Poetry Where You Live

Monday, May 03, 2004

Evolution of a poem - ten feet overhead

The three drafts below represent the evolution of a poem, "Ten Feet Overhead", based on a morning on Swains Lake in Barrington, NH in 2001, reading down from 1st draft to a second version, finally to the published version, posted here on 2/7/04.

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

edited August 21, 2015

Ten Feet Overhead – v9

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/08/ten-feet-overhead-v9.html

(editing version 6)

edited December 9, 2014

Ten Feet Overhead – v8

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/12/ten-feet-overhead-v8.html

(editing version 6)

edited April 3, 2014

Ten Feet (not Twenty) Overhead – v7

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/04/ten-feet-not-twenty-overhead-v7.html

(editing version posted 5/3/2004)

Edited September 20, 2012

“Ten Feet Overhead – v6”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/09/ten-feet-overhead-v6.html

editing the 4^th version (the one with Marie Harris input)

Edited September 20, 2012

“Ten Feet Overhead – v5”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/09/ten-feet-not-twenty-overhead-v5.html

(editing the 3^rd version)

inspired by reading it at Poets’ Corner

monthly poetry reading,

at the Suncook Senior Center

September 10, 2012

Saved as separate file and reposted

September 20, 2012

published version – 2/7/2004

“Ten Feet Overhead – v4”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/02/one-morning-on-swains-lake.html

Written June 18, 2001, edits June 21 and June 22, 2001, based on input from NH Poet Laureate, Marie Harris.

The evolution of the poem - Ten Feet Overhead”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/evolution-of-poem-ten-feet-overhead.html

“Ten Feet Overhead – v3”

June 21, 2001

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/ten-feet-overhead-final-version.html

“Ten Feet Overhead – v2”

June 22, 2001

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/ten-feet-not-twenty-overhead-second.html

“Ten Feet Overhead – v1”

June 18, 2001

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/ten-feet-not-twenty-overhead-first.html

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 43,080 of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Ten Feet (not Twenty) Overhead -- (first draft)

Up ahead
To my right
Around the point before me
A burst of squawks and the
Beating of heavy wings
Filled the air

The head and then the long endless body
Rose before me
Right over
The spine of my canoe
The heron
Blocking my vision

No more than ten feet above
My open jaw
And transfixed eyes.
It flew toward me
Thwump, thwump
I heard the wings breaking the
Early morning stillness around me

The majestic bird
Cupped its sails
And hovered for a moment,
Or a lifetime,
Directly above my right shoulder

Each feather was visible -
Rust, cream, slate,
And light blue eye shadow.

The feet and legs stretched behind
Tows pointed to cut through the air

My head rolled backward to watch
The bird fly off
Across the lake

A gift to start my day.

edited August 21, 2015

Ten Feet Overhead – v9

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/08/ten-feet-overhead-v9.html

(editing version 6)

edited December 9, 2014

Ten Feet Overhead – v8

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/12/ten-feet-overhead-v8.html

(editing version 6)

edited April 3, 2014

Ten Feet (not Twenty) Overhead – v7

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/04/ten-feet-not-twenty-overhead-v7.html

(editing version posted 5/3/2004)

Edited September 20, 2012

“Ten Feet Overhead – v6”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/09/ten-feet-overhead-v6.html

editing the 4^th version (the one with Marie Harris input)

Edited September 20, 2012

“Ten Feet Overhead – v5”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/09/ten-feet-not-twenty-overhead-v5.html

(editing the 3^rd version)

inspired by reading it at Poets’ Corner

monthly poetry reading,

at the Suncook Senior Center

September 10, 2012

Saved as separate file and reposted

September 20, 2012

published version – 2/7/2004

“Ten Feet Overhead – v4”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/02/one-morning-on-swains-lake.html

Written June 18, 2001, edits June 21 and June 22, 2001, based on input from NH Poet Laureate, Marie Harris.

