The following are short poems I wrote for the other poets at the
International War Veteran Poetry Archives. I will sometimes explain the
circumstances for each so that they make more sense.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To the Women on the Sidelines (of Rich and Col's Battle)
For those of you with estrogen
Watching us silly old men
Wrestle in the dust from ditch to ditch -
Just watch this mental game of chess,
Knowing we are quite harmless,
And way too old to settle it on the pitch.
As these two old sets of bones
Marinated in testosterone
Compete to the death in an arena of ideas,
Shake your head and chuckle loud
As we two men with heads unbowed
Engage in battle without getting off our rears....
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
In response to an email discussing poetic ability)
And I ain't much of a writer
though I think I useta was
with words of love writ tighter
den da dandelions fuzz
Den dey made me take English
in da local gummint school
and me words jus got real lousy -
now I'm jus a poetic fool.
-----===============================
(Answer to the question of whether it is Tomorrow in Australia, or
yesterday here....)
PONDERING THE IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE
Since time is measured forward
And history is all we can know,
Since Aussies live in time that's "to"
And we, in time that's "fro,"
Since the sun moves along interminably
From east to west they say,
It is the tomorrow that matters most
For they will live an additional day.
©Copyright February 5, 2006 by Richard W. Reith
------------------------------------------
Some people are habitual victims, they don't feel worthwhile unless they
have something or someone victimizing them that they can complain
about, fight, and conquer. This is about one of them I know.
The World of the Victim-Bully
by Rich Reith
Bullies are really victims
Who enjoy making a woman cry
To make her cower
in presence of power
When bully’s victimhood is nigh
Bullies fight at the drop of a hat
With anyone who fails
To kneel supine
at the bullies shrine
Containing the Holy Grail
One person after another
Must face the wrath anew
For uttering a sound
Despite how profound
That victim-bully can misconstrue
Thinking victimizers are everywhere
Living life only to attack
Gods own fully
victim-bully
Cannons waiting to shoot back
It takes no special effort
Rarely ever making sense
But what you did,
God forbid
Was deny omniscience
Don’t bother treading lightly
Unless you also plan to kneel
For anyone caught
defending other thought
Must be destroyed in ways surreal
Governments, ethnic and cultural ways,
Religion and all of its factions,
Create this mood
of victimhood
To justify all bullying actions
So feel sorry for the victim-bully
Pity the victimhood existence
Understand their skin
So paper thin
And attacks of absolute nonsense
For victim-bullies sit and wait
For things to misconstrue
So they can fight
With all their might
And feel better than me and you
Copyright May 2007 by Rich Reith, all rights reserved
--------------------------------------------------------
February Word/Poem Challenge - Philanthropy
I JUST LOVE PHILANTHROPY
I just love philanthropy
It has been so good to me
Raising money for the whales
A million THERE, without fail.
I just love philanthropy
Clients in love with only me
All the money they do see
Except for that small handling fee.
I just love philanthropy
Mailings and phone banks are the key
Just keeping what I need for rent
(And, yeah, the mansion east of Kent).
Save the whales, save the trees,
Save Egyptian honeybees
Doesn't matter what the cause
On their money I'll get my paws.
I just love philanthropy
And give a lot to charity,
But no matter if they cry or moan
I'LL never give over the phone!
©Copyright February 4, 2006 by Richard W. Reith
---------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------
(A review of a poem about unrequited love)
A wonderful poem, of love unrequited
Of soulmates who need passion reignited.
Of the poet romantic, who can never abide
The idea that her love isn't still there inside.
Of loyalty eternal and devotion professed,
yet of needs and desires sadly repressed.
----------------------------------------------------------------
YOUR WIFE
(A Response)
There is more grace,
and I hope you agree,
and more true love
in your words that we see.
Never stop trying
to show how you feel.
For we only can read,
But SHE* knows what is real...
--------------------
WHIRLING DERBISH
She is a whirling derbish
cause she was in the serbice
which really makes me nerbous
Glad she isn't a vitch!!!
---------------------------
WHAT IWVPA MEANS TO ME
Eye Double-ewe Vee Pee Ay.
Quite a mouthful to say
For a wonderful Poetry buffet.
