1999 Poems | Examples

1999 Intermission of my young days

If, within the silence,
you begin the play once more,

If, even with a fine performance,
you can no longer catch
the essential lines,

If, driven by life's anxieties,
no matter what you do,
an unwanted play is staged
within your mind,

If, to shield yourself from it,
you try to guard with noise,
increasing your friends
as a form of defense,

Even if the theater fears
the days it must close,
if you understand
that no good performance
can grace a theater
lacking true silence,

Then, even if the show pauses,
and deep silence
fails to return
within your body—

1999?

I'm living when I can hardly stand the life I've led so far.
When giving is the hand that reaches out to leave the scar.
With none I'm left subjected to an open empty space.
As one I am connected to a mind beyond this place.

To My Grandmother 1900-1999

I store you inside me
  under a blanket of pearls

They lie strung together
  as my history unfurls

Each one to unstring
  when I need it the most

Your wisdom translucent
  your memory my host

You loved me before
  I ever knew who I was

My freedom you shepherd
  reaching down from above

Though years have grown distant
  they forever remind

Of your goodness and blessings
 —Oh Catherine of mine

(Villanova Pennsylvania: July, 2018)

1999

"$19.99"

I was surfing when I found this
Forgive me if you’ve seen before
But I have to share this info
I’m pretty sure this one’s a score

This guy was all charming
To those in studio audience
Showing off a product’s best features
Testifying, trying to convince

‘Cause he says, “Another thirty minutes,
Deal is over, oops out of time!”
So right now I’m gonna buy it ‘cause it’s $19.99

I was clicking when he added,
“This is awesome, but wait, there’s more!
Act now, we’ll double offer!
Deals like this aren’t in the stores”

Stuff is all around me
But my shelf is not yet full
Time to instant gratify
“Credit by phone or go online, use PayPal”

‘Cause he said, “Another twenty minutes, 
Deal is over, oops out of time!”
So right now I’m gonna buy it ‘cause it’s $19.99

Death of King Hussein Feb 7 1999 - Amman, Jordan

DEATH OF KING HUSSEIN  
      February 7, 1999 Amman, Jordan
Uncertain wings, Hawk of the Qureish fly
out of the night to meet the coming day
of certain mourning, he is set to die
as is uncertain peace that was his way.

Amman is crying, streets are washed with tears
of followers and tribesmen of his own
who've prayed for miracles down through the years
but he is all the miracle they've known.

The powder keg is primed, and set to blow
what peace he's made now hostage to the past,
and still the Jordan makes it's dreary flow
through all his world and time that can not last.

divided tribes are joining, aiming for
a swift, decisive act of holy war.

© Ron Wilson aka Vee Bdosa the Doylestown Poet

1999

It was 1999
Shotgun rider
2000 green mustang
My sis, always beside her

Landed the same job
Only Mexican restaurant in town
Put gas in our car
Kept our wheels going round

All dolled up
Kissed our parents goodnight
Pretend to go to bed
Cruising feeling right

Idiots with wheels
License to drive
Dr. Pepper and cigarettes 
Never felt so alive

Introduced to Mary Jane
She was a silly lady
Laying on the hood of our car
Listening to Slim Shady

Hungry for boys
Just a tease
Looking fly in our prime
The birds and the bees

The dawning of 2000
Life as we knew it, about to end
Eyes met at 12:01
We both began to grin

Cheers to a good year
Twice as old as I was then
Thinking of my sis today 
Missing my best friend

Good-Bye John John - Dedicated To My Friend John F Kennedy Jr - Written 1999

We'll miss you but hope to join you someday in eternity

Passing too soon like uncle Bobby and father John

You stood strong in the face of your family's tragedies

I remember a little soldier saluting our fallen leader so dear

Then our Prince of Camelot inspiring many with hope

Now I'm sharing your family's pain but glad you were here

Stunned by your loss as your bravery helps me cope

When you were just a toddler I myself was just a child

Seeing you play under your daddy's desk bringing innocence to the White 
House

Your mother raised you well blessing you with manners so mild

I cried when your father died now comforted you are with him forever and 
your spouse

My dad personally knew your dad as President and friend and in this fact I am 
proud

This boy of the sixties feels forever tied to your family

You'll always be special to me personally not just another face in the crowd

Look forward to seeing you again someday John Jr. in our Lord's home so 
heavenly.

Note: It is the 15th anniversary of my friend John's death in a tragic plane crash, I am missing you so much John - John.

Love, Robert

Copyright 1999 Robert William Gruhn A.R.R.

