Free Web space and hosting from freewebspace.com
Search the Web

  old poetry page
     
Rose's Garden

Sunshine

Memorials

Photo Page I

A New Baby!!!

Photo Page II

Photo Page III

old poetry page

My Links

Contact Page

Your Turn to Talk

Rambling Rose

Uses for Coffee Filters

Thorns

More Ramblings

Photo

Photo Page

Realblog

Poetry

 
Slowly moving this to a new page...

 

 

Life

1972 age 13

Life is a game

A constant race,

You've got to keep up

or you'll lose your place.

The die is cast

before you're born,

Your grave is dug,

Your casket worn.

For every man

there is a slot

Into which he falls

to be forgot.

 

A Thought

1973 age 13

Here's a thought to ponder about,

Though probably one you could do without.

Let's say 'God' is a mass of minds,

Ten multiplied by infinite times.

We're not really here according to this,

Could you believe that you don't exist?

What I'm trying to say is, believe it or not,

There is a chance that you're only a thought.

 

 

Drifter

1973 age 14

On a day that dawned you were here,

And like a doe and fawn we seemed so near.

But a blink of the eye and I turned around,

And empty sky was all that I found.

You'd drifted on following your soul,

The urge to be gone too strong to control.

It lives in the heart of many a man,

You'll never part from the drifting demand.

So be off and away and travel far free,

But return someday, my drifter, to me.

 

 

A Rock

1973 for Herbert

Deep in the jungle the path runs narrow,

Winding and twisting,

yet straight as an arrow.

All along the path the animals call,

The wild ones scream!

With no sound at all.

Life is as definite

as all of this,

Pure hell, it's true,

But also pure bliss.

These days a rock

is all you can trust.

"So Solid!!" you say?

But lo!

It's mere dust.

 

The Shadow Behind

1973

You walk through life

with a shadow behind you,

Always seeking,

trying to find you.

You work, you play,

Try to run away,

But look behind

and The Shadow you'll find.

Silent it is for many long years,

Until the distance

between you it clears.

Elusive the voice~

Little your choice,

You are the prey

You can't get away.

You run dow the road

but the road runs back!

Shadow, now substance,

Makes the attack.

Take your last breath,

Surrender to death.

The race is done,

Death has won.

 

 

 

 

The Promise

1974 for Tom Rogers

My foot steps echo

through hospital halls,

I want to turn back

as each foot falls.

Doors slide by,

I'm searching for one,

At room 12-C

My search will be done.

The nurse at his door

stops me to speak,

Saying, "Make it quick,

And be careful, he's weak."

I entered his room

praying him sleeping,

The horror of my mission

upon me creeping.

I gazed at his face

through gauze and tape,

Memorizing forever

every feature and shape.

The doctors had said,

"Maybe he'll live,

If that blessing

God chooses to give.

But remember, my girl,

He won't be the same,

Feeble and crippled

he will always remain."

I had made my promise

many years ago,

It was too late now

to tell him no.

If only the doctors knew

my promise to him!

They'd never have dared

Voice a future so dim.

Slowly his eyes opened

blinking, adjusting to the light,

A few moments taken

to regain clear sight.

Then he looked at me

pleading, I knew,

For the one thing

I wished never to do.

But with tears in my eyes

I nodded my head,

And once again sleeping

was the man in the bed.

One quick glance

showed the room clear,

Of all but us two

no one was near.

Opening his mouth

with fingers that shook,

I dropped in my promise,

All my courage it took.

Driving home

through streets wet slick,

My heart was heavy

and my soul felt sick.

"Promise me you'll never

let me suffer and cry,

If I'm aver disabled

please help me to die."

His existence ceased

his words were my own,

Now I suffer and cry

and feel I'm alone.

Then a horn blares loud

Lights flash bright!

Where am I?

Lord! I feel light.

There are people here

all reaching to me,

but among them all

only one face I see.

I'd kept my promise

and felt bereft,

I should have know

I would never be left.

Laughing together

we began to run,

Hand in hand

to touch the sun.

We had sworn to love

'till death did us part,

But even death couldn't

It hadn't the heart.

This was written from an actual promise I made to Tom, who is still one of my dearest friends

 

 

Randy

1974

Long blond hair, bedroom eyes,

Innocent looking yes,

but just a disguses.

Another night spent in jail,

Another time put up for bail.

Too many times

this scene's been flashed,

Bummer times, spent in the past.

He's 19 now

and fresh from the cell,

A crab-ridden place,

Mexican Hell.

