Best Who Could Forget Poems
A book that I plucked
from an antiquity of books
filled my nostrils
with a smell that I will always know
and always love.
This love cannot be explained,
but neither could any indifference.
At the back of the hall,
distant from and opposite to
the comical speaker's rostrum,
behind rows of chairs filled
with the attentive and the obliged
and the hands raised in angst
to express righteousness
and cleverness
(look at me ! hear me !),
I, too, would be righteous
and clever some day
(wasn't that clever ?),
but those dusty old books !
And who could forget God's hand ?
It thrust earthword,
its sword gleamed
a split second before cleaving
a wicked man in two,
skull to groin,
a dusty old book
among dusty old books,
explored with petrified daring
by fingers so tiny they're forgotten.
A platoon of books competing,
all to be explored in turn,
some more readily than others,
all old, all dusty, all so rich in scent,
none to be forgotten,
never to be forgotten.
5th July 2020
The breeze has stirred the trees with tender strains
of promises. Refrains we could not keep.
But left behind, a fervent song remains,
in fields of grass, where summer goes to sleep.
Our silhouettes, once sketched beneath the sky,
of fingers, gently placed upon my breast,
are only dreams I've kept. And now I sigh
from memories the years have laid to rest
The seasons do recall. Who could forget
the blush of gold upon the summer's cheek?
Those days are gone, without regret, but yet
each dawn brings back the youth we long to seek
When summer's gone, and we, as well must go,
we'll rest our hearts in leaves of afterglow
You irritate me.
You touched your daughter.
Actually, you touch not just yours,
but God’s!
You sick and twisted man.
You try your hardest to get it in
But she knows better than to let you.
You detest what a father should be
and act like nothing happens after.
All this, you see, will just past away
is what you say.
But no, Memories last through time.
Who could forget what you did?
You sick and twisted man.
But one thing irritates me the most,
how this has affected her soul,
how this affected her outlook on life.
how this has been embedded in her,
making her feel like a computer with a virus.
You sick and twisted man.
I want to do bad things to you,
like kill you,
or banish you to hell.
But, I have been taught “we also forgive us who sins against us”.
So I forgive you, and love on you as if you are me.
it is written “Love your neighbor as yourself”
and I will.
You lost and forgiven man.
You were so tired in the end with those weary eyes,
you knew goodbye would be coming too soon-
isn’t it funny how fast our fragile life really flies,
but you were definitely born to hang the moon.
You were such a lovely lady holding much strength,
you adored church every Sunday at ten in the morning-
you would do anything for family, go to any length,
now you are as free as an eagle, wings spread…soaring.
You loved your husband with all your heart and soul,
held sick kids through the night without complaining-
only a mother like you could make a house whole,
you brought sunshine to life even when it was raining.
We’ll remember those crooked glasses on the tip of your nose,
on Christmas Day pumpkin pie is all we could smell-
those huge stockings on the mantel, who could forget those?
and the box of toys for the kids on top the basement shelf.
The felt nativity set we played when we were young,
Charlie Brown figurines all over the house with love-
the brick red wall we would all climb and have fun,
now your climbing a stairway to heaven up above.
You lived a healthy and long beautiful life,
a grandma and great-grandma who was adored-
a compassionate mother and an endearing wife,
you were born an angel, and died to live once more.
Dedicated to my grandma who passed away yesterday
April 19, 2017
It was September of 1960 and we were growing
Elvis sang "It's Now or Never" anticipation showing
New kids in town for our Freshman year
Our last at St. Jerome's, adulthood near.
We hung out at the Coffee Cup on Berwick Street
Five Point Diner and Palma were sweet
We never dreamed of growing old
Back when we wore blue and gold.
Sophomore year brought us to Saint Ann
Not old enough yet to be called a man
Hitch hike to the My Place and Bowling Alley
Travelled around the Panther Valley
Weekends looking for a brand new thrill
Going to the Coffee Shop in Summit Hill
On the Juke box "Runaround Sue" and "Cathy's Clown"
If "Rumble" came on we'd quickly leave town
Building memories as each day would unfold
Back when we wore blue and gold.
