PARTICULARS
enthusiastic
preoccupations
in
literal
&ironic
obscure
concepts
tactile
symbolic
innocent
evocative
unspoiled
nostalgia
in
a
palette
of
the
equivocol
yet
grandoise
of
intrinsic
issues
attracting
contorted
disharmony
the
pictorial
transformed
categoric
metaphors
of
affinity
inseparable
receptibility
in
conjurations
never-before-seen
an
impulse
changeable
summation
coexist
with
unforeseeable
particulars
simple
self-evident
without
pretence
in
dazzling
contemplative
concepts
visualised
in
potential
imminent
utopian
ideals
For three hours, I wait.
Is patient the word?
A friendly face, too soon?
Still, when your old
you have no time
for particulars, need to tell
your story to who will listen;
and walk miles and miles
of aisles in the dollar store
where your friend
never goes; and you tell
her about the rose;
and eventually
Mary and Martha meet,
having never crossed paths
before, and
probably nevermore this side
of heaven; and
the painstaking path
has been blocked.
For three hours I wait
to retreat, as
my husband texts me -
I mean I’m not that far away,
yet, time seems to travel.
Now, I’m quite familiar
with the products sold.
I bought a plastic box
(for a wig I used for my sister’s party);
a yellow, smiley face neck pillow,
nail wraps and nonpareils.
The jaunt of longsuffering,
surely was worth my time;
I survived. This was merely
the end of a very long day.
I’ll not bore you
with the unusual beginning.
Back home, I stuffed my face
and watched a show with my
husband. It was after seven.
I will see all of this reel as a real blessing
and be glad I didn’t stand anyone up.
pandemonium preceded Paula Paulson’s painstakingly prissily packed
packsack. Pathetic poetic Parnassian provided paramount particulars,
a peep and a peek into Paula Paulson’s persnickety personality.
("Meaning of Life Merit Badge" #13, 2010, original oil)
The Meaning of Life
Monty Python got it right:
The meaning of life
Has nothing to do with hats.
It has to do with a conscious appreciation
Cultivated in this life, for this life
With all the particulars it offers.
It’s not a given,
Which is why it must be found,
And once found cherished.
The essence is simple,
That while we have and depend on things
We are not a thing.
And yet over and over we lose this focus,
But in the act of losing
Find once again, the meaning.
(2/17/25)
Have you ever wondered how you’ll die,
I don’t mean the external particulars
But the inner state of mind,
When the moment comes?
Will you be consumed in terror,
Or blessed relief, or simply detached curiosity,
Or perhaps some inexplicable mix of all three?
One never knows.
And isn’t that the beauty of this life?
If it’s long enough we get to consider it
We may even come close enough to taste it
And if we’re wise enough we get to practice it.
Perhaps this planning is all it takes
To separate the fear from acceptance
Against the fundamental backdrop
Of mind’s dispassionate gaze.
If we begin young
Then maybe we will achieve our plans
And exit this world with the poise
Of someone merely passing from one room to another.
It’s always a possibility you know
For how we live determines how we die
Not the external particulars
But the inner state of mind.
(10/31/24)
How I used to be
Is now old news to me
If I said observation is the only way
Someone should ask did I observe the universe today
Or am I able to observe the observing of all things?
Particulars and universals will never exchange rings
If I said life is meaningless
Someone should ask does that statement have meaning?
If so I need to do some intellectual cleaning
I have toys in the attic
My thinking has become static
That is problematic
If I said there is no absolute truth
Someone should ask is that absolutely true?
