"eldon" poems - Hello Poetry

Rows of starched green and yellow paisley feather stalks Marching in ordered lines along the road to 57 Eldon Way Hot dogs and char burgers charge the air with yesterday's homecoming Buds of moxie memories tipping long ears to big blue Listening to the chickadees vocal pecking at kernels from the past Morsels fall to the dirt signal life again for those willing to root Pulled magpies to lines spy intimate joy-scattered seed below Promising fortunes creased by hourglasses settled sand White washed porches with rose printed borders Nestle a "his and her" swing vantage over familiar fields Imagined better-time scenes from selfie soaked movies More real than all the forgotten stones ever stepped upon Sweet tea sugar fills tall glasses of yarn spun dreams Glory red and navy rippling a windy beat To the clang of their steal pole clasp Dance Swing with them and recall a time of slower horizons Of richer baskets Of brighter springs Of longer summers Take a dip in the swimming hole Naked, together, and happy © 2019 MJL

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Mar 11, 2019

Mar 11, 2019 at 7:43 PM UTC

mjl

Upstate

Rows of starched green and yellow paisley feather stalks Marching in ordered lines along the road to 57 Eldon Way Hot dogs and char burgers charge the air with yesterday's homecoming Buds of moxie memories tipping long ears to big blue Listening to the chickadees vocal pecking at kernels from the past Morsels fall to the dirt signal life again for those willing to root Pulled magpies to lines spy intimate joy-scattered seed below Promising fortunes creased by hourglasses settled sand White washed porches with rose printed borders Nestle a "his and her" swing vantage over familiar fields Imagined better-time scenes from selfie soaked movies More real than all the forgotten stones ever stepped upon Sweet tea sugar fills tall glasses of yarn spun dreams Glory red and navy rippling a windy beat To the clang of their steal pole clasp Dance Swing with them and recall a time of slower horizons Of richer baskets Of brighter springs Of longer summers Take a dip in the swimming hole Naked, together, and happy © 2019 MJL

23

I’m having a hippy drippy day A great day to snuggle up inside A drizzling rain and skies are gray. I’ll call some friends to come and play. I’ll cook up some muffins and popcorn And chill off a gallon of cheap jug wine Get out my guitar and my old ukulele This day is going to work out just fine. Rotten Ray and Pity Patty will come The first to arrive as they always are. Cokehead Bobby will ride with them Because he never has a working car. Dan will bring his Alice B. brownies And whatever squeeze he has today. Eldon Day will come since Dan’s here As usual pretending he is not gay. The music will start in right away Four or five guitars and bongo drums. There may be more instruments later It depends on if Dial-A-Party comes. While that is not a professional company, It’s what we call it when we all meet One calls another and soon we see Small groups of people on the street. Especially on rainy days, it turns out We all love this kind of gathering Depending on who is off that day And how big a storm we’re weathering. But joy and music is the rule of the day. We laugh and get ****** and sing, Some drizzily hippy drippy happy fun; A gathering of close friends means everything.

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Mar 8, 2016

Mar 8, 2016 at 3:39 PM UTC

brent-kincaid

HIPPY DRIPPY DAY

I’m having a hippy drippy day A great day to snuggle up inside A drizzling rain and skies are gray. I’ll call some friends to come and play. I’ll cook up some muffins and popcorn And chill off a gallon of cheap jug wine Get out my guitar and my old ukulele This day is going to work out just fine. Rotten Ray and Pity Patty will come The first to arrive as they always are. Cokehead Bobby will ride with them Because he never has a working car. Dan will bring his Alice B. brownies And whatever squeeze he has today. Eldon Day will come since Dan’s here As usual pretending he is not gay. The music will start in right away Four or five guitars and bongo drums. There may be more instruments later It depends on if Dial-A-Party comes. While that is not a professional company, It’s what we call it when we all meet One calls another and soon we see Small groups of people on the street. Especially on rainy days, it turns out We all love this kind of gathering Depending on who is off that day And how big a storm we’re weathering. But joy and music is the rule of the day. We laugh and get ****** and sing, Some drizzily hippy drippy happy fun; A gathering of close friends means everything.

32

Paterfamilias For Eldon Edge An empty chair beside the fireplace waits, And lamplight falls upon an open book, Pen, pocketknife, keys for the pasture gates, Dad’s barn coat hanging from its accustomed hook. But he will not return; his duties now Transcend the mists of the pale world we know, And you in grief must carry on, somehow; Your duty is here, for God will have it so The good man takes that chair reluctantly; It is a throne of sorts, and one imposed, Not taken as a prize, triumphantly, But in love’s service, and in love disposed. An empty chair beside the fireplace waits For you, whom doleful duty consecrates.

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Sep 18, 2017

Sep 18, 2017 at 4:01 PM UTC

lawrence-hall

Paterfamilias - On the Death of a Friend's Father

Paterfamilias For Eldon Edge An empty chair beside the fireplace waits, And lamplight falls upon an open book, Pen, pocketknife, keys for the pasture gates, Dad’s barn coat hanging from its accustomed hook. But he will not return; his duties now Transcend the mists of the pale world we know, And you in grief must carry on, somehow; Your duty is here, for God will have it so The good man takes that chair reluctantly; It is a throne of sorts, and one imposed, Not taken as a prize, triumphantly, But in love’s service, and in love disposed. An empty chair beside the fireplace waits For you, whom doleful duty consecrates.

