03/30

So onto Poem 3. I wanted to edit this more, I realized how much more there is to delve into but I got to give it up after a day. Definitely one to revisit and maybe draw out more. So here’s my poem for the Tigers.

 

03/30

The Roar

 

that echoed off my ears still rings today.

Me a pint-sized 6 year old.

Snapback cap pulled to the last dot

My pride and joy glove.

My grandpa.

Pointed up to Ernie’s booth,

“There he is.”

Me straining to see past the next rows butts,

Packed into Tigers Stadium

Not yet Ol’

Or Comerica.

Boasting ROAR shattering the air.

Covering my head at first with my glove

Then cupping for a megaphone.

My first Tigers game.

I roared 6 year old’s boom.

First loves get this kind of your heart.

 

Comerica Park.

The behemoth has been home now for twelve years.

I’ve lived in four cities,

three houses.

Drove one car,

Moved into three apartments,

Made and lost numerous friends.

Have had all of my serious relationships.

Yet, Comerica Park has been home.

Where hot dogs grease up the skillet.

Homeruns look like missiles barreling towards right field.

Where we eat cauliflower tasting like 119 losses,

Pop champagne when we get into October.

Beer costs $6

Or you sneak it in.

Where Pudge guarded home plate.

Where Justin orchestrates a symphony of a game.

One of the Young brothers is lighting up the scoreboard.

Might we see the same from Fielder…s?

This home has mad a decade seem like an eternity

And an eye blink

All at once.

Home where summer tans bronze

Pop flies are as common as popcorn.

The fireworks of Friday turn downtown a smoked out haze.

Bundled games in September, October, April too.

 

Once heard the roar bestowed as boo’s onto Kwame.

The crowd a mess, the to-be-former-mayor with his stud and smile

Throwing out the first pitch.

Heard an instant snap followed when Jerome Bettis saunters onto the mound.

A praise that ricocheted off Windsor

Return of the triumphant son.

Who’d won across just across the street three months prior.

That roar that reached onto the empty pitch at The Corner.

Here is where The Roar lives now.

 

02/30 – Daily Coffee

02/30

Alrighty, so almost too late for day 2, but I just got it done. Poems 3 and 4 to come shortly, enjoy.

 

Daily Coffee

 

Second most traded commodity behind crude oil.

This dark elixir I became infatuated with over three years

My fingers became stained brown from grounds.

I’ve seen it move mountains of humans through their day.

Waking morning cup

Shake the sleep from eye sockets.

Deep bruises almost as dark as the swirling liquid.

No cream anymore,

Just an ice cube or two

Easier to gulp the first layers down.

Roof of mouth scar tissued.

I prefer a touch of pure cane sugar

Stir into the cup of righteousness

Ordering the free trade choice

Its tastier I tell myself.

Walking out of the shop a little higher on myself

Sped up for the day.

 

Afternoon pick me up to avoid the crash,

Inevitable.

Eyelids slip down like fall temperatures.

The sun moves past its apex

Past half way on the clock,

Nowhere near that for my day.

I hold the door open for a moment longer than I expect.

Bump into a nice lady headed into the bathroom.

Muffle out an apology.

Quiet haze has my ears plugged.

Detached my fingers from my hands

I add some cream

Spilling a touch.

Stir in the cane sugar.

Toss my change in the tip jar

I used to live off the tip jar.

A stumble onwards to work.

Bleary eyed and back to computer screens

Convinced this path is the right one,

My finger tips callousing from days of coding.

Writing, stirring.

Editing, stirring

Emailing, stirring.

Repeat, stir.

 

Evening all nighter cup.

Regular world now asleep.

Sky matching the liquid in my thermos

Littered with little white flakes of cream or stars.

I slog down the last half cup

Walk into the library.

Lost in the efforts of trying to find

Where to put my hands.

 

Day 1 – Rubies

Rubies 

And what did the rubies say standing before the juice of pomegranates? – Pablo Neruda

“All this crimson that spills into the cracks seems purposeless”

The juice streams under the dim light

Flows to the unknown pool in the shadow.

They say holy water shimmers in the cathedral

This juice seems to whimper here

Longing to find a purpose under the split kernels.

 

These pomegranates have traveled far.

Seen milk spilt at the feet of goats

The creamy white didn’t shimmer.

Opaque and dingy the pail it was in was kicked.

The next pail only filed half full was traded

For couscous and barley.

And a hatchet.

 

These rubies could say the pomegranates bled quiet

Slowly releasing their juices across the cutting board.

These rubies were jealous of the pigeon blood-red

The pomegranates spilt.

Highest grade possible

These rubies standing in gold

In line next to diamonds.

A dowry gift for the wife

She is learning her way through this new kitchen

Unsure of the many contraptions on the counter

She splits the pomegranate with a chef’s knife

Dropping the half off the counter

 

These rubies standing before the juice of pomegranates

Watching the pigeon blood spill and fill cracks.

The former bride is looking for a mop or a broom.

The rubies say to the pomegranate

“You are not red like I am.

You are not true like I am.

You are not alive like I am.”

The pomegranate replies,

“Have you seen what I’ve seen?

Then you too would want to be slain in half.

Made to bleed

Nourishing this woman

showing her to fail in the kitchen

is human.

But to fall into gold,

That

Is dead and vain.”

Getting ready for April

So it is officially April and as such is also National Poetry month. For this I will attempt with some serious vigor to finish the 30/30 challenge, that is to write and finish 30 poems for the month of April, generally one per day.  I will post updates and first drafts here in the hope that I will retain my own rights (sorry Facebook) and also to allow for those people who I feel are good for my writing to comment and critique as opposed to the masses of social networking.  I hope this goes well and my first poem should be posted in the next few hours. Thanks and enjoy