the greatest classroom
I ever sat in
was my mother's kitchen
she said
give what you want
if you get it back stay
if you don't leave
she said
you might not ever get a degree in law
but you damn well better
get a degree in people
she said
you cannot
have an independent mouth
and a dependent ass
she said
don't criticize
the recipe
only criticize the dish
she said
marriage is like
a construction company
you are supposed to build things
she said
the devil
does more harm with a lie
than a knife or gun
she said
you may not believe in God
but if you look in my eyes
you will see the results
the greatest classroom
I ever sat in
was my mother's kitchen
and I
graduated
Summa cum laude
vERMEN THE vERMITT
sOMETHING GOING ON
pLEASE DON'T GET ME WRONG
SEEMS IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT
FOOLISH TO ME
BEHIND THE SHRUB
AND BEHIND THE TREES
THERE WATCHING YOU AND ME
IT'S THE ANTIOUM sONGTRA
MONTRA
OUT BY THE FENCE
WERE THINGS MAKE MORE SENSE
I WROTE A GROOVY SONG
WE WERE OUT THERE
GETTIN IT ON
rEMEMBER WHEN MY HAIR WAS LONG
FIT ENOUGH TO
WEAR A THONG
OUT THERE GETTING IT ON
SINGIN MY BRAND NEW SONG
SHE SPILLED THE WINE
ON HIS EXSPENSIVE SILK SHIRT
WHILE HE AND
bAD- bASS WERE TRYNA
FIND THE RIGHT WORDS
TO WRITE!
(aCCIDENT IS A SCHWA WORD)
THE SOFTER PRONOUNCATION
OF THE SCHWA CAUSED THEM TO
BE INSPIRED TO WRITE THESE
LYRICS
suMMA OF ya pAPPIES cOLLEGE mASCOT
THE HIGH PASS FILTER
JILOOW PASS FILTER
vODCAST
cOPITA-cOPITA
cLAN pOACHERS
(fICTION)
kANTANKA
The enchantment of the jasmine’s flickering candle doth burn,
On the broad, antique desk, poems she created in quick turns.
While her mind with brightness, filled with equanimty did churn.
Recalling recognitions with joy over happy centuries she did learn.
Smiling over her ‘Summa Cum Laude’, so rightly, was her proud earn. ‘
Her parents, schooling, churching with love, she had this night,discerned!
~POEM 1~
10/11/2024
I saw them walking
She caught my eye
Turned to glance
When they walked by
She in spandex
That oh mi oh my
Said hey baby
Phat az you is
We could start rehersting
and make some kids
Her buster told me
Stepoff trick
Told him ole girl
Might let him (boop)
My (boop)
By the way I was talking
To your gal
You want some of dis
Give you summa fat
Here kitty kitty you ah
Sweet kitty cat
Told him
It's to late
You can't skate
By the way
I was talking to your date
To late
you can't skate
Stop gritting Mister
I gamin on your date
At no time say never- that it is too late
fulfilling accomplishments you've left undone.
At times, what you long for is not met by fate;
Must tend to those wishes yourself- to be done.
I, married with children, had turned thirty-nine;
two went off to college, the other, soon too.
A gap in my life at this time seemed just fine
for me to reach out, a new venture pursue.
It took six long years- although what a great ride!
As a part-time student, in college, I bloomed-
with English BA, Business minor, my side-
rewards in my writing and work status zoomed.
At the graduation, my heart filled with cheer!
With summa cum laude, Nineteen eighty-four,
I walked on that stage with my family near-
all praising my courage for growth to explore.
At times, what you long for is not met by fate;
at no time say never- that it is too late.
Anapestic Tetrameter -/--/--/--/
The Ocean has no conscience,
no judgment, joy, or hate
She dances with you to her beat
in stirring waves of fate
With reverence you may enter
all blessings on the day
But just one slip and she reminds
what ancient mariners say…
“Red sky at morning, sailors take warning
red sky at night, sailors delight”
Her message best taken when early to bed
life in the balance, her power to dread
(Rosemont Pennsylvania: June, 2022)
Reclaimation
Recyclation
Drilling into
stone to
manage water
waters to be
reclaimed
stored and
reused.
Then how might
I speak such when
My existence can
be questioned in
opposition to my
Claim.
Fro. Stranger to
Less strained.
Might the freindly
way of sacred
trust trickle upon
the stranger
Uncitifed to be
Country enough
to be Human!
The bassoons stopped when
the piccalos spoke of reclaimation
and desaltifcation
To let the cymbals speak to
trumpeted muses.
Oh clear!
Might my waters
Quinch my thirsty
Palate.
When they speak me
as existed, to make
Me evil and my
exhistance vain!
Sarah of Raleigh Durieum!
Summa Thyme
I want for you to say
Cause I wanna put mi
Light shades on !
By
A. C. Terry Jr.
Life is the culmination
—of many small things
(Dreamslseep: October, 2020)
Graduation Of Two
It is a day to remember,
my son and grandson together,
Graduating with an A-plus,
so tell me what is all the fuss,
Cannot recall a dull moment,
from yearly gifts now bestowment,
Both of you summa cum laude,
G.P.A. four-point-oh lordy,
So come now, uncle and nephew,
we leased a hall for this venue,
Family and friends all gather,
Entertainment, food, gifts, matter,
Your dad and granddad are happy,
nana's countenance is pretty,
Interest, game technology,
twas both in your biology,
Twas in the cards with words on walls,
colleges with their protocols,
Tis best for both to get a house,
here are the keys as I espouse,
Since your parents bought your new cars,
I resolved to buy a just cause,
So here is a toast to you boys,
ere me young men, to books from toys,
Both part of our family tree,
today, a bit proudly it be.
