Michael Smith: Poems

4.5k · Jun 2016

Michael Smith Jun 2016

It will never tell its secrets
Old boards, an audible moan
Holding up the sagging roof
A crumbling foundation of stone

The years have done their damage
The summers of scorching sun
All the wet and icy winters
A battle with nothing won

An old harness in the corner
Wearing its coat of dust
A plow no longer plowing
Growing a harvest of rust

If we would only listen
Oh, the stories it would tell
Of barefoot kids in the barnyard
Mama ringing the dinner bell

Tonight will be the last night
That it shadows in the sun
Tomorrow it’s gone forever
The old barns race is done

1.3k · Jun 2016

I Love You

Michael Smith Jun 2016

I Love You

I look at you through sleepy eyes,
Stretch my fingertips out to touch you,
Feel your hot breath on this cool early morning,
I am blessed by your presence

You my sweet, and cherished comrade
You will never forsake me, nor I you
You have never judged me
You accept me without question

Always, you are there for me
You give my soul energy
You awaken me to my potential
And allow me to clearly see

On this, another frosty morning
You are there, as comforting as always
Your scent urging me to awaken
So thank you, I love you coffee

I really have to do something a little more on the serious side ....or maybe not ...
M D Smith

929 · Jun 2016

The Arrogance of Lightning

Michael Smith Jun 2016

The Arrogance of Lightning

I come in bolts and flashes
Humans delight in the terror
I strike into their hearts
The world is in awe of me

Nobody can control me
I go wherever I want
And the things I can do,
Turning sand into glass with my touch

I can tear at the very fabric
Of all your angry skies
I’ll make your night turn into day
On a whim, simply because I can

The mightiest trees will feel me
Burn into their flesh
Leaving them torn and scattered
Like sticks thrown in the grass

Fear me!

792 · Jun 2016

Jelly Daydreams

Michael Smith Jun 2016

Jelly Daydreams

Jelly Daydreams

Rain on sun, winter white
Melted wax on a child’s face
Papier Mache, worn mantels
Stuffed with boysenberries

Shrill sounds of loneliness
Heads turning on corners
Corners keep going in circles
Brains can’t believe eyes

Purple light, blinding day
Kaleidoscope silence too loud
The storm inside is waning
Beggars fill city streets

Shrieking alarm, **** alarm
Glass shards flying in the wake
Trembling legs of reason
Nowhere left to hide

Rain on moon, nighttime black
Burned flesh a new victims’ face
Suffocating, brightly colored feathers
It all tastes like orange marmalade

777 · Jun 2016

Just For The Giggles

Michael Smith Jun 2016

Just For The Giggles

I don’t like brown mustard
Or an ice cream cone that leaks
I don’t like asparagus
Green beans, squash or beets

I don’t like to wear new shoes
They pinch and squeak a lot
And I don’t like cold weather
Or when it gets too hot

I don’t at all like spiders
Or other crawling things
Any creepy crawly
That bite…or worse…they sting!

I don’t like commercials
The things they try to sell
Who on Earth would need or want
A digital dinner bell?

Mowing the lawn can drive me mad
I might buy a horse
To eat the grass I have to mow
But that’s absurd, of course

There are some things I really like
I might list them all sometime
But this poem’s already 6 stanzas long
And I don’t like long rhymes

Just feeling silly I guess

MD Smith

731 · Aug 2016

My Husband Took Me Out to Lunch

Michael Smith Aug 2016

My Husband Took Me Out to Lunch

It is with great pleasure that I post a poem written by a friend who lives in Appledore England. This work is NOT my own and all credit goes to Tracey Curtis.
(Posted with permission from author)
(I did not edit this poem in any way, typo's or otherwise as it not my work to edit)
Enjoy!

MY HUSBAND TOOK ME OUT TO LUNCH
My husbands name is Johnny
He's such an understanding guy
He has the patience of a saint
And here's one reason why

My hubby took me out for lunch
To the local public house
We sat down in the restaurant
And I swear I saw a mouse

I said to Johnny What was that?
As something ran across the floor
"I think I see a mouse" I said
over there sat by the door

First he looked across the room
And then he looked at me
He said" I can't see anything
There's nothing there to see

So I sat back in the wooden chair
And put my bag down by my feet
As Johnny poured the wine out
I chose my food to eat

Johnny ordered steak and chips
And I went for the salmon
But then I changed my mind again
And I settled for the gammon

The food was all delicious
So we thought we'd have a sweet
We were just about to order
When something touched my feet

I moved so fast I caught my foot
Inside my handbag strap
I tripped and lost my balance
And fell into some guys lap

His chair gave way with me on top
With my skirt above my head
The strap was still around my foot
And my face had gone bright red

The man shouts out, "WILL YOU GET OFF"
I think he was quite rude
And then I kicked the table leg
And down came all the food

My hubby came across to help
He helped us to our feet
The man said "what about our food"
There's nothing left to eat

My hubby said "we're sorry bud"
Please, let me pay for more
Johnny gave him Fifty quid
Then the man walked out the door

We sat back down to start again
As the staff cleaned up the mess
I had spaghetti in my hair
And gravy down my dress

My hubby said "what wrong with you"?
You almost wrecked the house"
I said " Well something touched my feet
And I think it was a mouse"

He said "well if it was it's gone now"
So can we please just settle down
I looked at him he looked at me
And he gave me such a frown

But then he smiled and said to me
"Would you like a glass of wine"?
"Would you like a bit more food "?
I said "No thanks I'm fine"

I said "I think I'll have a cigarette
That can't cause any harm"
As I reached to get my bag
The mouse ran up my arm

