Contemplating life, death, and the struggle…
The Sword Cuts
The sword cuts
And I die
The ending’s abrupt
No wondering why
Triumph is near
Look at history
Cleansed of fear
Death can be victory
Life opens and shuts
Doomed from the crib
The sword cuts
And I live
-gl-
From – A Warrior’s Battles: Poems of Struggle (aWIP)
Everyday people, extraordinary heroes…
Excerpted from – Southbound Went North
…So they moved despite the pall
The shock would have to wait along with wondering how
For now they had to figure a way off and out of being cornered
Construction workers hailed exhorting them to cross the divide
These men that stood on the bridge as it fell worthy of an epic poem
And thanks to them several southbound went north to get home
And would arrive…
-gl-
From – Bridges Don’t Fall Down: Stories from the I35W Bridge Collapse
Contemplating responsibility…
Solve the Problem
We must place the blame
Why? Does that solve the problem?
Sometimes such a game
-gl-
From – Straight Thru the Curves: A Book of Haiku – (aWIP)
Perspective and the quest…
Excerpted from – To Begin Again
…Many months Robert sailed among the isles and wandered the highlands
Questing for support
Among peoples of a land accustomed to only their own chieftains
But it was a warrior’s king
That was asking and not some prim dandy for a far off royal court
And so it was highlanders would do this thing…
-gl-
Contemplating the fight…
Off Target
Everybody worries about the head
And while it’s true most knockouts
Come from blows leaving no doubt
That hitting the brain puts one to bed
But has to be right
And the shades of over refined
Leave much room for drifting away off target
Underneath it all what most fighters forget
How quickly moments define
Who will see the light
Ribs or the liver instead
Of glorious head shots lead to rout
If the body won’t work there’s no need for clout
Shutting down in dread
-gl-
From – A Warrior’s Battles: Poems of Struggle – (AWIP)
Contemplating weakness and pain and why I’m late…
Yesterday Stilling
My back did go out
Yesterday stilling my voice
But for pain filled shouts
&
Of Clay
And now but a rock
Or a wobbly lump of clay
Learning how to walk
-gl-
From – Straight Thru the Curves (aWIP)
Doing what should be done, or not, or must…
Excerpted from – A Personal Challenge
…As a general Robert should have turned
But this king and this man could not refuse to fight at this Bannock Burn
The eyes of all his fellow Scots looked to him
As their king and champion
Whatever his reasons Robert spurred his horse and moved to meet the foe
Quiet, as all waited to see how the fight would go…
-gl-
Laughing at life…
My Son Knew
Once again
The training has saved my life
This many more times than twice
The trained reactions take care of me like an old friend
The first two lines all I said
And from only that much my son knew
At hearing his certainty I bellowed with laughter
And he waited for the story that would come
Sure I’d fallen like something he’d do
Glad I wasn’t dead
Three steps up then flat onto my face. Marble doesn’t bend
Limping the next few days. Bruised the price
But still with my life
Once again
-gl-
From – A Warrior’s Battles: Poems of Struggle (aWIP)
Contemplating perspective…
Sing-Song Of Whales
Seas subtle and blunt
The sing-song of whales echo
Submariners hunt
-gl-
From – Short Thoughts: A Book Of Haiku (aWIP)
Contemplating the nature of duty…
Cause of Such
It’s words like duty
The cause of such abhorrence
Honor and beauty
-gl-
From – Straight Thru the Curves: A Book of Haiku (aWIP)