OPEN MIC - PART II - The Patriots' Poems
Up-dated March 4, 2003

 

A Day to Never Forget
Mary Ellen Agar     

     I wasn't there when dawn approached
     and yet I know my heart was touched
     Without warning our lives were changed
     By those who hijacked our own planes
     A tragic day we'll not forget
     A day of sorrow or regret
     For no last chance to say "I love you"
     For some of us our time came due
     To all the people who helped and died
     We raise our anthem to them with pride
     To us they'll always be our heroes
     For unselfish acts and unending hours
     We also raise an anthem high
     For people in all walks of life
     Who came to help from near and far
     We give you thanks from our heart
     For all the time, work and effort
     I know the families won't forget it
     For all whose graves are at the site
     We know your spirits all took flight
     God Bless America... September 11, 2001 

~*~

9-11! what happed that day?
april goodwill
    9-11! what happed that day?
    I lost the one place I knew as a home.
    9-11! what happed that day?
    some lost loved one's,
    but I lost hope.
    9-11! what happed that day?
    we all asked God what happed today.
    9-11! what happed that day?
    many laid to rest that day.
   

~*~

THE LAND OF THE FREE
Erin
 
A is for allowing everyone to be their own,
  our love for one another forever will be known
 
M is for mutual, we all  need each other,
  we must respect all life, both sister and brother
 
E is for equality we are all treated fair,
  the knowledge of worry for others' feelings will always be there
 
R is for religion in which we all are free,
  our own person, our own man is what we are called to be
 
I is for independence to be on our own,
  the need for others' help and the need to be alone
 
C is for caring for our fellow man,
  the final test we took of love, the final race we ran
 
A is for allegiance we pledge for our country true,
  for loyalty let freedom ring to our red, white, and blue

~*~

Poppy Bloom
Alisdaire O'Caoimph
There is no other flower bloom
that by its self represents such gloom
As that memorial flower Poppy red
stained by Knights now long dead
that delivered their last drop of life filled Zest
and sprinkled red the white Poppy blessed.
 
Time has shown the pale grim faces
of fallen comrades in bloody places
and marching in memorial to the gone
express in tears War's great wrong.
 
Each generation fears their fate
in fields where poppies congregate
for there amongst the fragrant scented flow
Lays the sleep Eternal Knights all know.
~*~

 

weighted down
by Don Nash
in the little book of
wow-ka-ching
is a barely understandable parable
reads something like this-
'be not weighted down with money
give it all to me
and be free
and your soul will see
the rightness of this virtue
and your soul will see
it is not too heavy
to transcend the earthly chains and
raise itself without much pain
unto heaven'
and the author never once addresses
what he does
with the money

~*~
scrabby tones
"altered enlightenment"
labatts
   war monging chiefs of the west seek war with the impoverished people of the eastern kingdoms
    with paper banners of spyfootage as their new flag flying grand in the hands of your child
    we attack with an olive branch in our right hand and a sword in our left
wielding the sword at persia and holding  away from our breast the yellow peace of american cowardness
   our enemies in the orient want our resources and will stop at nothing short of world annihilation to achieve this
   but the home of the brave says its all good well attack babylon and use the profit to pay the ransom of you and me and the guy down the street
   so in that respect lets hope they succeed

~*~

Bill Clinton promised many things,
And one of them is scary.
He said that he would let the gays,
Be in the military.
If you are in the army,
One thing you better hope,
That when you take a shower,
You never drop the soap.
 
Jim Gatten

~*~

February 1, a beautiful day
"Good weather to land", Ron Dittemore did say
Anxious was he to welcome them home
For more than two weeks in space they had roamed.
 
Sixteen more minutes
Before they could land
Unexplained problems
Few could understand.
 
Temperature sensors had failed on the wing
Left many baffled, it just didn’t ring
Tire pressure loss up on the gear
Much overheating, so much unclear.
 