I should become a sleuth
Or at least a tailor to mend something borrowed
with something blue,
and something old with something new
You can't put new wine in an old wine skin
You can't re-enter the womb to be born again
Pointing the way by Ithuriel's sword
Reanimating you by God's [S]Word
So truly the truth will set you free
If God will grant it to thee
While He is yet near.....seek
As the Holy Spirit does quietly speak
STRUCTURES
intrigue
resonates
in
informal
voice
depend
upon
the unusual
begetting
emotion
in
reflected
detachment
&
figures
of speech
authentic
particulars
meaningfully
compressed
6
transmitted
It wasn’t the sex
That wasn’t important
Well it was
It was him
I gave him my time
He gave me five minutes
Christ, he came quicker than the 9.05 express
Actually, the 9.05 has been cancelled due to a Viagra malfunction
He said he got excited
He’s forty-two
It’s a breast thing, he said
What, the two of them
Well, actually it’s you being naked
Should I keep my clothes on
Could we do it in the dark, he said
Yes, just bloody do it
I was excitingly waiting
Nothing
Maybe he’s a Ninja lover
I heard him chewing
What the hell are you doing
I’m coming
For Christsakes, not again
No, I’m ready for you
Well get on with it
I’ll just close the door
He screamed
Something told me satisfaction was 999 away
The paramedics put it in ice
The police took down my particulars
God, how I wished they would take down my particulars
He blamed me, could you believe it
Other patients were calling him, Bob it.
I told him straight, the bloody door got more action than me
Is that all you can think about, bloody sex
I started laughing, he didn’t get it
Just like me
*Image of Remembering Sirs & AUDIO To Sir with Love by Lulu.
To Sirs with Love Clerihew
Christian Charles Roberts,
One of the converts,
Sir Sidney Portier's
East End school proteges.
2023 January 07
*3rd Place*
BRIAN STRAND CONTEST NO 1167
~~Brian Strand: Judged 2023 January 09
*HMS.
He had played the class hoodlum, Denham, in the movie, "To Sir with Love," with the decedent, Sidney Portier.
Undisclosed particulars of his passing, leaving behind his wife Christine whom he had married on 12/26/73, 49 years ago to the day, also leaving behind two children (03/17/44-12/26/22) at 78 years old.
Pretty pancake peacock pointedly persuaded powerhouse pig
To publicly plan porcupine’s playful pink planetary probability placement.
Pleasure palace princesses provided puny particulars providing big
Porky plebes who placated porcupines, poking peacock’s replacement.
Poetry is less about form,
and more about content;
less about tradition, and
more about personal light
and revelation –
such penmanship,
truly missals of meditation,
cannons of Spiritual-occasion,
for celebration and sharing –
Seeking less to entertain
with common particulars...
but more, to write refrains
worth a soul's imagined
eternity –
The thrust of autograph, always a sacred
attempt at breaking down prescribed constructs
of punctuation – vaulting walls inhibiting
a heart's true emancipation – the freedom
to be you.
A budding comedian didn’t expect folk
to exit the room when he told a rude joke
But the air turned blue when he was on stage
and his risqué humour caused total outrage
Go home ignoramus, jeered Kenny Lopper -
he meant what he said, he’s the local copper
Alas the comedian ignored big Kenny’s request
and soon his time on stage would be suppressed
Listen moron, never ostracise policemen, quick
gather your belongings, unless you’re really thick
Don’t show your face again, yeah sling your hook
or I’ll take down your particulars in my notebook!
Alpha Lines Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Joseph May
08/02/21
And one day
it will be my delight I
shall find another
One my fondest
they're like overshadowing
the particulars
she shall be a particular
spiritually
guided sanctioned by God
One of his brightest
His a Holy daughter
Whom I shall in veil into my delight
I will be excited to be delighted
Blessed and versed
Spiritually called and voiced
inspired by her liberties
Her praise her souls beauty
Why would be invested in this life
I'm confessing I'll wait ...for my future delight my new Holy Wife
3/6/21
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr © 2021
What are the particulars
What are the circumstances
How do they add up
Can you fathom goings-on
Can you tolerate the tragedies
What are the circumstances how do they tally
In and out of realities
Can you tolerate the tragedies
The times that presently past
in and out of reality
Can you fathom the goings-on
The times that presently past
What are the particulars reality time streams
1/11/21
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr 2021
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