I once knew a man who was tall and skinny.
I was 35 at the time with a small family.
If he had a family of his own. I knew not any.
His means was menial and his needs were many.
For this man, we did the best we could.
He knew what we believed in and where we stood.
He was homeless and hungry in our neighborhood.
We showed him God's love and gave him food.
He was gentle, kind, and never rude.
We first met in the winter of 1984 in San Francisco, and Reuben was his name.
We took him to a Golden State Warriors basketball game.
He also sat at our dinner table on Christ m as Day.
We felt privileged to meet him and help him through his pain.
Moreover, because of Reuben
My life was never the same.
Earthquakes, mudslides, and floods.
The flood came with mudslides and road
closures, causing a major bridge closure.
She brought death and destruction.
She went, but not before changing
the landscape of Northern California.
She altered lives, but I was fortunate.
Once caught in a flood, I was
neither harmed nor felt any danger.
Family and property were fine and
never threatened either. But we
were shut off from each other
for a night and a day. But many
others suffered so much more than me.
Driving through a puddle of water,
My car stalled and so did I.
Communications were shut down.
So, I sought shelter and found
it through the Red Cross.
I was cut off from family 25
miles north of the Golden Gate,
a mild headache compared to
others in the Golden State.
They came
They marched
They honoured
Their newly crowned monarch
on Coronation Day
King Charles the third
and Camilla his Queen
in the Golden State Coach
the World for to see
Their marching
Not one single foot out of place
Their music
Was truly spectacular
So before they go
I hope they know
to each one I say
on this auspicious day
~
despite the rain
~
despite the cloud
~
Today I felt so very proud
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FOR NO ONE DOES IT BETTER…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Written on 6th May 2023
After witnessing King Charles 111 and Queen Camilla’s Coronation
and the incredible feat of the marching troupes who were truly spectacular
Contest A BRIAN STRAND PREMIERE no 1217 Poetry Contest
Sponsor Brian Strand
7th Place in Brian's PREMIERE contest
IT IS ME
XXXXXXXX
With all the adversities in life, became a woman with an
open mind, a kind heart, a care free spirit and a teachable soul.
Oldest sister of six brothers and two sisters, strong willed mother
of four; two sons and two daughters, raising them all alone and
grandmother of seven; four boys and three girls.
Lover of nature’s beauty, the beauty of His creations,
like the glorious sunset, the colorful autumn leaves, the azure
sky, the splendor of the rose, the magnificent butterflies.
Lover of strong women and passionate people.
Feel profound happiness when dancing, feel great looking
good dressing up and feel excited learning something new.
Dislike snakes and digital stuff being from old school and
detest people living in lies, believing others, not themselves.
An aesthetic person appreciating beauty in art, music,
literature, photography, fashion and like to travel to learn
more about culture and explore the spectacular scenic views.
Resident of Golden State in the West Coast. XXXXX
8/1/21 This Is Who I Am Poetry
L. Milton Hankins
Third World
The mouse is no longer, happy.
Everything is dirty.
There is disease.
The trash cans are full, overflowing…
and the needs…are not met.
Drugs, darkness, and death,
have come to the golden state.
Removing forever its shine.
Needles, and Ugly have married.
No one attended the wedding,
as Citizens were not invited.
They were only made to pay.
The Politicians partied,
They sang, they still dance.
Stepping enthusiastically,
upon our graves...
or those belonging,
to our children.
If they are allowed to live?
Save me cities, that don’t belong here.
Flawed and fallen.
Their people, unsafe.
The children cry.
Murderers, dealers, agendas unveiled,
“Some people did something”,
and let others out of jail.
Take back our country.
Stand tall with pride.
We are the worthless,
But paid for by the
Priceless.
”In God We Trust”
In 2016, the Golden State Warriors returned from the brink of defeat. Down by Oklahoma three games to one, they achieved an incredible feat.
Who would have believed they would shortly share an identical scenario? Yes , they too were defeated when Cleveland portrayed the NBA horror.
Great teams, recovering from sore defeats, believe there's always tomorrow. They learn to rise from the ashes, and dismiss their agony and their sorrow.
Often, if they believe and don't give up, tomorrow may arrive the same day; Like Boston's Brady Bunch, who revived to beat the Falcons in a remarkable way.
And then there were the Cubs, downed by the Indians three games to one. Who would have believed that Cleveland would go on to win none?
05082017 PS; Contest, Sports Shorts, Joseph Soper
California is Drying
California is drying up they say
this drought
only needs another year before
California
is a sun dried tomato
California
is cracked clay of a dry river bed
California
is like the white salty residue my sweat leaves
when i am dehydrated
riding my bike
through the soul sucking heat
California has 1 year of water left
and people still stand in the heat
and wastewater
on their greedy green grass lawns
you cannot eat grass
California known for farming
citrus fruits and
endless fields of grapes for wine
avocados and almonds
hydroponic pot plants and hops for craft beer
If you drive through
Central Californian farms
All the trees are dead
all the people are gone
all the dust is kicked up
all of the lush farmland
is now a desert
and our government sucks us dry
and we suck once fertile California dry
the once proud Golden State
falls apart in my hands like a petrified fossil.