People in Texas heard a great boom
So loud as if it were in the next room.
Debris started falling from out of the sky
And suddenly everyone asked themselves why?
 
David, Kalpana, William
Rick, Laurel, Ilan and Mike
Despite different backgrounds
In essence alike.
 
For they were all astronauts
Heroes to us
Remember their service
And their story, discuss.
 
The loss of the seven, quite shocking to all
Yet others will step in to answer their call
Space shuttle travel will once again soar
For the lure of what's out there we cannot ignore.

Amy Gumley 

~*~

Colombia and Her Crew
Whippoorwill 2003©

We watched God’s souls as they took flight, Away from Earth, out of sight.
Their mission known right from the start,
Our hero’s brave, gave from their hearts.
 
Far away from their homeland, Each soul had said, "I understand"
With gentle hands, they made wrong to right, Hubbell saved, future bright.
 
Contented with their jobs well done, They headed back where they came from.
So close to earth, reaching atmosphere, They saw the Earth was very near.
 
As time and space continued on, The moment came, all souls were gone.
What fell to Earth, they knew full well,
Colombia and her crew to earth all fell.
 
Where are they now, no, they are not dead,
Their spirits light the universe instead.
We will remember, and say that we knew,
Earth’s space ship Colombia and her brave crew.

~*~

THE GAINING GROUND
Matthew W Grafton
 
The world waits
A yawning man
Tips his hat to the new sound
The gaining ground.
Opportunity for the greater capacities
The lessers turn away
Waste away
I should say
And cry when they here the old sound
Of the gaining ground
Churning, grinding, spewing its refuse
Into our heads
For eternities to come.

~*~

DEBT INCURRED
by Bill Albright
 
Bodies and spirits occupy stone marked plots
The reality which doubts the certainty
Of crafted false wisdom
Harvested from a forest of lies.
 
This cycle confuses in the coming and going,
Circles of what began when and by whom.
No one seems to have gotten this matter straight,
But when the destruction falls neither I nor they will be there.
 
Will anyone cheer the victors of whom there will be none
Or mourn the victims of whom there will be many?
Both cheering and mourning will be obsolete
For the deed is today's, grief is the lien of tomorrow.

~*~

world is on the edge
will his hands catch it-i hope
but only he knows

Lindsay Nicoson

~*~

        Why the looming war?
-         Austin Nwaka
When would the globe get rid of war?
Gulf wars were once fought!
Even civil wars within nations were still fought!
Minatory gulf wars on global peace again!
Oh, what a tottering global peace!
War of wars tearing the 'conspicuous peace'
Of the globe!
Why the looming war I say?
 
Can war still bring global peace?
Can global peace be gained through war?
Hitherto, peace has not been gained through war!
Where is the 'entente' between these countries of peace?
Grudges of the two 'elephant giants'
Are revaving the world peace
As ravaving as…
War, not a last resort to peace I say!
 
They struck peace…
They muse war in their…
What an embattlement of peace!
The dread of mass nuclear weapons of
Mass destructions is terrorizing world peace
Leaping war is tolling, tolling and tolling…
Causing disunity of world concord!
Intrigue is torpedoing world peace!
 
Is the built-world peace disappearing?
Decordant views has plunged the world peace into threat
Oh!the big powers' might!
No to war, yes to peace!
No to  wars of violence I say!
Another gulf war might not help…
Be true democrats!
Why the looming war I say?
 
The renowned amity of the 'contentious countries'
Is disappearing…
Eerie dreads are stalking the third world countries…
'Big powers' have not proved to be true democrats!
The superiority  and the inferiority at daggers drawn!
Whatever 'sally' by the big powers might sent strong waves
 To international peace
 
The odds of this minatory war
Are likely…
Who knows!
He who fights to wear the 'diplomatic diadem'
Is not the superior-nation-of-the-nations!
The world must learn to bridge peace
Stop dividing the world with war
Let's declare truce!

