The Geometry of Dishes

Like a giant game of blocks
is the washing of dishes
of a family of five
even when only the results
of less than a day
a dinner of spaghetti
bowls, pots, glasses,
the cups from this morning’s coffee
essential stuff,
a plastic colander
wooden spoons,
knives, forks, spoons
all for the wash, for the strainer
the mountain grows
by organization, by item by item
taller and taller
to clean just a meal,
just a few things
left over from dinner

August 19, 2006 13:39


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 18,820+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Pollenating and Pollenated

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 18,820+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Zipper Hoods

Flat hoods sit splayed on our backs
wool, buffalo plaid inside,
pulled forward, catch hair
before the snorkel coats
the ones we thought were cool
there were the coats
with the zipper hoods
decidedly not cool
hot and unpopular with all of us
forced to trudge to school in them
play in the yard, warm in the house
repeated all winter
when we were all less fashion prone
in the burbs

August 18, 2006 20:37


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 18,820+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Banana Seat

It was black,
3-speed,
bought with paper route money
and it had a banana seat.
How proud I was of that bike
up early for the morning route
tool around the neighborhood
independency to ride around town
through the woods
to the river,
the bottle dump,
to the park, the ballfield,
to school
mine

August 18, 2006 20:31


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 18,820+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Full Bloom

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 18,820+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Shedding an Old Skin

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 20,800+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

700 poems

There are now 700 poems on the site.

Thanks 4 following my tweets.

=================

November 3, 2017

the cadence of the words

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2017/11/the-cadence-of-words.html

&

===================

edited January 13, 2016

A Calling to Write – v4

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/a-calling-to-write-v4.html

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/a-calling-to-write-v4_13.html

(editing version 3)

edited November 4, 2015

A Calling to Write – v3

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/11/a-calling-to-write-v3.html

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/11/a-calling-to-write-v3_4.html

(editing version 2)

July 6, 2015

A Calling to Write – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/07/a-calling-to-write-v2.html

August 30, 2011

Hearing Your Words

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2011/08/hearing-your-words.html

written after looking up the earlier poem,

“A Calling to Write”

February 4, 2010

A Calling to Write

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2010/02/calling-to-write.html

Habakkuk 2:2

Habakkuk 1

Habakkuk 2:1-3

and Day 138, “Write the Revelation”, in

 “Daily Mediations: On Golden Texts of the Bible”,

by Henry Gariepy

http://books.google.com/books?id=9tjVtRt3TUMC&pg=PP1&dq=henry+gariepy&ei=6tqBSqLVDJiQyQT4i9DOCg#v=onepage&q=&f=false

read 2/4/10

&

==================

edited January 13, 2016

Inspiration Poetry – v6

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/inspiration-poetry-v6.html

(merging edits to version 3, version 4, and version 5)

(I know, this is part of the craft thing…)

edited  November 17, 2015

Inspiration Poetry – v5

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/11/inspiration-poetry-v5.html

(editing version 3)

edited  November 5, 2015

Inspiration Poetry – v4

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/11/inspiration-poetry-v4.html

(editing version 3)

edited November 4, 2015

Inspiration Poetry – v3

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/11/inspiration-poetry-v3.html

(merging version 2 and original)

Edited September 4, 2012

“Inspiration Poetry – v2”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/09/inspiration-poetry-v2.html

May 24, 2009

“Inspiration Poetry”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2009/05/inspiration-poetry.html

&

-----

merged / edited January 9, 2016

Seeing the Words – v29

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/seeing-words-v29.html

(merging edits to version 28, version 15, version 16, version 17,

version 18, version 19, version 20, version 21 version 22, version 23,

version 24, version 25, version 26, and version 27)

