I have lived a hundred different lives -
Each as different as water is to stone.
I have dreamed a few far-away dreams
To discover that they were mine alone.
I have felt at times a trace of love
But was shown again that theirs was untrue.
I have often tried to bury the past
To find that it rarely stays inhumed.
I gave life to undeserving powers
But I was too late in retaking it.
I have seen the glory of success
But it was not my own to celebrate.
I have thrown my rage at the hailstorm
Then retreated quickly to a burrow.
I have been both with means and in lack
But always grateful for a swift breakthrough.
I have considered the centuries
And found an abode within the present.
I have counted my former hours
And scry the future for what might be left.
Categories:
retaking, emotions, growth, life,
Form: Rhyme
We couldn’t survive
each to the other
We couldn’t let go
to live
We couldn’t give
without retaking
We couldn’t express
what we felt
We couldn’t stay quiet
when being together
We couldn’t come back
from the past
We couldn’t forgive
what time had rescinded
We couldn’t remember
— to forget
(Woodstock: Summer, 1969)
Categories:
retaking, pain,
Form: Free verse
Another war, another truce
Israel leaves so many ends loose, and yet
Dozens die, so Thousands may live
The horrific result full-scale war might give
The Jewish State pulled out of Gaza in 2006
As thanks, it's had aught but terror attacks since
Yet, retaking Gaza with a punishing all-out assault
Of that, Israel is not (at all) convinced ...
What's the best way to handle this stubborn impasse
Time has a way of coming to the rescue --
Look! Egyptian and Israeli soldiers ~ friends at long last*
________________________________________________
*Nearly fifty years after the deadly Yom Kippur War of 1973,
Egyptian and Israeli soldiers, once the bitterest of enemies,
embraced publicly, openly weeping in each other's arms, at
a 'joint ceremony' at Ben Gurion Airport in 2022.
Categories:
retaking, friendship, future, time, war,
Form: Rhyme
AUTUMN CLEANING CLEANSE Part One.
It’s time for fall cleaning, a cleansing;
And in this the autumn of my life.
I’m retaking my vessel God has loaned me;
I’m cleaning His house renewing, rejuvenation, revising throwing out;
All things not of Him, Rejoicing in the joys of Him;
Following Him I shall be cleansed and remade new in Him;
This vessel shall be cleanse to house is a glorious autumn;
Autumn Cleaning cleanse
10/17/22
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr. 2022©
Categories:
retaking, analogy, appreciation, autumn, october,
Form: Free verse
Legends were created here within script
edges required in content to carefully encrypt
Breaking harmonic rules outside the norm
Retaking realities in rhythmical uniform
Baptized them in the atmospheric emotions
Arising with the highest of promotions
Alternating serpentine infinite possibilities
Berating permanent utilized abilities
Ultimately a writers utopic dream
Poetically elites the extremists regimes
extravagant twisted expressed passions
Adamant cremation of foes into ashes
Unforgiving soldiers to the death fight
Dreaming dreams in a writers delight
Categories:
retaking, dream,
Form: Rhyme
You Fall ...
the ground of your reality dissolves in this
stream of distraction, this inconvenient passion
the mawkish pop music you mock
is now singing your story, as
your thoughts, your breath, your blood
all consumed by his eyes, his voice, his words
all the moments of his notice of you
painting your gray paper with extrinsic purple
and lavish green, filling your thirsty cup
with intoxicating attention, until time
is measured only by your meetings
You Stall...
hitting the invisible, inimical wall
penalized and ostracized
for presuming the right to ask why
for waking from complicit worship
for retaking your will and your mind
for staining his golden idol
with faith of the atheist
You Call...
