Best Tennessee Poems
Oh Tennessee, bard divine, what gems you've given,
Of truth and pain from your wrecked life riven.
Though critics scorned, your genius shone
In shabby rooms where oft alone,
You typed amid plumes of smoke, your soul's sad cry -
A Streetcar Named Desire, my oh my!
Your plays laid bare the human heart,
Its longing, fear, and rage did chart.
Upon the stage a confessional
For souls as torn as yours, so full
Of doubt and dream deferred. You mined rich ore
From depths of pain to gift us more -
The Glass Menagerie, Night of the Iguana,
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof - your canon.
New Orleans, Key West, and New York too,
Knew the demons that plagued you.
You wrestled words in the lonely night,
Until they shone with meaning's light.
America was your restless home,
Yet no theater bears your name.
Oh, who could write like Tennessee?
His plays revealed his agony.
So let us praise his lasting art,
That bared the torment of his heart.
He made human truth his muse, his fate.
For Williams was a playwright for the ages,
Who filled our lives with his brilliant stages.
Perhaps someday, we will name a stage on the great white way to honor him and his plays, where future generations can go to appreciate and praise the likes of Stanley, Maggie, Brick, and Blanche, and yes Big Daddy.
One percent milk chided the butter about its worth,
And the eggs got all cracked up at the stock boys’ jokes.
Nutty candy bars laughed joyfully at all the mirth,
But all shunned the outcast; a pack of generic smokes.
Ground Chuck had just been through the grinder
Yet he was glad when he encountered fresh, hot buns.
Over in health and beauty, condoms became a reminder,
Trash magazines spreads all; Hot and cross rolls share puns!
Did ya hear the whispering in the breeze,
It’s the great Smokey Mountains calling me homewards,
Listen to sweet tones of the Tennessee hills, it’s the great
Gateways of Gatlingburg, singing with the softness of the
Alpine mists, welcoming all to come and join in the
Rhythm of these sacred valleys both deep and lush!
Oh here let the native tribal beat mix with the
Outlanders vibrancy of song, what a harmonistic
Melody, the blending of cultures leaving a wondrous
Sound that echoes within these timeless hills of
Wilderness beauty!
Splendors grand master piece created by the divine
Maker, on the most rocky top highs extreme palate
Of elegance, to behold by the eyes of the humanity,
For generations to share and experience forever!
Let the crystal clear streams of the mountain tears,
Over flow with appreciations tranquility, for here
Lies the harmony of the peaceful way of life,
And it truly is another word for paradise!
Endurance's mountain folks cling to the simpler
Ways in life, the values of the family kept sacred
And cherished always, helping their fellow kindred
In times of trouble or great strife.
Oh if only the outside world could melt away,
I’d be the wander whom found their way at last,
In this isolation's off foot path, called the
Gateway to those smoky mountains, in
Tennessee, my wayward path would find me in
Gatlingburg, it thus calls me homewards,
Welcome!
BY: CHERYL ANNA DUNN
Clear blue color stretched accros the skies like paint on a blank canvas
Fluffy white cloud float lazily through the fresh air
Green grass carpets the soft brown earth beneath it
Nothing but the sound of a sweet bird songs fills the air
Lost in the peace and beauty of the Tennessee Fields.
'Been walking my music...by music row
Over and over...sweet yes turns out NO
Searching for something....they just can't refuse
Me and these Tennessee Blues
At this pace I'm going...I won't last long
'Can't love my lady...Can't write the right song
Midnight in Nashville...what can I do
With these damn Tennessee Blues
'Can't start life over...I'm in too deep
'Sipping on something to help me to sleep
Blaming my guitar.....paying my dues
To these low down Tennessee Blues
Finally a phone call, to the Lone Star state
'Said, I'm headed for Texas, she says she can't wait
What will I find there...Well she gave me some clues
'Sure won't bee these Tennessee Blues!
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the men are pretty
the woman,fair and larsoned
the bargain for a wife
Some lost their lights, the brilliance
Electricity, burning through the night
Inviting, inspiring, igniting our lives.
Some lost their water, the gentle flow
Source of hope and wonder, graceful
Moving over the spirit, sweet fulfillment.
Some lost their ability to communicate
Cell phones grew quiet, the internet – silent
Most felt some anxiety, lonesome, isolated.
Some lost their food as frozen staples melted
While cold goods became a luxury, an indulgence,
Canned goods were the staple for most stomachs.
Some lost their way home, left without roads or bridges,
Waters turned streets to lanes, highways to mere paths,
And, everywhere – it seems, the landscape was changed.
Some lost their houses and barns, their business and farm,
Even the hay, the feed – it was gone, leaving the horses forlorn,
Yet, we still struggled on – listening to the hymns, the old songs.
Some lost their peace in the storm, their serenity was gone,
But, in time, tranquility returned and the heart – more strong,
Feeling like hope had returned, with the last sprinkles of rain.
Oh, but some lost so very much more – their friend, their family,
The ones they love and depend on, the ones that God called home,
These are the hearts who know true loss, the horror of the hurricane.
Helene, you were merely rain for some,
While you changed lives, changed hearts,
You taught us what if feels like in a war…
Only this war, it was nature’s fight – a struggle that felt so sorrowful,
A struggle that left us with a world upturned,
A struggle that can’t begin to be forgotten…
Because the aftermath of this storm is something only God can relieve!
Pray, my friend, because only God can silence the darkness nature breathed…. When hurricane Helene came to NC!
White trees-dogwood,
Purple trees-redbud,
Magnify beauty
As only Tennessee could.
Yellow jonquil-slips
Colorful tulip-cups
Enhance Tennessee
As spring interrupts.