The evolution of the poem - Ten Feet Overhead”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/evolution-of-poem-ten-feet-overhead.html

“Ten Feet Overhead – v3”

June 21, 2001

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/ten-feet-overhead-final-version.html

“Ten Feet Overhead – v2”

June 22, 2001

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/ten-feet-not-twenty-overhead-second.html

“Ten Feet Overhead – v1”

June 18, 2001

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/ten-feet-not-twenty-overhead-first.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 39,250+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Ten Feet (not Twenty) Overhead - (second draft)

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

edited August 21, 2015

Ten Feet Overhead – v9

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/08/ten-feet-overhead-v9.html

(editing version 6)

edited December 9, 2014

Ten Feet Overhead – v8

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/12/ten-feet-overhead-v8.html

(editing version 6)

edited April 3, 2014

Ten Feet (not Twenty) Overhead – v7

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/04/ten-feet-not-twenty-overhead-v7.html

(editing version posted 5/3/2004)

Edited September 20, 2012

“Ten Feet Overhead – v6”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/09/ten-feet-overhead-v6.html

editing the 4^th version (the one with Marie Harris input)

Edited September 20, 2012

“Ten Feet Overhead – v5”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/09/ten-feet-not-twenty-overhead-v5.html

(editing the 3^rd version)

inspired by reading it at Poets’ Corner

monthly poetry reading,

at the Suncook Senior Center

September 10, 2012

Saved as separate file and reposted

September 20, 2012

published version – 2/7/2004

“Ten Feet Overhead – v4”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/02/one-morning-on-swains-lake.html

Written June 18, 2001, edits June 21 and June 22, 2001, based on input from NH Poet Laureate, Marie Harris.

The evolution of the poem - Ten Feet Overhead”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/evolution-of-poem-ten-feet-overhead.html

“Ten Feet Overhead – v3”

June 21, 2001

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/ten-feet-overhead-final-version.html

“Ten Feet Overhead – v2”

June 22, 2001

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/ten-feet-not-twenty-overhead-second.html

“Ten Feet Overhead – v1”

June 18, 2001

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/ten-feet-not-twenty-overhead-first.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 38,980+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Ten Feet Overhead - (final version)

Up ahead
To my right
Around the point
Burst of squawks and
Beating of heavy wings
Filled the air

The head and then the long endless body
Rose right over
The spine of my canoe
The heron
Blocking my vision

No more than ten feet above
My transfixed eyes.
It flew toward me
Thwump, thwump
I heard the wings breaking
The early morning stillness around me

The bird
Cupped its wings
And hovered for a moment,
Or a lifetime

Each feather was visible -
Rust, cream, slate,
And light blue eye shadow.

I watched
The bird fly off
Across the lake

edited August 21, 2015

Ten Feet Overhead – v9

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/08/ten-feet-overhead-v9.html

(editing version 6)

edited December 9, 2014

Ten Feet Overhead – v8

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/12/ten-feet-overhead-v8.html

(editing version 6)

edited April 3, 2014

Ten Feet (not Twenty) Overhead – v7

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/04/ten-feet-not-twenty-overhead-v7.html

(editing version posted 5/3/2004)

Edited September 20, 2012

“Ten Feet Overhead – v6”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/09/ten-feet-overhead-v6.html

editing the 4^th version (the one with Marie Harris input)

Edited September 20, 2012

“Ten Feet Overhead – v5”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/09/ten-feet-not-twenty-overhead-v5.html

(editing the 3^rd version)

inspired by reading it at Poets’ Corner

monthly poetry reading,

at the Suncook Senior Center

September 10, 2012

Saved as separate file and reposted

September 20, 2012

published version – 2/7/2004

“Ten Feet Overhead – v4”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/02/one-morning-on-swains-lake.html

Written June 18, 2001, edits June 21 and June 22, 2001, based on input from NH Poet Laureate, Marie Harris.

The evolution of the poem - Ten Feet Overhead”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/evolution-of-poem-ten-feet-overhead.html

“Ten Feet Overhead – v3”

June 21, 2001

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/ten-feet-overhead-final-version.html

“Ten Feet Overhead – v2”

June 22, 2001

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/ten-feet-not-twenty-overhead-second.html

“Ten Feet Overhead – v1”

June 18, 2001

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/ten-feet-not-twenty-overhead-first.html

Sunday, May 02, 2004

The Fashion Plate

Walking on the path
Looking for a gator
Down by the water
A star preens for me
And my camera
Waiting in the sun
On the hot blade of the tall grasses
Bouncing on the branch
Poised and posed
Waiting for the casting call

A dragonfly,
Again,
Cocked its wings
Harried jet
Jumped from the perch
As I focused
Coy now are we
As she alights again
In the same spot

Patience rewarded
For the photo shoot
Seven dances of the same
Choreography
Me and thee
My model
As I got closer and closer

Filling the frame
Seeing the eyes
The cellophane
And the segmented tail
A little coquettish
Betty Grable
In The Shot
or maybe,
Was that good for you Mr. Demille?