==============

edits of individual poems

edited January 9, 2016

Seeing the Words – v28

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/seeing-words-v28.html

(editing version 14)

edited January 9, 2016

Seeing the Words – v27

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/seeing-words-v27.html

(editing version 13)

edited January 9, 2016

Seeing the Words – v26

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/seeing-words-v26.html

(editing version 12)

edited January 9, 2016

Seeing the Words – v25

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/seeing-words-v25.html

(editing version 10)

edited January 9, 2016

Seeing the Words – v24

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/seeing-words-v24.html

(editing version 9)

edited January 9, 2016

Seeing the Words – v23

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/seeing-words-v23.html

(editing version 8)

edited January 9, 2016

Seeing the Words – v22

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/seeing-words-v22.html

(editing version 7)

edited January 9, 2016

Seeing the Words – v21

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/seeing-words-v21.html

(editing version 6)

edited January 9, 2016

Seeing the Words – v20

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/seeing-words-v20.html

(editing version 5)

edited January 9, 2016

Seeing the Words – v19

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/seeing-words-v19.html

(editing version 4)

edited January 9, 2016

Seeing the Words – v18

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/seeing-words-v18.html

(editing version 3)

edited January 9, 2016

seeing the words – v17

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/seeing-words-v17.html

(editing version 2)

edited January 9, 2016

Seeing the Words – v16

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/seeing-words-v16.html

(editing original)

edited January 9, 2016

Seeing the Words – v15

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/seeing-words-v15.html

(editing version 11)

edited April 10, 2015

seeing the words – v14

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/04/seeing-words-v14.html

(editing version 10)

edited January 31, 2015

seeing the words – v13

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/01/seeing-words-v13.html

(editing original)

edited January 31, 2015

Seeing the Words – v12

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/01/seeing-words-v12.html

(editing original and version 11)

edited May 28, 2014

“Seeing the Words – v11

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/05/seeing-words-v11.html

edited February 15, 2014

“seeing the words – v10”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/02/seeing-words-v10.html

(editing version 4)
Edited October 26, 2013

“seeing the words – v9”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/10/seeing-words-v9.html

(editing version 7)

Edited October 25, 2013

“seeing the words – v8”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/10/seeing-words-v8.html

(editing version 3 again)

Edited October 23, 2013

“seeing the words – v7”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/10/seeing-words-v7.html

(editing version 3)

Edited October 19, 2013

“seeing the words – v6”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/10/seeing-words-v6.html

(editing version 3)

Edited October 12, 2013

“seeing the words – v5”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/10/seeing-words-v5.html

(editing version 4)

Edited October 11, 2013

“seeing the words – v4”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/10/seeing-words-v4.html

(editing version 3)

Edited October 5, 2013

“seeing the words – v3”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/10/seeing-words-v3.html

(editing the original again)

Edited July 22, 2013

“seeing the words – v2”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/07/seeing-words-v2.html

December 4, 2007 12:25pm

“seeing the words”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2007/12/seeing-words.html

about writing poetry, when it is a gift of God,

transcribing the words God already wrote

&

----------------

edited January 7, 2016

Personal Poetry – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/personal-poetry-v2.html  

posted February 21, 2004

February 3, 2004 16:45

Personal Poetry

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/02/personal-poetry.html

&

------------------

edited January 3, 2016

Rewriting – v3

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/rewriting-v3.html  

(editing original)

edited July 11, 2014

Rewriting – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/07/rewriting-v2.html  

September 28, 2001 05:33

Rewriting

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/03/rewriting.html

&

==================

edited December 17, 2015

Poetry – revised – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/12/poetry-revised-v2.html

posting 2/5/2004 – 1^st posting to blog

last edit 8/13/2000

edit 5/24/2000

Poetry – revised

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/02/first-poem-about-what-poetry-is-for-me.html

&

--------

edited June 29, 2015

Nouns Verbs and Adjectives – v5

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/06/nouns-verbs-and-adjectives-v3.html

(editing version 3)

edited April 11, 2015

Nouns Verbs and Adjectives – v4

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/04/nouns-verbs-and-adjectives-v4.html

(editing version 2)

edited March 2, 2015

Nouns Verbs and Adjectives – v3

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/03/nouns-verbs-and-adjectives-v3.html

(editing version 2)

Edited April 24, 2013

“Nouns Verbs and Adjectives – v2”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/04/nouns-verbs-and-adjectives-v2.html

September 5, 2008

“Nouns Verbs and Adjectives”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2008/09/blog-post_9913.html

written at the Agape Café coffeehouse

Wesley United Methodist Church

(one of 24 written there that night)

writing poetry with third grade classes

Barrington Elementary School

Spring 2001

&

===============

edited May 19, 2015

Poetry – haiku – 2 – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/05/poetry-haiku-2-v2.html

