Long Bike Poems
Long Bike Poems. Below are the most popular long Bike by PoetrySoup Members. You can search for long Bike poems by poem length and keyword.
Fifteen years old, warm summer night,
I left home about twilight,
Jumped on my ten-speed wheels
And started in to wheeling,
Following a feeling -
A mystery, a night reveals.
What would the night reveal?
Conscientious, never free,
The only thing I’d ever wanted to be
Was someone who complies,
But this was just a lark,
Riding in the dark.
Which way would we fly?
I watched with open eye.
I had no purpose. It was just a ride.
Left or right, I let my bike decide.
Where I was going, I didn’t care.
I was on my own.
Something to me would be shown.
My destiny was there.
I could feel in the air.
Fifteen years old, warm summer night,
I left home about twilight
In the summer of seventy-three.
When I left, I was a captive child.
Hours later, pulling home, I smiled.
The night I would be free,
I discovered me.
The apes are winning because they stole the fastest bike.
We are trying to keep up, but I am riding a rusty trike.
They are mountain climbing as fast as they can.
Come on! I urge my partner. Let’s be the man!
The apes are ahead, by too many laps to count.
They are laughing the day away on the bike they mount.
I am irritated now, for they are gloating so hard.
Come on! I urge my partner. Let’s move our lard!
The apes just won the contest, and the golden prize.
I was so angry, I could barely see out of my irritated eyes.
They got the purple ribbon, and they bragged away.
Frankly, my partner has had a much better day.
I appreciate, more than grieve, you.
If I have a regret,
it's that I didn't convey my appreciation
when you were here.
We had our disagreements,
on different sides of a generational divide,
but there were so many more good times than bad.
You were a friendly face in a war zone,
calm, kind, funny - an easy man to like.
By example, you showed me how to laugh at trouble,
how to fix a bike,
how to make a plan, and
slowly and methodically,
execute it...and
to, literally and figuratively,
whistle while you work.
You said, "you're alright -
did anyone ever tell you that?"
When you came home from work,
You asked, "how's it going?"
"I don't know", I answered.
I didn't know how to talk to you.
"What don't you know?" you asked.
"I don't know", I answered.
"You don't know what you don't know?", you laughed.
We had that conversation every night.
Being around you was fun,
raking leaves,
mowing the lawn,
picking up vacuum tubes for the TV.
The last time I saw you,
I didn't feel free to speak.
I didn't understand
Your hand squeeze language.
A happy man,
you lived to ninety.
If I have a regret,
it's that I didn't convey my appreciation
when you were here.
Dawn creeping over the land
fresh sprinkling of snow
makes the garden gleam
Grandma already busy
she is preparing dinner
a fine fat goose awaits
Stuffed with chestnuts
it goes in to slowly roast
heavenly smells emerge
Stirrings from up above
The children run down
excitement shining on faces
As they spy the presents
picking the up for a shake
called to come for breakfast
Impatiently they eat their food
then outside to build a snowman
they dress it in Dad's old clothes
They sit fidgeting through service
yawning as the sermon drags on
rushing home as fast as feet can carry
At last time to open presents
a shiny new red bike for Sue
a monster truck for Gary
Mum gets jewellery and perfume
a set of tools for Dad
Grandma gets her special chair
The goose and all the trimmings ready
Dad carves and serves them all
deep silent just clatter of cutlery
As the food is demolished
everyone is now so stuffed
they flop where there is room
Get your coats and scarves on
groaning they go out carol singing
soon having great fun
Returning to hot cocoa
and toasted marshmallows
in front of a roaring fire
As the sun slowly sets
the children are sent to bed
moans that it is too early
Fall on suddenly deaf ears
now it is adult time
out come the cards and gin
Much later reeling they stagger to bed
a few too many drinks were downed in toasts
as they shared memories of past Christmas's
Long shadows fall cool
across the twisting road
the curves out of view
hidden by tall green trees
unseen birds are singing
their songs soft in the air
leaves a gentle rustle
blown by the slow breeze
a distant rumble heard
growing louder now
of something coming
towards me on the road
through the distant trees
bright chrome flashes quickly seen
and pure white flickers
fast coming down the road
bursting quickly into view
leaning into the curb
a rider all in white
on a chrome bike
piercing eyes of blue
auburn hair toss in the wind
the soft curves of the rider
straight lines of the bike
roaring as flashing by a
deafening the sound
the air barely stirrers
Jasmine and Rose fills the breeze
going quickly by
turning with the curve
in a moment done
as the rumble fades away
(“Loyalty Merit Badge”, 2010, original oil)
Loyal to the Last
In a dream I travel
Some journey of unknown length or destination.