Depression exists

and makes no sound,

as he laughs and jokes

and plays around.

But through it all

he's still the same,

(He may have crabs

but the jail's to blame!)

His kikker boots

are, gee, just dandy,

But I love him still,

This is Randy.

I had the best taste in boyfriends...

 

 

MY KINGDOM

1974

My home is my Kingdom,

My mind is my throne,

That keeps me from boredom

In my Kingdom alone.

 

To Steal

1974 No, not about Randy!

The night was black

The night was black

as a stack of black cats

And the crime didn't lack

a knack of tact

but of course

the law saw

And did what they could

and thought they should

To stop the young young hood

Who did a job good

from committing this crime

in the nick of time

before he stole even a dime.

He was sentenced to jail

no bond nor bail

left alone to wail

his misfortune

To cement walls

and guarded halls

Where nobody balls

or gets any ass

or smokes any grass

and nothing is real

Living from meal to meal

Paying with youth

for the crime

To Steal.

 

Today is Yours

1974 for Herbert

Today is yours

I give it to you,

(I know it was God's

but my posessions are few.)

Trace the pattern

of today with your mind

Make it your own

and chaos you'll find.

Because man is nothing

but a whispered breeze

and all men will know it

when they fall to their knees,

Praying that the ground

will shake no more,

and that their hearts

won't break,

and their souls will soar,

Beyond the skies

Beyond this earth

And through new eyes

you'll see it was worth

all of the pain

it cost to remain

alive so long.

Yea, this is your poem,

your song,

your words from me,

And this is Life

the way I see.

 

 

The Bitch

1975 Rhoda meets Jim

He wakes with a roar

and before you're warned,

He beats down your door,

Yea, shit over warmed.

Ask him anything

and "I DON'T GIVE A DAMN!"

is the song he'll sing,

like only he can.

He'll bitch about life,

He'll bitch about death,

No cares for other's strife,

if he has a bitching breath.

"Do me a favor, Jim"

Hell, don't waste your time,

He'll say "Hell NO!"

not maybe,

"Your troubles are not mine."

Well yea, Mr. Cooper,

You've got a mean mouth,

But ya ain't got a clean swoop,

Cuz ya ain't the worst in the south.

Bitch at me Babe,

and I'll bitch right back,

Soon will come the day

When I'm gonna knock you flat.

But for now I'm mild

Sweet as fresh grass,

And until I go wild,

Just kiss my ass!!

Unbelievable I would go on to marry this guy not once but twice!

 

 

(No Title)

1975

The valleys are green, lush and deep,

where cliffs rise majestically steep

and danger lurks

at the turn of the stream

The nightmare hidden

behind every dream.

And there grows a flower

of beauty untold,

A sign of eturnity

that never grows old,

It's magnificence of a power

that can hault your breath

and hold you transfixed

to your very death.

 

Last Wish

1975

If by some power

beyond my mind's reach,

I were to lose the gift of speech,

And I had one word to say

before silence took claim,

My only wish

is to whisper your name.

And if someday

like a thief in the night,

I was crept upon

and robbed of my sight,

And I had one minute to see

by God's good grace,

I'd spend it gazing

at your beautiful face.

And if one day

before my death,

I were to learn

I'd soon be deaf,

If the good Lord

gave me a choice,

I'd spend my time

hearing only your voice.

If I were to lose

the feel of touch on my skin,

I'd thank God I could still

touch souls within,

But if I had

an extra minute of time,

I'd spend it feeling

your lips on mine.

When I die

and leave you & your charms,

My only wish

is to die in your arms.

 

Sun Child

1975

Someone who carries the beauty of the world,

Within their soul peacefully curled,

Amidst the hate and sorrow today,

So rare I could kneel and reverently pray.

I'd like to surround them with flowers and sun,

A summer's breeze and laughter and fun,

To protect their feelings, more sensative than mine,

I'm just a sinner, scarred by time.

Sometimes I meet someone good to the core,

Who makes me want to know more and more,

From every angle, every inch of their mind,

And I run through my veins the beauty I find.

And as a rushing chill touches my skin,

I know I have touched the soul within.

 

(No Title)

????

Blood drips, and drips, and drips,

and the Devil sits

and samples the sip

delicately touching

the tips

of his fingers

to his lips.

 

The Musician

1975

He leaves for work

early each day,

While his guitar cries

and wants to play.

But he kisses it good bye,

and says,"What can I say?

I'd love to play

but gotta earn my pay."

So while his hand hammer and nail

and terrible things,

In his mind and heart

they caress six strings.

