Best Encyclopedias Poems
Lingering among the stacks
Interval of serenity, a luxury to
Borrow a world, then bring it back
Riches of printed page, once few
Are carried throughout the community
Requiring only a card to belong
Young and old both given opportunity
Lending literacy to growing minds, strong
Out of many streets, they share the room
Vaulted ideas have a place to bloom
Encyclopedias of adventures to unpack!
1/22/19
"Poets are Us"
The blood dripped
off each piranha's
sharpened fang
acquiescing
compliant
with tragic complacency
keep it neat and clean
within the margins
no detours
stick like Teflon
to the poetic rules
virtuous and unsoiled
aa bb cc dd
pristine are us
sanctimonious sugared pus
we live for
accolades are us
Dorothy reads
Poets are us.
Smiles wryly,
laughs
(LadyLabyrinth / 2022)
"Happiness"/ Goldfrapp
https://youtu.be/mnHlGONToIc
"The downward slippery slope...."
(Anonymous)
"Un Coeur Simple", Gustave Flaubert, 1877
https://interlinearbooks.com/blog/our-sixth-interlinear-translation-un-coeur-simple-by-gustave-flaubert/
https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/simple-heart-un-coeur-simple-gustave-flaubert-1877
e-book
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1253/1253-h/1253-h.htm
"Flaubert's Parrot", Julian Barnes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flaubert%27s_Parrot
https://www.supersummary.com/flauberts-parrot/summary
e-book
https://pdf.allbookshub.com/general/flaubert-parrot.pdf
Creature of myths and legends
most deny that you ever exist
yet time after time you reappear
history the world wide names you
Depicts you with spiral single horn
gleaming white starry coat
its said only in a virgin you trust
when you will lay your head
In her lap as she tames
your ferocity and wildness
only then can you be caught
yet should we capture you?
Is it not best to leave you free?
some things are best left alone
never to be proved as fact
I know I believe you to be real
Yet a wondrous creature living hidden
that forever free and wild should be
allowed to roam in our minds and hearts
bringing hope and joy to future generations
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
for PD's contest written 06/11/2013
The unicorn is a legendary animal from European folklore that resembles a white horse with a large, pointed, spiralling horn projecting from its forehead, and cloven hooves. First mentioned by the ancient Greeks, it became the most important imaginary animal of the Middle Ages and Renaissance when it was commonly described as an extremely wild woodland creature, a symbol of purity and grace, which could only be captured by a virgin. In the encyclopedias its horn was said to have the power to render poisoned water potable and to heal sickness.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Easter Celebration
is a day of purest gold
for many sincere people
who believe what they've been told
"The Resurrection of Our Lord
occurred upon this day
and not to recognize it
would be sacrilege," some say.
"The Easter Bunny brought those eggs,"
is what we tell our youth,
for this is so much easier
than teaching them the truth.
Encyclopedias tell us of
a pagan celebration,
a rite of early spring to hail
the rebirth of creation.
The egg is emblematic of
spring's germinating life,
a fresh start from the winter's cold,
its blizzards and its strife.
The rabbit is an ancient sign,
the symbol of fertility;
In sex worship it symbolizes
man's insatiability.
So what if ancient pagans
used this day, protests the pastor,
to feast the Goddess of the Dawn
the Teutons called Eastre.
It's important to remember that
our Lord rose from the grave,
and thus a hope for resurrection
of the dead he gave.
So, a rabbit laying eggs was part
of ancient pagan rite?
He's just the Easter Bunny now
who brings our kids delight.
So what, the clerics cry,
if things we're teaching children might
have come from Devil Worship?
Do I hear, Amen? ...Yeah, Right!
Just another Warrenpiece
“We will change the earth, and make it clean!
All evil leaders shall not succeed.
Illness, death shall never be seen!”
Doth does man drool in his ignominious dreams.
Thinking...they are gods, as if He is dead?
Fools run the earth with evil intent.
Lies and fat egos, dance in their heads.
Propaganda does small minds bend.
Always busy online and on Social Media,
Lies grow huger, with truth gasping for breath!
Mankind thinks, they are walking encyclopedias?
Bringing society to its own uncivilized death.
Yes! But how do these fools and knaves know it all?
Google, the new Bible and eternal fountain of truth!
Mankind brought on their own early, downfall.
King Soros, now rules this planet all, forsooth.
