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