I jumped up fast and spun around
And then I started squealing
I sounded like a little pig
As I nearly hit the ceiling

I swung the bag around my head
And all around my seat
I swung it high and swung it low
And I swung it round my feet

I smacked my Johnny in the face
With my bag as I was swinging
I think I hit him with the phone
As my phone it started ringing

I climbed upon the table
As I knew the mouse was there
But then I slipped the table flipped
And the plates flew in the air

The food went left the drinks went right
Something caught the fire alarm
And all because that little mouse
Ran up my ****** arm

My Johnny's eye was swollen
From the bag when he got lashed
Although he couldn't see that well
He could see the room was trashed

He looked at me and then he said
"I thought I said stay calm?
I said " I tried my best it didn't work
As the mouse ran up my arm

He shook his head and hung it low
And then just stood there sighing
I said" What's up with you John?
He said" it's you, your very trying

This day has cost a fortune
But I'm not about to shout
But let me make it clear to you
It's the last time you come out
© Written by me..... TRACEY CURTIS...26\5\14

671 · Jun 2016

Reflections

Michael Smith Jun 2016

Reflections

My reflection in the mirror
It is truly me
But is it how I am now
Or how I want to be?

There are clouds upon the water
But only for the eyes
It’s just a trick of reflection
Bringing them down from the sky

For vanity we create them
Everything more than one
Reflections into reflections
More beauty for everyone

All the shiny things in life

Reflects things near and far

Don’t get caught by illusions

Remember who you are

Michael Smith

634 · Jun 2016

My Masters' Glory

Michael Smith Jun 2016

My Masters' Glory

It's in words, my masters' glory
Yet many think it's just a story

Inherit I, the sins of man
It's all a part of my masters' plan

To get the things I think I need
I'll cultivate the serpents seed

Caligula, the king of mayhem
Seek the good man, go and slay him

****, and ******, endless plunder
The righteous frown, they start to wonder

Is He there? Faith can weaken
That's the dark mans' flashing beacon

He works magic through the winds
Do you wonder how the madness ends?

It's in words, my masters' glory
Yet many think it's just a story

I wrote this poem about 30 years ago, and had not thought about it for some time. I walked into my bedroom today and picked up a piece of paper on the floor, and it was this poem. That's pretty weird.

498 · Jul 2016

Tree Lessons

Michael Smith Jul 2016

Tree Lessons

That old tree can tell you things
Though not a sound will it make
Listen with your soul, my friend
You’ll hear it, make no mistake

It tells a tale of days gone by
A sapling, growing in the shade
Of two old giant oak trees
With leaves of sparkling jade

I remember a storm on a hot summer day
Blue fire from the sky
Nature telling one old oak
It’s now your time to die

Years went by and I kept growing
A sapling nevermore
A young, strong, tree with many arms
Planted in the forest floor

Now here I am, I’m older
Standing beside my ancient friend
His scars are deep and many
But old oaks always seem to mend

In this time I’ve learned so much
That I can share with you
More than offering a safe retreat
Or being part of a beautiful view

Watch my leaves, and when they turn
Their bottoms to the sun
I’m telling you it’s going to rain
And our visit will soon be done

Watch my clothes change color
Yellow, orange, gold, and red
I’m whispering to you softly
Get a blanket for your bed

And when I stand there naked
You may think I’m dead
But I’m just sleeping the winter away
Dreaming of summers ahead

When you see my arms start budding
And my birds begin to sing
Break off your winter shackles
And let’s celebrate the Spring

I breathe in, what you breathe out
And the reverse is just as true
You can’t live without me
And I depend on you

So, when the next time, you pass me by
Stay a little while
Let’s tell each other our stories
Leaving each other to smile.

M D Smith

485 · Jun 2016

What Happened?

Michael Smith Jun 2016

What Happened?

I stop and wonder of the old homes past
Crumbling from the bottom up
Why was it left behind?

My mind imagines the years gone by
A family full of love and life
Forever was with-in reach

***** children chasing fireflies at night
Ankles ringed with mystery dirt
Olly Olly Oxen Free

Rockers and gliders making front porches squeak
Grown folks keeping an eye
On kids running wild

Watermelon slices, so cold and sticky
Served to keep them at bay
Wash cloths always near by

Young ones knew that yellow lights in the windows
Meant that soon they would bed
Dreaming of tomorrow

But now, there was no yellow window light
No breeze blowing in to cool
The dreamers

Now there were echoes of innocent laughter
Under a missing roof
And darkness

The safe sounds of parents talking downstairs
Reduced to mere memory
What happened?

As I walked away from the old home at dusk
My heart heavy with loss
I wished them well

MD Smith

485 · Jun 2016

Forgotten Boy

Michael Smith Jun 2016

Forgotten Boy

The November chill touched and tortured his bones
The dark alley smelled of ***** and sour cabbage
His bed of stained cardboard was wet and soggy
Another night of bad dreams in this makeshift home

Thinking about what happened that long ago night
Trying to explain, to ears that were closed
Shame and fright worked together in the assault on his mind
forcing his eyes to cover his face with a persistent tide of tears

He could remember every hurtful word
“No! It’s just a phase”? and “I’d rather see you dead”
Discarded like unwanted trash
He was only seventeen

Sobbing in that alley tonight, remembering the love and the warmth of before
Before dreadful secret was voiced, before the love was repossessed
He told them about that boy at school
In one instant his entire life was gone… home… family… hope… all gone

Later in the cold of night, the car idling at the curb
Sickened by the thought of what he was about to do
But a boy has to eat, a hand on his knee, a tear in his eye
A broken heart in a shattered soul

— The End —