4-10-2022
To her, their apartment was the whole world—a small but cozy place where she felt safe and loved.
It was early morning. She heard her sister squeal with joy hearing that schools would be closed today due to the heavy snowfall.
In her pink onesie pajamas, she shuffled across the speckled brown-and-gold carpet. It was worn and frayed in places but soft under her little feet. The living room was cramped, the walls filled with photos of a family's happy life. An old sofa was wedged between mismatched end tables and a wooden bookcase overflowing with encyclopedias. The plastic-lined cushions sagged from years of use.
A crack and stain on the ceiling traced where water had once leaked. The radiator clanked and hissed, making the windows sweat against the icy city air. She climbed onto the sofa. The plastic cold and squeaky beneath her pj's. Her small white footies barely reached the edge.
Their living room was everything—
a playroom, a dining room, and, on the coldest nights, a bedroom where they all huddled together when Mom turned on the oven for extra warmth.
Her pigtail tickled the back of her neck,
but her eyes stayed glued to the TV.
A gray rabbit with twitching whiskers dashed across the screen,
and a little man with a big nose and chubby legs was chasing after him, gun in hand.
Outside, snowflakes swirled around the window, piling in soft heaps on the fire escape.
She and her sister would make snowballs today
and lie in the snow laughing, making angels.
The smell of coffee, fried ham, eggs, and toast wafted from the kitchen.
She was looking forward to the delicious frosted sugary oat cereal
Mom would be preparing soon.
Dad had just walked in from work.
His usual booming voice echoing down the hallway. Mom’s quiet hush followed from the kitchen.
Everything was perfect. Everything in her little world. . .
Until she heard the gunshot—
and Dad lay dead on the kitchen floor.
My husband and I lie so often people fact check us
We are used to it and frankly do not care
Open encyclopedias bring us no fuss
We spout our fabricated truth into the air
“It” embraces “togetherness”
Like blemished mascara on a retired call girl
“It” would speak in aggressive audible banter,
As if crystallized bullhorns were
Strapped
Onto unwelcome seating arrangements
No boundaries.
No consideration.
No apologies.
Yet, their measurement of pride
Coagulates into withered centimeters
While seducing unscented tulips
With impoverished protractors
And tattered encyclopedias
An unsatisfied square root with no common denominators,
Lacking
No (re)solutions.
Does “it” see colors when they build a façade of deteriorating vowels?
Or is their blood alcohol level tested
By walking on borrowed heels
And pickup lines made of disappearing ink,
Purchased in bulk
Could they realign high hopes while riding on constipated high horses?
Hoping to veer towards whimsical sunsets,
With silver medal’s soul mate,
Drinking from another cracked bowl of pretentious vapors
Feeble attempts to take the hand of any “available” heartbeat,
Hoping they can slow dance to their newly, hand-written
“Woe is me” Polka ballad
Another baby put in the corner
Another bounced reality check
Another hunt for rebounded bliss within conceptual kiss
No hope -> Know hope
No love -> Know love
No better -> Know better
An educated tragedy is their only flirtatious lyric.
©Drake J. Eszes
While taking stock of the library
Here in my home today, I found myself
Considering all the pages throughout the years
For which I’ve dearly paid. Voluminous
Paragraphs, chapters and verses from
Adam and Eve to Zen like prayers;
Trying to count the cost of so many books
Makes me wonder why I care. About
Astronomy and astrology, connections
Between all things; cosmology,
Biology, psychology and dreams.
Alchemy and metaphysics,
Landing on the moon;
Plato and Pythagoras,
The Wizard of Oz and Dorothy flying
Back home in a balloon. Still turning
Pages of ancient history, Egyptology,
Mythology and man’s search
For meaning within;
Aristotle, Shakespeare, Newton, Einstein wondering
What’s the secret to the universe and how
Did it begin?
Quantum physics, alien visits,
Lost without a clue;
Plants and flowers, greed and power
And why the sky is blue. Light and darkness,
Love and hate,
The Crusades and other wars;
The vanity and insanity of
Whatever we’re fighting for. Still more
Encyclopedias left to read before I’m through,
Having hardly skimmed the surface of what
Good books are meant to do.
If we take the time to sift and find
The nuggets of treasure within;
The price of a book can be priceless
And make a head and brain like supernova stars
Splendiferously spin.
