on this path?
To continue the ups and downs 
on this roller-coaster of life?

You may even momentarily feel 
that you actually are in control, 
only to be holding on for dear life 
within the next moment, 
hoping and praying that you won’t 
be ejected and thrown from 
the false security of the car that is 
barely being held upon the track.

One after the other, 
time and time again
Failure after failure, 
try after try
As I sit here once more, 
after being thrown from
 the proverbial horse
Trying to decide if 
I should continue this
seemingly never-ending 
spiral of failure. 

I look back at all of 
my attempts to succeed 
that ended in failure
Never realizing the pattern 
that was before me all along

I see those who have 
supported me and had been 
brought into my life at the 
precise moment they were needed.

I see the places these attempts 
took me and how each one 
changed me in such a way that 
I have become a better person 
than I could’ve ever imagined.

I realize how each failure 
caused me to become more 
determined and more courageous 
than I ever would have been 
had I not experienced that failure.

So I guess it cannot be perceived 
as a failure due to the good that 
each experience has created.

I may not have reached
the goal that I have dreamed of 
all of my life but what I got instead
is something greater, 
something that goes beyond 
all of my wildest dreams.

Details | Mary Taylor Poem

What Is Wrong With the World Today

What is wrong with the world today
So many people have lost their way
Led in all the wrong directions
While losing the one on one connection

With emotions from real human beings
Only responding with the days trending memes
Obsessing over their likes and views
Censorship rights that are being abused

The media’s fueling the chaos and lies
Riots on the streets when a criminal dies
Disease spreading worldwide like the plague
The only thing being said about it is vague

The world is more divided than ever before
Conflicting countries on the verge of war
Voter fraud elections current president 
Still don’t know exactly what he meant

People don’t know if they are girls or boys
Blindly going along with all the democratic ploys
To fund other countries and to try and make us weak
The next few years in our country seems bleak

Gas prices rising, along with the unemployment rate
There’s no need to work when you're living off the state
Free money for rent and good food on your plate
Only have till the 1st of the month to wait.

Slowly coming out of the COVID quarantine
It seems so unreal, it feels just like a dream
People wearing masks over their mouths and noses
Small businesses failing so that their door closes

Unable to support their families
Because we all know money don’t grow on trees
No support for the military, but all for refugees
Someone make this world stop spinning please

Queens in school reading to your child’s class
My kid don’t need to know what goes in your ass
Gay pride parades going down the street
Trampling the values that lay dead at their feet

Americas days are now filled with chaos
We all know that Biden is not really the boss
Somebody else is pulling all the strings
Who really knows what our future brings

People are calling to defund the police
But doing so will never bring us peace
Life  is crazy now, it don’t make no damn sense
America was better with Trump as president

7/22/2021

My husband challenged me to write a rap, so I did. this is just my opinion, everyone has that right, no offense intended.

Details | Mary Taylor Poem

Strength Against the Storm

I can feel it coming, you know.
I can feel the atmospheric pressure plummet
As the thunderstorm approaches.
Although the pressure is falling, 
it feels more like I'm being slowly crushed.

Every inch of my body begins to swell.
Slowly taking on this uninvited guest,
this inflammation of unknown origin.
My fingers, toes and joints are stiff
and becoming more so with 
each passing moment

As the day progresses 
and as the storm draws near,
the power of the energy grows
It becomes harder to sit still,
I unsuccessfully try to focus on anything
just to take my attention away
from the ever intensifying pain.

The aggravation and irritation 
have made themselves known.
Mole hills become mountains,
the calming effects of a babbling brook
gradually turning into the madness 
and chaos of whitewater.

Here I am atop this inadequate canoe, 
being carried along by the current
without anyway of controlling the direction
or the speed of which I am being propelled.

 The inflammation continues
 throughout my body, 
my rib cage is screaming
as the bones begin to break
Outside the storm is raging, 
lightning crashes, thunder booms
The trees are being violently thrashed about
by the pure strength of the winds.

The tears are flowing by this point,
I wonder why I have this burden to carry,
It feels like I've been cursed. 
I am rocking back and forth, 
trying to comfort myself 
as you would a fussy baby.
The pressure continues to increase,
my body feels like it can't possible take any more. 

Then, as with all storms
this one begins to ease. 
The winds die down
The thunder and lightning conclude 
their overture for the evening.

The pressure changes, the air feels lighter.
Although many times the pain remains.
It'll hold on for days, or sometimes weeks
And it truly wears away at your resolve.

This intense pain is hard to deal with
But it's has shown me my strength, 
it has shown me that I am truly blessed
to have the ability to get through these times.

