Notes From The Desk of Dub
Writer - Writing Instructor - Speaker
Selected Poetry
Limited Selections of Poetry
Curse of the Blind Snowgoose -1989 - Now in public domain, previously sold
Curse of the Blind Snowgoose
Upon the beaches blessed with sand
and standing in the spray,
I spy a sight that blinds the eye
with shades of white and gray.
A bird of heaven spreads its wings,
with beauty fills the sky.
Oh, Snowgoose loose my grounding chains
and with you let me fly.
The bird soars off to lands unseen
and leaves me standing there;
earthbound as I’ve always been,
alone and unaware
of life among the clouds above
and gliding in the air.
Oh, Snowgoose can’t you see me here?
It hardly seems so fair.
Snowgoose, how you’ve cursed me so,
I never can return,
to life amid the scoured faces,
for in my heart I yearn,
to ease into a downy spirit
and whisked, be in the air.
Oh, Snowgoose can’t you see me here?
It hardly seems so fair.
Met a bag lady walking
Met a bag lady walking
and then tipped my hat to say
a slight wish of good morning
softly spoken
She smiled and she waved
as she shuffled along while
picking up Kants and rappers
silently there
Her coat was worn and tattered
no shoes to complete the show
no masterpiece painting so
aptley given
Her Bible in the cart was
top shelf and opened widely
red borne letters warmed her soul
quickly read
She parted me then singing
a favorite gospel song
her perfection of art
Godly offered
Met a lady with no bags
and then tipped my hat to say
an offer of a greeting
boldly spoken
Her gait was fast on the morn
bags so purchased on that day
pocketbook belieing contents
hustle gains
She frowned and she dodged
as she hurried along
stepping on cans and wrappers
awaiting there
Met a bag lady walking
Sonnet 41
Oh, pulpy mountain lies in the plane so high
And guarded slate set against pallid cliffs
From there the memory’s love cannot sigh
Although in her each part will be dismissed
But her name shall be immortal tongue not die
Though she, once gone, to all the roots must
The dust can give her but a common grave lie
Then she attached to young minds to trust
Her mountain shall be her inheritance
For those yet conceived to be found
And to all her name shall be recompense
When the bricks of construction fallen bound
She shall live, her virtue knows no sin
In pulpy mountain and verse of men.
Addendum
A Shakespearean sonnet contains but fourteen
Verses of much and carefully selected poetry
But, only word count only one hundred ten seen
So, this short ditty added for one hundred fifty.
Now, nine more words to go, more to rush.
That’s all we made it, a hundred and fifty plus.
Ode de Verse
A poem is an odd sort of creature
Selections of words rhyming or not
Or verses simply repeated
Or verses simply repeated
The epic poem goes on and on
No following an epic to its end
The master poet brazens the verse
Symbolically speaking or worse
Images and metaphor like a horse
The simile works there of course
Metonymy and Synecdoche
“all hands on deck” you see
Paradox and Irony is to think
Of athletes dying young.
Rhymed couplets are fun to read
Their rhythms rhyme to concede
Forced meter counted just to make
Another verse for heaven’s sake
The haiku is my own favorite
It’s rhythm simple
Five Seven Five with God’s nature
Not one rhyme to make
The sonnet takes too much work
Counted meter in fourteen lines
Prosody of the American dream
Where verses count only thirteen.
The poem now ended
Note, in perfect rhythm
The words so depended
For readers to attend
Raise their staff unbended
Scribe Godly life in verse
Not like Emily’s hearse
Lilly Sat in the Windowsill
Miss Lilly sat in her windowsill
Watching the world go by.
“I can’t leave,” she said voice so shrill
“Well, maybe, someday. Oh me, oh my.”
The ship met the harbor
But Lilly was not to be seen
Just folks meeting relation
“What places they’d been?”
Noisy train rolled down the tracks
A platform filled with lovers waving
Lilly stared through window cracks
“So much fun they are having.”
A stage arrived and all matter
Lilly watched the parade go past
Baggage and hats men did gather
“I really should go,” said Lilly at last.
Lilly sat and watched the road outside
The ponies pranced and played
Dancing children laughed and cried
“Oh, me oh my, I delayed.”
The years went by her window
But never did she explore
Outside to the streets below
Or even dream far away lore.
A tall coachman arrived one day
Just to give Miss Lilly a ride.
“Oh, no I can’t go today.
Not at all,” she cried.
But the tall coachman insisted,
His four black horses neighed
Ready to carry those who resisted
Like Miss Lilly to where she laid.
A Child Wonders
A child sees the sky and wonders
Does God really see me here?
He walks along the railroad track
And prays a simple prayer.
His sister skips a rope nearby
Does God really see her there?
She plays beside the flower box
She prays a simple prayer.
His mother works in the kitchen
Does God really see her there?
She cooks on top the Kenmore stove
She prays a simple prayer.
His father fights in land away
Does God really see him there?
He walks along the dusty trail
He prays a simple prayer.
His pastor comes to their cottage
Does God really see him there?
He brings the word of Jesus life
He prays a simple prayer.
A child hears the word and wonders
Does God really see us here?
He cries and fears a lonely world
He prays a simple prayer.
Jesus hears the lone crying child
For God really sees him there
He breathes His breath of mercy
He answers the fearful prayer.
Haiku for Christmas
Winter sky so blue
To recognize our Savior
Boughs of greenish hew.
