A Poet and a Poem

A poem is very personal,
And yet it is universal,
A sharing of oneself,
With those who will read a poem.

Power In Ink

A poem is not all trees and bees,
It is a bit more than a weak rhythm.
It is a source of inner expression
That you control with your scribbling.

Within the realm of the poet,
You can turn and twist words,
To evoke laughter, tears and fear.
It is words that bring forth emotion.

You can describe a woman as desirable.
You can provoke action from inaction.
You can make an idea come alive.
You can mourn for a friend now gone.

The tool kit of a poet is limitless.
One little thought can spark a pen.
Words develop thoughts to explore.
Thinking cements idea's which cause change.

The words: Liberty or death!
The words: I have a dream.
The words: One step for mankind.
All evoke pictures in the reader's mind.

These pictures germinate into action;
Soldiers march off to war because of words,
Equal rights imposed as the law of the land,
Thousands working in concert toward one goal.

Be the one to pick up the pen.
Be the one to write the words.
Be the one to scribble a poem,
Of love, of laughter, of drama , excetera.

Excetera means anything is possible,
When you write a poem conceived in mind.
Your mind is powerful; exercise and create
A poem for man, life or mankind.

 


The Honor Of Life

Each and every one of us
Has a journey that is called life,
And it is our inner decisions
Which dictate how we travel.

Whether poor or rich, or between,
The journey is always before us.
From youth to bent and shuffling
As we age, we journey forward.

The footprints that we leave behind
Are the history of our past deeds.
They are the images of self-esteem
That reside within the mind of man.

As we journey, we must choose the way,
And even more critical in choice:
We must choose the method of travel,
The inner process of our internal struggles.

If you walk the journey with truthfulness,
If you walk the journey with best effort,
If you walk the journey with compassion:
You will have achieved the honor of life.


Philosophy Of The Half-Moon

To be a King is to be nothing. 
To be hungry is to live of life.
The moment all can be held,
Is the moment of the eclipse.

A reaching beyond is needed.
It matters not what is sought,
Only that it never be taken;
Otherwise, the end will begin.


The Vanguard

How many people are willing
To dance with the wheel of fate?
How many will watch the wheel 
Spin between dark and light?

This game, few are willing to play:
The chances of winning are few.
It takes a special compulsion,
To motivate man against the Gods.

But there will always be a few,
Who must reach toward the fire;
Seeking not flame, but the sparkle,
 Riding in their own chariots.


Philosophy Of The Full Moon

Perhaps it is not one faith
Which allows one to survive,
But the ability to change:
Taking life's bends in stride.

To be able to abide
By any man's philosophy,
Not to fall into blindness,
Seeing but one true path.

Is this not the strength
Of man's many beliefs?
Fanatics are forgotten
Or soon swallowed up.

The men of the times
Must learn the new trends,
Taking much from the past,
Welding it to the future.


Life's Road

I sought the best spot
To dine in one fine night.
It was when I finished
That I heard of another.

I sipped the juice of life
Delighting in its taste,
Thinking I had found my wine,
Until that too turned sour.

I stopped and asked:
"Where are the prettiest girls?"
Go on, go on, in the next village,
Is the refrain that I heard.

This road I have travelled,
Seeking the next best enjoyment,
When in reality, it is enough,
To enjoy life as it is presented.


Luck

The country that you are born in,
The parents you are blessed with ,
The DNA that is your composition,
They are all chance or luck.

Luck is part of life's flow,
 Some are lucky and some are not.
This is a truth we all live with.
No one can ordain a lucky day.

The passengers on the "Titanic",
They were rich, but not lucky.
A flood, famine, or a plane crash,
Who is to know if you are the one.

The lottery of life is a chance,
Each of us is lucky and unlucky.
It is best to enjoy your fortune,
Hoping that you are luckier than most.


Downs And Ups

The rollercoaster of life
Does rolick through the years,
Sometimes more up than down,
Sometimes even seeming to slow.

As the years spin past,
We seem to seek a plateau,
Perhaps as high as we can go,
Without tumbling back down again.


History

History is what others have seen.
This is what they speak of
To us that have not yet come
And learned of life's many paths.

Mankind
(Michelle Longmire)

I have a debt to mankind.
You have a debt to mankind.
We all have a debt to mankind
And we should make effort to repay it.