Chiraq
Date: Sun, Nov 15 2015 at 9:22 PM
("Killings")
("Victims")
"Imprisoned"
Highest ("Statistics")
In the ("System")
And of ("Disease")
Feeding the belly of the Beast "Obese"
Separated from Fathers & "Mothers"
Become "Hustlers"
Of the Streets Become "Brothers"
They Judge US by "Colors"
Only rightfully Almighty God Judge Can "Conduct"
"Poverty"
"Animosities"
Against the "Society"
Of the "Rivalries"
"Fighting" amongst Each "Other"
Mothers "Crying"
City "Dying"
Children in the City caught into "Violence"
Police "Sirens"
Ambulances "Flying"
To the scene "Outlining"
Of the Innocent "Lying"
Guilty of the Choices "Decided"
Drugs, & Guns "Imported"
From the "Forces"
To Openly "Extorting"
In the Man's "Voyage" Of "Torrents"
College "Tuitions" an "Unemployment"
Not Enough "Fruition" in the Schools Educational "Fulfilment"
I'm Speaking of Knowledge & "Wisdom"
Not in Texts "Written"
An History or Historic "Recipients"
It's Books "Written" of Historic "Apprenticeship"
"Inventions" Etcetera "Printed"
But in schools today not "Descended"
Math, Science, Reading, (Language) "Arts"
Speaking a "Language"
"Nameless"
to say isn't the "Hearth"
Of a "Nation" Created from the "Arch"
Of Gods "Blueprints"
It's not Blue's Clues to find the Blue "Scripts"
The (Media's) "Encyclopedias"
Is "Onamotopoedia"
Same Sound repeating the Image of the "Deceivers"
Amongst the ("Receivers")
Gangs, Sets, "Organizations"
Built on ("Foundations")
Amongst the Creation of the ("Nation")
That has been "Forsaken"
This the life "Chose"
Of ("Those")
Generations from Generations ("Rose")
Pray for a Change but I'll never "See" it
Because we Endangered Species in Existence upon ("Extinction")
I Hate Chicago an the World for number of ("Reasons")
I ain't on the Outside looking ("In")
Looking from Both sides of the ("Tent")
I ("Vent")
Is life all that has to offer to ("Exist")?
I took my periodic stroll through the local antique store today.
I stumbled over things and stepped 'round clutter to make my way!
I looked for clocks - found none, but saw many things I could do without,
And those are the things that I propose to tell you all about!
There was an old buggy wheel - I could see no use for that!
I saw horse collars, washboards and someone's stuffed Angora cat.
Hanging on the wall was an austere Victorian guy glaring back at me.
Prominently displayed was a chamber pot and scraggly Christmas tree!
What use have I for a manure fork or hubcaps for a '47 Dodge,
Or a shaggy buffalo robe or shriveled scalps from an Indian lodge!
Displayed were empty cigar boxes and empty Prince Albert cans,
A portrait of Napoleon and hood ornament for a '27 Mercedes Benz!
I saw a set of 1920 Brittanica Encyclopedias and a Corona typewriter,
Well-worn snowshoes, a tuning fork and strangely, a bishop's mitre!
Hanging on a clothes rack was an old soldier's moth-eaten uniform.
What on earth would I do with a hornet's nest once hosting an angry swarm!
Leaning against a wall was a hood and bumper for a '37 Ford Tudor.
On a shelf was a gas mask and tin helmet from the First World War!
Though I found many things I could do without, not so with my spouse!
She bought a cart full of gimcracks and trumpery to clutter up the house!
Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired
© All Rights Reserved
I couldn’t live without my phone
Although when I was younger,
Since mobile phones did not exist,
I didn’t have that hunger.
I waited ‘til I got back home
To call a friend for schmoozing.*
My mom would write a message,
If I got one, for perusing.
Encyclopedias were there
To look up information.
No Google at my fingertips –
That was the situation.
A Kodak camera using film
Took photos that I needed.
Alarm clocks woke me up
So my anxiety receded.
Each application on my phone –
The games and WAZE and weather –
Are things I never had on hand,
At least not all together.
I lived without them easily,
Not feeling discontented
Until, of course, the year in which
The iPhone was invented!
*chatting, shooting the breeze
revert video settings at 1080. Best watched in full screen mode.
