I
Never one to shackle one with the past
Yet humans use words to distort
Time, our guilt or responsibility
In that sense, the Past is a scapegoat
An escape route, and inconsistent ally:
If one has/ had parents, one has a past
And we give it life with our names ...
When we use any names, biological
Or anthropological, or political (Malcolm X)
The past is deployed - a battleship of peace and war
II
God has a Past (faithfulness) yet is timeless
Not shackled by time; the Passover
Cannot be passed over or passed by
Even as Past History of Hebrews escaping
Egypt, superpower of the day
If you have skeletons you're hiding
You may say LET the PAST BURY ITSELF
It can't be done
Face it, repent, and enjoy PRESENT Presents
Of a cleaner conscience, trust, open relationships
The PAST is the (steamship or) airship
That brought you here: face this time with truth
Categories:
steamship, bible, growth, holocaust, international,
Form: Didactic
Brother and Father, true
Of 90 years, they have no clue
Grandchildren rush to wishes, send
None yet, from the great-grandson at Trent's end
Born in the depression pit
Promised relief if at desk, you sit
Watched a subcontinental tear
To join a state of emergency, rare
From steamship to service royal
You proved yourself truly loyal
The crown's agents embraced you, sure
For their empire's profit, pure
You, in stature, grow
Wife and kids in tow
Gave them your all
Theirs to rise and fall
A new crown stalks the land
They miss the card in your hand
Joke's on them, right
Let them learn a nonagenarian's might
From the prodigal, a wish in rhyme
This sixty-second time
No mere words, off a duck's back
True feelings of love, don't lack
Categories:
steamship, 12th grade, africa, birthday,
Form: Rhyme
When roof beams have stored old suitcases
and collected dust through generations
Timeless quality genuine leather, with respect for craft
// The faithful suitcase was packed
They hide secrets about unknown journeys
With salt water in the blood vessels, aboard on the steamship
Smell of pipe tobacco and salted fish in barrels
// The faithful suitcase was packed
Throw the anchor, arranged with ropes and the steam engine
Check the wind and the weather ... the fog is coming
They suppressed fear and headed for the open sea
// The faithful suitcase was packed
What do you have in your luggage
An antelope that was caught with lasso ?
A collection of old love poems ... words from heart
There and then, life was more important than gold
// The faithful suitcase was packed
27.01.2020
Sun :) - A-L Andresen :)
Copyright © All Rights Reserved
Categories:
steamship, nostalgia, ocean,
Form: Free verse
If you look at Stephen Foster,
who wrote songs for the minstrel shows,
you wouldn’t expect a genius
that all of the world would know.
He was another bookkeeper
for a steamship company,
until he started writing tunes
that to this day sound masterly.
Today those same minstrel shows
seem quite insulting to good minds,
they weren’t exactly ‘High Culture’
way back in Foster’s time,
but the man wrote Old Susanna,
and My Old Kentucky Home,
the Swanee River, Camptown Races,
and Hard Times Come Again No More.
Even Beautiful Dreamer,
and Genie With The Light Brown Hair,
the amount of hits this man wrote
can drive musicians to despair.
From throw-away entertainment
that never got a second look,
this man alone wrote the core of
The Great American Songbook.
That he still remains relevant,
even known at this late date,
show that we never can predict
who exactly will be great.
Categories:
steamship, books, literature, music, people,
Form: Rhyme