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Jan 2014 · 1.2k
Polar Vortex
Severe Siberian shivery stinging
Below freezing, bitter, bleak, brisk
Painful, penetrating piercing
Frigid frosty frore
Icy intense inclement

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Jan 2014 · 877
SUBZERO
Stuck inside for quite a few days
After the sky hurled down the ice, snow and freezing rain
Leaving bitter-cold temperatures that are quite frightening to hear
All the news reports suggest “staying inside and being safe”
I've decided to spend the days reading some on my collection of books
On presidents such as Lincoln, Truman, and Kennedy.
Sifting through information I've received of  family stories and genealogy
Writing letters to an old home-bound friend in another state named Dot
Sipping hot chocolate and Cinnamon toast by the roaring fireplace

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Really I’m sitting by a cold sliding glass door wearing two sets of clothes writing this free-verse poem.
Jan 2014 · 917
At a stand still
Our town has shut down
It’s much like a ghost town

All the businesses are closed
No one wants to be exposed

To painful temperatures way below zero
Our weatherman called it temps of subzero

The streets are empty of cars as we have come to know
But filled quite thick and wide with sheets of ice and snow

The storm has knocked out the power to so many
Everyone stay inside and play games with Aunt Jenny

Power lines are weighted down with the ice
The lights keep flickering, and this isn't nice

My house is creaking and moaning from this cold
But the heat inside is on high and, up I'm holed

Glad to be where it’s nice and warm as toast
For supper I plan potatoes, carrots and a Roast

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Jan 2014 · 2.5k
The Bulldog of Bergen
Won boxing matches with Lewis , Lasky, Corn Griffin, Swiderski,
Then many more titles with Griffiths, Farr, Stillman, and Levandowski,

Jackson, Caggiano, Darnell and Dobson
Something he could tell his grandson

His greatest match of all was the title he earned against Max Baer
The fight was the ultimate win at Gardens of Madison Square

A very passionate man for his wife and children he went to great lengths
To keep his family together during the depression, even in times of brink

Served honorably in WWII as a 1st Lieutenant
Owned a surplus supplier of marine equipment

Helped to construct the bridge Verrazano
It was the proud city’s beautiful Picasso

Gone is Jim Braddock, a movie about him, CINDERELLA MAN to be sure he’s not forgotten
His Granddaughter Rosemarie Dewitt  played his neighbor Sara Wilson, who was downtrodden

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Biopoem
Dec 2013 · 629
The Blind Walk
Wondering through life blindly
Looking for resolutions, that will certainly never come
With no real direction, assurance or assistance
Roaming aimlessly about through life
Drifting here and there and to and fro
Walking down dark hallways with no exits
Stuck in a maze of divided paths and many dead ends
Wanting to stay on the straight and narrow path
That many have followed with much success
I find myself taking paths with no real meaning
Those that always end up at a brick wall or
Closed doors that might not ever open
Never finding a meaning to my life or place in society
Being neither happy, nor sad just feeling a bit drab

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Dec 2013 · 2.9k
Woodstock
A Four day concert, created by Roberts, Rosenman,  Kornfeld, and Lang
Was originally supposed be a three-day  music festival, and up it sprang

But the citizens of citizens of Wallkill, N.Y. did not want their nice quiet town filled
With drugged up hippies that would overrun, and with this idea they were not thrilled

With many battles and protests, Wallkill passed a law on July 2, 1969 banning
The would be concert from going forward leaving the town quite less enchanting

Almost not getting off the ground, hippies all over demanding refunds for their tickets
Stepping forward, Max Yasgur offered his 600-acre dairy farm so no one would picket

The new location for the Woodstock Festival would be Bethel, New York
No one from the other town would not have complaints or come uncorked

Despite the many problems of people threatening to quit
Woodstock got off the ground despite things still being chit

This concert was poorly planned with two major setbacks, as news spread that it was free
There were congestion of cars that policeman had to turn away, for as far as one could see

Organizers lost huge amounts of money while hippies walked through gates without paying
But it was estimated that 500,000 people made it to the concert and they came in swaying

The music seemed to play non-stop as people sat and listened and some would play
It was very muddy from all the rain of what it did from much of the concert everyday

