Drink and be saved, the soft spoken promise
but this has always been a xeric land
miracles held in fingers of Thomas
prying loose bits of iron from the hand
undefined shadows rolling across sand.
I wanted to find the wellspring of right
a parabolist telling tales bright
but each desperate swig only parched more
water in the hands of an acolyte
a sketchy vow of a distant black shore.

Xeric (adjective)

characterized by, relating to, or requiring only a small amount of moisture

Merriam-Webster

Wellspring (noun)

a source or supply of anything

dictionary.com

Parabolist (noun)

A user of metaphor or allegory; a person who narrates in parables

Oxford English Dictionary

Sketchy (adjective)

having the form of a sketch; presenting only major parts or points; not detailed

lacking completeness; rough; inadequate

of questionable authenticity or trustworthiness

Collins

It's always the sweet-sour taste of cherries
that returns that tacit disagreement
made by our rejected emissaries.
You were, as always, last stand vehement
and I craved yesteryear's stale agreement.
Thank god there were never children she'd said
as she held pen in my hand, all unread.
How foolish I was then to trust goodwill
retro expectation of faith now shed.
I now know to spit the pit like a pill.

amelioration (noun)

the act of relieving ills and changing for the better

New York Times

Tacit (adjective)

expressed or carried on without words or speech

implied or indicated (as by an act or by silence) but not actually expressed

Merriam-Webster

Yesteryear (noun, adverb)

last year

(in) past years

Collins

retro (adjective)

looking like or relating to styles or fashions from the past

Britannica

a moment redolent with all the things 
I didn't know I didn't miss in you
memories wrapped in brown paper and strings
gamboling through a semblance never true
an oasis yonder you pointed to
could I be a pundit of my own life
cleared away the fog to find only strife
disported thru verisimilitude
and found there on the other side your knife
a moment frozen with all the prelude

redolent (adjective)

 having a strong smell : full of a fragrance or odor

causing thoughts or memories of something

Britannica

Gambol (verb)

to skip about in play : frisk, frolic

Merriam-Webster

yonder

(adverb) Over there; at a relatively distant place.

(Adjective) Being over there; farther away.

WordSmith

pundit (noun)

an expert who publicly gives opinions via mass media

someone who has been admitted to membership in a field

New York Times

Disport (verb)

to frolic or amuse oneself

dictionary.com

Verisimilitude (noun)

the appearance of being true or real

something having the mere appearance of being true or real

Collins

Perfunctory usage of miracles.
Unkempt and untidy halo and robe.
Harp disappointing without lyricals.
In open cloud seeding turned claustrophobe.
Given an guardianship turned her rogue.
In each of these tasks ginormously failed,
to each new deficit previous paled
my perspective: you haven't a prayer
despite generic credentials detailed
dispositively you aren't heavenware

Perfunctory (adjective)

characterized by routine or superficiality : mechanical

lacking in interest or enthusiasm

Merriam-Webster

Ginormous (adjective)

(used informally) very large

vocabulary.com

deficit (noun)

an amount that is less than expected or required

an excess of liabilities over assets

a failure in neurological or mental functioning

 (sports) the score by which a team or individual is losing

New York Times

generic (adjective)

of or relating to a whole group or class

not sold or made under a particular brand name

of or relating to a genus

Britannica

Dispositively (adverb)

Conclusively; so as to settle the matter

WordSmith

Heavenware (noun)

The inhabitants of heaven.

Oxford English Dictionary

when you said 'somewhen' I should have known 
it meant 'never'; your impalpable not
'us' was just a deepfake, a poor capstone
meant to impress an audience now fraught
hesitant act I never saw nor sought
did you sate perfidious ways on me
now your are all valiancy and carefree
one should find caution in my easy tale
this woman is more than just bitter tea
no stain of salt, no play, no simple veil

Somewhen (adverb)

At some indefinite or unspecified time; sometime.