We exist, we enjoy, we reproduce.
Every day has joys and rewards.
Don't dwell on the negatives in life.
It fails to reinforce the positive.

Life is a one time journey
We all get to participate in.
The path you take is choices made.
Rewards are compounded in accomplishments.

It matters not your work or profession,
What matters is the effort you apply.
Is it your best effort?  Do you improve?
Is satisfaction your daily reward?

It is not difficult, it is a mind set.
You own and control your own mind.
It is the most powerful tool you possess.
Apply it, improve it, make it work for mankind.

Justice

Justice in all its connotations
Is a floating evolving theme.
Justice for one, justice for all
Is an oxymoron in the extreme.

Justice in any age is limited:
It is restricted to a working system,
It is restricted to economic reality,
It is restricted to state survival.

There is no justice to the poor.
There is no justice to the dispossessed.
The wretched of the world suffer.
Justice is just to those who benefit.

Justice must be adaptable
To the needs of the majority
Balanced against the needs of the state.
Justice endeavors to provide social fairness.


Fanatics

Fire burns deep in their eyes:
Dedication to changing life's fate,
Destiny they do now flaunt
With their overwhelming belief.

God, they are inspiring,
Beyond the scope of reason,
Until in their devotion
They stumble upon other truths.


War Nations

Must all great nations
Make war upon others?
Must they impose belief,
And their own righteousness?

For what are these wars;
To achieve what goal?
I see deserts in the making:
In turn, each called "Peace".
Image


Heaven And Earth

The old man sat at the table,
In robes and long beard.
His offer of Ten Commandments
And salvation, were tempting.

The younger man with thin beard
Said the Commandments were good,
But, he would give milk and honey
And heavenly bliss for eternity.

The last of the robed men stood,
He agreed on milk and honey,
He felt the Commandments were sacred,
And he offered up seventy-two virgins.

Next, it was my turn to present.
I decided to keep it simple.
I offered only a club, to ward off -
All the robed men, and the virgins.

 


DANCING IN THE MIND

Every sensation that we feel,
Everything that we can see,
Every thought that we think,
Dances through the fields in the mind.

No man is an island alone,
We reside within our surroundings.
The essence of life's spectrum -
Is developed within the brain.

The experience of life's drama
Is etched into the minds landscape.
The learning curve that we pursue
Becomes a part of our intellect.

The structure of ourselves is ongoing,
Change and adaptation should occur.
Our views are dynamic with discovery.
Each self is unique in all respects.

 

A Poem About Poems

A poem is not like anything else;
It is a journey into man's soul,
It is an intimate glimpse into a mind,
It is a process of creation from within.

In a poem, one can tell a story,
One can evoke emotion and tears,
One can solve a problem by writing,
One can develop unique insights.

A piece of paper and a pen
Begin the journey of a poem,
Which may last as long as the ages,
Or be forgotten as soon as tomorrow.

Writing poetry is not at all difficult,
Anyone can have an idea and write
About a vision, a dream, a love.
It can be sad or it may be humorous.

A poem is a gem which can shine bright.
It can be carved into granite.
It can be transcribed onto bronze.
It can inspire generations to come.


 

A Gem

A gemstone is just a rock
Until it is extracted from the ground.
Then it is cut and polished
Before it shines bright in the light.

A poem is much the same as a gem.
It will be extracted, cut and polished
Before it can shine in the mind of man.
Be it love, laughter or tears, a poem is a gem.


Impressions

Black dog in white snow,
Romping over newness.
Watching that even dogs
Leave behind impressions.
Uncertain Mind

I need to know what I don't know.
How else can I decide what to do.
To be wrong when I need to be right
Is not the way I decide my fate.

Uncertainty is a dilemma indeed.
Uncertainty is not my comfort zone.
Uncertainty breeches the door of failure.
I'm certain I do not want to be a failure.

With the unknown prevelent and looming,
I choose to avoid the uncertainty of risk.
I choose to withdraw and get away from risk.
To risk all on uncertainty is foolish indeed.

Yet, there are very few who see opportunity
Where others are uncertain and fearful.
These few jump into the void left by those
Who will flee from an uncertain risk.
Garden for Life

A garden is an oasis of endeavor.
It requires that you go outside.
It requires that you nurture plants.
It requires design and planning.