“Electric Dreams of the Sleeping Orgonon”
A tangerine dream
came out of the blue
cloud busting citron burst
electric dreams
of the sleeping
Orgonon
raised a little death
le petit mort
by mesmerism
hysterical paroxysm
still life
exists
(LadyLabyrinth / 2022)
Tangerine Sunset - Sydney, Australia - 8.12.21
https://youtu.be/96QsrXf_7_A
Kate Bush - Cloudbusting (with lyrics)
https://youtu.be/mwKoKusPkwA
Cloud Buster
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloudbuster
Cloud Busting
https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/cloud-busting
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloudbusting
Orgone
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orgone
Wilhelm Reich
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Reich
Orgonon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orgonon
“A Book of Dreams”, Peter Reich (son of Wilhelm Reich, Psychoanalyst)
https://www.katebushencyclopedia.com/book-of-dreams-a
eBook - "A Book of Dreams", Peter Reich, 1973
PDF Link – free Ebook – “A Book of Dreams” by Peter Reich, 1973
https://zh.au1lib.org/book/4973817/247e9a
Winnipeg
Every day you drive down my street, through my neighborhood, anticipating the day we'll infinitely meet
I tried to ignore the feelings I've felt since the moment I walked into your convenient store but it ever holds the creative precipice of something more
You stood less than a foot away while I unconsciously held my nervous breath
You were holding yours too
If only we knew
But now we do
The truth isn't always true
Nor is it free for you or me
The wind blew
Scholastics were very few
Punished for an era that never grew
Her encyclopedias aren't new
Faux dictionaries are the fiction of the past in belated mantras that had to last
Even the fire burns out before it realizes why it was lit
The fireplace watches faithfully as grandpa snores & grandma knits
Mom & dad don't babysit when their tireless infants throw a raging fit, left to wonder where they misplaced a generations first aid kit
Burned their fingers when they forget the oven mitt
We've been there
We've done that
Old news is tucked neatly into older hats
Bootlegs
Winnipeg
Old age is something you earn for the sake of the wisdom you asked to learn
Flowers and trees
Bushes and leaves
The oldest trick in forbidden words still suffers the plot it deceives
Forgotten?
Never
Hidden?
As rightfully as its bidden
Good ole darling ridden
You see the warrior emerging from shame
You see the fighter with nothing left to blame
I still don't even know your last name
But I thank God for you every day because this isn't some highschool football game
There are no players
No more cheerleaders to haunt the jocks in old dressing rooms across the parking lot
They found his body on the rocks bound to a body bag stitched up with old rags, tied with dog tags because some still remember the night they were shot for every secret they carelessly forgot
Pierce her scarlet letter with new fangled knots until she morphs into something better
Take your orders
Draw the margin around the recycle bin's borders
You know exactly what it takes to win
Your folly may never be another man's sin
Dolphins eyelashes seduce that grin from fin to friendly fin
My love, please let me in
© Sarah Herring
In a green skirt wave to tables, in a yellow skirt wave to chairs, but in a white shirt sit in bookshelves humming away and swinging legs and arms to the beat transcribed by tomes, biographies, encyclopedias, dictionaries and thesauruses. A smartbook is not a smart book as it cant cook and therefore complaints should be made to the appropriate recipe page. A real page turner is not a yearner nor a learner for urns carried before steak in a fire is the epitome of a musket in a dazed glazed gin soup. So pass through the sheets, unravel the pjamas and stare out of the window. It is wise to count the clouds today. They are playing hide and seek with the rain, sleet, and snow. Always in a morning dew a frog can be seen dressed in fine attire sipping a curdled brandy from a seventeenth century cradle cup. And now it is time to go to cavern leap. It us amazing fun. In any clothes it can be done. Even in mis matching garments. Gaudy blessings hop hop hop. But no shop. For all is made from what is in front. Surprising how the inner formations of a house survive really. For missing a brick or two. Or a patch gouged out of a rug. That will surely be selling for lots of money at a craft fair if displayed as an item of esoteric mystery. Clap then. No no no not that loud. For you may disturb the sugar lumps sitting in the tree. They are the tree dwellers and deserve much peace and solitude too. A breeze bring a baton to the bayonet bank. And all is bought to bring bums and bombs. Shelter not a small shrinkable rat. And take no travelling topiary tree to a tropical themed disco. For discovery of emblems is often quite condensed in a triple harmony of a woodland dress. So go throw a spoon at a dart board then. Hahaha now whisk that chocolate pudding to a puffed out passing pastry. Hahaha now eat. Xxxxx carborundum Z. That was the latest from the p y q who was reporting from many tunnels. Z