Their reunion is touching

as they tunefully embrace,

The guitar sings and never cries

in it's favorite place,

Resting across his work worn knees,

Indeed no lovers

Could be quite like these.

 

 

 

Yellow Fellow

1975 Listening to a drunk pee

Flowing and flowing,

Im flowing away,

My God! That beer

can sure make you pay!

I grow weak

as I see myself in yellow,

Liquidated

I'm not a handsome fellow.

As the sound of the flow

pounds in my ears,

Death by drowning

is the worst of my fears.

I can see the headlines

of tomorrow's day,

"The poor drunk fool

just pissed his life away."

 

Maranatha

I wrote this when I was 17, in 1975

As time goes by I find each day

That the urge to cry just won't go away.

Sometimes I think~ things will get better quick

but then my heart will sink and make me feel sick.

Tired of living in a timeless daze

Where it's no use crying and nothing pays,

Until all people gather in a crowd and cry

"God send a miracle! Or let us die."

As their voices rise to a crescendo peak

a hush falls. A gentle voice begins to speak.

"My people come to me, and take my hand.

and let us flee this terror land.

Gaze into my eyes that you know so well,

Surrender yourself to my powerful spell.

I will give you riches and laughter galore,

Is there any one here who has offered you more?"

A cheer rises and the crowd gathers at his feet,

But again a hush falls; another voice begins to speak.

"You who wish to lead these people away!

First let them hear what I have to say.

For I am the messiah, the only true king,

and love and light are the gifts I bring."

A murmer of confusion spreads through the crowd,

And the first woice speaks and says, "I hope you're proud!

Look how you've confused them ~ abusingly so!

Why not let them be happy and go?"

Look how you've confused them ~ abusingly so!

Why not let them be happy and go?"

He raises his arms for silence with power,

and riches fall about the people in a shower.

Jewels in her hand, a woman faces the "king"

and in a taunting voice begins to sing,

"What have you got to show us, dear sir?

Are you responsible for our life as it were?

I've starved so much I don't know how to eat,

with no place to even rest my tired feet.

And here I have luxury, right in my hand,

Show me more! If you're 'king' you can."

All around her, people are echoing her speach,

All the while grabbing all the riches they can reach.

And the lord looks up with the power in his eyes,

and silence falls as he painfully cries

For all the souls to be lost in a moment's time

By their own foolish choice to be left behind.

"What I have to offer is too great to be seen,

unless your mind is clear and your soul is clean.

I am the power to which you should turn,

All who hear my voice should listen and learn.

Belief in me must be based on faith,

Measure my every word for depth and weight.

With love, my friends, you'd never have wanted,

Shadows and darkness would never have taunted.

You'd never known misery had you loved one another,

You'd never been alone had you shared with your brother.

Come to me and I will show you Love,

and a life of peace as in Heaven above."

and a life of peace as in Heaven above."

Half the people rushed him with grateful tears,

All carrying their Bibles, not opened for years,

While the other half turned him away,

Not even caring what he had to say.

They could see the riches fallen all around,

To them this "love" was only a sound.

So, divided, the people followed their choice,

No objections left, no doubts to voice.

Tired of years of sadness and grief,

They walked away with a sigh of relief.

A single figure walks down the street,

With no one to recognize his scarred hands and feet.

No one to hear the trumpets sound,

See the eagles fly or the Light rebound.

And Jesus cries out! Completely frustrated,

"My precious children! If only you'd waited."

 

EAT ME

1975 by Rhoda & Jim

Eat me~yea,

you're gonna eat me,

Even dead,

life ain't gonna beat me.

Cuz when I die

I'm gonna get my rocks

being sold in hamburgers

at Jack in the Box.

And after I've rested

on my vulture feather pillow,

I want a moseleum built

shaped like an armadillo,

Well deserved

after all life's ass chappings,

To hold all of

my hamburger wrappings.

Smoke me~yea,

You're gonna smoke me,

'Though I can't toke you

you're gonna toke me!

Cuz I want my lungs

to be cut up & sold,

to be smoked by freaks

carefully rolled,

So they can get high

off of what I've done,

So maybe they, too,

can touch the sun.

This is my testament,

Yea, my last will,

Which makes me one mother--er

You don't wanna kill.

 

Prayer for Death

11/5/75

Tears well up

and spill from my eyes,

From too many lows

and too few highs,

Until I find myself

with a jolt of surprise,

Envying everyone

who dies.

God, where are you?

Are you still there?

What makes my life

always look so bare?

