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Open Poetry #19
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Collection Recollections...
| Open Poetry #19 |
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Collection Recollections... |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA 
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At times my muse turns vagabond and wanders through my past With me not being sure what it will settle on at last. Today it set me smiling with some backward glance reflections Of how my life has been enriched by gathering collections. The first collection that I had that I can still recall? Toy soldiers by the hundreds....Gee! I must have had them all. The infantry and tanks and jeeps, the calvary and more... I learned to aim and shoot and kill when I was only four. Then marbles came into my life...I had terrific aim! I always carried some around in case there was a game. Butterflies and aggies, steelies, peewee marbles, too... I played them day and night until my thumbnail turned dark blue. Then insects caught my fancy, everything that creeped and crawled. Watching them in jars would keep me constantly enthralled. I'd watch them till they kicked the bucket, which they always did Then pinned them to my bedroom wall.....hey, I was just a kid! I didn't realize that body juices seeping out Would leave big stains upon the wall my wall could do without. The thought of belt on backside by my father makes me wince  And I have hated every kind of insect ever since!! So I began the one collection I would not forget. I'd hunt and track down baseball cards with every chance I'd get. You couldn't buy sets or collections like you can today. To build your cache of baseball cards, you only had one way... You had to buy that evil gum and chewing it was hard! But that's the only way you had to get a baseball card And then you'd trade or barter or finagle in some way Until you gathered every team and player of your day. What else? Oh, yes - my comic books! Can't be forgetting those! From Supermans to Archies, Sergeant Rocks to G.I. Joes. If there's one thing I can attribute to a wit that's keen It's reading every monthly issue of MAD magazine! I collected model airplanes but I only made a few. I got too woozy every time from sniffin' all that glue.  I collected movie ads from Sunday papers, just for fun And then collected 45's - the records, not the gun. As I got older, motivated by a different force, Began collecting Playboys.....for the articles, of course.  Stuffed animals from circus games of chance were lots of fun.. I had a large collection of the teddy bears I'd won. So that's a small list of some things I gathered in my youth. Each one of them brought countless hours of pleasure - that's the truth But there is one collection that, by far, outshines the rest.... The friends that I collected are, without a doubt, the best. My baseball card collection was lost many years ago. The comic books have gone wherever super-heroes go. The 45's are worn and scratchy - teddy bears got free And folks say that I lost my marbles back in '83. But friends that I have made throughout the years still rise in worth. As long as I have them, I am the richest man on Earth. Reflections of collections make me smile with their recall But I give thanks to God for friends, the greatest one of all.  |
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| © Copyright 2002 Michael Mack - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Madame Chipmunk Member Rara Avis
since 2001-12-05
Posts 8296Michigan |
But friends that I have made throughout the years still rise in worth. As long as I have them, I am the richest man on Earth. Reflections of collections make me smile with their recall But I give thanks to God for friends, the greatest one of all. Yes!!!!!!!!! One fantastic job!!! I absolutely LOVE it copyright2002 Lyra Nesius |
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Mistletoe Angel 
since 2000-12-17
Posts 32816Portland, Oregon |
 BRAVO!!! I LOVE IT!!! YES, and you will always be a mint-condition friend to my heart too, for you always touch me so greatly with your words you write! (smiles) I love so many here at Passions and they are all to me a collection of love and friendship to me too! This is a wonderful view of collectios in yor life, sweet friend, I too agree that that chewing gum is wicked with those baseball cards, I used to collect those and now I have been collecting anything that Shakira is on! (smiles) We all love you so much, sweet friend, this is delightful! You have such a beautiful heart, sweet Michael, thank you for sharing!   May love and light always shine upon you! Love, Noah Eaton |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
What Madame Chipmunk said, times ten! You ARE the 'Deer! |
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Honeybee Member Ascendant
since 1999-12-26
Posts 5372Ontario, CANADA |
An excellent poem mixed with your perfect wit and moving ending...I love it 'Deer! "began collecting Playboys...for the articles, of course" _________ and just like I attend a baseball game with all those hot men in tight pants for the game  Melissa~ "Poetry is not an opinion expressed... |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Michael This took me into the special person I have always known you are...you can tell alot about a guy by what he collects...and the bug thing...LOL.  |