62 saw the Four Seasons singing "Sherry"
Our next two years would be with Saint Mary
Pep rallies in the court yard, who could forget
Sneak down to Henry's for a cigarette
Laughing, joking, we were only sixteen
Drop another nickel in the pinball machine
Flip a coin for a pool game, choose who will rack
Fan buses for away games, have a smoke in the back
Lou Christie sang "Two Faces Have I "
"The End of The World " made Skeeter cry
It was 63 and our time was near
We were starting our senior year
Unsure of what our future would hold
Back when we wore blue and gold
November came and some of us cried
The Friday President Kennedy died
Before the storm there is always a calm
Trouble brewing in Vietnam
In 64, invaded by another land
The Beatles wanted to hold our hand
The school would be one next year we were told
Back when we wore blue and gold
June arrived, graduation day
A time to rejoice, a time to pray
To change the world, thoughts so bold
Back when we wore blue and gold.
Just because we wish it so, means not that it will pass;
this lesson’s one we all must learn in the Gamecock class.
Runs my blood, it’s red and black---garnet the deepest hue,
any orange is anathema, do not this misconstrue.
They always fought with all their heart, especially on game day,
ran out to strains two thousand one, sandstorm on white display,
from first kickoff to last tackle, they’d hit with abandon,
they feared no foe, this fact is true, but seldom champion.
Football saints are lively here, from Rogers to Norwood,
When Lattimore took the field, we always felt they could,
defeat all squads, from Florida to the great North land,
and many others in between, I’m sure you understand.
Jadeveon polished our fame, no one could say “Who dat?,”
he pulverized a Wolverine, and handed Smith his hat.
Sidney Rice and Sterling Sharpe could surely catch that ball,
while Alshon and McKinley too, flew often past them all.
Sheldon Brown and John Abraham were known to give a lick,
while Swearinger and Gilmore too, could make a tackle stick.
Ryan Brewer bowled them over, while Succop split the posts,
Connor Shaw and Phil Petty racked up the winning boasts.
So many more graced our field, their names are not forgot,
Wharton and Boyd, Culliver and Ellis, and even A. Pinnock.
Munnerlyn, DiMarco too, and who could forget Ace Sanders?
Ajiboye and Cunningham, were not gridiron outlanders.
Kalimba, Ko, Dunta and Zola, we’ve surely had strange names,
But on the field they won our hearts, and more than a few games.
Faison to Watson, and all others, who flashed their spurs with pride,
we celebrate each footballer who’s graced the Gamecock side!
Fabulous Fifties
is what they called it,
we just called it a good time.
It was a great time in history
to be a teenager, to have our
youth, it was a time for some
to rebel, others to grow up.
Movies were some of the best
TV shows were coming of age,
with I Love Lucy, Gunsmoke,
Donna Reed, Ozzie and Harriet,
which brought Ricky Nelson fame.
Who could forget Garry Cooper
in High Noon, or Ray Miland
plotting to kill his wife in
"Dial M For Murder".
No one would believe
Richard Carlson when he
told everyone that a space ship
had landed in the Arizona desert
in "It Came From Outer Space",
or the little boy who said
he saw a space ship land out in
his field and people kept
disappearing by falling through
the ground in "Invaders From Mars"
in 1953.
The Brooklyn Dodgers finally
brought home a World Championship
in 1955. This year also brought
Rock 'n Roll to us teen agers
when Bill Halley and his Comets
had a hit with "Rock Around The Clock".
1956 was the first no-hitter when
Don Larsen of the New York Yankees
threw one against the Brookylyn Dodgers
in the World Series, it has not happen
before or since in the World Series.
The Fifties also brought us 3-D, way
before our so called 3-D TV sets of today.
I remember seeing a few or so, wearing
those white glasses we thought we were
so cool.
Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, Chuch Berry,
Little Richard and many others will
never have that many big music stars
again. A New York Baseball team went
to the World Series every year of the
Fifties except 1959 and they would
have then also, if the Brooklyn Dodgers
had not moved to Los Angles.
The Fifties was a great time to
grow up, things would never be
the same again, our youth was left
in the Fifties, times would change
and leave us longing for those
good old days when old age
reached us.
Written 6-20-11
Who could forget what happened on that unsuspecting and sunny day,
when no visible clouds drifted over the Twin Towers?
Little after midnight, the cool rain adds to the melancholy
of the descending angels; and I join them in prayer to remember the tragedy!
