Writing a Poem (revised)

so i’m wrIting this poeM you see?

and the words areN’t coming sO easy,

they acTuAlly seem to be runninG away frOm me

i run after them, my paper in hand

waving it arOund, hoping that on it they lanD

“stoP running away!” i loudly demand

but they turn and laugh, as they carry On

too tired to continuE, my day’s been long

maybe a lyricist will catch them, turn them inTo a song

End of the Semester

Looking for a new home,

I found my way here

Life’s different now

I make my own decisions

and sometimes

I pay the consequences

but they’re my decisions

and it’s my life

I’m responsible for me.

But as the seasons change

so does my life.

Forced to go back

to where I came from

I’m under their jurisdiction now

their rules

their hours

their decisions;

and as much as I’ll enjoy

having little responsibility

no tests

and no papers

I’ll be awaiting the chance

to come back again

Three Days.

Needing groceries, you travel to the store.

After grabbing bread, milk, cereal,

the basics

you remember you need pork roast

because you offered to make dinner

for your best friend

It’s like the Last Supper,

she’s going away and you’re not sure

when she’ll be back

or if she’ll ever be back

or if you’ll ever see her again.

So you’re making a nice dinner

for the two of you

Have you ever been to a meat market?

You walk up to the counter

grab a number

hang back

and wait to be called.

Sometimes in a hurry,

you begin to tap your foot.

Sometimes you see a good friend

standing in line waiting too

In some weird way,

that’s our friendship.

Crazy nights spent together, that’s the meat

and after you made the announcement

you were leaving

those nights became numbered.

I definitely wasn’t in a hurry

for that number to be called

but it seems as if there isn’t a choice.

Waiting in lines can be a waste of time

but while waiting in that line,

talking to you

our friendship grew

Three days.

My number’s up in three days.

Poem Pieces

In View of the Fact - A. R. Ammons

"until we die we will remember every
single thing, recall every word, love every
loss: then we will, as we must, leave it toothers to love, love that can grow brighterand deeper till the very end, gaining strengthand getting more precious all the way. . . ."I should learn to look at an empty skyAnd feel its total dark sublime,Though this might take me a little time."




The More Loving One - W. H. Auden
"were all stars to disappear or die,
I should learn to look at an empty sky
And feel its total dark sublime,
Though this might take me a little time."

Know (revised)

I get so upset, so disappointed
in what you do
who you are
but you don't know
You helped give me life,
but sometimes I'm embarrassed
to say I know you
to be seen with you
but you don't know
You're not who they think you are
you're not who I want you to be
but you don't know

You don't know
that I wish you were there
supporting me
encouraging me
You don't know
that you could be more
so much more
if you'd just try
You don't know
that you're looked up to
an example
a leader
You don't know
that you have this chance
this responsibility
to make a difference

I wish I had the courage
to tell you what you don't know

RIT Invitational (revised)

So nervous I'm shaking

and feeling sick to my stomach

I'm looking for every excuse not to compete,

to somehow be able to just sit and cry

My first meet of collegiate track,

my first ever meet for indoor track

my first meet ever where you weren't going to be there

in the stands

cheering me on

screaming my name above all the noise.

I can always pick out your voice

no matter how loud the crowd is

or how much I try to tune you out

Your voice is always there

always encouraging

always comforting

always exactly what I need

to help me across that finish line

But I was picking up my pole
and walking to the runway,

as I searched the crowd frantically

you were nowhere to be found

Landscape Poem Three: One End to the Other (revised)

Down the hill, if you follow the path

there in front of you will be a field

unlined, unscathed

leaves scattered all around

The sun moving across the sky

causes the shadows to dance

Continue on the old beaten path

with its cracks and rough edges

and the sound underfoot will change

as the pavement turns to gravel

and you tread upon broken stones

The path turns quickly

and you're left looking at the track

the jumping mats covered

and hurdles laying on their sides

as high school students run in circles

Soccer Ball (revised)

always with me

in case I find a few extra minutes

my passion, my love,
my identity,

in only a round ball

black and white

pentagons and hexagons

kicking you around

makes my day brighter

Landscape Poem Two: Protected (revised)

The woods around the valley

are like a big brother

to the creek that lies within

shielding it from the dangers

of the world above

The ground is covered

in fallen trees and branches

and the trees left standing

are barren, lifeless, dead.

The only sign of life

in the valley

lies in the winding creek

but even that is reduced

to a tiny rippling stream

Landscape Poem One: Nature of Time (revised)

Shadows of time

In the concrete

Pavement cracked

Yellow paint faded

Edges rough, rigid

Weathered.