"hayward" poems
“Withdrawn from Salem Public Library”
Yevtushenko in a Used-Book Sale
“Salem Public Library, East Main Street,
Salem, VA 24153”
A happy book, thought-stained, and often-read:
An anthology of Russian poetry
Salem, Virginia must be a marvelous town
A library stocked with poetry, and stocked
With poetry readers who have turned again
And again to favorite pages here and there
Long-ago poets murdered by the Soviets
But finding love at last in Salem, Virginia
Re:
20th Century Russian Poetry: Silver and Gold
Selected and with an introduction by Yevgeny Yevtushenko
Albert C. Todd and Max Hayward, editors
New York: Doubleday. 1993
Jan 30, 2018
Jan 30, 2018 at 4:17 PM UTC
There’s many legends told of those who tended to the nets
Whose talents brought grown men to tears, made bookies hedge their bets.
One man’s special gift was to make the goal lamp glow
Therein begins the woeful tale of Red Light Racicot.
The story starts at Granby in Quebec’s junior ranks,
Where pimply youths have slapshots which seem fired from tanks,
And flashy cat-quick goaltenders will often steal the show;
Alas, no such heroics came from Red Light Racicot.
The ease he was beat stick-side left his goalie coaches dumb.
Granby supporters prayed as one that they would trade the ***
They called him “Ancient Mariner” (stopping one in three or so),
Surely Les Habitants would not sign Red Light Racicot.
But indeed, Les Canadiens dragooned him in the draft,
Fully convincing one and all that Serge Savard was daft.
Children throughout the province prayed *Dear merciful God, No!
Don’t let our Forum bear the taint of Red Light Racicot.*
But then came a stretch where Patrick Roy’s work had been poor,
And Hayward and Vinny Riendeau had each been shown the door.
And Montreal fans heard the saddest words they’d ever know:
…Starting in goal this evening is Red Light Racicot.
He flailed at wobbly wristers and wound up on his ****
And gave up much more five-hole than any village ****
Even cross-check befogged Savard knew it was time to go
And mercifully, he released poor Red Light Racicot
In Heaven there’s a glowing rink where gods of hockey skate:
Maurice Richard, Howie Lorenz, all of the truly great.
In one net, Georges Vezina makes saves with stick and toe
But someday they’ll all float soft goals past Red Light Racicot.
May 25, 2018
May 25, 2018 at 10:01 AM UTC
I don't let my emotions out
not to anyone I've ever met
and most would describe me as cold and uncaring
My counselor let slip she thinks I could be a killer
Personally, I think she wishes I would
so she can write a book or something
Ah, the world of psychiatry
Sometimes my anger slips out like a tunnel of rage
and I let go on anyone who stands in my way
that’s why I stopped carrying a knife
and why I stopped thinking about dead things
and the way those animals felt in my hands while
taking their dying breaths
and the way their eyes looked
Like something I've seen in the shadows of my bedroom at night
like something I see in my smile and the sharp corner of my left canine when I cut my tongue on it last May
you could say im crazy but I'd probably just laugh
and then continue sharpening my razors
and my mother found my pistol in the living room air vent
and I almost shot her then
But here I am just writing this poem
and do you ever wonder what I really am
everyday I wear all black
and red lipstick really compliments how pale I am
I change my hair color constantly in hopes no one can ever really know me
and I never use my real name when meeting someone
I have 6 aliases and I use them all
and last year I deleted my Facebook
and now I have a twitter by the name of Wednesday Hayward
and two weeks ago I snuck into your house and left no DNA
and I wonder what you'd say if anyone knew my real name
Feb 15, 2014
Feb 15, 2014 at 1:41 PM UTC
For Ryan Geoffrey Hayward
This image does not resonate with me;
No, it bangs, dings, slaps my head,
Wake up call!
Time to write,
release, be pleased, ESCAPE
with pow!ered words,
oozing music,
You are not a fly,
but a human who can fly and find
those fork-in-the-path
choice holes
escape
[Escape]
and set yourself free
again and again
and
a Gain
Jul 10, 2025
Jul 10, 2025 at 3:46 AM UTC
Don’t let anyone ever tell you do not cry
For they have never felt the pain and devastation of being diagnosed with a Cancer or disease that can take their life
Let Your Tears Fall
We all have triggers that bring the tears,
The fears to the surface
We all fear what the future holds
Let Your Tears Fall
They give us the release we need,
The solace we seek
Never be afraid to
Let Your Tears Fall
Chris Hayward - 2014
Mar 30, 2014
Mar 30, 2014 at 2:15 AM UTC