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Best Poems Written by John Baie

Below are the all-time best John Baie poems as chosen by PoetrySoup members

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A New Zealand Visit With the Maori People

During a tour in this island nation, 
a Maori guide was seeking a nomination.

Among our tour he sought out a spokesman,
to respond to the chief's words, as a small token.

"Sir, will you represent your touring tribe?"
"Yes," I responded, "for a very large bribe!"

I wanted to know what was required.
Giving a speech was nothing I desired.

"No. There's nothing to it at all.
Just go up there and stand up tall."

As we closed in on the Maori stage, 
changes to instructions began to be made.

"Say some words when the chief's talk is done.
It's just a matter of having some fun."

"You must always show a serious face.
Or the chief will put you in your place."

"In your speech, you must show respect.
Or the gravest insult, the chief will suspect."

I was as nervous as one could be.
I seriously considered an option to flee.

"Don't worry too much," the Maori man said.
"I'll give you some cues to ease your dread."

The chief rambled on with his lengthy speech.
Then it was my turn, into the breach.

Nervously, I told the chief about my tribe.
"We're from a cruise ship, traveling far and wide."

I could think of nothing else, just wanted to be gone.
The guide then whispered, "Sing the chief a song."

Again, the Maori guide bent my ear,
"Have your tribe do a song near and dear."

'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' invaded my mind.
Could I get away with that this time?

I asked my tribe to all pitch in.
And we all sang loudly that sporting hymn.

Congratulations were given, a job well done.
Everyone cheered as they had much fun.

I was so glad that things worked out.
Would I do it again? Without a doubt!

Details | John Baie Poem

Divine Intervention

Can't tie shoes. Can't read aloud. Can't memorize Latin.
IQ test. Panic. Shyness. Confidence goes missing.

"Ask, and you will receive." A corner turned.
College, city planner, romance, graduation.

Paradise lost. War drums. "You are ordered to report."
Many rockets fired, explosions all around.
"Grab your guns. Prepare for the invasion."
Terror and dread, the overwhelming emotions.  

"Ask, and you will receive." Deliverance!
Cheers on homeward flight abound.
A terrible war left behind.

Civilian life. Lost and bewildered.
"Will I get a job? Will I fit in?"

"Ask, and you will receive." It all comes together.
Grad school, true love and a career.
Wedding bells, children, grandchildren. Blessings astound.

Retirement: activities, sports, travel. All a pure delight.
But time speeds up. No, we slow down. Sunset and aging.
Microsoft 7, 10 and 11. Ever more complicated.
Accounts, passwords. Far too many Applications.
Masks, shots and Covid-19. The spreading contagion.
Patient portals. Lab tests. Hospitalizations.
Can't keep up. There's no time. Difficulty remembering.
Anger. Self-doubt. Far too many frustrations.

"Ask, and you will receive." Rescued again.
True love comforts. Eternal Love sustains.


The Bible, Matthew, Ch. 7, Vs. 7-11

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It's Tough Being a Dodger Fan

A baseball team hard to follow
Failures really tough to swallow
Many problems from stem to stern
Fans' frustration in a slow burn
Managers don't know what to do
To get the Dodgers out of the blues
Too close to Hollywood it would seem
Many distractions bad for a team

Ahead by eight games in '62
Seemed just too good to be true
Sandy Koufax leading the way
Then bad luck came into play
Injury knocked Koufax out
Dodgers lost all games in a rout
With the Giants in a tie
Hard to accept the reason why

Fell to the Giants in a playoff
Series hopes sadly lost

After '62 the Dodgers were back
Won two Series with Sandy Koufax

In the '70s the Dodgers tanked
Dropped two Series to the hated Yanks

FOX bought team in '98
I'm now less certain about their fate
Team sold again in '04
How could a fan ask for more

Team again sold to folks in LA
Had big money with which to play
Tried to buy their way to the top
Bought three players from the Sox

One was named A. Gonzalez
A gifted player with great prowess
Two others were hurt and all done playin'
That's all about this I'm gonna' be sayin'

Astros beat Dodgers in '17
Houston cheated it would seem
Signs were stolen by that team
Oh my heavens that was mean

Lost to Boston in '18
Another Series left in waiting
It's true some Series the Dodgers have won
But with bad luck we had less fun

Hey what are their chances this year
Dodger front office says never fear
Same old story I frown and sneer
They're too short on pitching
I need a beer

Wait a minute
2020 Just happened
Dodgers won Series
I can't stop laughin'
Hurray, hurray
There's so much to cheer
My joy for this team
Now crystal clear
Faith in the Dodgers
Returns to this fan
Lots to celebrate 
That's my plan

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A Career Epiphany

Had just turned age sixteen.

Hey, that was really keen.

But I was aimless in high school.

Which was not really cool.

In this pose, now I was stuck.

What will I be when I grow up?

Older siblings were college-bound.

Such a path I had not found.

I asked for help on what to do.

So, I'd have a future not so blue.

Be an architect or engineer?

Too far beyond me, I feared.

A pamphlet happened to come my way.

"Be a city planner," it did say.

So, I decided to read some more.

Suddenly opened, was a brand-new door!

With much excitement, I continued to read.

What's next? How to proceed?

I called City Hall for the right place to go.

"Try the planning office, if you want to know." 

I made my plan to head downtown. 

There, the planning office, I found.

The director gave me an office tour.

I began to feel, "This is for sure."

Maps on the wall were plain to see.

Planning books showing what a city could be.

I now knew exactly, I clearly perceived. 

I was becoming a plan devotee.

I asked the director what school I needed.

State University, he completed.

I headed home with enthusiasm.

I was now lifted from my earlier chasm.

I experienced a rise in expectations.

Was accepted at college upon graduation.

Four years later, a graduate planner.