It’s all good at the start
And then quickly becomes harder
A stalled engine, dirty windshield without fluid,
A narrowing road, reduced visibility,
A rocky mountain track where I’m forced
To carry the bicycle
My vehicle has become.
But as I go on and deeper into my solo trek
I still have my trusting pack of dogs
Who eagerly follow
Even as the trail becomes a narrowing ledge
Above the steep drop to a river below
Until eventually it’s all I can do to hang on
As I reach on tenuous holds to the final step
My bike and canine companions abandoned
Behind the last bend.
Dreams if nothing else
Give us snap shots of our mind
Overviews and magnifications of where we are
In a life’s journey that has included
Both the dreamer and his ever morphing dream.
But in the end the dream ends
And all that’s left is the dreamer
And the memory of those companions
Loyal to the last.
(11/8/24)
He looked at the old man with tobacco stains on his shirt
Then asked if times were different when he was a kid
The old man smiled and said I’ll tell you a story
About the times we had and the things we did.
Time was when we pledged our allegiance
Being patriotic didn’t make you a fool
Time was when you respected your elders
Each day God was in our public school
We had Friday night dances in the old gym
And pep rallies before the big game
A Ford was a Ford and a Chevy a Chevy
No two cars ever looked the same
We traveled around pedaling a bike
On the handlebars our glove we would drape
With eight or nine kids a game we would play
And our baseball was covered with electrical tape
We walked home after dark alone without fear
Sometimes we would go to the park
Ride the swings and merry go round, even climb trees
Carve our initials into the bark
Time was we had moral standards on TV
They played the National Anthem when day was done
Time was neighbors cared about each other
And a back porch gathering was a lot of fun
We decorated our cars in school colors before a game
We’d work on it until the sun went down
Then go to the game with carload of friends
If we won, we’d beep our horns all over town
Time was when we shopped downtown
We knew all the owners by name
Time was when the music was clean
And a smile could start a new flame.
So yes it was different, was it better or worse
They are the times I often dream of
I don’t know if they were a blessing or curse
Time was we were surrounded by love.
Attention!
You Asked Me "How Was School Today?"
And If I Really Thought You Cared,
I'd Tell You How My Day Had Been,
And How I Had Really Fared.
You Think I'm Such a Baby,
But I'm Not a Little Tyke.
Why, I Was Very, Very Young,
When I Learned to Ride a Bike.
I Have a Lot of Important Things
Of Which I'd like to Say.
But When I Try to Say Them,
You Say, "Go out and Play."
I Always Stay in Trouble.
Well, No One Thinks about That,
Just Because I Stick My Tongue Out,
At the Teachers Back.
I Need Lots of Attention.
And I'm Smart Enough to Know,
If I Can't get it for Being Good,
The Bad in Me Will Grow.
Connie Moore
4 30 93
I ride the bike even when it's a little cold
I am now biker trash so I am told
What has changed I just can't see
Has parking my truck really made a change in me
Or is the fact that I like to ride
And that my friend I'll never hide
From the ones that can't understand
How that throttle feels in my hand
Yet it's still the same man as before
That now you have some need to ignore
Last week when you were broke
I didn't laugh or at you poke
Instead I held out my hand
Helping you as much as I can
When you once had no food to eat
Who put that sack of groceries at your feet
The that time your kids got really sick
My phone seemed to ring awfully quick
At those times you were not afraid
And a friend I thought I had made
But now my face you can only slap
Because I have a leather jacket and some chaps
Go ahead and judge me if you must
And I really don't need your trust
I have shown what I can and will do
In your time of need I was there for you
Now that you've seen me ride
Have I some how hurt your pride?
Now your friendship may be missed
But don't dial my number I must insist
Because in my truck or on my bike
I am still the man that for 5 years you did like
Maybe the stories are really true
Everyone is trash unless they live like you!
An Uncle Charlie Original
When someone says, “You look flabulous”!
Is it just a slip of the tongue
Or are they trying to let you know
You're not trim like when you were young!
Words can be cruel and hurtful at times
Specially if they're close to the truth
Sometimes they can hurt you so badly
You get into the gin and vermouth!
This worldwide scourge of obesity
Is as serious as it's ever been
On average about sixty percent of us
Can be considered anything but lean!
It's a scourge that afflicting all mankind
In this world of instant things
Microwave meals at your fingertips
You're eating at the sound of the ding!
So when someone says, “You look flabulous”!
It's a warning your life is in danger
Get on that bike or run a few miles
Take this advice from this flabulous stranger!