Listening to greats such as Creedence Clearwater Revival, Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Sweetwater
Can’t forget, Grateful Dead, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Jefferson Airplane and Ten Years After

The concert ended and picking up the pieces began, that wasn't just the trash that was left behind
It was the lawsuits that many filed against the organizers since beginning to end put many in a bind

The greatest music festival in history later put to a movie that is divine
Something that will forever be talked about from the summer of 1969

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Dec 2013 · 620
Time
Time is frozen for those who wait
Time is like a jet for those who enjoy
Time is precious for those who are old
Time is everlasting for those who are young
Time is money for those in businesses
Time is waiting for this or for that
Time can be a friend or an enemy
Time is on our hands for some
Time is running out for others
Time Tick Time Tock Time will Tick Tock Tick Tock
The hours very quickly slipping away on my clock

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Dec 2013 · 392
Dreams
A place to go for eight to ten hours
Once in a while a dream creeps in
Enjoy the time of the short lived
Adventure and pretend you are
There and have a good time
Wishing you could go back
Or that there was really a place
A dream could be bad
You seem to be stuck
Trying to run and scream
But no avail then you’re
Paralyzed and try to awake
Just then the alarm goes off
And now you know you’re safe

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Dec 2013 · 1.9k
Blizzard
So pretty to see everything in white

Making all things look very bright

Everything was covered for as far as I could see

Nothing but eerie silence for a while I felt free

Everyone venturing out should wear their snowshoes

Their cars stranded on the road look like icy igloos

The weighted down evergreens have a glow

For they are beautifully blanketed with snow

Schools, roads and businesses are shut down

And no one is allowed out about in the town

Should get out and have some winter wonderland fun

Build a snow man and go sledding some

Make a snow fort or  snow angels and snow-cream

Better hurry up before it's plowed, for now, it’s not a dream

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Dec 2013 · 877
The Kennedy's
Joe and Rose’s Children

Joseph’s plane was shot down near England during  WWII
John was assassinated in 1963 of November Twenty-Two

Rose Marie Mary had a lobotomy because she was acting aggressively
Kathleen, wed Wm J Robt Cavendish and she later died unexpectedly

Eunice married a great man,  Lieutenant  Robert S. Shriver
Patricia wed actor Peter Lawford, their marriage wasn't forever

Robert wed Ethel Skakel, he was another that was assassinated
Jacqueline Bovier felt sure that the Kennedy’s might be hated

Married to Stephen Edward Smith
Jean was wed to him until his death

Edward (Ted) late one night drove off a bridge at Chappaquiddick
Reporting the next day about Mary Jo Kopechne was quite horrific

Ted was married twice, first to Virginia Joan Bennett  1958–1982
And then next until his death Victoria Anne "Vicki" Reggie too

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Dec 2013 · 941
Christmas
I love all the preparation

For December celebration

The office and school parties

Gifts for those you can’t deny

Sending cards and buying wrapping paper

It’s all just to prevent jealousy and anger

Now to the family you'll agree it’s time

To pick up that tree and make it chime

With lights shining on branches and colorful wrapped packages under the tree

Don’t forget the Nativity scene and color wheel don’t you feel a bit of glee?

Great care is taken to wrap presents and decorate

All for the day when the relatives and family aggravate

Soon another year will be out of the way

And then the Christmas bills come to stay

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Dec 2013 · 821
Success
Success is measured in many a way

Because you have lots of money they say

Or because you have an education

From a good college with accreditation

Maybe that you have a great paying job

That just makes your heartthrob

And a beautiful home in a safe neighborhood

That you have wanted since you were in childhood

But others have obstacles tossed at them in their life

Find it much harder to complete because of their strife

So when they have overcome such things as, abuse, poverty, or a disability

When they reach the goal that they are seeking we should all act accordingly

They’ve had to work harder, longer and have had many daily struggles and little comfort

Their stories of success are greater since most don’t have family to count on for support



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Nov 2013 · 713
Thanksgiving Memories
What I love most about Thanksgiving
I can look back and remember
The many years’ of great times
Our family had sitting around
The old folks beautiful oblong  maple table
After we’d stuffed ourselves full of grandma’s
delicious cooking, when my Grandparents &
great grandparents were still alive to tell the
wonderful stories of their long past youth
Those are memories I have always cherished the most