The chill of the ice-white
The winter wind-long
Gives way in Tennessee
To a palette of song.
Oaks in squirrel-scurry
And birdcall-ring
Announce that there's nothing
Like Tennessee in the spring.
by E. Marshall Evans
The beautiful trees,
In RED country!
Looks so great to me.
Freedom is what I see!
No masks and no vaccines?
My patriotic kind of scene!
A no-kill baby state?
How Godly and how great!
The great Smoky Mountains.
God’s own scenic, land fountain!
7/13/2022
~3~
Sometimes it’s not so easy to see, or recall when we thought so easily
Rememberin’ what we were like back then, don't think I was even ten
The world, so big, just there waitin’ for me
I’d run away from home, on my own (with a note sayin’)
I’m leavin’ today to see things I need to see (so)
Mom n dad
Please don't worry
For me
I left in a hurry, but you-know
I won’t leave you
And good ole, good ole Tennessee
Yeah I’m alone but I’ll be okay, ‘cause I heard of a town today
Called Disco and dad says it’s dead, and under the Lord’s lock and key
I wanna see Paris the most, to get a look at real FRENCH fries up close
Yeah, it’s the ramblin’ life for me
I’m leavin’ today to see things I need to see (so)
Mom n dad
Please don't worry
For me
I left in a hurry, but you-know
I won’t leave you
And good ole, good ole Tennessee
But by the time I hit the edge of town, with darkness closing all around
I looked up and saw a bright sign, yeah, Dairy Queen was callin’ supper time
Next thing I’m at home in our kitchen with a plate full of fried chicken and a note saying…
“Son, no matter where you go, we know your heart will never leave us and goold ole Tennessee”
So Please don't worry
For us
We know you left in a hurry, but we know
You won’t leave us
And good ole, good ole Tennessee
Blountville, Tenn - Police Report
A woman from Blountville’s East High
Accused of what she did deny
She said “search me- you can
Here, I’ll give you a hand”
The policeman said “Go on comply”
She quickly stepped out of her skirt
Next to come off was her shirt
Her bra then came unhooked
As the officers looked
Ever and always alert
She thought what disrobing would do
Distract them till they thought it true
If they saw no lost money
They would have to say “Honey
I guess that the thief wasn’t you”
She said “See I told you it’s true
An apology from you is due”
But the cops didn’t waiver
One said “Do us a favor
And kindly remove your left shoe”
And there in her shoe lay the bill
The fifty she took from the till
They said now get dressed
We were not that impressed
And she gave them a look that could kill
So what did we learn – let me see
The policeman in east Tennessee
Were not led astray
By this woman’s display
Could I say the same had it been me?
Uncle Mike
Knoxville, Tennessee, is where I was born 23 years ago. The city is home to the Volunteers
of the University of Tennessee. Knoxville has almost everything any tourist like: there's
shops, theaters, including the infamous Tennessee Theater, and the Women's Basketball Hall
of Fame. The city of Knoxville has a lot of restaurant, too. This building has a giant
ball on top of it. What's so great about Knoxville, Tennessee, is that everyone can see
plenty of monuments, including the Craighead-Jackson House, James White's house, and the
infamous Gay Street. No wonder Knoxville is also the biggest city in the state of
Tennessee. It's been 23 years since I was born there. I'm looking forward to going to my
birth town; where it all began. If I were to go back to Knoxville, Tennessee, the place
where I was born in, then it'll be like a welcome-back vacation.
Well I am called Captain Owl Talons and my ship is called the phantom dragon
I carry precious jewels, incenses, spices and priceless works of art
And hide my booty in the wide open caves no one else knows about
But the Cherokees to this day....
Well I've traveled every river in the United States of America and
Caused quite a ruckus and riots by bigots who still fear the way
Of the pirate...
Well I may look a mess and smell to high Heaven, no I can't remember
The last time I took a bath, it might been about seven but the joke
Is on you I am the wealthiest man in the world, someday I might
Retire and live as a hermit at the top of Signal Mtn. Maybe I'll go to
Church and repent and sing a choir but as of today I'm not ready to trade
These waters for a fireside rocking chair...
No 'cuz I love the smell of Chattanooga and its clean fresh air, I love
The thrill of standing at my ship's wheel, I love being a living legend and
Wanted men...so catch me, catch me if you can...
Tennessee River Pirate, Tennessee River Pirate and I'll die as I am!
My Mom was born and raised in Sneedville, Tennessee.
She was very special and I loved her and she loved me.
She was born in an ambulance that was parked on the side of the road.
Everybody always loved Mom because she had a personality that glowed.
She grew up in a town that was once called Greasy Rock.
But it was renamed Sneedville and it's located in a county that's called Hancock.
The town was renamed after a Knoxville attorney who was named William Henry Sneed.
Some people sued to stop Sneedville's creation but William disagreed.
He stopped them when they tried to block Sneedville's creation.
Nearly 1,400 people live there, that's its current population.
Sadly, William Henry Sneed died at the age of fifty-seven in 1869.
Many people paid their last respects to my parents and that was kind.
Mom and Dad returned to Sneedville and lived there for the last two years of their lives.
When Mom died on March the 6th, it felt like I'd been stabbed by a hundred knives.
Everybody who knows me knows what my Mom meant to me.
She and Dad always loved the town of Sneedville in Tennessee.
(Dedicated to Agnes Johnson and everybody else who lives/lived in Sneedville.)
There was a man from Tennessee,
who claimed had more money than me-
I thought he had lied,
opened his mouth wide,
spent more on dental bills than he!
Female- Garnet
Size 10
December 29, 2018