Written: March 22, 2025, for contest sponsored by Craig Cornish
***********************
In the heart of my kitchen spices exude their aromatic allure
a harmonic blend of flavors coddiwomples mute grief. . .
cimmerian saudade in emeritus pickles, a nostalgic taste
longing for a whiff of jasmine s p e c k s. . .
the acridity of blue cheese, the poignancy of bygone days. . .
lavender aromas snip from vessels of proclivity
hidden under an ominous cloud of r e m o r s e
on par with brimstone-soaked steam,
harmony strives to alleviate concealed pain
pleading palms to purge passed-over prose
as seclusion seeps still as a slow-spreading sickness…
Scathed by sadness solitude simmers silently,
In this mixture, marvelous magic manifests for mending
spicy ambrosial nuances partake in a gracious w a l t z
pain intermingling with delight
a buffet embellished with dishes of acrid herbs,
the core character intertwines with previous fails
textures and fragrances intertwine
to create a tapestry rich in pain and d e l i g h t,
harmonizing sadness and joy in life's tangled web.
I and John who wrote 'suitcase Charlie' were texting long...
Distance, on twitter? Or fb? Thoughts flowing free and strong' he was
Born in a concentration camp, this Guzulwazski.' Professor and
Emeritus.' and an atheist you see.' I said i was resting when
He asked me, what are you doing i think.?? When i re-served him that question
He replied.. Just had a drink.' He is partial to red wine about
Two every day.' He informed me sitting in England he was
Finishing one, there in Chicago and choosing another one'
But hey.' I said come on big John, you know should tell me the
Truth..You are choosing a book off your shelf; Up Aloof'
No answer recieved i.? for a minuute or two.' I give him
Great credit for the answer he gave I'm telling you.' he said
He'd checked through his window, yet saw no one around
Who could have informed me.? Of that book that he had; just taken
Down.!!
Emeritus in days,
Find hope in such little things
that collected
dropped in your lap
through a lifetime
but special still,
all gifts.
Wholly invested in a life,
in love
though they left before
you made the first payment.
In days of learning you finished well
the life you left behind
in you I found so kind..
a swish of tassel just for you.
No more struggle, no debt unpaid
only a few flowers to be laid..
Life emeritus.
When you finish in war,
trying to even up the score..
decide the merits of fighting
and just what it was for.
"Associate Professor Emeritus
Richard D. Slick, PhD"
ahhh
ohh
not
an
ode
to a
once
known
dare i say
friend but
professor
the
hours
i went
and
spent
during
office
hours
for his
were not
his but ours
materialistic
decisions
& Lit at
it's
best best
discussed
face to face
without traces of
but one mistake made
when others would
enter and say:
"Excuse me
Doctor Slick"
... and with
that that's
when
he
would
say, "Please,
I'm not a M.A.S.H.
surgeon or even general
practitioner. Not a doctor. Just
Dick
Slick
A gong sounds again
Squalled with familiar war cries
Bringing me on my feet again
To pick the best tools, drop the fries
One more bite and I’m the next casualty
Picking military regalia, dress down to the task’d
My alert generals whine, pumping grit in my faculty
So I can dodge through the strictness unfrisk’d
Doing rehearsals amid fear
Just to stay put with the adversary’s whim
To never forget his tactful enticing tear
At the expense of my sympathy grim
Am not headed for perpetual fall
For I’ve made out the trickery and malice in lair
Yesterday’s battle for crown in virtuosos’ hall
Really confirmed how emeritus victory and flair
Counteth not at the status quo
And that we can change yesterday’s outcome
If only we could be termed as the trio or duo
Of our grit and purged frolicsome
Selves
And so, whether magnate in our seedy residence
Or cognate to the salient diamonds
We shun perfection decadence
To only unmask dazzling splendid diamonds!
