Friday Has Finally Arrived… and so I pick a winner.

In the interest of commemorating the first anniversary of this blog I held a contest. The contest had no real rules. Really you just had to get my attention with a comment or comments. The prize is a handwritten poem sent to your real-life mailbox. I wasn’t sure if anyone would actually be interested in this… and I did very little to actually promote the contest. Still, comments were made and I feel like it was worthwhile.

It has been difficult, however, to decide on the winner. Lady Day and The White Pumpkin both caught my attention with their frequent comments. Autumn gets honorable mention, but the winner is…

QueridaJ.

Send me your snail-mail address and I will send you a poem. I will be sure to include a return address in case you are dissatisfied in anyway…

Thank you all for playing. To everyone who did not win… stay tuned. I will likely have more contests in the future.

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Ricky

It was a beautiful fall day
And a rain soaked night
With leaves covering the street
The night they hit that tree.

No one was drunk
No one was high
Kids just drive too fast
over wet leaves.

I used to play with Ricky
He was kind of a tool
He came off as arrogant and snobby
Even in the fifth grade.

But he could run
And I know he lit up his parents eyes
And I’m sure they expected a lot
And I’m sure he felt the pressure.

But a lot of us did
And we were just kids
So we played baseball and softball and wiffle ball–
I don’t think we cared as long as we could get on the diamond.

We played kickball too
Which just proves my point
We just wanted to play
On that diamond, which happened to be across the street from his house.

I buried a time capsule near that diamond once
I wonder if it is still there,
I buried it years before Ricky died
I don’t even remember exactly where.

I hate that his parents don’t get to see him
They don’t get to fight
They don’t get to make up
No one gets to grow with each other.

I remember the diamond
And how we used to play
And I wish that he were here with us
and not just in spirit.

In The Beginning

I clutched that bible to my chest
To feel the magic in my bones
Whispers of eternity
That made me who I am.

The leather soft and worn by use
and time and turning every page
The gilded pages shine in light
But it’s the words that burn my soul.

Often I am scared to touch
And going near makes sore afraid
What lies within has holy weight
And I am but a man.

The questions and the answers found
Can be hard to live out here
But still I clutch my leather-bound
Trembling with my holy fear.

Long Road Coming

I woke this morning and found the light
And it was hard to take
But gentle hands took me in
And joy peeked over the fence.

That Bathtub Had Fancy Claws

There was a moment
When I was much younger
That stands out still
A moment where someone really went all out
And made me really smile.
Of course it was a girl
(I am still a flirt,
and a sucker)
but it was so heartfelt
And wonderful
And no one expected anything wrong
Or much at all…

It was when she said,
“Let’s go upstairs,”
that I began to feel better
and no, this doesn’t go there–
get your mind out of the gutter.
We were at a dance
in a mansion
and the upstairs was off-limits.

She wore a long sequined evening gown
and it sparkled in the light
as she bent
to step under the ropes,
pulling me by the hand behind her.

I don’t know
if I could ever
forget
what it was like
for two teenagers
to sneak up those stairs
her in that sparkling gown
and me in my step-father’s black tuxedo…

and there is no guilt,
and no shame,
and even the memory of it
makes me smile.

She was ravishingly beautiful
With long dark locks
and big beautiful eyes.
And,
I don’t dream about her
and don’t pine for what once was
I just am happy
that it was
Her dress sparkled
and so did her eyes
and upstairs
it was with mischief.

“Let’s get in here,
and take pictures…
it will be funny.”
It was
but it was a lot more
than just funny–
it made me smile.

Holy Hush

Would the world were like this moment
Waiting in this holy hush
Would that I could stay here often
And so a dream is born.

The world conspires with my own heart
To take each joy upon the rack
And sometimes then I say a thing
And never have a chance to get it back.

Sunday Morning Hedge

I thought of all the hope today
And all that went before me here
I know that I will see my Lord
And this will keep my fear.

Friends and Lovers and the Senses

Show me things that bounce
Or things that flash in light
I’m really just a simple man
But not just over sight.

Read me slow a story
Whisper in my ear
I’m really just a simple man
I hope I’ve made that clear.

Wash your hair with coconut
Spray on your perfume
I’m really just a simple man
No matter what the room.

Fry me up some bacon
And brew the coffee strong
I’m really just a simple man
I hope it won’t be long.

Rub my shoulders and my neck
And you can have my wallet too
I’m really just a simple man
It’s really not that hard to do.

First Year… and you could win something.

This blog is officially a year old. I feel that I should mark the occasion somehow…To celebrate I have decided that I will write one reader a poem (with an actual pen on actual paper) and I will send it to you in the actual mail. In order to be considered for this celebratory gift you must be willing to e-mail me your snail-mail address and you must leave me a comment. I will not tell you what to comment. However, it is likely the comment that will win the prize. So, if you are interested leave a comment. I will decide at the end of the week so you have until next Friday to catch my attention in the comment section. Don’t worry where you live in the world. I may be a poor poet… but I can spring for international postage on a letter. Cheers.

And So Is Born a Dog of War

The heat is fast upon my form
It sits in judgement all around
The sweat that drips is wet and warm
And I can’t hear a single sound.

The deafness leaves an empty wake
And bodies lie out ripped and torn
The reapers watch for souls to take
And there seems never time to mourn.

It’s hard to not lay down and die
When all your world is turned to scorn
And in your silent hell you lie
Waiting just to be reborn.

When you wake it’s not to peace
You find yourself so battle-worn
And looking quickly for release
You reach for chains that did adorn.

But nothing keeps you as before
And then your ears are opened wide
And sounds of battle jump to the fore
And you see nowhere left to hide.

And all the monsters rush the hill
They come for me a mighty swarm
I clench my fists in rage to kill
For in a battle I’ve been reborn.

I stand alone without my chains
And look for weapons on the hill
The thunder claps before the rains
And all the earth seems mighty still.

The bloody earth grows full with mud
And mixes hot with all the gore
As lightning flashes overhead
I see the monsters in my war.

Their screams are piercing in the night
I raise a sword over my head
I plant my feet prepared to fight
Knowing that I’ll soon be dead.

But just before the flesh met steel
I heard a horn blown long and clear
And saw the standard of my liege
And there was no more room for fear.

I gave a shout that turned to roar
And hacked and slashed as torches shone
And as I raged in deadly war
I knew that I was not alone.

I heard my master in the fray
Calling me up to the fore
And so I swung with all my might
And so is born a dog of war.