• Submit Poetry
  • Support SCP
  • About Us
  • Members
  • Join
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Society of Classical Poets
  • Poems
    • Beauty
    • Culture
    • Satire
    • Humor
    • Children’s
    • Art
    • Ekphrastic
    • Epic
    • Epigrams and Proverbs
    • Human Rights in China
    • Music
    • Performing Arts
    • Riddles
    • Science
    • Song Lyrics
    • The Environment
    • The Raven
    • Found Poems
    • High School Poets
    • Terrorism
    • Covid-19
  • Poetry Forms
    • Sonnet
    • Haiku
    • Limerick
    • Villanelle
    • Rondeau
    • Pantoum
    • Sestina
    • Triolet
    • Acrostic
    • Alexandroid
    • Alliterative
    • Blank Verse
    • Chant Royal
    • Clerihew
    • Rhupunt
    • Rondeau Redoublé
    • Rondel
    • Rubaiyat
    • Sapphic Verse
    • Shape Poems
    • Terza Rima
  • Great Poets
    • Geoffrey Chaucer
    • Emily Dickinson
    • Homer
    • Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
    • Dante Alighieri
    • John Keats
    • John Milton
    • Edgar Allan Poe
    • William Shakespeare
    • William Wordsworth
    • William Blake
    • Robert Frost
  • Love Poems
  • Contests
  • SCP Academy
    • Educational
    • Teaching Classical Poetry—A Guide for Educators
    • Poetry Forms
    • The SCP Journal
    • Books
No Result
View All Result
Society of Classical Poets
  • Poems
    • Beauty
    • Culture
    • Satire
    • Humor
    • Children’s
    • Art
    • Ekphrastic
    • Epic
    • Epigrams and Proverbs
    • Human Rights in China
    • Music
    • Performing Arts
    • Riddles
    • Science
    • Song Lyrics
    • The Environment
    • The Raven
    • Found Poems
    • High School Poets
    • Terrorism
    • Covid-19
  • Poetry Forms
    • Sonnet
    • Haiku
    • Limerick
    • Villanelle
    • Rondeau
    • Pantoum
    • Sestina
    • Triolet
    • Acrostic
    • Alexandroid
    • Alliterative
    • Blank Verse
    • Chant Royal
    • Clerihew
    • Rhupunt
    • Rondeau Redoublé
    • Rondel
    • Rubaiyat
    • Sapphic Verse
    • Shape Poems
    • Terza Rima
  • Great Poets
    • Geoffrey Chaucer
    • Emily Dickinson
    • Homer
    • Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
    • Dante Alighieri
    • John Keats
    • John Milton
    • Edgar Allan Poe
    • William Shakespeare
    • William Wordsworth
    • William Blake
    • Robert Frost
  • Love Poems
  • Contests
  • SCP Academy
    • Educational
    • Teaching Classical Poetry—A Guide for Educators
    • Poetry Forms
    • The SCP Journal
    • Books
No Result
View All Result
Society of Classical Poets
No Result
View All Result
Home Poetry Beauty

‘Against the Light’ and Other Poetry by Carol Smallwood

August 12, 2016
in Beauty, Culture, Poetry
A A
3
poems 'Against the Light' and Other Poetry by Carol Smallwood

 

Against the Light

Watermarks are visible when held against light
whispering quality, distinction, louder than a shout—
are also used in banknotes ensuring they’re alright:
some marks are more visible than others that are about.

Whispering quality, distinction, louder than a shout
made by subtle paper thickness and density variations
some marks are more visible than others that are about
in passports, stamps, and other applications.

Made by subtle paper thickness and density variations
watermarks can show quality, mill trademarks, age
in passports, stamps, and other applications
providing a crucial consumer protection gauge.

Watermarks can show quality, mill trademarks, age
are also used in banknotes ensuring they’re alright
providing a crucial consumer protection gauge:
Watermarks are visible when held against light.

 

Hard to Explain

After the Holy Grail of physics, the Big Bang,
came the battle of anti-matter and matter
which is hard to explain scientifically or in slang.
The Holy Grail of physics, the Big Bang
shouldn’t be considered a fool’s harangue
since experts named it after prolonged chatter.
After the Holy Grail of physics, the Big Bang,
came the battle of anti-matter and matter.

 

Carol Smallwood’s over four dozen books include Women on Poetry: Writing, Revising, Publishing and Teaching, on Poets & Writers Magazine list of Best Books for Writers. Water, Earth, Air, Fire, and Picket Fences is a 2014 collection from Lamar University Press; Divining the Prime Meridian, is forthcoming from WordTech Editions. She has appeared in such journals as: Drunken Boat; The Writer’s Chronicle; The Main Street Rag; Jelly Bucket; English Journal. Carol has founded, supports humane societies.