Reputation
I marveled the emeritus recognition
I felt compelled to sniff the reputations
Somewhat louder than the tradition
I crave the silent, staple self-respect
My tribute, I could not awaken
I crave the conventional, Confucians credo
A notorious celebrity - that notorious celebrity
Somewhat louder than the libido
I crave the ancestry, acclaimed aphrodisiac
Mine reputation
Spans beyond information
Forth wit my education
Sanctions my situation
Covering my operations communication
Be it far from the nation
Generation’s evaluations interpretation
Amidst generational interpretation
4/14/22
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr. 2022©
When the World is Safe Again
Each breaking day as I awake
I ask my God in His good grace
To simply let me hold my place
Until the world is safe again
For now we have to wear our mask
So we can all complete the task
Of staying safe and out of harm
Until the world is safe again
I am sure the day will dawn
When each of us can be reborn
And hold our loved ones close once more
When the world is safe again
Loneliness can steal our song
It’s just a case of staying strong
This Covid nightmare will be gone
When the world is safe again
With the healing vaccine at our door
This awful plague should be no more
And each of us can then rejoice
When the world is safe again
Then we all will give our thanks
To all of those who held their ranks
And fought to keep us free from pain
When the world is safe again
Michael Hoban, Ph.D. – Professor Emeritus, City U of NY
profhoban@msn.com - Lakewood, NJ - January 21, 2021
MY TRIBUTE
Best Teacher or Professor ever I met
Name embedded in mind, never to forget.
Emeritus professor in Mathematics.
An ideal teacher, peerless fantastic.
Respected, highly honored by each student
Normal, below average or brilliant.
Nonparallel prowess to teach tough subject
From Bengal Mr. Kalikrishna, model perfect.
In Honors Class, I was fortunate to catch.
Specially blessed being best in that batch.
My veneration, reverence and homage
To perspicuous pellucid translucent sage.
10/22/19
'Favorite Teacher or Professor'
Contest By Chantelle Anne Cooke
Bones of the weak
Lie but not here
(The series of epitaphs appearing here
written to honor Professor
Prime minister Emeritus and others
whom a fierce dog stole away
from Ugandans this June)
Oh My God
You can do it alone Sissy don’t be a ‘sour puss’
All that rolling a stone uphill is best done in utter
~ Reclusion ~
Oh Godot all that waiting and never to come
Almost there and short of a cookie nevertheless
~ Shortchanged ~
Professor Emeritus in your intellectual tower
Knowledge is power but without action remains
~ Vain ~
Hermit have you found Plato’s miraculous cave
Smack in the middle yet the golden mean in
~ Peripheral Longing ~
Buddha Almighty where is that solemn fig tree
If not inside you growing weeds searching for
~ Love ~
When granite stays put at the base of the task
Absurdity is taken for what meaning it offers
Teaching the truth reflects sharing as caring
Ariadne shows the path to colour outside the box
Dharma and Sanga envelop Ego and Self and
~ Then Lonely Pursuit ~
~ Yields Offering and ~
~ Beauty in Solitude ~
03rd May 2018
Emeritus man
No more clocking hours;
Now writing automaton!
Whole day to think
Without really thinking;
Automatic writes come
Fixed living tangent
Daily routines claim;
So much on To-Do List
Detours and diversions;
Umpteen happenings;
Divergent detours
Excursions call:
Too much tension;
Defy the odds
Open agendas
One to ten;
All in due time
Second-hand books
Treasure hunting browse;
So much to unlearn
Joy wears a smile
Piquant laughter prompts;
Family reunion feast
Last night's dreaming
Today's glimpses;
Enough for now
Lottery ticket dreams
Long winding queues;
Luck baits windfall
Leon Enriquez
17 August 2014
Singapore
People problems are the worst
A heart ache, to be frank
First learned this when promoted
To a supervision rank
That was a long time ago
But things still haven’t changed
Today I’m leader of a band
That must be rearranged
My fiddler’s a close friend
Eighty seven years old
Has trouble with his left hand
But has a heart of gold
I have told the band members
Although Sam’s getting slow
He’ll have to decide to quit
Before I’ll let him go
Old Fiddling Sam’s legendary
A showman from way back
Lost his touch on the fiddle
Appeal he doesn’t lack
Fiddler Emeritus!
Is something we might test
Only play songs he does well
Then sit out all the rest
Then find a new fiddler
To share the stage with Sam
He would have to be one willing
To let Sam be “Da Man”
I’m losing sleep on this one
Can’t tell Sam he must go
Time for that conversation
What’ll happen, I don’t know
Under silver moon and sky
Stood a fleeting fairy-fly
Slim and nimble, that was she
Dance across the snow with glee
Yellow hair and great green eyes
Come upon her sweet surprise
Glossy leaves, a slight recline
Lovely pixie, much sublime
Soft green moss cries Mutter, Mutter
To the fair fay, flutter, flutter
Ah to come upon a fairy
Dainty, fair and fearless, daring
Green eyes of fire dance through the glade
What emeritus power, this wonder has made