I am a parched and thirsty land
My soil is cracked, dry and lifeless
My fields are fallow and wanting
My farmers agonize and pray for rain
I am the bread basket for many souls
Yet years of drought are exacting their toll
My crops are failing, my wells are running dry
Without water, my land's lifeblood
I will become a wasteland and die
I am a parched and thirsty land
I, the great Golden State, am out of water
I am California.
Written on 2/15/2015
Two unknown strangers paired together to be in love but to only realized it was really untrue
love baby oh baby oh I love you this endlessly love you are the one who parallel with me side by side you point in the right direction you are the reason why I am smiling from ear to ear/ you made me better/ my renaissance the key to my heart. That was good old days now it’s just another off day
I don’t care about this lost anymore
“You better forget it” I can’t find easy love no more motivational speeches from you I am riding along these big gold wheels trying make that big leap back to the golden state bridge/I just came close to the edge I had to close my eyes and take another day off / How about now?/you upset me because I am unattached to you/ see you wasn’t focus on me you were to close with your EX/ You to wanted rekindle your past love while we were both together now we are both unpaired I hope you find that pot of gold you were looking for now I see you on the other side of the Bay/ Yeah i can you looking.
One moment to be
This moment I breathe
Put on glasses & glance to see
As I say I'm sweating success &
decree
Woahw,they be looking for
faults
I'm choking over their words
Charge me with herts not volts
This mind is for goodness God
molds
Now Of late I barely see my
path
I was on a quest to finding
Thabo
But he was locked in a cage of
wrath
Living dark-light from sorrow
I feed this seed within my soul
I circulate this hallow doubtful
hole
I consist of fire from life's hard
coal
This heart is iced up as south
pole
Criticized like some public
opinion poll
Success is my only option
Failure's not
Not "gentleman"-he went for
adoption-I now take the big
shot.
prosperity & I are tying the knot
No love in my life's court
As long as there's breathe
within this simple body
I shall lose myself through lights
with Phalodi
I'll find myself in aftermath's
recovery
Then Testify of this path as a
new discovery
I lost fate
But still I remain great
So I seek no mate
losing me Is a gate
Leading me to escalate
..To a new golden state
Barbara
Funny, empathetic, introspective and shy
Daughter of Dick and Mollie
Lover of babies, music and ice cream
Saddened by abuse, disabilities and hunger
Afraid of snakes, porta- potties and a lingering death
Would love to see Paris, Rebirth of a strong America and my parents once more
Live in the Golden State, California
Gorelick
Another one for Andrea D.
Imagine a vast vat of liquid
Covering 5 football fields
33 feet deep in manure
Think of the energy yields
When big piles are seen
Of manure all green
Most people just see piles of crap
But if truth be told
It's a pile of pure gold
When you siphon off gasses you trap
On a dairy farm in Golden State
Experts on gas sit and wait
They push poop in a hole
Cover it like a bowl
And just let the gas ruminate
With nearly 2 million cows in this far western state
You have to admit the potential is great
Just getting these cows to be hole-potty trained
Will yield a great deal of cow-poop methane
And the methane gas gathered this way
Can be sold to the grid so they say
So the smell's not quite honey
It's the smell of good money
And we've finally made gas passing pay
So that's what this company did
With some cows and a hole with a lid
With a scoop and a scrub
And this gigantic tub
Cows are now passing gas to the Grid
Mdailey
~MyTOPIA~
A sip of tea in my Magic Cup.
A fancy bowl for my little pup.
Faraway from a world corrupt.
I found reason and meaning to reconstruct.
By day I live under the perfect sun.
I relive a life where unhappiness~ is undone.
From the time I opened this door my life slowly begun.
I unlocked the purpose that unites us* all as one*
By night I isolate my dreams in my log cabin.
A pillow case made of, worry free feeling of satin.
My harmony keeps me from thoughts so devil-in.
My moon shines in the river with beautiful waves of medieval Latin.
My island based entirely on reason, of insanity hassle.
A sweet paradise entwined by the meshed flower tassel.
My own fantasy surrounded by a flawless pharrell castle.
Governed by my own golden state temple Utopian idea vassal.
by;p.d.
I applaud you, my homeland...this Golden State!
From Coronado Island...to the Golden Gate
We live on the edge of a continent...
With masses of land that stretch out to the sea
One can lie on the beach...and drink in the breeze
Our glorious coastline, the Central Valley and more..
Mighty redwoods so tall, where the eagles can soar
Don't forget all the wonders of our National Parks
Lassen, Sequoia, Point Reyes on the shore...
Death Valley temps hit the highest marks!!...
But the best, by far...
Is Yosemite Valley, our glorious star!
Freeways and traffic.... (oh dear)....L. A. has smog!!
Travel magnificent Hwy 1, but you'll drive in the fog
In the far northern state you will find MY house!!
And way down south.............lives MICKEY MOUSE !!!! :)
For Rick's contest
I Applaud You !!
Drifting by variegated green banks,
Moving water in all shades of blue.
A trout flashing his silver sides,
The setting sun in a golden hue.
The brown of restless rocky bottom,
Shadowed eddies beaded with black.
Wiley otters play in shades of grey,
A wood duck with gilded red on it’s back.
The Klamath River a kaleidoscope of color,
One of the last wild rivers in this “golden” state.
California once crowned by natural beauty,
Safeguard what remains… before it’s to late.
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