Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Pony Tale - Lyrical Poem

I was required to compose a lyrical poem for English 301.  I wrote this piece for my personal trainer.



Pony Tale

She steps onto the belt
activates and adjusts 
speed and incline,
as Pink implores her
through her earbuds
to "Try." She does. 
A few nonrhythmic steps,
then the perfect cadence,
as her sorrel ponytail
becomes a pendulous
windshield wiper,
brushing unseen schmutz
from her shoulders.
A silken metronome,
now keeping time,
As Eminem urges her   
to "Lose Herself." She does.
Flowing free
Restrained only
By a satin scrunchie
and four-four time, 
swaying smoothly as
the plait of a champion
Dressage horse.
 

"The War That I'm Waging" - A Villanelle

I was tasked to write a Villanelle for creative writing class.  Through the years I have met a lot of Vietnam vets who  returned damaged.  I decided to write this poem as  a tribute to those soldiers.  Though I tell the story here of a Vietnam vet, the wars are interchangeable.  The one constant is the warrior.    .  



The War That I'm Waging

When I close my eyes I can still see
Can't shake the memories that my mind embraces
The war that I'm waging is inside of me

Sleepless nights, husband, father,  in absentee
Unable to forget unforgettable places
When I close my eyes I can still see

Two tours of changing good men to debris
Through the crosshairs, exploding yellow faces
The war that I'm waging is inside of me

Mekong flowed red to the North China Sea
Filigrees of horrors that no time erases
When I close my eyes I can still see

A long ago war that  I can never break  free
Jack Daniels and VA meds temporarily displaces
The war that I'm waging is inside of me

The hell that I'm living forever will be 
No Lord's Prayer can earn me God's graces
 When I close my eyes I can still see
The war that I'm waging is inside of me 

by Rick Wainright