You need to pull all of the weeds.
Don't forget to clip the bushes.
  Fertilizer the plants as needed
And be sure to view the gardens beauty.

These distractions are benificial.
They relieve the trauma of life.
They give you a simple task to work.
This extends and improves life.

In a garden, you can relax and reflect,
Communicating with nature relieves stress.
A life with less stress is a longer life
Which can be enjoyed in your garden.

    

Gasping For Air

A moment in a life span
A routine medical examination
I'm told I may have cancer,
The lab tests would take two weeks.

The fear is ever present and real.
I may die much before my time.
The thought gives me pause in my life,
How would I like to live a shortened life?

I'm not content with a boring marriage.
A life of wealth and prestige is not enough.
I would prefer space, freedom and love.
I would want a change from the present.

The test results returned negative.
I was free from worry, but not free.
The thought provoked me to seek anew;
A life, a man, freedom and happiness.


 

Anniversary Dialogue

It has been a long time.
Fifty years is half a century.
A lot has happened in fifty years.
I was even taller back then.

You were not only taller,
You were young and handsome,
You were strong and energetic,
You were my man to hold on to.

Well, I'm still all of those things,
Except maybe, I'm not so young,
And I had a few more teeth
And maybe a little more hair.

You had a head full of hair
And a beautiful smile for all to see.
Time does ravage the old sailor
And you have been sailing a lot.

Well, you were young and beautiful.
I have a picture to prove it.
You were perky and full of life.
You could even push my car back then.

Yes, that really was a jalopy
And you being an engineer,
You thought trading it in would prove
That your skillset was lacking.

I must say, you still bite hard.
I have enough teeth marks to prove it.
But then again, we did get things done,
A career, a house, and children.

You forgot the boat, or maybe not.
Half of our income goes to that boat,
And mostly, you just polish the brass.
When are you going to take us sailing?

Don't get testy my dear sweet love.
Whatever you want, I will do.
You know, that's the way we operate.
No sense rocking the boat after fifty years.


Dear Maxine

It has really been a while,
I definitely miss you.
It is not the same
Without you by my side.

I don't mean to complain,
But this place is strange,
Just like the old book:
Lots of milk and honey.

But, the mess hall sucks,
No real men's food here...
Lot's of health food for sure,
And fish every Friday.

But, unless I'm in Purgatory,
There are no McDonald's,
There are no Pizza Huts,
And no Applebee's eats.

Now, I finally understand
Why there are no fat angels.
I'm surprised they have energy
Just to fly, on these grubs.

And when they asked me:
"What do you want to do?"
I told them I liked cooking.
Saint Peter all but laughed.

"Joe, this is the Promised Land!
You have earned your way.
You have come through the gate.
You are in heaven for sure."

That all sounded good to me.
I figured I had it really made,
And, I just knew it was a matter
Of adjusting to my environment.

Then, Saint Peter continued,
"You cannot tell a lie here.
You cannot tell me you want to cook,
When you really truly want to eat."

" Do you remember what Maxine said?'
"No more potato chips for you, Joe!"
"And that's the way it is, Joe!"
"So, it's cleaning toilets for you, Joe!"

Well, I didn't really think I lied.
It just didn't occur to me truly
That I didn't want to just cook.
I was confused with starvation.

Let me tell it to you straight, Maxine.
There are no milkshakes, pizzas,
See's candy, cheeseburgers or good coffee here.
All I see up here, are skinny angels.

 


Sunset Garden

Post Mark: "HEAVEN"
 


I don't want to tell you -
That it is time to move on,
But, you don't seem up to par,
The old zest for life is fading.
 
Perhaps, you are becoming old,
A bit too old to enjoy life.
So many doctors visits and pills:
 You hardly seem like yourself.

It is so easy to linger in life -
With all they can do for you.
One begins to take one's time,
And time does go by so fast.

It really isn't that bad up here,
Once you have learned all the rules.
They take pretty good care of you;
No problems or worries, just bliss.

With that in mind, perhaps it's time -
For you to consider taking a trip.
You know how you do so like to travel.
This journey will be "heavenly".


