VEXED OF KIN You pick your friends, but not your kin. Once stork descends with you, you’re in Whatever group that Fate selects, Who’ll mold you to what they expect. To some degree, your genes decide What you will be, who you’re inside. But those you’re with through early years Upon your pith their likeness sear. […]
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IF YOU THOUGHT THIS YEAR WAS BAD … (Based on “December 21, 2012: The Real Doomsday?” from http://www.viewzone.com/endtime.html) Doomsday forecasts I believe Offer humans no reprieve. But, unlike the common thread, Won’t be we who strike us dead. No atomic holocaust, Nor the melt of permafrost, Nor deforestation’s squeeze, Nor extinction of species. Happened to us […]
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A-PATHETIC Expecting the bad, receiving the worse, To pessimist’s just what’s par for the course. But when it devolves from worse to the worst, Seems even a pessimist can feel cursed. A cynic’s convinced whatever is right Cannot be achieved without quite a fight. But when this proves futile, he even might Retreat apathetically out of sight. A […]
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GALILEO’S GHOST With Earth at the Center, Ptolemy ruled. Mathematically sound, for centuries fooled Who then passed as scientists to proclaim, “We know all the Universe; don’t defame!” When Copernicus proved the Sun’s the Hub, Those of Catholic persuasion wouldn’t budge. “Since the Bible’s declared, ’The Earth is It,’ Therefore anything new must therein fit.” When […]
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BARBARIANS AT THE GATES Once Rome attained its pinnacle Remained on top of things. Though forces quite inimical Sought to destruction bring. Some conquered thought despicable Rome’s impositioning Of laws it deemed applicable When “Pax-Romana”-ing Four centuries continuous Spanned Romans’ reign as king Throughout the lands contiguous Mediterranean. Just like empires classical From whom […]
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WATER DROP In icy cold of empty space, It hitched a ride on comet’s face, Accelerating toward a star Of recent birth, from distance far. As sun of color yellow grew In field of vision, met with two Enormous spheres of frigid gas That slightly altered comet’s path. Whereas before would swing around The virgin star, […]
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HOTAND COLD Perhaps 100million years To rise from naught, then disappear Above the Hot Spot in the Earth That to Hawaiian Chain gave birth. The oldest now perhaps just stumps, Once mountains proud, now merely bumps Long passed from magma cauldron where They first broke through the surface there. The youngest rise majestically For miles above […]
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DON’T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON YOU (Based on the article “No Welcome Home” in The History Channel Magazine, January/February 2008, pp. 40-45; and other Internet sources) Ever hear of Sundown Town? Likely not, few tales around. History kept underground Lest embarrassment be found. Born and raised in Illinois, Town of Anna, since a boy? Went […]
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TRINITY AFFINITY “And the three men I admire most, The Father, Son and Holy Ghost, They caught the last train for the cost The day the music died.” (from Don McLean’s “American Pie”) The three men I admire most, Though passed, remain alive To me because of what they wrote. Their legacies survive. Most favor Verne […]
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ROMAN RUMINATION I went to visit ancient Rome, But found it never fell. Its buildings may seem crumbled stone, But it’s alive and well. Its mighty temples still exist Though in an altered form. Its rings of gold and amethyst Still fingers rich adorn. For in the City Vatican The emperor still reigns, Descended from Octavian, […]
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