Whatever else could possibly matter.

Over the years, I held many positions.

I helped build cities with my planning decisions.

Now 40 years later, from myself, I can't hide.

Having fulfilled my dreams, I look back with pride.

 


The Epiphany that Changed Your Life contest, start date Aug. 8, 2022
Sponsor:  Chantelle Anne Cooke
Poet:  John Baie

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Faith and Hope Overcome Dyslexia

Can't tie shoes. Can't read aloud. Can't memorize Latin.
IQ test, panic, shyness. 
Confidence goes missing.

Ask, and you will receive.
A corner turned. 
College, city planner, romance, graduation.

Paradise lost. War drums. 
"You are hereby ordered to report."
Many rockets fired, crashing all around.
Fear and dread. "Grab your guns." Invasion.

Ask, and you will receive.
Deliverance! Unscathed.
A terrible war left behind.
Cheers on homeward flight abound.

Civilian life: lost and bewildered. 
Just don't fit in. 

Ask, and you will receive.  
It all comes together.
Grad school, true love and a career.
Wedding bells, children, grandchildren. 
Blessings astound.

Retirement: Spanish, softball, world travel. 
All a pure delight.

But time speeds up. No, we slow down. Sunset and aging.
Microsoft 7, 10 and 11.
Accounts, passwords, applications.
Patient portals, lab tests, hospitalizations.
Masks, shots and Covid 19.
Can't keep up.  There's no time. Trouble remembering.
Anger, self-doubt, then frustration.

Ask, and you will receive. 
Rescued again.
True love comforts. 
Eternal Love sustains.



Inspirational Christian Poetry Contest
Sponsor:  Regina McIntosh
February 23, 2022

Details | John Baie Poem

Faith and Hope Overcome Dyslexia

Can't tie shoes. Can't read aloud. Can't memorize Latin.
IQ test, panic, shyness. Confidence goes missing.

A corner turned. Ask, and you will receive.
College, city planner, romance, graduation.

Paradise lost. War drums. "You are hereby ordered to report."
Fear and dread. Grab your guns. Invasion.
Many rockets fired, crashing all around.
Deliverance! Cheers on homeward flight abound.
"Baby killer! How justify?" Keep it secret. Don't fit in.

Ask, and you will receive. It all comes together.
Grad school, true love, and a career.
Wedding bells, children, grandchildren. Blessings astound.
Retirement: Spanish, softball, world travel. All a pure delight.

But time speeds up. No, we slow down. Sunset and aging.
Microsoft 7, 10 and 11.
Accounts, passwords, applications.
Patient portals, lab tests, hospitalizations.
Masks, shots and Covid-19.
Can't keep up. There's no time. Trouble remembering.
Anger, self-doubt, then frustration.

Ask, and you will receive. Rescued again.
True love comforts. Eternal Love sustains.

Details | John Baie Poem

Creator and Created

Unbound universe shimmering
Fiery orb of heat and light
This earthly ball's rotation
Oceans crashing shoreward
Majestic mountains rising
Mighty rivers rolling
Fruited plains abound

From molecules, the gift of life explodes
Fragile, persistent, prolific
The genomes exactly followed

With existence comes awareness
Then a searching for its meaning
An epiphany, realization
Praising, thanking, loving
Creator and created
Magnificent Glory found

Details | John Baie Poem

Near Death Using Meditation

Suffering depression, desperate for help.

Found a book on meditation.

It provided useful guidance for one's proceeding.

Try to find a quiet time every afternoon.

Then sit in a chair, alone, in your very own room.

Light a candle, then place it safely on the floor.

Watch the flame for some time to help your concentration.

Then close your eyes and clear your mind of all possible distractions.


In 12 days, a feeling of drifting inward did occur.

Each succeeding day I traveled ever deeper,

moving in a tunnel, a tube with walls of cotton.


Up ahead, a brilliant light appeared.

Suddenly this lumen totally engulfed me, 

a deep, eternal love so tangibly uplifting.


Then the notion, I'm out of place.

Go back! You don't belong here.

I quickly receded down the tunnel,

awakening in the chair in my room.

The lighted candle still burning.

Details | John Baie Poem

Life Goes On

A child at his uncle's funeral.
A man once vibrant, now cold and still.
Fear and dread, a fate for all.
"Don't want to die!" The plaintive shout.  

A loving parent's reassurance,
"You're far too young to worry." 
Life goes on, the child grows up.
College, romance, graduation.

A horrendous shock now occurs.
Again, the specter of death arises.
A friend violently killed in a car.
"To all of us, this could happen." 

But spring returns and life goes on.
True love, marriage, and career.
The wondrous miracle of infant life.

Then vicious cancer strikes a child.
Anguish, pain and gloom.
"How could Father let this happen?" 
All faith and hope seem gone.

But slowly darkness returns to light,
but no longer as bright and shining.
A semblance of life in fact returns.
Siblings grow up with lives of their own.

Parents grow older and start to slow down.
Friends and relatives begin to fall.
"Who's next in line to leave us behind?" 

Reasoning begins to enter one's thoughts.
The gift of life is in fact complete.
Children, grand children, the cycle goes on.

How can death be all that bad? 
For in this act, all must partake.
For those who believe, there are wonders awaiting.
And a life well lived, lives on in other hearts.

Details | John Baie Poem

Bee Happy

Off on a mission
Sniff! Sniff!
Nectar and pollen detected
Colorful flowers guiding
This way to the prize!
Crawling into the breach
Nectar! Yum! What a treat! 

Weighted with much pollen
Lifting off for home
The long flight is heavy
But always up to the task

Safe! Back with the family
Clear the way! Nectar to give!
The load lightened. A job well done!

Heading off again
The way back remembered
Sniff! Sniff!
Nectar and pollen detected
Colorful flowers guiding