2020 February 17
Rhyme Scheme:
Couplet
AUSSIE OUTBACK CHRISTMAS
Comin' 'ome in an aussie sleigh,
ol' tractor ute with a rusty tray,
with a big branch of Gum, it be
the Christmas tree .
hard to find 'em white ant free.
Nailed it to a webbed dusty wall,
usin' my boot as a hamma
watching all the spiders fall,
decorated with koala, snake an' goanna
.
Com' Christmas morn here in Whatabugga,
dis summa heat could cook a burra.
Da' ol' bath tub, empty with prezzies gorrrn,
taken outside to cook magpie 'n' corn,
while some have fun on the dusty lawn.
Some prezzies still on dah floor,
Beaut!, new hinges for the dunny door.
Mum is smilin' even more,
a rackit, for flies 'n mozzies galore,
near the size of a dinosaur.
Tis Christmas in dah' auzzie west,
with heat 'n' flies to enjoy the fest.
Singlet, shorts 'n' thongs,
our very best.
Be our guest,
and enjoy Christmas in the Auzzie west.
An overachieving college student
with lofty ambitions.
Her education is finally over,
a completion of a complicated puzzle.
A summa cum laude graduate
with two doctorate degrees under her belt.
The sky's the limit, yet she struggles
to decide which fork in the road to take
She stands with her arms akimbo
on the cusp of destiny.
As her eyes search the infinte stars
in the sky, she's wondering "Now what?"
Crossroads Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Silent One (Winner: 3rd Place)
Date written and posted: 09/20/2019
the womans sista took exception to what was happening
and wanted in on the deal.
" thats my Daddie Dough,"
ya'll gonna get me sum-of-dat money"
I got a secret formula too, and ya'll need mine
to get where ya'll wanna be.
her daddies recipe
7 cups of rised yeast dough
in a sauce pan add 1 cup of pureed raisins
1/4 cup of butter
1/4 cup of chopped fine almonds
1/4 molassas
3 tablespoons of vinegar
mix well and allow to rise.
that's how my Daddie made those
wonderful loaves
that my formula too, I won-summa-dat money!"
HE CAN OUT TALK
OUT JIVE
THINK TWICE AS FAST
AND SOMETIMES
CAUSES YOU TO ASK YOUR MOTHER
"WHAT KINDA JIVE TONE THIS CAT
IS PLAYING?"
YOU AINT GONNA OUT FOX A FOX
AND THE COUPE WILL HAVE AN OPENING
WHAT KINDA GAME IS THIS CHUMP GRITTIN WIT?
HE WORKS LIKE THE BOSS AND PLAY'S LIKE THE BOSSES SON.
HE GETS THE WORK DONE BABY!
HE GETS THE WORK DONE!
HIS CAMPAIGN TO BECOME BEST AND RECOGNIZED
CAUSE PEOPLE IN OUR FIRM AND SOME ON THE OUTSIDE
TO FIND IT THEIR BUSINESS TO HAVE SUMMA DAT!
"THEY HEARD THOSE JIVE TONES
AND CAME AH RUNNING" STANDING IN THE FACE
OF THE MAN WHO MADE THE CHALLENGE.
GET YO' COAT ON,
WE GOIN OUTSIDE!
SOMEBODY DONE SAID SOMETHING,
THAT RILED UP ALOTTA PEOPLE"
SILLY RANCHER
THE HOGS MAKE THE WEATHER
ALOT HOTTER THEN IT IS!
THE NATURE OF THIS BEAST, IS WILD, AND GOTTA TEACH THE ANIMAL HOW TO GET LOOSE, THEN WE CAN RANCH-UP THE COWPOKES, AND HAVE SOME FUN!
TELL THEM DOLL PRICKS, THEY WOMAN GET A LITTLE SWEETER WHEN THEY HAVE SOME HUNNY FROM THE DUMMY!
I wrote this 50 years ago, yup, been dipping the brain in ink for a few years now.
What do you do on a rainy day
'sides twiddle your thumbs to pass time away.
I have a suggestion, mere conjecture,
escape from it all, attend a lecture.
There you can doodle, take a few notes
- fill up your pad with ambiguous quotes
from Shakespeare and Bacon and Chaucer.
Study and cram and stay up all night,
let your brain fly unbelievable heights -
you know all the answers, let no one deny,
any question you're given you correctly reply.
Summa Cum-Laude then straight to the top,
your ambition, your knowledge, no one can stop
...and just when you think you've got the world won
you awake from your dream, late for class, off you run!
Second Chance
They all expected me to go that year
to a college of my dreams.
Good high school students are imagined to
continue academic paths.
But see...I fell in love, and so I chose
to let my heart lead to my goal
and follow my Marine to where he was,
as his devoted wife and love.
And life was wonderful, because, that June,
at eighteen, I became his bride.
Within six years, three children filled our life,
and I thrived well in motherhood.
The years went fast and blessed our family.
And when the youngest was thirteen,
I did what none expected me to do...
seek out a full college degree.
At forty-five, after a long six years,
a grad I was...Summa Cum Laude.
And then, mature to use it to my best...
this second chance, my treasure was.
BA in English, Business Minor too,
helped me make good my second chance;
achieved new growth on my employment stage...
alongside motherhood and wife.
January 17, 2019
Premiere Contest: Second Chances
Sponsor: Chantelle Anne Cooke
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