ShareTweetPin
The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary.
Read Our Comments Policy Here

RandomPoems

‘The Night’ by Gary Borck
Beauty

‘The Night’ by Gary Borck

September 20, 2022

. . The Night When most have fled the day and sought their beds Pre-empting stealthy onset of the night;...

An Advent Calendar Poem: Twenty-four Windows, by Theresa Zappe
Beauty

An Advent Calendar Poem: Twenty-four Windows, by Theresa Zappe

December 1, 2019

  My Adventskalender in Germany made Of paper and glitter has Heaven displayed Through twenty-four windows. Come open with me...

Next Post
‘Unintended Consequences Gone Down a Half Century Before Brexit’ by Gerard Sarnat

'Unintended Consequences Gone Down a Half Century Before Brexit' by Gerard Sarnat

‘Scoouwa: The Captive’ by Douglas Thornton

Book Review: Woodland Poems by Douglas Thornton

‘To Beauty’ and Other Poetry by H. Wendell Howard

'To Beauty' and Other Poetry by H. Wendell Howard

Comments 3

  1. Durlabh Singh says:
    10 years ago

    WITH MY EYES.

    With my eyes overhanging the running
    River
    With my hands flirting with the sandy
    Bends
    Straddling moistures within the clouds
    Overhead
    In silences spurned for markers of earth.

    I was not the man to steal the
    Crown jewels
    Not a comforter for the life’s
    Little ills
    Just to form some gossamers
    For the dews
    When pain strained through
    Along fingers outstretched.

    My songs of the spring
    May not be yet born
    A dance with the flies
    May yet be in trial
    Some curfew put on grace
    For sake of beliefs
    Here and there and which?
    It does not matter.

    Romance controlled in some
    Reckless space
    For foes on the roadside
    Dazzled in maze
    A flap for failures to escape
    Without payment in pungent dues
    Looking for a stranger to arrive
    To admire those impassioned views.

    Durlabh Singh.

    Reply
  2. james sale says:
    10 years ago

    Very skillful – I like your poems, Carol

    Reply
  3. Carole Mertz says:
    10 years ago

    Carol, “Against the Light” is such a blend of inspiration and language control. Wonderful!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. Roy Eugene Peterson on A Poem on Coach “Black Mike” Castronis from Athens Y Camp, by Alec ReamMay 12, 2026

    Alec, this is a touching tribute to a camp coach/counselor. I had my own at Camp Paisano near Alpine, Texas.…

  2. Roy Eugene Peterson on ‘Creation of Mom’: A Mother’s Day Poem by Roy E. PetersonMay 12, 2026

    Margaret, I was thinking about the vast variety of Moms when I wrote it. Thank you for pointing that out…

  3. Alec Ream on A Poem on Coach “Black Mike” Castronis from Athens Y Camp, by Alec ReamMay 12, 2026

    Margaret, thank you for the read and remarks. First Presbyterian is still there. As is Emmanuel Episcopal, which started at…

  4. Margaret Coats on ‘Creation of Mom’: A Mother’s Day Poem by Roy E. PetersonMay 12, 2026

    Roy, considering the vast variety of Moms, I'm glad you put that wondering of the angels into your creation workshop…

  5. Margaret Coats on A Poem on the Zambian National Park Mosi-oa-Tunya, by Paul A. FreemanMay 12, 2026

    Quite a memory, Paul. Having watched that cascade flow into an impressive geologic gash, and produce rain forest, must give…

