I stopped to watch the sunset As the skyʼs color didnʼt
stay, But evolved from yellow, to scarlet And resolved in a purplish gray. I was
reminded of the saying, “Stop and smell the roses.” A full-bodied scent upon
inhaling Stimulates our noses And excites the whole brain. I realized anew that
many wonders Are simple and easy to attain. Perhaps the message thunders, “Stop!”
In this fortuitous moment I donʼt care what else is going on, The world is on pause
for this scent Or this sunset thatʼs glowing on. For a short time Iʼll focus to be
Aware of whatʼs meaningful to me.
Page 294.
Frustration Illustration
The
letter said, "We want to publish you So send in a poem right away For the book of
Poetry Who's Who." I went to the gym that day. I'm not trying to procrastinate,
But poetry's going to have to wait.
I cut up a slab of ham that I might Put in
the beans that soaked overnight. "I'm done in the kitchen," I think. Then I noticed
dirty dishes in the sink. There's no time to hesitate, But poetry's going to have to
wait.
My bank statement came in the mail. I need to balance my checkbook So
I'm not overdrawn, land in jail And get treated like a crook. I don't want my poem
to be late, But poetry's going to have to wait.
Oops, there's my friend's phone
call. Lately he's needed some cheering up To help him make it thru it all. His
back pain keeps flaring up. There're some things you can't eliminate, And poetry's
going to have to wait.
Since I'm on my computer anyway Let me look at Facebook
and email. Before you know it, there goes my day And a feeling tells me I'm gonna
fail. I really didn't mean to procrastinate And I hope my poem's not too late.
Dear Reader, as you can see I made the submission deadline, Even tho it made me
antsy To think about meeting the guideline. Putting things off didn't determine my
fate And I got this poem in by the set date.
Page 77.
My Way on the Hiway
Don’t make me ask, We’ve barely
started I’m reaching for a mask ‘Cause somebody farted.
There’s a car on my
tail. It looks like a female. She’s all alone But she’s on her cell phone.
We’re going uphill, Swear shucky darn and curse bad luck Bringing traffic to a
standstill It's an RV passing a truck!
It’s no mistake To hit the brake.
Soon he’ll be out of sight, Sir Speedy just passed on the right.
"Buddy, the
same to you!" I’m driving with an attitude. When I say, “Thank you.” I don’t mean
it with gratitude.
Going down the road I think I've got it made, Then I let
my rage unload I give it to the weenie brigade.
So it's speed up and then slow
down, When will we ever get to town? On a five-will-get-you-ten bet, A small
voice asks, “Are we there yet?”
Page 260.
Autumn Totem
Let there be an end to
the day And its activity. It's time for sleep to stay In all its passivity.
It's a time for changing gears, Taking life at a slower speed And laying down, my
dears, To let my pace match my need.
Autumn has come at the roots Of summer's
growth and commotion. It's time to enjoy the fruits Of the production and promotion.
Fall has a unique feeling From the lower temperature And slowing down, dealing
Nature's distinctive signature.
I've matured into my golden years. Sometimes
I sense it's time To slow down, shifting gears To enjoy life at its prime, To
reduce duty and participation. Gently braking until my last breath And that feeling
of emancipation When I shall finally taste death.
The gold medal was awarded for my poem:
Yesterday's
Rose
While passing into my yard By the white picket gate I noticed the rose
on guard Had entered a wilted state. When a faded petal goes That's yesterday's
rose.
Still wanting to belong, Joining where she can, Singing her own song
While hoping for a man. Wearing old-fashioned clothes, That's yesterday's rose.
She can still kick up her heels And enjoys dining and dancing. She knows how
it all feels And what's life enhancing. One of today's widows Is yesterday's
rose.
Looking for a good time When she can whim it, Spending her own dime
Within society's limit. Not youth but wisdom shows, That's yesterday's rose.
The Australia Times Poetry magazine
My poems have
been published several times by The Australia Times in their poetry magazine. Here
are links to my poetry. After clicking on a link below, if necessary enter the
page number in the little page box. Sometimes the page box is at the bottom
right and sometimes it's at the top center.