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JerryPat2
Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975
South Louisiana

0 posted 2011-04-24 08:41 AM


poets are never born
amid hoopla praising the future bard
ah, no one blows balloons
heralding a rhymester to beat all
the poet
needs to age
simmer, feel the earth 'neath his feet
pain within his heart
rage wedged in his throat
before the first couplet is writ
or free verse sprawled
and so he writes like a madman
he writes
from here to yon
the poet has now fulfilled destiny
risen to whatever heights
possible for him to ascend
hundreds of verses
sonnets, doggerel, cantos and stanzas
thousands maybe
said poet then dies
no longer among the living
no state funeral he
no moment of silent prayer
throughout the land
all that he is
is in his self-published tomes
no one reads
his passion for the written word
his attempt to make them listen
even if it is . . . just poetry
it was what he was about
sometimes his words
might offend
he wrote of life
the raw, the ugly
sometimes his foresight
uncanny
sometimes downright scary
especially when they were
bona fide fer real
his work
his words
his agony and obsession
a tortured soul
found it difficult to write about l-o-v-e
love found him
but the poet never understood the concept
only the words
the lines and . . .
the outpouring of his soul
he lived with the heaviness
of all those who were crucified
in one way or another
and so the poet dies
no one to claim him
state has to cremate what was left
and there is no where
a monument bearing his name
praising his accolades
for he received none
and nowhere
but in the dustbin of history
in some out of the way place
one of his books
winds up in a garage sale
10₵
a lonely, sad girl
takes it home
and reads words which touch her so sweetly
she sobs herself to sleep

~ A lion will not cheat on his wife, but a Tiger Wood. ~

© Copyright 2011 Jerry Pat Bolton - All Rights Reserved
Margherita
Member Seraphic
since 2003-02-08
Posts 22236
Eternity
1 posted 2011-04-24 09:13 AM


But before this poignant conclusion, you will have touched so many other hearts, dear Jerry. Your somehow cynic approach to a Poet's work is full of sparks of truth. But you are aware of being a Poet and your talent is a gift from Above. No bestsellers maybe for the majority of Poets, but they live in a world of their own and share it, as you do, most intensely. Rest assured that your messages reach and touch those who are in need of listening to you.

Just like me and other Pipsters. There are many who read, even if they don't feel like commenting, which is a pity. Thank you for being one of the generous Poets who also comment on other Poets' works.

I enjoyed this.

Love,
Margherita

Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart
2 posted 2011-04-24 09:22 AM


Yes, indeed, a poet needs to know
both pain, and pleasure,
to be fully rounded, before
spreading the wealth to
years of ears that might
never hear...

yet, we do just that.


JerryPat2
Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975
South Louisiana
3 posted 2011-04-24 09:57 AM


Sunshine, you said all that I said in seven lines. That just shows me you do understand the whole business of commitment. Thank you.

Yes, Margherita, I admit to the cynic's approach. I can get melancholy from time to time, but my life has had too many roadblocks and detours for me to swing on the white picket fence gate for long stretches. Sometimes I dearly with than I could. I so appreciate your beautiful comments.

~ A lion will not cheat on his wife, but a Tiger Wood. ~

2islander2
Member Ascendant
since 2008-03-12
Posts 6825
by the sea
4 posted 2011-04-24 10:45 AM


excellent sharing, I love the words without concession and the superb ending which is why poetry is to be made, life learns to be modest even talented people and poets ....
thanks for the superb write.

yann

JerryPat2
Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975
South Louisiana
5 posted 2011-04-24 11:02 AM


Ah, you are the one to thank, and I do, yann, very much for reading and commenting.

~ A lion will not cheat on his wife, but a Tiger Wood. ~

Honeybunch
Member Rara Avis
since 2001-12-29
Posts 7115
South Africa
6 posted 2011-04-24 11:23 AM


So much truth in this, Jerry.  

Poets do what they love and there's nothing more to it than that.  Perhaps in a million years or so the general population will change their perception of poetry and the new breed will make a fortune.  Until then embrace and use your gift for words simply for the sheer pleasure of it - and for our pleasure of course. Like all things I guess we need to detach from the outcome although having the intent to ... change the world or sell books won't do any harm.  Keep writing, Jerry.  I know you will anyway because it's what you do and it's what you love doing.

Helen

JerryPat2
Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975
South Louisiana
7 posted 2011-04-24 11:32 AM


I thank and appreciate you, Helen, for you very kind words. Yes, writing is part of my DNA I imagine, so there is no stopping it until . . . I always enjoy your input.

~ A lion will not cheat on his wife, but a Tiger Wood. ~

BluesSerenade
Member Patricius
since 2001-10-23
Posts 10549
By the Seaside
8 posted 2011-04-24 01:14 PM


the poet
needs to age
simmer, feel the earth 'neath his feet
pain within his heart
rage wedged in his throat
before the first couplet is writ
or free verse sprawled


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Written by a true poet, one who knows.  This is such an honest to goodness rendering of a poets pen.

Great stuff, JP~

JerryPat2
Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975
South Louisiana
9 posted 2011-04-24 01:26 PM


Thank you very much, Blues. Those accolades I mentioned? It is places such as these Blue Pages that we can reap all the rewards, or accolades the true poem needs . . . Those among his peers.

~ A lion will not cheat on his wife, but a Tiger Wood. ~

Word Weaver
Member
since 2011-03-06
Posts 437
California, USA
10 posted 2011-04-24 02:39 PM


Dear Jerry,
We never know who or how our words will touch. I love the way you ended this great poem:
"a lonely, sad girl
takes it home
and reads words which touch her so sweetly
she sobs herself to sleep"

Happy Easter!


JerryPat2
Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975
South Louisiana
11 posted 2011-04-24 02:56 PM


I know you are right about never knowing who you will touch with your words, Word Weaver. Thank you for the nice-nice and Happy Easter to you also.

~ A lion will not cheat on his wife, but a Tiger Wood. ~

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