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Best Poems Written by Bob Atkinson

Below are the all-time best Bob Atkinson poems as chosen by PoetrySoup members

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12
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Sociocultural Evolution - By Bob Atkinson

Sociocultural
Evolution
- by Bob Atkinson

here in the here and
now
well beyond that
date in time
beyond beginnings so
far back
as to look like
stones defined

by their
stratification
layers of that dust
of life
which settles into a
black void
and shoves us out of
life

here with a fond
reflection
we see what we've
become
our narrow minded
creases
of satisfied results

but satisfaction
deviates
from norms we can
arrange
to send our children
to the future
an establishment
pre-arranged

take a minute to
evolve
into something more
advanced
don't see your
brother as the enemy
to be pierced
through with your
lance

Copyright © Bob Atkinson | Year Posted 2014



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A Poem Wrapped In Music - By Bob Atkinson

A Poem Wrapped in
Music
by  Bob Atkinson


write that emotional
treasure

your life, your
loves, your leisure

tell all your best
stories

describing love,
life and glory

setting for us
location

describe all with
elocution

impact my heart with
fire

by describing
heart's desire

tell stories not yet
told

of your actions weak
and bold

tales of the heroes
gone

to the past or
current born

give me much to
contemplate

while I live that
sedate life

worrying about
tomorrow

with those darlings
or a wife

wrap this wondrous
treasure

in a blanket of
sweet sounds

music for a
lifetime's thought

bringing my spirit
to the ground

call this something
I will know

a word with which to
rest

my weary attention
span

spread out over my
chest

call the content and
the notes

an entire ball of
wax

something I will
know and treasure

from my future to my
past

call it song

Copyright © Bob Atkinson | Year Posted 2014

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Linux - By Bob Atkinson

Linux 
    - by Bob Atkinson

Linus had a vision
of that which percolates
upon the scene of tradition
giving wheat grain at the gate

to better the community
by effort of the hand of man
wherein we all accumulate
repayment for our plans

he sought that which one sees
in visions traded for
efforts of the skills obtained
on all the foreign shores

no matter who we are in our
simple lives of quiet revision
we do our individual part by
coding commerce for his vision

whereby the info flows down on
a matrix of delight
accomplishing our harder tasks
as if by a quill pen's light

Linus kept it simple
no greed carried within
let the others steal from man
his objective was to give

Copyright © Bob Atkinson | Year Posted 2014

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Unreason - By Bob Atkinson

Unreason
- by Bob Atkinson

"... ode to those
who teach creative
writing at the
college level,
yet have not the
talent nor
understanding
required
to produce something
worthwhile ..."

to listen graciously
then turn away
feeling for the
first time
wonder at his
sayings

carries burdens
newly minted
for my life on lumpy
pavement
simply put this
wreck of words
drives not my lucid
statements
 
in fear of simple
castings made
those so hard to
correctly gage
find difficulty in
believing
what should or
shouldn't stand

feed me what to this
date
has not been allowed
percolation
to equate justice
circumcised
against wispy
thoughts berated

metaphors mixed
until complete
that nonsense we all
believe in
can only drive us
deeply down
a path toward firm
unreason

Copyright © Bob Atkinson | Year Posted 2014

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Anasazi and Hohokam - By Bob Atkinson

Anasazi and Hohokam
 - by Bob Atkinson

tell me now your ancient stories
so I can feel your power and glory
survive you did in this harsh land
becoming a mystery to this small man

where did you go? are you still here?
tell me of your wants and fears
buildings you made of stone
still stand above piles of bones

did you lay down your lives
to the last because of pride
fighting those opposed
to your ancient way of life

over this land of dusty valleys
swept clean of life as if by water
you carved out of rocky soil
life for your sons and daughters


of those who lived those years
we know nothing more
we see them scraped from the land
was it peaceful or violent horror?


you who no longer sing
those songs of glory days
left us remnants of your cities
to remind us of your closed page


confers to us our wonderment
never allowing our minds rest
where and why did you go?
reason won't be known, but guessed

you knew how to test the ground
dug canals, brought water to dry land
giving seed to harvest yearly
moisture to crops of greenery

you knew facts that life required
by those who live and thrive
in arid lands which never seem
to allow for relaxed lives


ones who have gone before
left us not stories and lore
they keep their lives from our eyes
made us wonder where and why

let us begin the quest
to document that sixth sense
that which makes us who we are
our emotions pickled in a jar

document your current stories
so future can feel your power and glory
how you survived in this harsh land
become no mystery to future man

Copyright © Bob Atkinson | Year Posted 2014



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Don'T Look Under the Bed

Don't Look Under the Bed
 - by Bob Atkinson

..........Oliver Goldsmith tells the story ....

out walking for his health
a man spied his friend of years on pathway
how "are you sir?" he asked with smile
"not well" the gent replied back, looked terrified

"... what happed sir to create this stir
you seem so stressed this day
do you feel under the weather
perhaps you should stand in shade? ..."

the man then told his story
one of dubious glory
had come home early yesterday
and found his wife not at her work

lying without on her bed
no stitch of clothes or hat on head
had looked down and seen some shoes
not his size, but a style he knew

looking further had seen his friend
under the bed with open hand
covering body parts unnamed
a context which him inflamed

"... hmmmm the first man perused
this situation's not so unusual
a fix of gross proportions
one of life's heartless distortions

the gent began to lament
how he's sending wife to mother
divorcing within the week
slapping her with lawyer on each cheek

his friend then held up hand to stop
this track of mind which he thought
not a path one should take
in this situation of disgrace