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Marsha
since 2000-07-10
Posts 7423Maidstone Kent England |
’Deer dearest heart, THIS IS SUPERB, truly awesome, okay yes I say that about them all, but this particular one is mega special. I know you’re unaware of the effect your writing has on the reader. Maybe not but I don’t believe you know how special it is Anyway back to the subject matter and this poem, again, reading your work is a journey, and a trip that actually starts at one point and ends at another. It doesn’t ramble all over the place, having no direction and no idea of what it should be saying. That’s not to say all poems need to end up in a different place than they began because they don’t, you can have a circle poem, but it does have to move progressively. Or so I learnt when we studied creative writing YOURS ALWAYS DO which is what makes them great pieces of poetic art. Now I’ll shut up, except to say this is utterly utterly divine. And you are so right dearest ‘Deer Friends are very very special, and I’m proud to call you one of mine. Krissy will love this, soooooooooo much   Love and warm stuff As always Mushy To give light to them that sit in darkness..... to guide our feet into the way of peace Luke 2:79 |
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ThisDiamond Member Rara Avis
since 2002-02-22
Posts 9353Michigan, USA |
Hey ya know, you give us packrats a real good name... Always enjoy your wit and your work. ThisDiamond... articles my aunt fanny! |
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rosepetals25
since 2000-05-31
Posts 3076PA |
Michael, What a wonderful poem I've never really collected anything, only started to before moving on. Yeppers, I'm a pack rat, with tons of stuff people would call junk. They all have their own special memory though. I really enjoyed  Hugs, Tara "My heart is like an open book, for the whole world to read" |
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Magnus
since 2001-10-10
Posts 14135South Carolina, USA |
Michael, about the only thing you did that I didn't was those baseball cards...I always bought the gum seperately.... Superbly awesome poem my Friend!!!... Like this a lot.. |
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doreen peri Member Elite
since 1999-05-25
Posts 3812Virginia |
some people collect bottle caps. some people collect ducks* some people collect baseball greats in piles of cards in pick-up trucks. some people collect wisdom like it's almost valuable. some people collect dust on corners of a life that's full. some people collect butterflies and pin them to a page some people collect anything and everything the rage. i'm glad to hear that you've collected all those things you love, especially the friendships which shine out like stars above the sky. and i am also glad that i have read your pome.... it's wonderful!! terrific!! i'll collect it with my own and put it in my library to keep and read once more when nights are dark and days embark, your words i'll love, for sure!! ---------------------- *(duck reference....LOL!! i collect them.. decoys... *grin) ........ whoops!! writing silly lines again, moi!! i hope they made sense!! LOL!!! loved your pome, michael, you collector you!!! |
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Midnitesun
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647Gaia |
And this one goes into my collection. Including Dor's great relpy. that's the benefit of having a very large hard drive and lots of burnable CD's. I can save it and read it again some day, after all my other collectables have disappeared, I'll have my Deer friend to hold close and read again.I absolutely love this poem.  You are truly "Tom" terrific. |
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Tracey Member Elite
since 2001-08-29
Posts 2808where insanity meets breeding |
I’ve collected lots of things through time From dolls to books and cars The dolls I have are long since gone The books aren’t very far I tried collectng husbands Like my good old mum But I got rid of the first one And decided I was done Car collecting’s pricey But the joy they give is large I had to find a place for them Small house, but big garage But ‘Deer I will agree with you That friend collecting’s best Nothing is more precious Than a friend with whom to jest If she who dies with the most toys wins, then can I have some toy boys please? [This message has been edited by Tracey (03-23-2002 01:22 AM).] |
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