Party In 1999

Back there again in 1999.
Best friends living up the sweet time.
Spray painting our names on the wall.
We were sure we'd never see an end to it all.

Having a good time and nothing else there.
Troubled times and we didn't even care.
Young and restless as we all are.
We grabbed onto life and rode it so far.

All our energy poured out until it spilt. 
No one felt anything resembling guilt.
We were young, wild, and free.
Good times ahead, that's all we see.

There our friendship was forever cemented.
Looking back it is ours to be lamented. 
One day our bones will be at rest. 
I know that I lived my life to the best.

Memories June 9 1999

The touches, tears and cries for help, a child living in fear.
Being told never to tell a soul, to ashamed to look in the mirror.
Not being able to trust anyone, because of being betrayed.
Now haunted by what has been done, praying the memories will fade.
Surrounded by many shattered dreams and all hope taken away.
Drowning in fear of being violated again, their eyes plead the words they can not say.
The memories will always stay with a child buried deep into the mind.
A permanent barrier now built within, keeping anything from getting inside.

Death of King Hussein February 7, 1999

DEATH OF KING HUSSEIN  February 7, 1999
Uncertain wings, Hawk of the Qureish fly
out of the night to meet the coming day
of certain mourning, he is set to die
as is uncertain peace that was his way.

Amman is crying, streets are washed with tears
of followers and tribesmen of his own
who've prayed for miracles down through the years
but he is all the miracle they've known.

The powder keg is primed, and set to blow
what peace he's made now hostage to the past,
and still the Jordan makes it's dreary flow
through all his world and time that can not last.

divided tribes are joining, aiming for
a swift, decisive act of holy war.

Kosovo Girl 1999

DREAMS OF A  KOSOVO GIRL
        KOSOVO 1999
Can you tell me where my friends have gone?
I've so many things I have to share
of rock guitar, and building on
a dream that hides away somewhere.

Can you tell me where they took my friends?
I know I heard some shots that day
it is the sound that never ends,
here in my mind, it's there to stay.

Can you tell me what that smoke might be,
over the hill where I used to live?
It looks like hope removed from me
does life not have some more to give?

Can you tell me where my youth has gone?
I would fall in love, if only I could,
but seeing life, as life goes on,
I wonder if I ever should.

For Dixie A. Miller 1965-1999

The headline screamed, or so it seemed,
to those who had known her well.
Said:  Killer's Confession Solves Case
(from eleven years ago).
The headline shrieked so now at last
we would know all the horror
of how she was strangled
when they were both drunk
and high on something evil
when he stuffed her body in a log.
Today, his conscience broke down.

She was a sweet big-hearted woman
living homeless in an alcoholic fog.
She kept coming around to the rooms of A.A.
and even though for her we would pray,
we worried her days might be few.

Because he finally confessed
manslaughter is the charge he will do.
Twenty years in jail.
Twenty years seems way too few
for the Dixie we once knew.

Resolution - 1999

Pray they fear not for the child who still cries
He weeps tears that heal, that run free and drain
And flow from a fountain once full of pain
Cleansing his soul as the salt purifies
Pray they now rest and know he relies
On lessons they taught that will always remain
And see that their labors have not been in vain
Affirmed by new wisdom shown in his eyes

Pray they rejoice that a prodigal son
Who stumbled back home to sister and brother
Keeps one Commandment now humble and glad
Pray this New Year there is surely someone
Who's proud to honor his father and mother
And honored to love his dear mom and dad

*Written at the request of my parents who wanted me to write them a poem for New Years

Easter In San Francisco, 1999

Our dreams begin to open on the ninth floor
of the Marines Memorial Hotel.
Clean tombs equipped with all that is needed
for a weekend to die for.
Guests view what they can see at their level.
Flags wave from rooftops of skyscrapers, 
like spring flowers praising the high winds.
Below a jungle of souls
in hypnotic allegiance flow past 
concrete fields choked with roads.
Fatigued, dormant dreams weakly climb
praying to continue, to go on, 
Hoping to recognize
silence as it sings a sacred invitation
to follow the fire of morning.
In our room we listen to the 
television flicker between old graying movies
and a war in Kosovo.
At the window we have the luxury to turn away. . .
and witness the massacre of our afternoon.
Hail stones bullet the sunlight,
day bleeds pools of darkness.
Night falls to the light
Colors resurrected in our hearts
glow triumphant, emblazoned with life.
Who do you tell what your heart sees?
Who would believe the sound of it?

Oh Love, Oh Light--

"Please stay with us,
for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over."   luke 24:29

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