"friend," he said with saddened tone
"you have no witness on your own
just your word against your lover
should you really send her to her mother?

your word against her own
you'll alimony pay through the nose
and half your wealth will be disposed
to this woman of lover spoken

best never again look under her bed
when you come home you should slam
front door hard to make some noise
yell 'Honey I'm Home' loudly in bright tones"

thus, the gent saw sense in this
went home with smile to his sweetness
"Honey I'm home," he loudly declared upon entry
he never again looked under bed or pantry

Copyright © Bob Atkinson | Year Posted 2014

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18 Stoic Faces

18 Stoic Faces
- by Bob Atkinson

eighteen stoic faces
faced four who had come
to read the erudite refrains
of poets both dead and gone

readings were in earnest spoken
for respect for some who had
garnered from the establishment
accolades, awards, well sanctioned

yes, eighteen stoic faces
faced four who read so good
those meaningless diatribes
of useless linguistic words

significance became not evident
for similes provided here
metaphors vaguely crafted caused
me not them to revere

this didn't change my attitude
my demeanor didn't rise
waiting for an end to it
was my only real desire

so I couldn't clap and whistle
and be smiling in my face
that would not have been sincere
became just a little bit ashamed

whistle I didn't do at all
felt not much real emotion
gave a polite nod to those speaking
headed quickly out the door

save me from disjointed thoughts
can't those people see the truth
senseless disorganization
does not good poetry produce
 
of those thoughts not poetry 
I firmly do believe
the fireplace requires cellulose
for bright flames to feed

listless words written poorly
carried my imagination not
was frozen in my dreamy state
rusted any worthwhile thoughts 

next week went to Vegas
to see the eagle band
and watch as pure emotion
rocked that audience grand

ten thousand had paid apiece
a couple hundred bucks
to see those wordly masters
like Henley, Frey and such

they told of the situation
which emotion played upon
a woman's real life choices
why she'd become despondent

ten thousand cheered upon
recognition of great words
displayed while coddled with sounds
soft guitars and drums beat purrs
 
I thought "now here lies real poetry"
not those prissy kind of words
that speak only of the unimportant
with wispy mindless verbs

some lock credentials grand
for that which moves us not
and laugh at the suggestion
that song is our greatest art

me, I have a vision
that we shall all enjoy
songs we've grown up with
as emotional literal tomes

Copyright © Bob Atkinson | Year Posted 2014

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The Kentucky Hayseed - By Bob Atkinson

The Kentucky Hayseed

  - by Bob Atkinson

he looks a little confused
his mind cast in a fix
how can he concentrate on this
just a little bit

a jerky set of previews
float over and above
his articulated vision on
some confused state of fuss

he'd never seen a problem
like this in all his life
a complex set of jargon
not allowing mushy light

he chewed on a blade of grass
considering all possibilities there
just open ended reflex
on most of which, he didn't care

his mama told him something
when a child was he
he tried to focus reason
when allowed here to repeat

that never ending slogan
of truth and firm despair
carrying nothing in between
his inner and outer ears

the hayseed settled down to work
a tumor he could see
grabbed a scalpel from the nurse
and simply cut it free

Copyright © Bob Atkinson | Year Posted 2014

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Belleville Boys - By Bob Atkinson

Belleville Boys

- by Bob Atkinson

walk the streets of
our old town

thoughts of fame not
unfounded

tell us if our
hearts conform

with success to be
adorned

here on those
sidewalks laid for
us

by streets of
asphalt drawn from
dust

lights which shine
for us at night

below the stars of
heavens might

we desire to succeed

we develop from
another breed

we transform
ourselves again

into a newly formed
music band

names will change
along our path

some come along,
some don't last

some add to our
candle power

some step back, some
stand for honor

Connie sang the
"Sorry" song

Bert and Harry had
penned so long

ago, seems ages, but
was nice

when she our hearts
sliced with a knife

Tommy dreamed of
success

as did Nick and
Frankie, Bob

whom Joe presented
to the guys

as wonderment in
writing style

Shorts had success
in history

Cheri started the
money tree

life goes on toward
open progress

twists and turns
leave some
despondent

for the memories
these guys made

as we went through
our phases

their style, their
efforts well
appreciated

from this side of
life's directive

we thank them all
for their work

their toil, their
songs written in our
book

those memories now
folded into

the fabric of our
grasp of future

to those who have
not seen the sights

of minds expanded by
these guys

we present them as a
legacy

of dreams
accomplished with
energy

Copyright © Bob Atkinson | Year Posted 2014

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The Critic - Art and Poetry - By Bob Atkinson

The Critic - Art and Poetry
 - by Bob Atkinson
 
'tis always easier to criticize
than is to do it yourself
although in truth the latter
contains far more fun and mirth


my point lies somewhere in between
good and bad of poetry
adjustment for the mainstream
how we absorb idealistic dreams


to see this in a different light
with crystal covers on the lens
we can, with open eyes
love writers with sharp pens

those who look beyond the fluff
and understand good meaning
divest themselves of constraints
and pursue a different dreaming

they see a world with tearfulness
not holding on to chains
which produce establishments
that grate and agitate

my desire in this arena
carries to all a simple message
don't let the future be determined
by past usage and direction

what you see is fabricated
a reality far from real
poo pooing things that matter
holds their only zeal

me, I've grown accustomed
to my meaning zipping by
heads of those who look
only at the surface side

doesn't mean I'm disheartened
to try is not hard at all
when you feel compunction
to rearrange it all

Copyright © Bob Atkinson | Year Posted 2014

12

Book: Reflection on the Important Things