WordSmith

Impalpable (adjective)

not perceptible to the touch

incapable of being perceived by the senses especially the sense of touch

imperceptible to the senses or the mind

vocabulary.com

Deepfake (noun)

a digital image, video, voice, etc. that has been convincingly generated or altered to misrepresent someone as doing or saying something that was not actually done or said

Merriam-Webster

hesitant (adjective)

slow to act or speak especially because you are nervous or unsure about what to do : feeling or showing hesitation

Britannica

Sate (verb)

to satisfy fully

dictionary.com

perfidious (adjective)

tending to betray; unfaithful; treacherous

New York Times

Valiancy (noun)

valiant nature or quality; valor; bravery; courage

Collins

Over coffee and tea we spoke softly
each example giving veracity
to a society bent awfully
pride corroded beyond capacity
state wealth embezzled with audacity.
He sighed at the myriad symptoms
of late stage capitalism's cruel systems,
wondered how we developed this cancer.
"Point at inequality of incomes"
I said, "Oh, to that I know the answer".

oligarchy (noun)

a political system governed by a small number of people

New York Times

Veracity (noun)

truth in speech or statement; truthfulness

dictionary.com

Corrode (verb)

to eat away by degrees as if by gnawing

to weaken or destroy gradually : undermine

Merriam-Webster

myriad (adjective)

very many

Britannica

Like a fly in the web: captivated
confusing the death twitches for a mad love.
Did you really think she could be mated?
Oscillate devotions: her and above
She will leave you with nothing but foxglove.
Monophagous on crusts of reverence
Her penury is very generous
because she loses everything while you dance
Truth sagacious: she wasn't the treacherous
You gave her nothing but a stolen glance

Mona Lisa

(noun) A woman with an enigmatic smile or expression.

(adjective) Enigmatic, mysterious, or inscrutable, especially of a smile or expression.

(used as inspiration, not in the poem)

WordSmith

captivate (verb)

to attract and hold the attention of (someone) by being interesting, pretty, etc.

Britannica

Oscillate (verb)

move or swing from side to side regularly

be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action

vocabulary.com

Monophagous (adjective)

feeding on only one kind of food

dictionary.com

penury (noun)

a state of extreme poverty or destitution

New York Times

Sagacious (adjective)

having or showing an ability to understand difficult ideas and situations and to make good decisions : marked by keen and farsighted understanding and judgment : discerning, wise

Merriam-Webster

Insuperable will of quixotic
dressed in rags in exchange for vast knowledge
must to the nabob be symbiotic
this is the cost of the modern college
a resurrection of true vassalage.
Your brain full: science, math, languages, fine art.
A carnival of tricks to perform smart
rapscallion rhymes recited in Latin
Deserted island would show Bonaparte
this crowd still judges you for shoes patten

Crichtonism (noun)

Extraordinary accomplishment in many fields.

WordSmith

insuperable (adjective)

incapable of being surpassed

impossible to surmount; unconquerable

New York Times

Quixotic (adjective)

of or like Don Quixote

extravagantly chivalrous or foolishly idealistic; visionary; impractical or impracticable: also: quixotical (quixˈotical)

Collins

Nabob (noun)

a provincial governor of the Mogul empire in India

a person of great wealth or prominence

Merriam-Webster

Rapscallion (noun)

a rascal; mischievous jokester

dictionary.com

The understory of society
souls thrown all together for want of light
Pell-mell joys taken contrariety
I can look deep into your eyes once bright
and find my history needs a rewrite
When will I be bereft of your sorrow
Shake free of generations that borrow
sadness they can't grow, stories they don't tell
I will replant my garden in yarrow
expatiate woes, a tree you can't fell

Understory (noun)

the plants growing beneath the main canopy of a forest

dictionary.com

pell-mell (verb)

To mingle or mill about confusedly; to run or flee in disordered haste.

Oxford English Dictionary

Bereft (adjective)

deprived or robbed of the possession or use of something

lacking something needed, wanted, or expected suffering the death of a loved one : bereaved

Merriam-Webster

expatiate (verb)

add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing

New York Times

Her agenda was plain while he still in layette still lain
skip over the longueurs: life well lived, family loved, quiet years
to the final boss fight, a sabaton would have cured the small blight

agenda (noun)

a list of things to be considered or done

a plan or goal that guides someone’s behavior and that is often kept secret

Britannica

Layette (noun)

a collection of clothing and equipment for a newborn

dictionary.com

Longueur (noun)

a dull and tedious portion (as of a book)

Merriam-Webster

Sabaton (noun)

armor plate that protects the foot; consists of mail with a solid toe and heel

vocabulary.com