Subscribe to Daily Poems

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,593 other subscribers

Recent Poems

  • A Poem on Coach “Black Mike” Castronis from Athens Y Camp, by Alec Ream
  • A Poem on the Zambian National Park Mosi-oa-Tunya, by Paul A. Freeman
  • ‘Creation of Mom’: A Mother’s Day Poem by Roy E. Peterson
  • ‘Spontaneous Conjugal Combustion’ and Other Poems by Susan Jarvis Bryant
  • ‘The Man in the Moon Was a Very Round Man’: A Poem by Lauren V. Leon
  • ‘Fibromytrauma’: A Poem by Golan Shahar
  • ‘A Lonely Sliver’: A Poem by Katie Tencza
  • ‘Higher Gas Prices Are a Small Price to Pay’: An Iran War Poem by Mark F. Stone
  • ‘Always Ahead’: A Poem by Scharlie Meeuws
  • ‘Hamlet’s Lawyer’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko
  • ‘On An Old Photograph’: A Poem by Joseph S. Salemi
  • ‘Faust Foresees His End’: A Poem by Martin Briggs
  • ‘À la Carte’ and Other Poetry by C.B. Anderson
  • ‘Where the Sweet Bluebonnets Bloom’: A Poem by Roy E. Peterson
  • ‘The Waters’: A Poem by Margaret Brinton
  • ‘The Pinnacle of Poetry’ and Other Poems by Russel Winick
  • The First American Sonnets: An Essay on David Humphreys, by Margaret Coats
  • ‘The Holy Rollers on Poetry’: A Poem by Joseph S. Salemi
  • Sappho’s ‘Poem 1’ Translated by Bruce Phenix
  • ‘The Cautionary Tale of Phone Addicted Mimi’: A Poem by Paul A. Freeman
  • ‘Look Away’: A Poem for America’s 250th Anniversary, by Roger Crane
  • ‘Sunday Morning in Canada’: A Poem by Jeffrey Essmann
  • ‘Bean’: A Poem by Jan Mennite
  • ‘The Swan’s Song ’: A Poem for Shakespeare’s Birthday, by Susan Jarvis Bryant
  • ‘The Gravedigger’: A Poem by Marie Burdett
  • ‘Waiting for the Perfect Man’: A Poem by Janice Canerdy
  • ‘The George-A-Saurus’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko
  • ‘When Asked: What’s Your Favorite Season?’: A Poem by Paul Millan  
  • ‘The Last At-Bat of Lyndon Braun’: A Poem by Michael Pietrack
  • ‘The Perpetual Battle’ and Other Poetry by Adam Sedia

Categories

  • Acrostic
  • Alexandroid
  • Alliterative
  • Art
  • Best Poems
  • Blank Verse
  • Chant Royal
  • Classical Poets Live
  • Clerihew
  • Covid-19
  • Deconstructing Communism
  • Educational
  • Epic
  • Epigrams and Proverbs
  • Essays
    • Interviews with Poets
    • Poetry Reviews
  • Featured
  • From the Society
  • Great Poets
    • Dante Alighieri
    • Edgar Allan Poe
    • Emily Dickinson
    • Geoffrey Chaucer
    • Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
    • Homer
    • John Keats
    • John Milton
    • Robert Frost
    • William Blake
    • William Shakespeare
    • William Wordsworth
  • Human Rights in China
  • Limerick
  • Love Poems
  • Music
  • Pantoum
  • Performing Arts
  • Poetry
    • Beauty
    • Children's Poems
    • Culture
    • Ekphrastic
    • Found Poems
    • High School Poets
    • Humor
    • Riddles
  • Poetry Challenge
  • Poetry Contests
  • Poetry Forms
    • Curtal Sonnet
    • Haiku
  • Poetry Readings
  • Rhupunt
  • Rondeau
  • Rondeau Redoublé
  • Rondel
  • Rubaiyat
  • Sapphic Verse
  • Satire
  • Science
  • Sestina
  • Shape Poems
  • Short Stories
  • Song Lyrics
  • Sonnet
  • Symposium
  • Terrorism
  • Terza Rima
  • The Environment
  • Translation
  • Triolet
  • Video
  • Villanelle

Quick Links

  • About Us
  • Submit Poetry
  • Become a Member
  • Members List
  • Support the Society
  • Advertisement Placement
  • Comments Policy
  • Terms of Use

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Poems
    • Beauty
    • Culture
    • Satire
    • Humor
    • Children’s
    • Art
    • Ekphrastic
    • Epic
    • Epigrams and Proverbs
    • Human Rights in China
    • Music
    • Performing Arts
    • Riddles
    • Science
    • Song Lyrics
    • The Environment
    • The Raven
    • Found Poems
    • High School Poets
    • Terrorism
    • Covid-19
  • Poetry Forms
    • Sonnet
    • Haiku
    • Limerick
    • Villanelle
    • Rondeau
    • Pantoum
    • Sestina
    • Triolet
    • Acrostic
    • Alexandroid
    • Alliterative
    • Blank Verse
    • Chant Royal
    • Clerihew
    • Rhupunt
    • Rondeau Redoublé
    • Rondel
    • Rubaiyat
    • Sapphic Verse
    • Shape Poems
    • Terza Rima
  • Great Poets
    • Geoffrey Chaucer
    • Emily Dickinson
    • Homer
    • Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
    • Dante Alighieri
    • John Keats
    • John Milton
    • Edgar Allan Poe
    • William Shakespeare
    • William Wordsworth
    • William Blake
    • Robert Frost
  • Love Poems
  • Contests
  • SCP Academy
    • Educational
    • Teaching Classical Poetry—A Guide for Educators
    • Poetry Forms
    • The SCP Journal
    • Books

© 2025 SCP. WebDesign by CODEC Prime.