Like every child I did not choose my name…
I was at my parent’s whim….
They chose ton name me James (from the Bible)
although I’ve always preferred Jim.
For my middle name they chose Otto…
after my Grandpa who died when I was a little boy.
Add Jim and Otto to my last name Yerman
and my initials spell out JOY.
When I was young some friends would call me Joy
and around me mixed feelings would swirl….
At first I was not happy…I thought it made me sound too much like a girl.
Until I learned to smile when I heard them call me Joy
to see it as a compliment just the same…
To find the joy within that moment that is inherent in my name.
And from that lesson taught to me on a playground…
all those years ago…
I’ve learned to look for joy wherever I may go.
Which makes me wonder…
Did my initials guide me on this joyous path
from the time I was a boy
or without them would I have been the person
who so easily discovers joy?
Of course I’ll never know the answer…
If it was me…or the initials of my name…
But on days like today…when I stop to think about it…
I thank Grandpa Otto…just the same.
Categories:
yerman, joy,
Form: Rhyme
Let's see now, I've got 20 minutes here
I'll just whip off a poem
or two. Who knows?
What should I write about? I need a topic
Animals? Nature? Romance? Technology?
Nah! Those have all been beaten to death
and then some
I know! Bowling! Yes, bowling! No one
I mean, NOBODY, ever writes about bowling
In fact, let's google it...Aha!...Oh, no! What's this?
There are all sorts of people who've written about it
I mean I even know some of them: Cay Cay Jennings and
Jack Ellison and Jim Yerman have written about it
Even Caren Krutsinger has alluded to 'God bowling' as have
others, and there are lots more poems about bowling too...
Well, there goes 10 minutes already, but uh, er, I have written about
Bowling, haven't I?...
So, how'd I do?!
Categories:
yerman, poetry, poets, sports,
Form: Light Verse
FIRST MEMORIES STEMMING BACK WHEN YOU WERE ON THE DOOR,16 YEARS OLD,MAYBE A LITTLE MORE,ON A STOOL PROPPED OUTSIDE THE ARENA,THINKIN,YERMAN AM SEEIN YA.THIS LAD PLAYING IT COOL N IN THE SAME BREATH AINT NO FOOL. AND TO THIS DAY FROM MY EYES,STRAIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE, NO HAIRS OR GRACES OR LIES.JUST A BORO LAD WHO HAS FOUND HIS SIGHTS,FAMILY LOVE FOR ALL HE FIGHTS..
RESPECT.
TONY ROBBO.
Categories:
yerman, dedication,
Form: Rhyme