"The 45's are worn and scratchy - teddy bears got free And folks say that I lost my marbles back in '83." Beautiful Michael ... absolutely wonderful rhythm throughout ... such a beautiful flow. I loved how you brought it around to your favorite collection ... what a perfect twist, just excellent. I loved the memories this brought back for me. Now, if you ever have a longing for comic books or 45's ... I've "still" got my collection. Best wishes, /Kit |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Madame...thank you for the bold yes!! Noah..enjoy your shakiras! Thank you, my friend.. Sunshine..I thank you for the yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes! Melissa...LOL! You little vixen!They'll have to change their name to the Montreal Expose!! Martie..thanks for taking a peek inside and yep - thus my career in life was launched!!! mushy...it's always a pleasure to have you along for the journey, wherever it leads!! Diamond...packratting is a good thing! and, yes, those articles were very stimulating! Tara...one man's junk is another man's treasure. Nothing is junk that holds special memories for the owner...but you know that. Thanks for reading, sweet person. Magnus...I hated that gum! Little pink squares of cardboard they were, although they did make the cards smell good. LOL! Glad you enjoyed... Doreen..what a neat poetic response! Wisdom was about the only thing I didn't get around to collecting! Thanks for your response and have fun with those decoys!! midnitesun...what a special thing for you to say! Some day in the future without my even knowing, you will be sitting there reading my words and reminiscing...that is indeed special. Thank you, Kacy!! Tracey...LOL! Collections of husbands and fancy cars put my little Mickey Mantles to shame! But we're one the same page with friends that make us smile....and you will always be part of that collection for me 'cause you're funny...and nice! |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Kit...now that you mention it, I DO suddenly have a longing for 45's and comics!!! Can I come see yours.....PLEASE??? Your words are always special, Kit...thank you! |
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strbbux Member Elite
since 2001-12-19
Posts 3859 |
HAHAHA THIS IS GREAT. "Then insects caught my fancy, everything that creeped and crawled. Watching them in jars would keep me constantly enthralled. I'd watch them till they kicked the bucket, which they always did Then pinned them to my bedroom wall.....hey, I was just a kid!" Oh my this is terrific, and my grandson and I we play with marbles now, he is learning, and its fun.. Now about those playboy magazines...You mean there are actually words in there? LOL . great one Baladeer, floria Floria |
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Krissy Senior Member
since 2002-02-22
Posts 556kent England |
’Deer Hi there is there anything I can say about this poem that hasn’t been said? I doubt it, it’s all been said before. You have to know I love this piece of yours, as mum has pointed out your stories lead somewhere and I’m delighted I took the ride. I loved the collections each and every one seemed to mark a stage in your journey through life. And finally topped off with your collection of friends, I’m sure YOU have plenty, I know I think of you as one of mine. Wonderful writing, and as I’m learning that is something you always do extremely well. Love and warm stuff As always Krissy  And while thy willing soul transpiers |
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Dulcinea Senior Member
since 2001-07-22
Posts 774IN |
Those are some wonderful recollections, but I couldn't help notice that you kept the Playboys? Need to brush up on those article now and then?? ~~just teasing~~ tsk, tsk, tsk! Beautiful sentiments Balladeer, an enjoyable read! |
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Corinne Member Ascendant
since 1999-10-28
Posts 5167state of confusion |
Always great fun to read your upbeat work, Deer. Cor |
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Denise
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648 |
Delightful recollections, Michael! I enjoyed this immensely, as I do all of your poems! |
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Victoria
since 2000-08-12
Posts 5869 |
Archie was by favorite magazine..loved the whole gang..betty veronica moose and jughead..and i had some 78's..not 45's ha.. makes me think of playing ball and jacks too ha..loved it Deery..hugs..im sure you knew i wasnt 21 ha ~Victoria |
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Seymour Tabin Member Empyrean
since 1999-07-07
Posts 31720Tamarac Fla |
Balladeer, With that photograpic memory of yours, how could you forget. Excellent write. You brought some memories back but my mind is full of dreams and some times I can't remember those. LOL |
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passing shadows Member Empyrean
since 1999-08-26
Posts 45577displaced |
"My baseball card collection was lost many years ago. The comic books have gone wherever super-heroes go. The 45's are worn and scratchy - teddy bears got free And folks say that I lost my marbles back in '83." Yet another one that got me all emotional...you have such a knack for that! Friends are the very best of all collections, and can't be sold on e-Bay for any amount of money |
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suthern
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723Louisiana |
This flows so flawlessly, Deer One... and I'll bet you can imagine the smiles (and grimaces *G*) that flitted across my face. *S* Excellent work... and a wonderful trip down memory lane. *S* And I may be assuming a lot here... but... I've never been a collectable before. (suthern's preening *G*) |
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SmartChick Member Rara Avis
since 2001-09-23
Posts 7081On A Journey To The Unknown |
Sir Balladeer, I really enjoyed reading this. Your writing is always such a delight to read. Thank you! |
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