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Best Poems Written by John E Stokes

Below are the all-time best John E Stokes poems as chosen by PoetrySoup members

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The Best Things In Life Are Free

The best things in life are free!
Someone is just got to be kidding me,
Because the best thing in winter is heat;
But, just try to get it free, I entreat.

The best things in life are free!
Someone is just got to be kidding me.
When you are hungry, you must buy food.
If you don't have the money, you don't eat
and that's clearly understood.

The best things in life are free!
Someone is just got to be kidding me.
What is nicer than owning a lovely home;
But, try to do it without money and you will
stand totally alone.

Whenever the best things in life become truly free;
And no one is just kidding me,
As far as I can see,
There will be no such word as "POVERTY!"

Details | John E Stokes Poem

Ode To West Berlin

I have come to a city that is an island;
Though waters are not the boundaries, you understand.
It is an oasis in the midst of bondage for those who are free.
And, I know it must be some intense form of sheer hell for those who 
from the other side can see.

I saw a little sparrow transgress the huge, solid barrier that divides this city.
I could not help but think that the sparrow comes and goes as freely as the winds –
But the people could not; what a pity!
Well, people are not sparrows and sparrows cannot be people – but what if they could be!
Then, a wonderful thought entered my mind; those who wanted freedom could just fly here, you see.

Well, that’s just a fantasy and that barrier is cold hard reality.
It is a very sickening and sad monument to humanity.
I can, at best, only speculate how it must feel to be totally controlled; 
Unable to go where you want to go, be what you want you be, or just to do
the things you like to do; but only to do as you are told!
  
What form of insanity created this graffiti-riddled barrier they call the “WALL?”
Someone must know and someone must stop it before it destroys us all!
Because, I know this form of insanity must still be with us today;
And, I believe it will only depart us when that ugly wall is torn away.

Then, all the peoples of Berlins would be free;
Just like that little sparrow I did see.

Details | John E Stokes Poem

The Grim Reaper

I have seen and felt your icy touch,
And, you have scared me too much.
But, I have seen you take the Great, the Rich, and the Poor –
And, this indicates to me, you will only come when I can give no more.

No more in living, except in dying –
If only for a southerly-bound bird of the north flying,
Or just for one drop of rain to kiss the earth,
Where I would have stood could be your takings’ total worth!

You have never discriminated in who you will harvest, as I can see –
The Great, the Rich, the Poor, or Me!
But, those who do not understand your seemingly random selection
Will be grieved and most confused at your every collection –

To be born is to die –
To believe otherwise—is to live a lie!

Details | John E Stokes Poem

Loving To Talk With

Just to sit and chat;
To talk about this and that
With someone as wonderful as you
Dispels my different shades of blue.

Your innate and altruistic openness
Engenders in me a joyous sense of happiness.
Longevity has not conquered your youthful mind;
You strive to leave your doubts, troubles,
and heartaches behind.

Though our points of longevity are not that far apart;
We seem to understand as one from the start.
I think of you as someone special -
As special as can be;
Especially, when you sit and talk with me!

Details | John E Stokes Poem

Loves That Go Untold

The many loves that go untold;
Embrace all the loves I could hold.
Ah, but there are one or two that could have been swell.
But, there again I cannot tell.

I will converse, however, in some obscure way;
And try to defend that wonderful day –
She was radiant, shy, and had not been compromised.
I desired her so much that mind was somewhat surprised.

Longevity plus beginning sometimes equal a minus unknown –
But, hearts only stop to listen to other hearts not your mind’s logical tone. 
Eagerly and foolishly I set my heart in motion –
To capture her love was my sole driving notion.

The unequaled beauty of her entity while in possession of that lovely form and life
Has captured my thoughts and, most certainly, my heart –
How can I now confess I love her without inducing trouble and strife?
But, I do from the very start.

She has come into my world totally innocent and unfettered; just the opposite of me –
And, I guess the desperate need in me to love someone like her has only now come to be.
Why destiny intersects us now?  To only make me blue?
It is a form of sheer hell – totally new!

Details | John E Stokes Poem

Birds

Oh, those birds—there goes another one flying by
Wonder where he is going and why?

Of God’s creations, they are the luckiest in deed;
They can fly away whenever they need.

The birds are cast against canvasses of blue and gray,
Greens, yellows, reds, and the trees—a place to stay.

Oh, they are very active this morning bright!
They make eager noises like something is not right.

At least, it seems that way to me
But, I am not a bird; nor could I be.

But, you know I’d like to try on wings
And just fly away and do bird things.

Like being cast against canvasses of blue and gray,
Greens, yellows, reds, and the trees—my place to stay.

And someone as skillful as me
To write about me!

Details | John E Stokes Poem

To Pass To a Generation

One cannot live for another
Even though he is your brother
One cannot die for another
Even though she is your mother

When you have had your time in the Sun,
Willingly give up life when it is done.
If you want to take of life some more,
You will when you pass through Eternity's door.

But, as a generation comes from you, they are free
To become different from you and me.
All we should give are the true and just qualities of life
And not our trouble, hatred, and strife.

Details | John E Stokes Poem

Plan For Man

Let your mind walk
On the universe’s edge.

I did yesterday evening;
And, behold!

I saw Hell and Evil red as fire and yet as pale as a ghost,
coming our way at full gallop;

Battling Hell and Evil intensely were
Goodness and Righteousness.

Surprise!
Hell and Evil were winning.

As the battle raged, I forced my mind to
Become one with each!

The piercing hatred, violence, and sheer ugliness
In Hell was more than I could bear.

I then entered into Evil and my very soul shriveled.  Evil wanted me to see
That their victory was close at hand.

But, with my last burst of energy,
My mind escaped into Goodness.

I felt peace and great power
Immediately and so profoundly.

Goodness’ embrace was warm and securing --
My mind did not want to leave.

Yet, I knew that I must
Somehow entered into Righteousness.

Righteousness was all that
Goodness was but, something much more.

Its trail of brilliant and calming light was endless
As it touched all other galaxies and universes.

The deserving cosmic entities bathed in its intensity
Thus, seeming to give it even more power.

I gently left Righteousness -
The battle still raged.

But, why was Hell and Evil winning?
The power of Righteousness alone could easily defeat them both!

I cried intensely and vehemently, “Why? Why? Why?”

And, an inner voice said very clearly, “It’s just the Plan for Man.”