Please don't let me

live and cry,

If nothing else

please let me die.

 

Die Baby Die

1976 for Jim

Damn you, damn you,

Damn your eyes,

Damn all you do

from each sunrise.

Die, Baby, Die,

just die from me,

For every lie

and wrong you've done me.

I've had enough

of your blackened soul,

of you being rough

without control

Over your own mind,

your body, your heart,

More I look more I find,

I lost from the start.

Damn you, Damn you,

Damn your sight,

You who damn all I do

and say I'm never right.

Die, Baby, Die,

just die from me,

for every lie

and wrong you've done me.

Take your cold

and whoremaster ways,

That have quickly grown old

from too many days

and nights spent damned

by you too much,

With all you demand

within your touch.

Damn you, Damn you,

Damn your life,

In all you do

May you always know strife.

So die, Baby, Die,

Just die from me,

For every lie

and wrong you've done me.

Damn you, damn you,

Damn your eyes,

Damn all you do

from each sunrise.

Die, Baby, Die,

just die from me,

For every lie

and wrong you've done me.

I've had enough

of your blackened soul,

of you being rough

without control

Over your own mind,

your body, your heart,

More I look more I find,

I lost from the start.

Damn you, Damn you,

Damn your sight,

You who damn all I do

and say I'm never right.

Die, Baby, Die,

just die from me,

for every lie

and wrong you've done me.

Take your cold

and whoremaster ways,

That have quickly grown old

from too many days

and nights spent damned

by you too much,

With all you demand

within your touch.

Damn you, Damn you,

Damn your life,

In all you do

May you always know strife.

So die, Baby, Die,

Just die from me,

For every lie

and wrong you've done me.

(Clearly near the end of Rhoda and Jim marriage #1...)

 

LAUGH

1977 for Jim

Laugh, Baby, Laugh~

Yea, laugh for a while,

Laugh in my face,

Baby just go wild.

Cuz I'll laugh with you

(and at you too!)

Lover, you don't know

but the joke's on you.

Laugh 'till you're dizzy,

ng>

Yea, Laugh 'till you're stoned,

'Till you hear the door slam

and you're laughing all alone.

 

Who's in Control?

10/31/77

Sometimes people say

that they aren't "being themself",

Like what they've done and said

Had a little help.

Some say there are spirits

who enter sometimes,

and take control

from within our minds.

Sometimes I will speak

and then look around,

Because I spoke without thought

and heard only the sound.

But I feel no presence of spirits,

I'm neither prophet or preacher,

When I am not "myself"

I am simply my Teacher.

 

Sometimes people say

that they aren't "being themself",

Like what they've done and said

Had a little help.

Some say there are spirits

who enter sometimes,

and take control

from within our minds.

Sometimes I will speak

and then look around,

Because I spoke without thought

and heard only the sound.

But I feel no presence of spirits,

I'm neither prophet or preacher,

When I am not "myself"

I am simply my Teacher.

 

Just a Dream

12/78

I have a dream

I dream on nights,

Of fog and Snow

and Christmas lights,

Of life that sparkles

like dew at dawn,

Full of bursting hearts

and a soft sung song.

With heart abloom

and soul afire,

My mind chases dreams

climbing higher and higher.

But then I crash and blink

in light that hurts,

Through tears dreams fade

and Hope deserts.

I stare at plaster walls

Lying still and curled,

To protect my soul

From the cold, cold world.

 

(No title)

12/78

(No title)

12/78

Take the day

Stand in the light

Learn to pray

And close your eyes tight.

Rock gently

to the rhythym of your soul

Never mind

Let your insanities flow.

Facing death

Await the date

Hold you breath

Until it's too late.

Reaching hands

Crying eyes

No one understands

we all live lies.

the day

Stand in the light

Learn to pray

And close your eyes tight.

Rock gently

to the rhythym of your soul

Never mind

Let your insanities flow.

Facing death

Await the date

Hold you breath

Until it's too late.

Reaching hands

Crying eyes

No one understands

we all live lies.

Don't worry. This makes no sence to me either...

 

God Led Me to You

12/21/77 for Jerry Clouse

My heart was broken

and in shreds and pieces.

My heart was broken

and in shreds and pieces.

I was bait to forget love

and live only for what pleases.

I was lead through all kinds of love

except what was true,

Every time I had to see through it

and decide what to do.

I've left many people

who felt they'd been used,

Because I entered their minds

and left them confused,

When I would back away

from what they offered me,

Though the reasons for this

even I could't see.

When it was over

I'd realize why it all had to be,