But no matter what the letters mean,
Whether Army, Navy or Marine,
This is a war poet's home serene.
Ol' Tony and Col built this place
With quite a bit of poetic grace
So we could each others words embrace.
For neophyte poets such as I
This gives us more than we could buy,
For support here is in full supply.
So thank you Woody, Mike and Faye
Robin, Mary, and, by the way,
To all of you for whom we pray.
For your poetry has been divine
Your friendship like a vintage wine
Helping my poetry to refine.
And thank you Tony, thank you Col
I certainly have had a ball
In this place where Poetry stands tall.
©Copyright February 28, 2006 by Richard W. Reith
----------------------------
Another word challenge - to write a poem about the word Vitriolic
VITRIOLIC
Born with fevers and with colic
Now a committed alcoholic
His every word is vitriolic
All you hear is "damn" or "drat"
People cringe when he appears
His words could cause an angel's tears
Children scramble when he appears
Yes, 'tis hard to be a Democrat...
©Copyright January 14, 2006 by Richard W. Reith
--------------------------------------
For a discussion of things remembered from childhood. One of these
items was Spam.....
SPAM
Specially Processed Anteater Meat
Fried up hot? What a treat!
Eat it all up, they say it is good,
Chews like ham, tastes like wood.
Got us as kids, it's all we could afford
Quarter a can, in our pantries we'd hoard,
Hooked us as kids, this puree of pigs knuckle,
Now 3 bucks a can, and they sit back and chuckle.
Yet SPAM is sweet memories
Of our innocent days
So he goes to the store
And through the nose he pays..
And pays...
And pays....
----------------------------------
For a person/poet I know who says things, then says the words didn't
mean what they said.
SDROW
"suggests to me" I think was said
Then again, he never said it
"Fearing they would threaten" words
Meant that God was just lightheaded.
For nothing that is said, is meant
And what's said can be denied
And when those words come back to roost
"You don't understand," is cried.
"Threaten his own status"
Didn't mean a threat at all
And "fearing" means not "fearing,"
It means that snow will fall.
"Advance in knowledge and power"
Mean retreat both dumb and meek,
And "mixed our tongues to stop us"
Means one language all will speak.
Demands to answer "true or false"
All require total quiet
'cause to dare to answer what you feel
Will cause that pen to riot.
"Who beat my wife?" "Who stole my car?"
All said in words so dark,
Really means my wife and car are FINE,
'cause I used a question mark.
For punctuation hides all meaning
And words have none at all,
So shut your trap,
you whippersnap',
Or once more I'll have to bawl.
I'll fire my cannon, but never discuss,
With anyone who dares
To comment on anything that I say,
Since all error MUST be theirs.
©Copyright May 14, 2007 by Richard W. Reith
-----------------------------
MY WORDS
(A Response)
We love your poems
We love your style
So demand away
It makes us smile.
With so many poems and so many cares
and so many requests for heartfelt prayers
We sometimes fail to send our thanks
For the talent shown within our ranks.
It is not our job to read the poems
But a passion only a poet knows
So doubt us all you want, my dear
But never doubt where our passion flows.
Ears may be deaf, Eyes may be blind
But hearts hear all you pen
Even if you think they are a two-point-three
To us, they are a ten.
Your poems touch hearts,
each turn of phrase -
which is what matters,
not emailed praise.
©Copyright January 24, 2006 by Richard W. Reith
---------------------------------------------------
I LEARNED IT LATE
(A Comment)
We men can never understand
That women cannot see
The only thing required
Is femininity.
Trying so hard to match the world
the media creates
Yet it is just femininity
Men desire in their mates.
We go to war, we fight our fights,
Live lives of quiet desperation
So it is women proud of femininity
That receive our admiration.
We have our flaws, and you can see
Scars from war and battles royal.
Just love your man for whatever he is,
Be both feminine and blindly loyal.
I hope you learned what men always knew,
and the media be damned!
Just be proud and display the woman you are,
and you will make him more of a man.
©Copyright February 11, 2006 by Richard W. Reith
---------------------------
All poems Copyright © January 2006- May 2007 by Rich Reith. All rights reserved.