16

I used to feel your pride. I felt like your prodigal son. Now, I am unsure if I can return home. My sins are unknown to me. Did I fail you? Do I mock you with my presence? Did I commit the greatest sin of all and disappoint? The silence hangs over me like a shadow. Words unsaid box my mind like a prizefighter. Phone calls never made compel me to fill the void. Did I go too far? Is the distance to blame? Did I commit the greatest sin of all and disappoint? Now, I lie in wait. Wondering if I should be the bigger man and make the first move. You may be oblivious to the pain. Do you miss my voice? Do you long for my stories? Did I commit the greatest sin of all and disappoint?

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Sep 24, 2014

Sep 24, 2014 at 8:51 PM UTC

natetheworld

Eldon, Where'd You Go

I used to feel your pride. I felt like your prodigal son. Now, I am unsure if I can return home. My sins are unknown to me. Did I fail you? Do I mock you with my presence? Did I commit the greatest sin of all and disappoint? The silence hangs over me like a shadow. Words unsaid box my mind like a prizefighter. Phone calls never made compel me to fill the void. Did I go too far? Is the distance to blame? Did I commit the greatest sin of all and disappoint? Now, I lie in wait. Wondering if I should be the bigger man and make the first move. You may be oblivious to the pain. Do you miss my voice? Do you long for my stories? Did I commit the greatest sin of all and disappoint?

19

You’re eighteen-years-old. This role is not yours to be had. If it were, you would challenge the direction of your country. College isn’t beyond the summer. Draft cards don’t burn easily. Enlistment is the only choice; at least you get a choice. All, because your country called so loudly. Soon, you will be on a boat halfway around the world. To get there, you will travel the path of least resistance. Any attempt to object would be futile. Sailors do as they are told. Pain, both mental and physical, are in store for you. But, for now, you are nervous and excited. This torment will last you a lifetime. It will only be known to a select few. I am proud to be in that group.

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Jul 19, 2019

Jul 19, 2019 at 9:03 PM UTC

natetheworld

Eldon, Part II

You’re eighteen-years-old. This role is not yours to be had. If it were, you would challenge the direction of your country. College isn’t beyond the summer. Draft cards don’t burn easily. Enlistment is the only choice; at least you get a choice. All, because your country called so loudly. Soon, you will be on a boat halfway around the world. To get there, you will travel the path of least resistance. Any attempt to object would be futile. Sailors do as they are told. Pain, both mental and physical, are in store for you. But, for now, you are nervous and excited. This torment will last you a lifetime. It will only be known to a select few. I am proud to be in that group.

16

How did you get here? A boy from Frederick… A life defined by a cell. These moments are meant to crush normal men. You aren’t a normal man. No, you’re a caged bird meant to fly. And soon you’ll make your greatest escape. As you do, lives will be forever changed. Each decision will alter the timeline. Space and time will bend. Men will be left on the battlefield. Lives will be saved. Boots and blood; blood all around. Crimson shines brightest in the moonlight. Years from this moment, you’ll blame yourself. The night will be filled with terror. Please remember though, all you could do was run. You still had wars to fight.

0

May 12, 2019

May 12, 2019 at 7:19 PM UTC

natetheworld

Eldon, Part III

How did you get here? A boy from Frederick… A life defined by a cell. These moments are meant to crush normal men. You aren’t a normal man. No, you’re a caged bird meant to fly. And soon you’ll make your greatest escape. As you do, lives will be forever changed. Each decision will alter the timeline. Space and time will bend. Men will be left on the battlefield. Lives will be saved. Boots and blood; blood all around. Crimson shines brightest in the moonlight. Years from this moment, you’ll blame yourself. The night will be filled with terror. Please remember though, all you could do was run. You still had wars to fight.

18

Martyrs from Manitou don’t die. They give of themselves completely. A life chained to the field wasn’t him. He was always meant for bigger things. The fault of a father can’t deny him. Shortcomings never make very impressive shadows. Where the father fails, the mother shines. Her love guides him. The pain stays with him to this day. You should know this, as we lower you into the ground, No man can beat him to death And you never could. Our hero is and was destined for bigger moments. War was around the corner.

0

Mar 22, 2019

Mar 22, 2019 at 8:38 PM UTC

natetheworld

Eldon, Part I

Martyrs from Manitou don’t die. They give of themselves completely. A life chained to the field wasn’t him. He was always meant for bigger things. The fault of a father can’t deny him. Shortcomings never make very impressive shadows. Where the father fails, the mother shines. Her love guides him. The pain stays with him to this day. You should know this, as we lower you into the ground, No man can beat him to death And you never could. Our hero is and was destined for bigger moments. War was around the corner.

14

Within the Octave of Christmas For Eldon Edge, Patron of Christmas Bonfires The wan, weak winter sun has long since set And on the edge of stars a merry fire Sends sparks to play among the tinseled frost That decorates the fields for Christmas-time. Within this holy octave, happy men Concelebrate with beer, cigars, and jokes, This liturgy of needful merriment. Because The Holy Child is safe in Mary’s arms, Saint Joseph leans upon his staff and smiles, The shepherds now have gone to watch their sheep, And all are safe from Herod for a time. Our Christmas duty now is to delight In Him who gives us joy this happy night.

0

Dec 25, 2017

Dec 25, 2017 at 6:12 PM UTC

lawrence-hall

Within the Octave of Christmas

Within the Octave of Christmas For Eldon Edge, Patron of Christmas Bonfires The wan, weak winter sun has long since set And on the edge of stars a merry fire Sends sparks to play among the tinseled frost That decorates the fields for Christmas-time. Within this holy octave, happy men Concelebrate with beer, cigars, and jokes, This liturgy of needful merriment. Because The Holy Child is safe in Mary’s arms, Saint Joseph leans upon his staff and smiles, The shepherds now have gone to watch their sheep, And all are safe from Herod for a time. Our Christmas duty now is to delight In Him who gives us joy this happy night.

16