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

edited January 3, 2016

The Fashion Plate – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-fashion-plate-v2.html

posted May 2, 2004

written March 27, 2004

The Fashion Plate

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/fashion-plate.html

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 40,520+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Thursday, April 29, 2004

Trapped by Flames

House ablaze, hissing, dying
Crimson anguish
My daughter upstairs, alone
Helpless

Firetruck – red, loud, racing, screech
HELP ME! MY BABY!!
Trapped in her room!

Silent turn
Rush to the door, mask on
Heart pounding, seconds ticking
Legs like pistons
Crouch to the floor, below the boiling smoke
The selfish flames
Hurtle up the stairs, hands and knees,
Down the hall, Grab her,
Shaking arms tight round his neck
Tears on his coat

Dead weight, limp, heave
Through the gauntlet
A life spared, others saved a lifetime
Of pain, of loss
A day at the office
Life and death – timed.

Raymond A. Foss
October 21, 2001 22:20
Thoughts as I was trying to finish the closing arguments draft for Zoll v. City of Cleveland for Civil Procedure; how to get away from regulations to what the tests were about. I actually read it aloud as part of mock closing arguments in front of my class of over 120 people. Got some laughs but it was a fun memory of 1st semester law school.

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 18,700+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Monday, April 26, 2004

Out in the woods

A space in the dark untrammeled woods
Off the path
Under the watch of maples and birch
A bed of lady slippers
Clustered like a twin-bed
Lit with filtered spring light

Planted for me to find
By myself, with my thoughts
Discoverer, tromping through the mud of the season
near the lost stone wall, rusted wagon wheel
and bale of barbed wire

By the lean-to I built
To get away
Where I stayed overnight
Exploring the hill,
the bank below the rocks

I could find it still, I believe
I’m sure; I’ve shown others
Because magic can be held
and finding it means you can again
out in the woods

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 18,700+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Saturday, April 24, 2004

Opinion

Choice of words and meanings
Inference in hiding
Expanding rights
Beyond facts
Setting the stage
To go further
With the next little case
To loose the floodgates
More than measured steps
When the right is denied
And it isn’t right

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 18,700+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Friday, April 23, 2004

Ten Years

Ten Years, Dad
Since you lost control
At Mile Marker 19
On Valentine’s Day
Without her.
So close to me
Yet we never saw you.

How I wish I knew you
Better. How I wish
We were friends.
Lives lived inside ourselves
Never knowing each other
Never sharing much
Except for the talks in the
Car from Durham home
And back again,
Now twenty years past

I miss you
Because I didn’t have
A chance
To break through
The walls that you used
To live as you wanted
With family at
Arms length.

Much there was
That I should have
Said to you
That might have made
Things different
For me. But
We never had
The time or
The words were
Too brief.

------

edited December 29, 2015

Demons – v2

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

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/12/demons-v2_29.html

edited December 29, 2015

Did You Hear Her Cry – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/12/did-you-hear-her-cry-v2.html

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/12/did-you-hear-her-cry-v2_29.html

edited December 29, 2015

The Crash – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-crash-v2.html

edited December 18, 2015

The Submariner – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-submariner-v2.html

edited December 17, 2015

Meticulous – v2

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

edited December 18, 2015

Adam Asked – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/12/adam-asked-v2.html

==========

edited October 22, 2015

Did you brace for impact – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/10/did-you-brace-for-impact-v2.html

edicted October 22, 2015

Mile Marker 19 – v8

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/10/mile-marker-19-v8.html

(editing original)

edited October 5, 2015

Like the Venus Fly Trap – v9

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/10/like-venus-fly-trap-v9.html

(editing version 5)

edited October 3, 2015

Why on this day – v3

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/10/why-on-this-day-v3.html

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/10/why-on-this-day-v3_5.html

(editing original)

edited October 19, 2014

Why on this day – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/10/why-on-this-day-v2.html

July 1, 2014

Why on this day

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/07/why-on-this-day.html

“My Prayers Weekend!”

