Day: December 19, 2019

Where is the solid place that is safe for you?
Isn’t it true we look for that place to hide, or
meditate on the things we should and want to do?

We can be overwhelmed in this day of commercialism
No on blames anyone who strays from their intentions
Being human is a gift, but also a serious challenge

The Grim Reaper waits for the right moments
He knows our weaknesses and when we are vulnerable
Knowing this we try to stay on the righteous path

So easy to drift, to dream, and lose our connection with reality
Still our resolve brings us back to the rock which is our foundation
The strong and true, though apt to falter, find refuge there

No need to rehash failures, misfortunes or un-kept promises
We can renew ourselves in this place of safe-keeping
In this season we are thankful for the gift of introspection

We see the loose, the pleasure seekers, and the shameless
But we do not hold judgement over them as it is not ours to do
We are happy for our blessings and wish the best for them

We walk in our own shoes and know the difficulty at times
Therefore hold no ridicule for those who may be quietly suffering
The harvest will be taken and we will be asked what we did

What we did for those who seem to lag behind and
Have no apparent purpose in their life. Did we go to the fringes?
Did we try to influence and help them? We will be questioned

It gives us many things to think about during this time of joy
We should remove self-centeredness from our daily routine
Make room for prayer and consideration for others

Stanski
December 19, 2019 ^

He used to write
Now pretends
Genius fades
Cover-up begins
Slow transition
Formula known
Fill in the blanks
Another winner
Guggenheim man
Who’s to question?
Arts and letters
Don’t even think

A national treasurer
Like Thoreau
Grounded
Centered
Sense of place
Loves the earth
Fluid
Seamless
Perception
Deception
Part animal
Corruption
Magnificent
Cheers

Stanski
December 18, 2019 ^

Many things are written
Prompted by necessity, inspiration or creativity

Critics may take the time to read
The writing will be evaluated after the fact

A discourse on why or how it was written may be given
New significance will be attached at time goes on

When the author dies, a degree of sacredness
is anointed to the piece

If the writer by chance ever received an award,
perhaps the Guggenheim, then the piece is enshrined

Benefactors in the city where
the writing took place will build a museum

It will be named after the author of the writing

Members of the building committee will have
their names engraved on a brass plate

Those in the know will travel great distances
just to be an eyewitness to this history

Great articles will be written worldwide
further elevating the value

Pilgrims may travel many miles to
visit this important building

Roads may be closed temporarily to allow
for the installation of traffic lights

Negative critics will be held as blasphemous
They will explain away their indiscretion

Everything will be as it should

The power of words

Proof again that the pen is mightier than the sword

Stanski
December 18, 2019 ^

It is complicated he said
When he read my poem
So was “War and Peace”, I said
My work is just a fictional muse
embedded with humor

Take a deep breathe, start all over and enjoy
the laughs as well as the strategy of the set up
I use little punctuation giving the reader a challenge
Why should I do all the work?
You usually do, is the correct answer

Don’t forget, my friend, I go for quality and quantity
It is not easy to do both
Some poets spend a year or more on one poem
Crafting and changing until they are satisfied
I have read some of their finished products
Although they are fine pieces of work
They do not move me

This is because some of the nuances are peculiar
only to the poet and the relativity is lost on me, but
they receive the Guggenheim awards so what can I say?
Someone will find my stuff long after I’m gone and
wonder who that guy was. His musings were so impactful
And still have relevance
That is my dream

I will keep up as long as I can
Then there will be an end

By the way, I said to my friend
Did you notice that I am using
A new penname?

Stanski

I like it
Something like Frankie,
Ella or Elvis
Just the first name
Everyone knows

You have it right
I love recognition

Stanski
December 18, 2019 ^

MAJOR LEAGUE
Some of these poets write
in ways that seem abstract
Putting lines together and
in length, but they somehow
do not connect.

Writing for friends of theirs
trying too hard to impress
As they read, they would
laugh a little bit, my guess

He almost did it, almost
getting close to impressing
his colleagues

A little more time is needed
Maybe a few more years
If he keeps advancing this way
we will all be peers, how nice

They continue reading,
vaguely follow his “line”
Pretend they almost get it
Could he win the Guggenheim?

Sometimes a little obvious
but then he strays away
Goes off on a tangent
Very clever that way

I personally like the fact
that he introduces new
characters, many times foreign

Adds intrigue and culture
but no easy departure,
must ramble on to get to that
special place where
momentum will bring him
to the end and he will smile

Another masterpiece and
then add a few more lines
for his mother or a former
teacher and think it’s grand

That is where some of
the poets stand

Stanski
December 18, 2019 ^