This should be a day of remembrance, not of hatred for the ignoble acts
the wicked committed, but would God accept unkindness instead of merciful deeds?
They called it another day of infamy,
and like Pearl Harbor we were taken by surprise;
that was an attack aimed at the military,
but on September 11 the terrorists attacked the civilians!
It seemed like lightning striking down sturdy trees,
and then fire broke out with smoke trails of a thousands feet;
" O my God! ", every employee screamed...quickly running down
the stairs engulfed by fire...causing an indescribable chaos everywhere!
" Take my hand, I will lead you to safety! " the firefighter said to the coughing woman.
" Hold onto my arm! " the policeman yelled out to the frail man,
who had dropped his eyeglasses and couldn't see!
Every firefighter and policeman acted like them, rescuing many without fearing death;
and hundreds of them, that awful morning, never returned home alive...
what a tragedy for their families that watched in horror and couldn't help!
Who wouldn't remember the courage of their noble and willing hearts?
And furthermore, who wouldn't engrave their valorous names on plaques and monuments?
Up above, by the gates of Paradise...Christ and His Father awaited them to accept their souls;
while archangels surrounding God's throne, sung hymns that humans couldn't sing...
those hymns that all the earthly heroes will sing with them when Heaven mourns again!
Their portraits, pictures and memorabilia hang above the fireplaces,
and on the decorated walls of the victims' homes, precincts and firehouses;
how could anybody take them down as they were worthless items?
Prize them more than gold or diamonds, o friends grieving that tremendous loss even today;
don't hate those who caused you sorrow and unbearable pain, be forgiving and show mercy...
as God does toward us; o friends remember your heroes for their valor and sacrifice!
My poem is dedicated to the victims and survivors of the September 11 attacks on America.
Copyright 2009 by Andrew Crisci
Theres no getting away from it,
no one is excluded,
sooner or later during
the course of the day,
everyone has to use it,
it first came on the scene
in the year 1857,
when Joseph Gayetty
showed his new paper invention,
the consumers didn't buy much
because of the cost,
so Joseph did away with it
and considered it a loss,
then in 1890 the Scott brothers
came out with their product,
finally convincing the public
to get on the ball and a roll
to becoming more hygienic,
but in 1928 they had competition,
when Charmin arrived in the stores,
it was like having a softer twin sister,
who could ask for anything more...
then if you were around in 1978
who could forget this commercial,
"please don't squeeze the charmin,"
starring a Mr. Whipple,
and of course today,
there is a much wider tp variety,
that is on display at the store,
I'm just so glad it was invented
to help get to the bottom
of a some what stubborn society,
making tp on our shopping list
a number one priority,
and don't want to sound like a snob,
but thank God we don't have
to resort to still be using
torn out pages from
the Sears and Roebuck Catalog!
Its the toilet papers almost 160th birthday for all you history buffs out there!
(Something like that…not sure of the correct age!)
James Cameron made it big with Avatar
Again and again he raised the bar
The film was tremendously beautiful
But the plot was unoriginal
But of course who could forget Titanic?
Lenny plus heartbreak equals a classic!
I've seen the ending, but that's not the point
My girl swears that it won't disappoint
Like or smite, have to admit you crave more
Jimmy's is where it's at whether you're
A fan of trees that store mem'ries aglow
Or Leonardo DiCaprio
Chester Bennington's gravelly scream
Was to me, at one point, a melodic dream
Somewhere down the road I couldn't face the pain
That or my ears wore out under the strain
And who could forget that DJ who brought to life
That Asian stereotype?
When Mr. Hahn's hands were in sight
You really had faith the song would turn out right
I couldn't stay hardcore - the time had come to sit
I took detours listening to how others sing
But I never took any shame in it
Cause I knew for a fact that exploration was their thing
Yeah, Linkin Park
Was my original spark
And once kindled it was never the same
Before I knew it the whole house was aflame
Though difficult to believe - reading what I write now
This group irrevocably affected my life somehow
I now scan for stories in a rapper's rant
'Twas Shinoda that taught me that...
NOTE: I realize, after posting this, that not everyone will know who Linkin Park is (or have heard the name before and just isn't a fan of that style of music). But I think everyone can relate to being inspired by some sort of celebrity. Whether they're a singer, author, painter or whatever.
I had dreams of yesterday
I woke up with a smile
My dreams took me back
And it was better for a while.
