Sisyphean – v2

Studying for the Bar,

Like Sisyphus of old -

Pushing the same rock

Up the same hill

Day upon day.

Maintaining momentum

So it doesn’t roll over me

Turning the pages

A new chapter, new law

Sinking in deeper somehow.

Never seeing the end,

Save for the date,

To the mountain to learn,

Process, cast off,

Truth buried deep.

Difficult days, weeks, months

Needing connection

The one course, Law.

Punishment for what secret,

What truth did I divulge?

Hopefully, an end, in a few days

For my task, my chore, my penance,

Unlike Sisyphus, who is at it still

Ever taking the Bar

No rest, no relief.

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

edited November 4, 2018

Sisyphean – v2

July 16, 2004

Sisyphean

https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/07/sisyphean.html

(Maybe that’s what Feinberg is doing,

State upon state.)

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, 2017, and 2018. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 48,000 of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Concord NH, creator, God, hope, king, mountain, New Hampshire, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, rock, Ruth, secrets, senses, sight, Franklin Pierce Law Center, UNH Law, law, Bar, Bar Exam,

#ConcordNH #creator #God #hope #king #mountain #NewHampshire #poetry #Sisyphus #rock #Ruth #secrets #senses #sight #UNHLaw #law #Bar #BarExam

Chapters – v2

Moments, months, years

Shards of my life

Frozen in amber

Untidy segments, scraps,

Frayed edges, dead ends

Lost years, behind me

A blank page, open,

Mind’s eye, possibilities/dreams

Bold strides now

Goals and steps planned

My choices, starting,

New beginnings

My life different

Unfolding before me

Writing a new chapter

Indelible ink scattered

Bright colors, written,

Tattooed on my soul

______________

edited December 29, 2015

Chapters – v2

posted February 15, 2004

Written 8/16/01 17:55 to 18:05

Chapters

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/02/chapters.html
written as I ended one life,

and started another in Law School

All of my poems and photographs 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 (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 40,470+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

IT DEPENDS - v2

How will the case go

How will we ever know

What are the facts,

What is the law

the black letter,

the meaning, ambiguity,

who is the judge

what day of the week is it…

It depends

On the totality of the circumstances

The best interest standard

Clear and convincing

compelling state interest

Strict scrutiny

Middle Tier

or simply rational basis

Or is it the members of the court

or their latte that day

When my brief was before them

did I get the right color,

was a jurist’s name misspelled,

the issue I care about

sweated over, to be right on

precedent and theory

persuasive, compelling,

the fact pattern that I am reading

clock ticking in the Rich Room

yet again, last time, I hope…

Summer awaits but not before the last final

the magic words used or unused

vagueness or over-breadth

It depends on who’s grading…

Oooh was it ripe,

ready for the testing

Justiciable after all

ready for the will of the court

IF it pleases the court

Tells a story, compelling,

enticing, juicy, with bite

of what the plaintiff’s theory was

and Defendant’s defenses

in rhythm, in time

Blue book sing for me

pages filling, 1L, come on,

be clear, concise, rich issues

facts and law blend

to spin the story

taking every branch, fork in the road

until Time is called.

Hopefully it is enough.

But it depends.

Once more.

edited June 27, 2014

IT DEPENDS – v2

May 9, 2002

IT DEPENDS

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/02/it-depends.html

(posted to blog on 2/9/2004,

5 days into blog’s existence)

Franklin Pierce Law Center,

UNH School of Law

http://law.unh.edu/

https://twitter.com/UNHLaw

Concord, NH

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 30,770+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Sisyphean

Studying for the Bar,
Like Sisyphus of old -
Pushing the same rock
Up the same hill
Day upon day
Maintaining momentum
So it doesn’t roll over me

Never seeing the end,
Save for the date,
To the mountain to learn,
Process, cast off.

Difficult day, week, month
Punishment for what secret,
What truth did I divulge?

Hopefully, an end, in a few days
For my task, my chore, my penance,
Unlike Sisyphus, who is at it still
Ever taking the Bar

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

edited November 4, 2018

Sisyphean – v2

July 16, 2004

Sisyphean

https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/07/sisyphean.html

(Maybe that’s what Feinberg is doing,

State upon state.)

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, 2017, and 2018. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 48,000 of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Concord NH, creator, God, hope, king, mountain, New Hampshire, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, rock, Ruth, secrets, senses, sight, Franklin Pierce Law Center, UNH Law, law, Bar, Bar Exam,

#ConcordNH, creator, God, hope, king, mountain, New Hampshire, poetry, Sisyphus, rock, Ruth, secrets, senses, sight, UNHLaw, law, Bar, BarExam

Chapters

Moments, months, years
Shards of my life
Frozen in amber
Untidy segments
Frayed edges, dead ends
Lost years

A blank page
Mind’s eye, possibilities/dreams
Bold strides now
Goals and steps planned
My choices
New beginnings

My life
Unfolding before me
Writing a new chapter
Indelible ink
Bright colors
Tattooed on my soul

edited December 29, 2015

Chapters – v2

posted February 15, 2004

Written 8/16/01 17:55 to 18:05

Chapters

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/02/chapters.html
written as I ended one life,

and started another in Law School

All of my poems and photographs 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 (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 40,470+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

IT DEPENDS

How will the case go
How will we ever know
It depends

On the totality of the circumstances
The best interest standard
Clear and convincing
Strict scrutiny
Middle Tier
or simply rational basis

Or is it the members of the court
or their latte that day
When my brief was before them
the issue I care about
sweated over, to be right on
precedent and theory

the fact pattern that I am reading
clock ticking in the Rich Room
Summer awaits but not before the last final
the magic words used or unused
vagueness or overbreadth

Oooh was it ripe
Justiciable after all
ready for the will of the court
IF it pleases the court
Tells a story
of what the plaintiff’s theory was
and Defendant’s defenses

Blue book sing for me
be clear, concise, rich issues
facts and law blend
to spin the story
taking every branch, fork in the road
until Time is called.
Hopefully it is enough.
But it depends.

.

edited June 27, 2014

IT DEPENDS – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/06/it-depends.html

Posted February 8, 2004

Written 5/9/02, as I prepared for my 2nd semester of law school finals. 

It is almost always, "it depends"

IT DEPENDS

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/02/it-depends.html

(posted to blog on 2/9/2004,

5 days into blog’s existence)

Franklin Pierce Law Center,

UNH School of Law

http://law.unh.edu/

https://twitter.com/UNHLaw

Concord, NH

All of my poems and photographs are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 40,710+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.