I sympathize with you my friend,
but, you must remember, in the end,
whether grub or golden trout,
reflecting on what life's about,
you must lighten up the boulder
that rests upon your shoulder,
and if you're richer or you're poorer,
invoke the life skills of a lawyer.
On reaching almost eighty,in a position one should be
well endowed with wisdom to pass to generations following behind
There have been so many changes in nearly eight decades of life
that detrimentally affect humankind
Material possessions offered as a gift provide such artificial pleasure,
divert attention from the necessary skills to survive
My presence with the "grandies" when they come here for a visit, walk them in the orchard
talk about flowers seeds and fruit, discuss so many details of how to stay alive
Read a simple story, teach a simple guitar chord or two
some relaxing body massage to help them get through
Cut some stalks of sugar cane for the juice, which they love to suck
Just be there for them whenever they are stuck
And often just to listen as they walk a thorny path, shed a tiny tear
Someone to guide them, to help quell their fear
Intangible moments share each others pleasures, filled with love and joy
Provide long lasting memories from when one was a girl or boy
So when there are birthdays or xmas and they hand out lots of presents
they know there will be none from grandpa, his presents are his presence
There once was a man from Yatesville
He might as well been from Batesville
Valentine's Day
At home didn't stay
In love, totally had no skill
trusting myself to finally take my lead
never seen any competition if so concede
attention's on my actions expectation to fail
looking like fools my skills surely prevail
no bragging to boast for a shameful taunt
just being me has caused a haunt
my words have motivational and influential range
is that possible from a mind that's said to be derange
don't be shame of the unethical plays in your game
you lost fair and square so whose the blame
exemplified my win with gratitude and grace
hope you took notes to better your next race
like i said, "there's no competition"
no more to say this my benediction
How blessed would we be if before the final reading of our wills
we would have all mastered these two important skills…
The first one should be easy…
learning how to love everyone…
wouldn’t that be great
The second is a little more difficult …
learning…how not to hate
Teach them how to discern and learn,
Don’t leave them helpless to crash and burn.
Teaching them just content, they learn it your way.
Teach them the process of learning today,
You give them a lifetime of learning every day.
When life is cruel or unkind
I write a poem, a song, a story or such
If this does not rejuvenate me, I take a nap
Dream in my favorite pinks, oranges and yellows
My dreams are fantastical, frolicking and fun
Alliteration peppers my thoughts upon awakening
I think I will write them down, but in moments they are gone
So, I have a choice
Go back to sleep and try to rekindle that poem
Or face life
Socrates to Plato
Emerson to Thoreau
When the student is ready, the teacher will appear
Invaluable lessons will be on display for him to feel, see, and hear
Ali to Larry
Jordan to Kobe
If the student is willing, he will do the valiant work...
He would rather not be the teacher; instead, he aims to show his worth
Picasso to Warhol
James to Michael____
Teacher to student
From shadow to lucent
Teacher to student
From unwise to prudent
A smart man studies and learns from the best
He knows and respects the work and readies himself for his test
Start with more than one pinch of small-town Iowa mischief
Sixty-five cups of empathy
Fifty cups of understanding
Thirty cups of honesty
Stir until they are milky and comfortably pudding-like
Add a half a pound of trustworthiness
Set aside for an hour, maybe chill in the refrigerator
In a second bowl sift together
Three cups of common sense
Two cups of wonder
And a cup of sweetness
Combine them and drop by teaspoons full on a cookie sheet
bake in an easy-bake oven for ten minutes at three-fifty
Oops I forgot to add good listening skills.
You may dollop them on the top after the cookies cool
Then share the cookies with your neighbors, family and friends
Skills are born
Out of intent
Honed through practice.
Fed up with his constant prattle
I got into a verbal battle
The harshest of words were spoken
But in the end his will was broken
My voice was clear and strong of lung
I was sharp of wit and deft of tongue
His face grew pale and ashen gray
Then he finally just walked away
Teaching my son important life skills daily so he can be ready for whatever comes his way
Everyone has a special talent
Everyone has some special skills
Nothing is eternal under the tent
Everyone is entitled to some special deals
Who are we to prejudge or judge?
Who are we to refuse to budge?
Once in a while, comes a little surprise
Most of the time, it is no good to surmise
No one is the same, no one is perfect
We all have to do our best, to be correct
There is only one first time
No one has the same shade of paint
Lemon is yellow, and different is lime
Everyone has a different talent.
Copyright © October 2016, Hébert Logerie, All rights reserved
Hébert Logerie is the author of several poetry books.
I'm not jealous of all His suffering
or His final Ascension hovering
I accept that I cannot cure on touch
or walk on water, or through walls and such
But I sometimes get the distinct feeling
(when with people, or prayerfully kneeling)
That I wish I could get to know others--
(family, friends, neighbors, sisters and brothers)
--The way God does, completely, and loves still
(my befriending skills are sometimes at "nill")
"Love one another as I have loved you"
never really seems to come fully true :(
Wish we could talk longer than just a while
wish I knew their favorites, and why they smile
God gets to see them everywhere they go
people could hang out with God, if they know
You'd think maybe He never gets lonely
since God's Heart is all full of Love only
but He wants us to get to know Him, too
as much as He loves us first, through and through
to be continued...
A carapace of courage
Lies buried in the hills.
A library of wisdom
Stocked with empty pages,
Erased for all the ages.
A husk of special skills
And verbal vitality
Dad, juggernaut at rest.
Sub Categories
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.