for all his proud proclamations
he is a needy, greedy child
your adoration is his sun
your life force he feasts on
disenchantment is your release
from the prison of submission
his hollow heart, his churlish charm
all merely a false alarm-
9/10/18
Categories:
retaking, love hurts, pain, recovery
Form: Free verse
Am I made of chocolate? I don't feel sweet
But when I am near you I melt at your feet
This puddle you stand in; it used to be me
A bit of a mess now but still a fine treat
With distance to aid us; I'm retaking form
I used to be chocolate but now I'm a storm
My wind cannot cool you; So perfectly warm
And even my lightning can't help but adore
Such a beautiful woman; Transforming a man
From clown into poet into number one fan
Of those magical eyes; My God do they span
To her heart from her soul then back again
It takes just a blink; To cease asking why
You have so much charm in such epic supply
Unlikely you'd notice; Should some go awry
The goal of this story was making you mine
Well maybe not that; But vent some release
Feelings inside make one weak in the knees
And I don't often find; A redhead to tease
Using my poetry boredom disease
Categories:
retaking, faith, longing, love, relationship,
Form: Free verse
Something seems amiss,
yard creatures abound today
demanding and fighting over seed and food.
The usual half dozen squirrels
have doubled up,
unfamiliar birds have come.
Each more determined and persistent
than the residents
the familiar furry faces of the seasons.
Aggressiveness is rampant
and the regulars, more timid
are pushed off to the sidelines.
They wait patiently
in hidden places of refuge
the holly and the full leaved brush.
The cold falls heavy on the leaves
that crunch beneath
fast, quick, tiny feet.
The parade goes on constant on the move
for an hour or more
and then suddenly, mid morning -
all is quiet
only a few remain behind,
the clean up crew.
Like scavengers
they prevail
retaking their place and residence in the yard.
Categories:
retaking, animal, nature,
Form: Narrative
Oh mankind what loathsome and perverse creatures you are.
You talk of giving yet you steel.
You talk of peace yet you make war.
You talk of love but still you hate.
Oh mankind you are the great conundrum.
A giver yet a thief, a peace maker yet a war monger.
One who loves his fellow man but, only if he has the same color skin.
Your open good will secretly serves you.
Your great deeds are a shimmering cloak that hides your true intent.
Oh wonder full man turn aside from the path that you are on.
Become what you are truly ment to be, the crown that sits atop creation.
Clean off the patina and polish your self.
Give without retaking, achieve peace, abolish war and love others more
than you love your self.
BY: Edward McCall
Categories:
retaking, change,
Form: I do not know?
I'm a new creation, going through
construction; He's replacing and
erasing my sinful nature that had
me facing destruction...
Finally I've awakened, after all the
breaking, I've been shaken, no
mistaking, this walk I'm delightfully
taking, no more giving my goals to
satan, no more faking, all the fallen
leaves I'm raking, shaking, all the
flaking, residue that had me aching,
my world was quaking, like a pipe I
needed snaking, now my blessings
I'm retaking, for I was never
forsaken, a testimony in the
making...
I'm a new creation, going through
construction; He's replacing and
erasing my sinful nature that had
me facing destruction...
Categories:
retaking, devotionnature, nature,
Form: ABC
You tell him said the sweet tooth elf
With candy cane all over his face
I would said the supervising elf
But I'm too busy running this place
Maybe Dasher could tell him
For he likes him the best
Dasher's not here said the elf police
He's retaking his flying test
What about Dancer, he could do it
Like a singing telegram
Dancer won't do it he's still mad
You ate the last of his jam
Well Prancer can't do it that's for sure
He acts like he owns the place
He'll strut over here then strut over there
Don't he know he's just taking up space
Well what about one of those other deer
Surely one in the bunch is brave
Vixen, Comet, Donner and Blitzen
And Rudolph's nose are exploring a cave
Then who will tell Santa, it's almost here
It's time for Christmas to start
And Christmas can't come again this year
If you don't let love in your heart
Hey wait just a minute, something's wrong
I think that I missed one above
Yeah you missed Cupid, he'll tell him
He's also the Fairy of love
Categories:
retaking, fantasy, children, funnychristmas, christmas,
Form: Rhyme