Some  have witnessed this tremendous fight
It can be rather scary, I'd say
to see someone in so much misery,
The helplessness that must be felt by all.

I have been through this many times 
in the 25 years since it started. 
This wasn't the first and unfortunately,
 I know this won't be the last.
From now until the next,
I'll enjoy each day as I can, and
I'll continue to make my way through,
to show my strength against 
the storm until my dying day.

-Mary Taylor
4/16/2020

Details | Mary Taylor Poem

Power Outage

Here I sit alone
Alone in the dark
No light anywhere
Not even a little spark

The lights went out
Halfway through the storm
Life tomorrow will be
Nothing like the norm. 

Hurricane Zeta
Came through with a fury
To the shelter
We must go in a hurry

The winds were so strong
And blew with such might 
Listening to the howling winds
All through the night

When morning came
Without the normal lights
Looking around you at
The aftermaths fright 

Trees were blown down
And powerlines snapped
Moving along carefully
As not to get zapped

2 days so far we've gone
Without electricity
Who knows how long
It will continue to be.
10/30/2020

Details | Mary Taylor Poem

Surprise

I began planning your surprise party over a month ago. I’ve spent many hours over the last few weeks conspiring with your friends and family, all of us working towards the goal of keeping you clueless. Although, that has been a nearly impossible task, I have to say. Considering, you are always so aware of your surroundings, and never let your guard down around anybody. You don’t know how many times I almost let the cat out of the bag, because when something exciting is happening in my life it is you, I want to tell first.  I have wanted to tell you since day one, but to see the look of surprise on your face, in that moment of pure happiness will make all of our hard work well worth it.  It has taken some true teamwork to pull this off successfully. The date has arrived and it is almost time for you to come home. Soon, you will be walking through that front door. I can’t wait to see your face when you see all of the streamers and balloons that took us all day to hang, placing each item in a precise location.  All of the preparations are coming down to the one moment that is almost here.  I hear the doorknob rattle, and it slowly begins to turn. We all scatter and run to our hiding places the way a cockroach does when the light comes on in a darkened room. The door cracks open and in you walk as we all jump out from our hiding places, shouting “surprise!” at the top of our lungs.  Then, with a stunned look, you hit the floor.

Details | Mary Taylor Poem

Bridge Over Troubled Water

As I watch the river of my life flow by
Some areas seem to flow quite fast
Those times when I begin to ask why
All those hard times within my past.

Some times in my life were very tough
Not sure how I'd ever made it through
At times I'd had more than enough
During those times, God sent me you

You laid yourself down just for me
A bridge for me to get across 
The tumultuous waters that we all see
Those times of heartache and loss

And even when my life is easy and flows free
I know you will always be there for me

5/17/2020

Details | Mary Taylor Poem

Surprise Party

We spent all month planning 
The perfect surprise for you 
Conspiring with your family and friends 
To keep you from getting a clue 

Keeping all this from you 
Has been actually pretty hard 
You always seem so aware of things 
Never letting down your guard 

With all of this excitement 
It is you I wish I could tell. 
But I’m so excited to see your face 
When “Surprise!” is what we’ll yell 

When you see all the streamers 
And balloons all over the place 
The beaming look I hope to see 
Appear upon your face 
 
The time and date have come for you  
to walk through the front door 
“Surprise!” we yell as loud as we can 
Then stunned, you hit the floor. 
 
6/25/2021

Details | Mary Taylor Poem

Fire Wife

The life of a fire wife is an interesting one indeed.
I'm proud to stand by a man who helps those in need.
On call 24/7, fire radio's always on
Morning, noon and night some calls come before dawn.

For each call that he goes on, as he walks out of that door
an "I love you" and a quick kiss, unsure if I'll ever get more.
Each call that comes through is somebody's very bad day
Each call that he goes on "Bring them home safely" I pray

At home alone I wait, listening to the fire radio
"Firefighter down" are the words that I fear so
I ask myself "is it him?" is it the love of my life?
Will he make it home to his son and to me, his wife?

The life a fire wife can be a lonely one
Making plans together and for a lot of them he's gone
Off to fight fires on yet another day
Knowing I need to let him go, but really wanting him to stay.

Sometimes supporting the kids all alone
Mending and tending the seeds that you have sown
Not every woman can live in this life.
It takes a special woman to be a fire wife.

02/20/2020

Details | Mary Taylor Poem

Look Closely


Look closely
and you will see
answers
to life's questions
Nature's angels are
watching you
and see
your challenges
and pain
The angels
will lead you
down your earthly path
guiding you with pure love
if...
you allow them to.
5/7/2020
Title chosen: Look Closely
Sponsor: Edward Ibeh