November 1, 2009

Poetry – haiku - 2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2009/11/poetry-haiku-2.html

&

-----

edited March 23, 2015

Sounds of Scribbles – v3

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/03/sounds-of-scribbles-v3.html  

(editing version 2)

edited January 31, 2015

Sounds of Scribbles – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/01/sounds-of-scribbles-v2.html  

August 18, 2004 21:58

Sounds of Scribbles

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/08/sounds-of-scribbles.html

&

September 24, 2006 16:39

A Year in Words

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2006/09/year-in-words.html

This poem marks 365 poems in the last 365 days – 9/24/05 to 9/24/06

&

-----------

September 22, 2006 20:47

A Waterfall of Words

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2006/09/waterfall-of-words.html

&

September 21, 2006 22:58

Hope in the Words

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2006/09/hope-in-words.html

&

------------------

&

---

edited March 21, 2015

Flash of Joy – v5

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/03/flash-of-joy-v5.html  

(editing version 3)

edited January 14, 2015

Into Being – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/01/into-being-v2.html

edited January 14, 2015

Flash of Joy – v4

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/01/flash-of-joy-v4.html   

(editing version 2)

edited January 14, 2015

Flash of Joy – v3

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/01/flash-of-joy-v3.html

(editing original)

edited May 24, 2012

Flash of Joy – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/05/flash-of-joy-v2.html  

February 2, 2004 11:44

Flash of Joy

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/02/flash-of-joy.html  

– Written in reaction to the response to the poem “Into Being”

by Roberta Woods –

“Love it!  You've captured the essence of writing not as a discipline but as joy.  And it is because it is pure joy (the agony comes later during revision) it is not a discipline in the sense of having rigid edges.  All doing from joy is a gift to the doer as well as the recipient whether cooking, writing, gardening or any other activity.  My joy activities are writing and carpentry.  All the rest require me to have discipline to get them done. –Roberta”

&

January 31, 2004 19:28-19:36

Into Being

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/02/into-being.html   

– About the process of writing as merely writing down the words, suggested by Roberta Woods earlier in the day. I see her point, based on the way my writing often comes quickly. Even when I edit it as I write, it is more to get it right/write. We had been talking about “one-book wonders” and had segwayed into a discussion of how she writes daily and how, when she starts writing a story, it often is prolific.

All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 45,330 of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

blessing, body, Christ, creator, Faith, gifts, God, love, joy, grace, purpose, calling, hope, Methodist, NEUMC, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, work, Writing Poetry, praise poetry,

#blessing #body #Christ #creator #Faith #gifts #God #love #joy #grace #purpose #calling #hope #Methodist #NEUMC #writing #praise

----

God, faith, Methodist, United Methodist, Habakkuk 2, God’s will, free will, path, way, purpose, plan, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, love, disciples, scripture, calling, God’s purpose, law,

#God #Christ #faith #Methodist #Habakkuk2 #freewill #path #way #purpose #plan #love #disciples #scripture #calling #poetry #law #gift

----------------

craft, inspiration, poetry, writing poetry, editing, new, original, revision, God, gift, changed, growth, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, rejection, perfection, beauty, quality, gossamer, magic,

#craft #inspiration #poetry #writing #editing #new #original #revision #God #gift #changed #growth #rejection #perfection #beauty #quality #gossamer #magic

---------------------------

Agape Cafe, christian, church, coffee, creator, Faith, Family, forest, God, grace, hope, house, laugh, love, National Poetry Month, New Hampshire, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, schools, Writing Poetry,

#Christ #Christian #church #creator #Faith #Family #God #Spirit #grace #hope #love #Poetry #schools #WritingPoetry #words

Pumpkin Seeds

Under the canopy
over the lake
on the flat surface
of the pier
next to the boat moored there
I lay still on the pier
watching the water
fish, pumpkin seeds,
darted fitfully below me
aware of my presence
a fishing leader
dangling off my index finger
a hook hidden from their view
a less than cautious one was
caught with canned corn on a leader
dropped in the bucket beside me
flopping and flipping
while I did it again
in the clear lake
in Minnesota
thirty five summers ago

August 17, 2006 22:07

Pumpkin Seeds

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2006/08/pumpkin-seeds.html

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 39,840+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Geode

