The Writer’s Studio in Corpus Christi has a class every fourth Saturday. I’ve got to be honest with you – I went to today’s class more out of a sense of obligation to support this great venture than any real interest in poetry. I mean, it’s just not my thing. The class began a bit slowly, but then, the teacher’s passion came out and she said a few things and had some writing exercises that made me pay more attention. Perhaps the most interesting thing was that poetry isn’t about ideas – it’s about words or feelings. I ended up writing three poems during the writing time. The first was dark. The second was light-hearted, and the third was just for fun based on something someone at our table said. The first one came from the teacher’s writing prompt, the second one came from the teacher talking about using color and word play, and I already told you about the third one. So, here are the (untitled) poems.
Here again
Too often these days
Greeted
By Black suits, white shirts, black ties.
An autograph
Never read
The ticket to enter
and find a seat
To remember, reflect, revere;
To recall what
was never there.
A good life, he said,
A fine life.
I wondered – right place?
Finished
I see her – must be right.
Walking by with a tear
and a hug,
promising support
Then forgetting
until the next time.
***
It’s not where
I said,
It’s that
— but Cozumel —
Burdens, worries, cares,
not packed
left behind.
Surrounded by blue,
and sun,
and more blue
but not blues.
Food, rest, fun, relax
— but Cozumel —
Sparkling, shopping, sunburn,
SMILES
Too soon — back home
Problems return
They could overwhelm
— but Cozumel —
***
All I want is a beer, man
(And I don’t even drink anymore)
Dark memories of the past
rolled though my mind
And I remember why I stopped
But
All I want is a beer, man.
***
Bob James - The Author 