International War Veteran Poetry Archives. I will sometimes explain the
circumstances for each so that they make more sense.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To the Women on the Sidelines (of Rich and Col's Battle)
For those of you with estrogen
Watching us silly old men
Wrestle in the dust from ditch to ditch -
Just watch this mental game of chess,
Knowing we are quite harmless,
And way too old to settle it on the pitch.
As these two old sets of bones
Marinated in testosterone
Compete to the death in an arena of ideas,
Shake your head and chuckle loud
As we two men with heads unbowed
Engage in battle without getting off our rears....
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
In response to an email discussing poetic ability)
And I ain't much of a writer
though I think I useta was
with words of love writ tighter
den da dandelions fuzz
Den dey made me take English
in da local gummint school
and me words jus got real lousy -
now I'm jus a poetic fool.
-----===============================
(Answer to the question of whether it is Tomorrow in Australia, or
yesterday here....)
PONDERING THE IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE
Since time is measured forward
And history is all we can know,
Since Aussies live in time that's "to"
And we, in time that's "fro,"
Since the sun moves along interminably
From east to west they say,
It is the tomorrow that matters most
For they will live an additional day.
©Copyright February 5, 2006 by Richard W. Reith
------------------------------------------
Some people are habitual victims, they don't feel worthwhile unless they
have something or someone victimizing them that they can complain
about, fight, and conquer. This is about one of them I know.
The World of the Victim-Bully
by Rich Reith
Bullies are really victims
Who enjoy making a woman cry
To make her cower
in presence of power
When bully’s victimhood is nigh
Bullies fight at the drop of a hat
With anyone who fails
To kneel supine
at the bullies shrine
Containing the Holy Grail
One person after another
Must face the wrath anew
For uttering a sound
Despite how profound
That victim-bully can misconstrue
Thinking victimizers are everywhere
Living life only to attack
Gods own fully
victim-bully
Cannons waiting to shoot back
It takes no special effort
Rarely ever making sense
But what you did,
God forbid
Was deny omniscience
Don’t bother treading lightly
Unless you also plan to kneel
For anyone caught
defending other thought
Must be destroyed in ways surreal
Governments, ethnic and cultural ways,
Religion and all of its factions,
Create this mood
of victimhood
To justify all bullying actions
So feel sorry for the victim-bully
Pity the victimhood existence
Understand their skin
So paper thin
And attacks of absolute nonsense
For victim-bullies sit and wait
For things to misconstrue
So they can fight
With all their might
And feel better than me and you
Copyright May 2007 by Rich Reith, all rights reserved
--------------------------------------------------------
February Word/Poem Challenge - Philanthropy
I JUST LOVE PHILANTHROPY
I just love philanthropy
It has been so good to me
Raising money for the whales
A million THERE, without fail.
I just love philanthropy
Clients in love with only me
All the money they do see
Except for that small handling fee.
I just love philanthropy
Mailings and phone banks are the key
Just keeping what I need for rent
(And, yeah, the mansion east of Kent).
Save the whales, save the trees,
Save Egyptian honeybees
Doesn't matter what the cause
On their money I'll get my paws.
I just love philanthropy
And give a lot to charity,
But no matter if they cry or moan
I'LL never give over the phone!
©Copyright February 4, 2006 by Richard W. Reith
---------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------
(A review of a poem about unrequited love)
A wonderful poem, of love unrequited
Of soulmates who need passion reignited.
Of the poet romantic, who can never abide
The idea that her love isn't still there inside.
Of loyalty eternal and devotion professed,
yet of needs and desires sadly repressed.
----------------------------------------------------------------
YOUR WIFE
(A Response)
There is more grace,
and I hope you agree,
and more true love
in your words that we see.
Never stop trying
to show how you feel.
For we only can read,
But SHE* knows what is real...
--------------------
WHIRLING DERBISH
She is a whirling derbish
cause she was in the serbice
which really makes me nerbous
Glad she isn't a vitch!!!
---------------------------
WHAT IWVPA MEANS TO ME
Eye Double-ewe Vee Pee Ay.
Quite a mouthful to say
For a wonderful Poetry buffet.