 

Dudley's Farewell

I have lived ninety-four years.
I have enjoyed life's many gifts.
I have seen much of the world.
I have lived a full and gainful life.

From a young gangling farm lad,
I grew into manhood in New Zealand.
My family farmed the Owens Valley.
My playmates were aborigines.

The World War exploded as I matured,
And it was half way around the world
That I fought in the skies over Germany,
A serving member of the Royal Air Force.

The war was brutal as all wars are.
We flew our missions of destruction.
The Germans gunned us ferociously.
Three quarters of my mates perished.

The war ended in a great victory,
And I resumed my studies at Cambridge.
Upon completion, things were tough in England,
So it was off to Canada and work.

I found employment and my life's love,
Lillian was indeed my better half.
Together, we sought new adventure in America
And settled in beautiful California.

Lillian and I lived full productive lives,
Enjoying success in our respective careers.
Together we travelled on our holidays,
Retiring to a beach house in Santa Cruz.

She crossed over the river many years ago.
I now take my leave as I depart to join her.
I thank my kin, my neighbors, my friends.
I bid thee that I leave behind "Farewell".

SCAMMED
(Gertrude)

We've been scammed!  We've been had!
A thief fooled us with subterfuge
And got into our house as we helped him.
His partner was quick, ten minutes total.

Possessions, checkbooks and jewelry gone.
Treasures from a lifetime, vanished forever.
The shame, the shame of this rotten happening.
I may be a pacifist, but I want to do murder.

Rotten Thief
(Gertrude)

I caught the rotten thief.
The one who stole my treasures.
It was murder that he deserved.
But, I felt I was being too hard.

I'll castrate him and halt his sperm flow,
That is just right and good for mankind.
One less of that breed and we'll all benefit.
Over the fireplace, we'll hang his jewels.

The neighbors will visit and toast
To a seedless thief who got his due:
"No balls for you - unless you visit them here."
I awoke with a smile on my face and laughed.

A Rich Past

I once had a fortune,
More money than I needed,
All was mine for the asking.
It was grand, heaven on earth.

Being young and impetuous,
I enjoyed life to the fullest.
I froliced with beautiful women.
I drank a lot and I gambled.

I thought it would never end.
But fate turned against me,
My luck ran out and money gone,
I had to go back to work again.

When asked, I would explain:
I spent my money on beautiful women.
I drank and dined at the finest places.
I loved gambling and I gambled.

The rest of the money I wasted.






























The END
Children Are Wonderful

I'm being evicted from my house.
I've decided to buy a new house.
I've found a most lovely place
And it costs only nine hundred thousand.

What I want from you Daddy
Is my inheritance or part of it,
Just two hundred thousand dollars.
That will make the down payment.

I'm happy for you, a new house,
That would be better than renting.
I don't have two hundred thousand now.
Perhaps, you should seek employment.

Well, I'm going to look for a job soon,
But, I need to have a place to live.
That is my focus and priority now.
How much do you have available?

Not very much now unfortunately.
Perhaps when I die, it might be more.
But, I'm really sorry to give you bad news,
My Doctor said I'm healthy and I feel great.

Oh, that is not what I wanted to hear,
I really need two hundred thousand dollars now.
Perhaps you could borrow the money,
I'm sure your credit is better than mine.

Not a good plan Dear, the banks are weird.
They want you to repay borrowed money
And they also expect to receive interest.
Perhaps, you should push the job planning.



New Rules

My former wife is a house guest.
Divorced, departed, gone forever:
The adjustment I adjusted to,
My life continued for  several years.

Serendipity, she returned and enthroned:
"I'll stay a bit until I get settled."
More than ten years later, she's still here,
In my house, as my guest enthroned.

I have desire for peace and quite
As I'm getting  older in my years.
She has learned to talk more softly.
She is most often nice and helpful.

I've had enough with my patience thin.
I'm making "New Rules" for her to read.
It is about how she must learn anew,
How to behave when she is enthroned with me.

Try a smile, encourage me to endeavor,
For I like to work and work I will do.
No criticizing, no badgering, no nagging,
It is me who pays all of the bills.

Don't get up without a smile.
Believe me when I say: "I've had enough."
Believe me when I answer:  "No."
Believe me: "it's time to change your ways."