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Nov 2013 · 843
A Thanksgiving Poem
It’s a time for giving thanks
Not just time to stuff your tanks

Many won’t have the traditional
Of having a meal that is nutritional

Some won’t have the Turkey and all the trimmings
Most will have those meals lest brimming

Even if they are finding meals to be less fulfilling
They will just be grateful to have enough food to be enjoying

Others might not have a bite, and will be forgotten
This holiday season, to see that others aren't downtrodden

With those who are happy to just have what they need
while others are lavished with greed.  

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Nov 2013 · 541
Memories
Memories of good times
A thought of long ago
Music reminds you of
A time that has passed
Scents that spark a recollection
Of something happy years past
Longing to relive those good
Times of yesteryear

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Nov 2013 · 1.0k
Freezing Fog
Time is still
a frigid air "ice age"
the world has frozen
In its own tracks
Icy dense fog that
Clogs the atmosphere
From the highest mountain top
To the depths of an ocean
For a time
Everything is
Still
Everything is
quiet
And everything is
dead

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Nov 2013 · 2.4k
Obscurity
Walking through the woods at night
Not sure where I’m at
The darkness I’m looking into
Is  overpowering
A faint light from the sky
peaks shyly through the blackness.
But not sufficient for me
To see where I am going
Paralyzed with fear
I don’t know what’s
Hiding in the darkness
Eerie silence all around
I’m gasping for air
Because I can’t breathe
I’m consumed by the fear
of what I don’t know.
That lies ahead

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Nov 2013 · 557
Halloween
Soaked trees from the rain

and fallen leaves, that cover paths

lined with glowing pumpkins

Houses with dimly lit porch lights

and Halloween decorations

welcome youngsters of all ages

Children running amok

dressed as their favorite character

and yelling 'Trick or Treat"!

  Hoping for a good haul of candy

As they run up to each door.

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Nov 2013 · 698
November 22, 1963
My mother had just put me down for a nap

And was folding clean diapers on her lap

When Cronkite broke in on her show

And announced for everyone to know

That JFK had been shot in Dallas

He didn't want to be callous

Soon Cronkite would announce

The death of Kennedy he pronounced

My parents for many days were  inconsolable

As this tragedy to the world was quite horrible

All this had happened and it was quite fast

News was coming and it was constant and vast

My father’s birthday that day was to be celebrated

But my parents agreed it would have to be belated

The world had just changed and in shock and everyone remained.

No one could speak and it seemed everyone was ashamed.

Of whom really shot our President JFK

On that chilly, frightening, and horrifying day.




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Went for a cruise on the maiden ship Titanic,

A wonderful ship everyone said would be epic

I was not scared because it was unsinkable

To be in fear would for me be unthinkable

Wanted to sail far away to another land

Where my life, I think could be quite grand

Unpacking my suitcase in a luxurious liner

This is the one yacht that could not be finer.  

Passengers enjoyed dinner, dancing, and other entertainments.

All the days of the trip they would enjoy the embellishments

I heard that people like Astor, Guggenheim Straus, Thayer and Gordon

Would be on this ship including Stead, Fulrelle, Gibson and Morgan

On April 14, 1912 I was that evening returning to my room

Walking down the corridor I heard a deafening boom

Went to find an RMS crew member

When I was told on deck to assemble

He handed me a life jacket just in case

And to get in the lifeboat because there was space

Passengers were lowered down by the crew

The first little boat had just a few

A man started quickly paddling our tiny boat

Once far away he stopped and we would just float

Everyone watched as we heard screaming, crying and yelling

Amongst the chaos we heard music and saw the flares flying

  In the early hours of April 15, the ship’s lights flickered out and then went straight up vertical

We all heard the moans of the iron and watched it break in half and it sank uncontrollable

From quite a distance I saw an ocean of people

Out in the middle of the sea, no one felt hopeful

Soon there was no sound

As we all looked around

Shivering crying and wondering

If we are going to live or die pondering






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Nov 2013 · 16.0k
Sunset Walker
Departure the welcoming light to walk slowly into the darkness

Wedged between night and day, for a split second

The splendor the Sunset Walker can see is captivating

Observing the color of the cloud's and sun's transformation

Seeing reflection transition flashed across the sky

The eyes take pictures of this wonder and describe it

So others can feel that they are walking along beside you.