But no matter what the letters mean,
Whether Army, Navy or Marine,
This is a war poet's home serene.
Ol' Tony and Col built this place
With quite a bit of poetic grace
So we could each others words embrace.
For neophyte poets such as I
This gives us more than we could buy,
For support here is in full supply.
So thank you Woody, Mike and Faye
Robin, Mary, and, by the way,
To all of you for whom we pray.
For your poetry has been divine
Your friendship like a vintage wine
Helping my poetry to refine.
And thank you Tony, thank you Col
I certainly have had a ball
In this place where Poetry stands tall.
©Copyright February 28, 2006 by Richard W. Reith
----------------------------
Another word challenge - to write a poem about the word Vitriolic
VITRIOLIC
Born with fevers and with colic
Now a committed alcoholic
His every word is vitriolic
All you hear is "damn" or "drat"
People cringe when he appears
His words could cause an angel's tears
Children scramble when he appears
Yes, 'tis hard to be a Democrat...
©Copyright January 14, 2006 by Richard W. Reith
--------------------------------------
For a discussion of things remembered from childhood. One of these
items was Spam.....
SPAM
Specially Processed Anteater Meat
Fried up hot? What a treat!
Eat it all up, they say it is good,
Chews like ham, tastes like wood.
Got us as kids, it's all we could afford
Quarter a can, in our pantries we'd hoard,
Hooked us as kids, this puree of pigs knuckle,
Now 3 bucks a can, and they sit back and chuckle.
Yet SPAM is sweet memories
Of our innocent days
So he goes to the store
And through the nose he pays..
And pays...
And pays....
----------------------------------
For a person/poet I know who says things, then says the words didn't
mean what they said.
SDROW
"suggests to me" I think was said
Then again, he never said it
"Fearing they would threaten" words
Meant that God was just lightheaded.
For nothing that is said, is meant
And what's said can be denied
And when those words come back to roost
"You don't understand," is cried.
"Threaten his own status"
Didn't mean a threat at all
And "fearing" means not "fearing,"
It means that snow will fall.
"Advance in knowledge and power"
Mean retreat both dumb and meek,
And "mixed our tongues to stop us"
Means one language all will speak.
Demands to answer "true or false"
All require total quiet
'cause to dare to answer what you feel
Will cause that pen to riot.
"Who beat my wife?" "Who stole my car?"
All said in words so dark,
Really means my wife and car are FINE,
'cause I used a question mark.
For punctuation hides all meaning
And words have none at all,
So shut your trap,
you whippersnap',
Or once more I'll have to bawl.
I'll fire my cannon, but never discuss,
With anyone who dares
To comment on anything that I say,
Since all error MUST be theirs.
©Copyright May 14, 2007 by Richard W. Reith
-----------------------------
MY WORDS
(A Response)
We love your poems
We love your style
So demand away
It makes us smile.
With so many poems and so many cares
and so many requests for heartfelt prayers
We sometimes fail to send our thanks
For the talent shown within our ranks.
It is not our job to read the poems
But a passion only a poet knows
So doubt us all you want, my dear
But never doubt where our passion flows.
Ears may be deaf, Eyes may be blind
But hearts hear all you pen
Even if you think they are a two-point-three
To us, they are a ten.
Your poems touch hearts,
each turn of phrase -
which is what matters,
not emailed praise.
©Copyright January 24, 2006 by Richard W. Reith
---------------------------------------------------
I LEARNED IT LATE
(A Comment)
We men can never understand
That women cannot see
The only thing required
Is femininity.
Trying so hard to match the world
the media creates
Yet it is just femininity
Men desire in their mates.
We go to war, we fight our fights,
Live lives of quiet desperation
So it is women proud of femininity
That receive our admiration.
We have our flaws, and you can see
Scars from war and battles royal.
Just love your man for whatever he is,
Be both feminine and blindly loyal.
I hope you learned what men always knew,
and the media be damned!
Just be proud and display the woman you are,
and you will make him more of a man.
©Copyright February 11, 2006 by Richard W. Reith
---------------------------
All poems Copyright © January 2006- May 2007 by Rich Reith. All rights reserved.
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