~*`

A Soldier Reports To God
 
The soldier stood and face his God, which must always come to pass,
He hoped his shoes were shining just as bright as his brass,
Step forward now you soldier, how should I deal with you,
Have you always turned the other cheek, to my church have you been true,
 
The soldier squared his shoulders and said, no Lord I guess I aint,
You see those of us that carry guns, can't always be a saint,
But I never took a penny that wasn't mine to keep,
Though I worked alot of over time when the bills got too steep,
 
I never passed a cry for help, though at times I shook with fear,
And Lord forgive me, I've wept unmanly tears,
I know I don't deserve a place among the people here,
They never wanted me around except to clam their fears,
 
Lord if you have a place for me here, it needn't be so grand,
I never had or expected much, but if you don't I understand,
Step forward now you soldier, you've borne your burdens well,
Walk peacefully on heaven's streets, you've done your time in hell.

                                              Forever Faithful
                                               The Phantom
                                            Matthew G. Brooks

 

~*~

LOOKING AT THE VIETNAM WAR MEMORIAL
By: Justin Wells

When I looked, I saw not just names, but names of those who died for a cause. Some said they
blindly died for imperialism and that the Domino Theory was a crock, while some understood why
they gave their lives. Be hippie or patriot, left-winger or right-winger, we must respect those
names upon the wall, for they paid the ultimate sacrifice when others fled to Canada or college. In
conclusion I hope that these names never become just another brick in the wall.

~*~

TOMORROW NEVER COMES.....
 George Press

WE KNOW WHAT WE WERE
AND WHAT WE ARE NOW
BUT WHAT WILL WE BE... TOMORROW?
  WE KNOW WHAT WE'VE DONE
  AND WHAT WE ARE DOING
  BUT WHAT WILL WE DO... TOMORROW?
WE KNOW WHAT THE PAST WAS
AND WHAT IS THE PRESENT
BUT WHAT WILL THE FUTURE SHOW... TOMORROW?
  WE KNOW WHAT IS LEARNING
  AND WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED
  BUT WHAT WILL WE ACHIEVE... TOMORROW?
WE KNOW WHAT IS TOILING
AND WHAT LABOURING IS
BUT WHAT JOB WILL WE HAVE... TOMORROW?
  WE KNOW WHAT IS LIVING
  AND WHATEVER WILL BE
  TODAY WILL BE YESTERDAY... TOMORROW

~*~

SHOOTING STARS
By Lajan Joseph.
Shooting stars, falling
dime a dozen.
 
Do I count my blessings
or make a wish?
 
And what if my world explodes?

~*~

DINOSAURS
Brian Robert Walker
As darkness lifts across the land the roar
Of the giants slowly creep cautiously, quietly
Yet, proudly of what is about to take place,
For this dinosaur there shall be no shame
 
In moments it will cause annihilation and destruction
To this peaceful city of corrugated heaven and earth
Babies will scream in their mothers arms and the fire God
Will consume everything in his path
 
Men with guns and sticks beat one another in retaliation
For what?  All they are doing is living, in a home, made out of tin
While diplomats talk of new policies the killing goes on
And children die, perhaps now its time to talk again before
More die, before the dinosaurs return.
                                      
~*~
Where has the Moment Gone
  maz      
Where has the moment gone,
Do we sit and wonder?
Is it the end of dawn,
Or the start of thunder?
Shall we live in the past,
Or seek a new place?
One that will last,
Or one without face?
Survive as you must,
Have no regret.
It’s time, you should trust,
On that you can bet.
Like sand in our palm,
For tomorrow we wait.
Will we find that calm,
Or awaken to late?

~*~

A Hero Stands Alone
Ratko Dimitrijevic 7.1.2003.
A Hero stands alone,
Looking down the plains,
On ‘is head shines a crown,
His face scarred with pains.
 
A Hero alone does stand,
With an eagle on his hand,
A bird, proud and smart,
Will fly trough his heart.
 
A Hero stands alone,
In his hand shines a sword,
And never shall be known,
What then to world he told.
 