“Next Day Stretch”

draft a note to God

about a day when you struggled

with a big question

for June 29, 2014

read June 30, 2014

edited June 27, 2014

A vivid memory – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/06/a-vivid-memory-v2.html

June 27, 2014

A vivid memory

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/06/a-vivid-memory.html

Matthew 28:20 (NRSV)

Romans 8:31-39

Upper Room Daily Devotional

“In Dark Times”

http://devotional.upperroom.org/devotionals/2014-06-26

by Don Greeley

about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml

for June 26, 2014

read June 27, 2014

Upper Room Daily Devotional

for March and April 2014

http://devotional.upperroom.org/issues/may-jun%202014

edited August 15, 2015

Here it comes – v3

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/08/here-it-comes-v3.html

(editing version 2)

edited January 12, 2014

Here it comes – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/01/here-it-comes-v2.html

January 12, 2014

Here it comes

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/01/here-it-comes.html

January 12, 2014

I am not ready

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/01/i-am-not-ready.html

(conversation by Dean McKenney about his

bad car accident 40 years ago)

January 12, 2014

an accounting to God

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/01/an-accounting-to-god.html

January 12, 2014

Honor their walk

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/01/honor-their-walk.html

Romans 14:10-12

Romans 14:1-12

Romans 14

Men’s Bible Study

led by Steve Curtis

Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stetson-Memorial-United-Methodist-Church/174161846023512

Patten, ME

January 12, 2014

edited August 4, 2015

Like the Venus Fly Trap – v8

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/08/like-venus-fly-trap-v8.html

(editing version 5)

edited May 9, 2015

Ten Years – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/05/ten-years-v2.html

April 23, 2004

Ten Years

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/04/ten-years.html

Thursday, April 22, 2004

Thus Spake Mary Reilly,

Thus Spake Mary Reilly,
“Respondeat Superior, My Ass -
Sue ‘em All”

Sue ‘em
Sue them all damn it
Someone must be to blame
For my pain, my loss
Why shouldn’t I get mine
Right now

Get in there
Fight for me, my due
My advocate
Some charge must stick
Some rule broken,
Negligence,
Don’t clutter up with facts

Start with insurance,
Take the truck, the house,
The pension, carriage house, trailer
My god, the mansion!
Boat. No, both boats
Tanks, everything
Back up the moving vans
Let them contribute.

Raymond A. Foss
September 29, 2001
20:40

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 18,700+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Tuesday, April 20, 2004

Consolidation of Tools in Motion

Was it 12(g) that governed
My studies tonight
Use all my tools now,
Spread before me,
Or lose them later

Black's, text, notebook
Pen, highlighter, laptop
Phone and federal rules
Coffee, Budweiser in a can
Bed, Pillow, desk, stiff chair, lamp
Glasses perched on my nose
Ticking alarm clock chattering
To my left,
Mocking me

Carpenter v. Dee
Complaint and Answer
Breach of warranty
Wrongful death
Dumb defenses
Joinder of parties
Of claims
Motions to dismiss here
Motions there
Surely,
One will stick...
Or not.

Raymond A. Foss
9/18/01 21:30 to 22:15

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 18,700+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Saturday, April 17, 2004

4 Years and 310 poems later...

4/17/04 –

Poetry found me on 4/17/00, when I read one of two poems I had ever written at the Barrington (NH) School Board meeting, as part of a group assignment to read a poem each of us liked, as part of National Poetry Month. Marcy Dovholuk, the School District’s Reading Specialist had given us the assignment. After the positive reaction, I have been driven to produce 310 new poems in the last 4 years (including a spell from February to September 2003 when I didn’t write any). Thank you God for this new found gift, at 40 years old.

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 18,700+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Proudly Lust after our Sloth

As a law student,
I long to
Relish in sloth
Kick back, lounge
Linger when I shouldn’t
Lull the hours
Sit, opaque
Blank
Read a book,
or not

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 18,700+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Friday, April 16, 2004

Dreams

Slide, fall
into the realm
the inky stillness
after restless days

Wake, fitfully
Scraps of memory
or Technicolor show

Prescience sometimes
Of future conversations,
Experience yet to come

Not déjà vu exactly,
But waking foreknowledge
of meaningless drivel

Allegory, metaphor
Passion, smells
a lost smile

or disjointed drama
Different for each
Shards or chapter and verse

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 18,700+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Wednesday, April 14, 2004

Living Light

A meadow aglow
In the quiet dusk
Sitting on the porch
Drawn to the field
Mason jar in hand
Lid pierced for breath

Chasing the light
In the wet grass
Damp with dew
Captured by the spell
Of the moment

Laughing at the wonder
Cupping the luminance
Between my fingers
Feeling the cool warmth
Night vision
Insect feet on my skin

Collect a few
Where did the light go
Til they start again
Coleman mantles
In miniature
Casting shadows on the table
From the logo and seam