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Nov 2013 · 1.7k
Fog
Fog
Something eerie about the fog

hovering over a town for a spell

Fog has its own personality

causing your eyes to play tricks

and reveals scary creatures

within its misty cloudy walls

of wispy white and gray streaks

haunting those who walk alone

on a cold lonely dim- lit street.

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Nov 2013 · 589
Changing Seasons
Fall is quickly approaching

Right before our eyes

The beauty of the changing leaves

Next to some that haven't begun

Reflections of the vivid colors on the pond

Is forever etched in our minds

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Nov 2013 · 557
Fall
Remembering the days of old, when father raked the leaves of

Golden, yellow, brown and orange

Jumping into the huge crisp pile, I tossed them all about

As my father raked them on top of me

I would creep out from under the pile laughing.

With leaves hanging on my hair and clothing

What a wonderful season. What a wonderful reason

Just to play in the leaves.

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Nov 2013 · 4.9k
Summer Memories
I miss the days when I’d help my grandmother

Those were the days, I'd always cherish  like no other

Hang the freshly washed clothes out  in the sun to dry on the line

I used to enjoy helping my grandma all the time

They’d gently wave back and forth in the summer breeze for hours

Sitting on the porch swing, looking at the beautiful flowers

And we would return to get them when they were dry.

After, we ate homemade vanilla ice cream and blackberry pie

The clothes always smelled like a fresh spring morning

So nothing ever about this task was ever boring

We’d notice as we folded and put them away

That it was always quite late in the day

The sun is starting to go down on the horizon
Stars will come out as bright as diamonds

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Nov 2013 · 702
WWII
Poem about my wonderful grandfather


John Walker served his country in WWII

It was something he felt obligated to do.


In combat he risked his life

Even while he was facing strife


He wrote his family back at home

While he was on another roam


Slept, ate and celebrated his birthday

In a foxhole while there was gun play


A short break John took from war

He listened live to Dinah Shore


Met the nice people of France and Holland

There he bought some Chocolate Almonds


Posed in a painting for Martin Koblo

John said, "He was a very nice fellow"


When it was announced that the war had ended

John wrote home and said "I feel quite splendid"


"I’ll be home honey,  just as quick as I can

Can’t wait to see you, Margaret and Ann"


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Thanksgiving is a time that never will I forget

Hopping in the car for a very long ride to grandma's house

With heavy white frost on the grass, glistening in the sun

Singing songs and counting grain bins to pass the time

Now the frost is melting, we are getting close to the grandparents

Rounding that last bend and then their lane up to the house

Riding up to the house I can see smoke coming from the chimney

To the door and into the house, I see my cousins playing, and smell the Turkey

Grandma's brown and gold tablecloth, covered with her silver

trimmed grey dishes and crystal goblets ready for us to eat.

Have to sit and chat while watching the Macy's parade

Saying our blessings and giving our Thanks as we begin the feast

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Nov 2013 · 956
JFK
JFK
The assassination of President John F. Kennedy
To many this has always been an unsolved Mystery

JFK was shot in Dallas, Texas on the 22 of November
We are still mourning him, and will always remember

Abraham Zapruder had no idea what he'd be filming
Would be under scrutiny by the public for viewing

Some said the shots came from the grassy knoll
Where they came from no one will ever know

Jackie Kennedy in terrible shock, crawled out onto the limousine
She could not recall doing this, when the Secret Service Intervened

Walter Cronkite reported this shocking news to us in tears
And in all his years of work, he will forever be revered

Jackie in her blood stained suit stood beside Lyndon B. Johnson
When he took the oath of office to be next president of our nation

Oswald told the world that he was a patsy
Jack Ruby shooting him on TV was ghastly

Life Magazine chronicled the events
Filling each page with all JFK contents

To this day there still are reenactments and movies
And everyone like me still feels this is newsworthy

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— The End —