A tungsten steel rock hammer
a birthday present
bit into the round rock
uncovered a world hidden
and magical
hidden inside the dull plain stone
bright jewels of color and angles
light bouncing, refracting
off the quartz inside
within the stone
found by force
and serendipity

August 17, 2006 22:02

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 32,620+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Photo Shoot - Ready for My Closeup

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 19,730+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Sunflower - 8am and 7pm

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 19,730+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

One Page Shakespeare

Trying to explain who Shakespeare was
what his plays were,
what they were about,
to a ten year old
on summer vacation
I highlighted two
King Lear and the Tempest
She chose Richard III
oh what a web we wove
looking at one-page summaries
of plot and thought
a tempest indeed of images
villains, and beauty

August 16, 2006 21:05


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 19,730+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Rose Skin

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 18,820+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

The Littlest Flower - blooms

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 19,730+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Chevy in the Grass

A horse in the small pasture beside the barn
a Chevy in the grass
hidden from view almost
behind the blonde stalks
the full heads of the wheat field
beyond the wide board fences
weathered and old
rust on the fender
under the light blue
a crack on the driver door window
a quiet car, on the Vineyard
left from years gone by
a reminder of a time when cars
were cool, the fifties
bobby socks and poodle skirts
and the open road

August 14, 2006 20:18

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 18,820+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Sunflowers tonight

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 18,820+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Suds for the aphids

A foamy cure for a garden crisis
a rose bush, individual buds
encased in a moving mass
a living second skin
bright green, kelly green aphids
covering the crimson,
the green, forest green
what to do, oh what to do
to rid roses of aphids
soap suds, liberally poured
do the trick though it looked
a little funny
pest control from the kitchen
foam from the sink

August 13, 2006 14:28
probably about 1970


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 19,730+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Ant Tracks

under a rock
a cityscape
hidden from view
roads, side streets, and
big highways between
the entrances to their homes below
a maze of tunnels, of tracks
beneath the leaves, the pebbles
disruption, chaos, in the turning
the rolling away of the stone
pale citizens of the world of the dark
exposed from under a rock
hide, hide deeper.

August 13, 2006 14:15


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 19,730+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Buckle Boots

Black, black buckles
like grates on the front
of a pot-bellied stove
Clumpy black buckle boots
worn over shoes by many kids
bought on sale at Sears
for durability, for wear
heavy rubber, no style
boots no child would choose
lined up in the coat room
with the wet bulky wool coats
of second grade
forty years ago

August 13, 2006 14:34

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 26,030+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Analytical

Thinking the way through a problem
charting course, weighing the options
seeing the sides of the argument
permutations of consequences
some stated aloud, some unspoken
variants of thoughts,
across the spectrum
a way of thinking,
of seeing the world

August 13, 2006 14:03


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 19,730+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Moving the Shed

What a project
to move a ten by ten
heavy, dead weight
heavy wooden shed
from the middle of the yard
to the far back corner
forty feet laterally
and back another thirty feet
An engineer, a contractor
discussed the best strategy
We had telephone poles to roll it
long strong boards to transport
but no plan to lever, to pry
to unhinge it from its current spot
Grampa, in his eighties, had enough
Grabbing a two by four, heaved it off its blocks
The accountant and the banker,
grandson and son,
with no delusions of competence
jumped to his bark, his command
We moved the shed,
because he called

August 13, 2006 14:43


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 19,730+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Mold in the Memories

A certain smell
distinct and acrid
mold in the memories
the boxes of our past
saved too long in the wet spaces
the less than dry places
of our lives
in basement, in storage
hidden from regular view
from attention of the living
sealed and put away
Marked now, as forgotten pieces
by their particular odor

August 13, 2006 14:37


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 20,810+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Willow Whips

Snap of the willow whip
chosen, just the right mix of
thick branch, slender tip
leave a few leaves at the end
to crack the wind
break the extra shoots
the forks in the branch
a long bullwhip remains
yellow and brown, long
longer than you
feel the drag of it on the ground
rear its arc skyward
flick it forward
Crack!
You are at the center ring
lions and tigers at your command
along the street, around the yard
with your willow whip

August 13, 2006 13:59


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 19,730+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.