Open the lid
Go to bed
Empty in morning
Loaded with memory
As I close my eyes
To see the night

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 18,700+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Tuesday, April 13, 2004

Images

Photographs
Forgotten, unseen
Burst into view
Rekindling old memories
Moments of time
Places smells
moods shadows
conjured up

life through
viewfinder
no more
But musing
Still from captured ether
In emulsion

Mephistopheles the Pediatrician

Short cropped hair of black
Full beard of stubble, four days old
Gray joining the jagged black shards
Menacing, reaching for each patient
Hammer for knee or noggin,
Whichever the need

An image presented full in my mind’s eye
Sulphur from the lips, heat in the nostrils
Conjured as they all are
Wisps, pond fog
Or steam off a pot of soup

Wrapping round my head
Spoon to my flushed checks
Sagging eyes, reaching for sleep
Goatee and stubble of brown and gray
My face in the mirror too.

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 18,700+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Saturday, April 10, 2004

Unfocused

Where is the thread
The need to be on point
Playing when I should be reading
Looking for more sources
When I have them in front of me
Taunting me in the unorganized pile
Dog eared and frayed
From carrying back and forth

Time to turn off the tube, stop striking
The keys writing this line
Pad and pen, highlighter and coffee
Starting again, to get the facts
Build the rule, the precedent
The authority to decide
What to say, what to write
In Memo 2.

Raymond A. Foss
October 23, 2001 10:37
(lamentations of a 1st semester law student)

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 18,700+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Friday, April 09, 2004

Night Alone

Bright noisy streets
Unattached and watching
The jazz, the sass,
The Street, Bourbon

Late April
Thick with tourists
Easy marks
And their watchers
In the shadows
On the corner
Bump and grab
proposition

Takes all kinds
Shapes and colors
On the street
N.O. P.D. there but not
Edgy

Past midnight
Hum of the beat
Continues
Lingers
Smells and moods
Mix
In the dark
Away from the centers
Under the porches

Later still
Same and different
Slower darker
Safe on the street
Danger near
Old Absinthe
A trumpet wails
Without competition
Any more

Another drink
Another tip
Another scene surveyed
Last call
4 AM

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 18,700+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Thursday, April 08, 2004

Stranger

A stranger
Down the street
On the roof
No more

In the air – out in space
Tacked to the sky
Frozen for an instant
so I could see

Shock, disbelief
Run to where he fell
bent and broken, alone
Who is he, will he make it

Wondering -
no news
Driven to know, to hear
How he is, is he alone

Act of will, of submission,
Of service
Called me to the scene,
to his room

A mother’s son
Dealing with
another challenge,
another test

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 18,700+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Tuesday, April 06, 2004

Closeup

My eye
catches,
notices
A small detail
A flower, berry, bug
Flake, fragment
Texture or color
drawn to it

Hold still
Buffer the breeze
Move in
Check the scene
through the lens

Lock arms
hold breath
Exhale just enough
Open the f-spot
angle for light
focus
Freeze
shoot

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 18,700+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Monday, April 05, 2004

Two months on the air

Today marks two months for this site. I have posted 134 poems and 23 images so far, plus a link to a PowerPoint presentation and 34 other links.

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 18,700+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Sunday, April 04, 2004

Hold the Anchovies

Agent Ferman of the FBI
Came and looked me in the eye

Grabbed me from my house
I had to be as quiet as a mouse

I did not like it, not one bit
And then they made me sit and sit

I do not like Anchovies, a slimy fish
I do not like them in a dish

I do not like them on a pie
I do not see them in the sky

I do not want them here or there
I do not want them anywhere

And if you think six hours is fine
All that did was made me pine

For freedom from the illegal arrest
That made me confess under duress.

Suppress you must it is true
The Fourth Amendment says that too.

(a poem written about my moot court argument, spring semester 2002).

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 18,700+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Monday, May 03, 2004

Sunday, May 02, 2004

Thursday, April 29, 2004

Monday, April 26, 2004

Saturday, April 24, 2004

Friday, April 23, 2004

Thursday, April 22, 2004

Tuesday, April 20, 2004

Saturday, April 17, 2004

Friday, April 16, 2004

Wednesday, April 14, 2004

Tuesday, April 13, 2004

Saturday, April 10, 2004

Friday, April 09, 2004

Thursday, April 08, 2004

Tuesday, April 06, 2004

Monday, April 05, 2004

Sunday, April 04, 2004

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