Sunday, January 30, 2011

Rhythms of Life

This is another poem about life's ups and downs with a touch of a music analogy thrown in.

Rhythms of Life

Bashful or boasting
Careful or crashing
Grateful or grieving
Joyful or jarring
Peaceful or pounding
Soulful or shocking
All you can do
is keep moving
to the beat.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Impressionism

I have mentioned before that I draw inspiration from the visual arts. Sometimes a specific work will give me an idea. Often, spending time at a museum or gallery seems to jumpstart the writing process for me. This poem is about a group of artists whose work I enjoy.

Impressionism

Artists suggest
the scene.
Patrons fill in
the details.
All take
ownership
for the part
of themselves
they leave behind
in each piece.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Lifetime Guarantee

I wrote this poem after seeing an exhibit at Kansas City's regional office of the National Archives. The exhibit was about the year 1968. As I was reading about and remembering the various events that took place that year, I could feel some of the emotion I attached to those events coming back, too.

Lifetime Guarantee

Repaint the scene.
Replay the words.
Recall the action
and the reaction.
As you do,
the feelings
creep up on you.
Time passed
is irrelevant.
Emotions have
no expiration date.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Resolutions

New Year's resolutions tend to be heavy on the declaration and light on the follow through.

Resolutions

In the new year,
I will make
the changes necessary
so that both
me and my world
will be perfect
in my eyes.
What's that?
I can never
make that happen?
I thought the question was
"Did I make any resolutions?"
not "Will I keep them?"