Jeff was calling Lassie
We had moonbeams in a jar
Perry Como was teaching us
To catch a falling star
Bishop Sheen was preaching
Lawrence Welk was leading the band
And we all remembered the Alamo
When Davy Crockett made his stand.
Clark Kent changed in a phone booth
And brought the bad guys to their knees
Sugarfoot walked up to the bar
And asked for a sarsparilla please
Elliott Ness was in Old Chicago
Taking on Capone and Nitti
While Paul Burke was a detective
Inside the Naked City
Gene was singing Back in the Saddle
With Gabby by his side
And Cisco said "Oh Pancho"
"Oh Cisco" Pancho then replied
Arthur Godfrey had his talent scouts
And the Texaco man wore a star
Martin Kane was a private detective
Perry Mason passed the bar.
Maverick and Cheyenne were cowboys
Peter Gunn was making noise
We learned a little bit about life
Just watching the Real McCoys.
Car 54, where are you
Do you have a secret like Garry Moore
Let's sing along with Mitch
Is that Ben Casey at the door?
Who could forget old Lonesome George
And Red Skelton playing a clown
You bet your life, I loved Name that Tune
And Ed was Toast of the Town.
I could go on for days and days
About the times we had back then
When life was so much simpler
In my dreams I remember when.
In the fall we used to go to the old Johnson place
To pick apples from the aging trees out back
They patiently stood with lichen covered grace
A once grand old house now off the beaten track
Boxes and buckets and bags we'd carry along
Who could forget Mom's big picnic lunch
Picking was fun and Dad sang an old song
We were always a boisterous and happy bunch
When picking was done and we'd eaten our fill
We'd dangle our feet in the sweet little stream
Then tired ,all headed for home, excited still
Thinking of pies, sauce, and apples with cream...
In the fall we used to go to the old Johnson place
To pick apples from the aging trees out back
They patiently stood with lichen covered grace
A once grand old house now off the beaten track
Pages upon pages
A book read for all ages
Chapters among chapters
The words shouting like actor lines
The feeling of emotions coming out all combined
I remember a romance that began to start
It was pure fireworks as two starving hearts that came together
But it was that kiss of two lips like no other
Yet their communication having no word line slips
Who could forget a teenager who tried?
The teenager was studying for a very big math test
He was nervous so he had to confess
It was an SAT exam, which would determine what Ivy League University the teenager would attend
He wasn’t your average teenager as had a totally different blend
The teenager came from a wealthy family, but wasn’t really a bright kid
In fact, this is something his parents always hid
Yet the teenager prepared for the exam, and scored high beyond his expectations, and enrolled into Princeton University
The Secret Within the Storm
It was the farmland of a Kansas family
It was a heavy fierce dangerous thunderstorm
The Kansas family worried that if the lightening bolts were to ever hit the house and farm barn, they would lose everything they owned
That wasn’t the case, it was a storm that helped the family grow even bigger crops and prosper even more
They were thankful and didn’t ignore
The Kansas farm family just continued to pray more, and blessings they continued to explore
There you have it, stories into stories
The skies opening the stories like a curtain with all its glory
All it takes is a book read and seeing how in life you will proceed
A chapter could be written about you
I must conclude for now
It’s a matter in believe in yourself, and don’t depend on anybody else
The Enterprising Book says it best, “Words are simply inspirations with knowledge being the indication. It’s a matter of taking advice in, and being successful in your own begin”.
My Baby Girl
What happen? I remember that you’d just started walking
and before I knew it, you was talking.
Pre-school, Barbie dolls, bakers ovens,
And I’ll never forget the Pig tails and everything having to be purple!
Cake decorations and art lessons.
Oh and who could forget those piano sessions.
But now, your toys
are laptops, cell phones, designer jeans
bubble gum, boots and boys.
What happen to my Baby Girl?
The only thing that’s the same is that you still love purple.
Now in your teens
you’ll soon be ready to drive a car
oh, just look at you... so talented, so tall and beautiful
soon you’ll be done with high school and college,
I need you to know, because your so clever
and you can have whatever you endeavor
I see your life going far.
Just be true to yourself and always stay faithful
and remember; I’ll love you forever because your My Baby Girl!
C. Gill
10-17-2008
Dedicated to Caroline