In other hand, he holds a stick,
With strange and silent runes,
However, silence is but a trick,
For in it strange power looms.
 
In his crown a jewel bright shines,
Remembrance of merry times,
Alas, they passed some time ago,
They passed down the river flow.
 
Down the river a galleon sales,
A wind god howls from shore,
It may speak many odd tales,
Of the lands and people of yore.
 
A Hero watches the ship,
Bewildered with many a thought,
For he must take a dangerous trip,
Many battles will be fought
 
Why does a Hero stand alone,
While the world goes to rust?
He should reclaim his throne,
But with wisdom rule he must.
‘Cause evil will fight for throne,
And torches of war will grimly shine,
They will fight with iron and stone,
Almost to the end of time.
Then the hero shall not stand alone,
He will claim his rightful throne.

~*~
A New Earth
Prerna Chandak
Sitting here all alone,
I think of what awaits in the future.
And I see a vision of a peaceful earth.
A vision of a peaceful earth,
A fresh beginning, a rebirth.
Of Mother Nature with no pollution,
But it seems that man has yet to find a solution.
To stop harming and spoiling,
The land that farmers were hard at toiling
The land that was once taken over by life,
Is now being cut with a knife?
A new earth we can't have,
But what we have we can rave.
We can turn it into a peaceful earth,
We can turn it into mirth.

~*~

 
Inside our minds are planted beliefs
Raging our questions for our hearts relief
Confusing the words on the broken lines
Thinking our thoughts with dysfunctional minds
Written writing that our eyes take in
The more we read the more we cave in
Feel the rush that the world does feed
The rules of the country don't fit our need
Losing the freedom that we once did have
Changing the molded, the governments gone mad
Take all of you thoughts and sort them out
Your life is your own and not what's brought about

Jessica Kendall  

~*~

2025
by MK
 
Took a ride tonight
Out past the old railroad tracks
Out by the airport
I can recall
Summer nights when I was a kid
Watching the planes come in
Shaking my world, shaking me
Now though......
My own kids are quiet, in awe
Of the twisted buildings, the destruction
They don't believe me when I tell them
That once upon a time
There were planes that flew through the sky
They laugh at me,  roll their eyes
When I tell them how it used to be
They don't believe in planes, or birds, or flowers
They only believe in what they can see
"Mum, you're so silly," my little girl giggles
I stare out at the empty, empty sky
 "You're right, honey,  I am...."

~*~

I Respect Your Beliefs
IAM
I don't believe in heaven.
I don't believe in hell.
I don't believe in god.
I don't believe in satan.
I don't believe in angels.
I don't believe in demons.
I may not be a Christian,
But I still respect your beliefs.
So why can't you respect mine?
 
I believe in death.
I believe in gods.
I believe in mother nature.
I believe in pentagrams.
I believe in the book of shadows.
I believe in magic.
I am a wiccan,
And I respect your beliefs.
But why can't you respect mine?

~*~

i walk down the street inhaling deep the cool crisp air fills my lungs only the sounds of my feet stepping on the snow covered street i feel at peace for the first time in weeks and as I approach the large building i feel the panic the frustration and the pain come flowing back i wish that i could walk down that street until my days meet the end of time but i know it is not possible because i find my self opening the doors that unleash all the feelings that a fear to feel and all i am left with is the hope of tomorrow’s walk and serenity

Lea Phillips 

~*~

IN THE END
Bill Goulden

Experiment over, they switched off the stars
Swept away Jupiter, Pluto and Mars
Shooting stars, asteroids, moons of the night
Cosmic dust, comets and holes black and white
They crumpled the galaxies, threw them away
Dark was the void come the end of the day
All matter, each mote, every speck, milligram
Was carefully returned back to where it began
They polished the universe, dusted down time
Disinfected infinity, sluiced out the grime
They closed down the venture, called wistfully Genesis
Stamped the file failed - and sighed softly nemesis

 

 

 

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