Return to the Rhyme

Every child is drawn to a rhyme
The rhythm, the words, the sound
The mind pictures colorfully crafted
The meanings complete and round

Then somehow poetry morphs
Into something convoluted and hard
And children drop their books
To go out and play in the yard

The elite just quiver and shake
Enwrapped in emotional bliss
At each new odd meter and line
Or syllables with exotic twist

But to me all that twisting gymnastics
Is just lazy wordplay unleashed
And “poetry” would have more meaning
Back on the rhythmic foundation beneath

© Copyright 2018, Marty Vandermolen, All Rights Reserved

To Keep Honest Pledge

What man can say that he’s only been kind, true?
What woman can repeat that vow and say me too?
All Men and Women are flawed of memory
Thus recalling things vividly that never could be
And all have failed at least once to keep honest pledge
As they’ve danced along life’s sharp mortal ledge

© Copyright,  2018, Marty Vandermolen, All Rights Reserved

Borne Away

As I float back over
Where my life began
Tracing its’ brief pattern
In the cooling sand
Having marked each step
With my energy’s blood
Only to be borne away on
The coming tide’s flood

© Copyright 2017 Marty Vandermolen – All Rights Reserved

She Exists

She exists
From day to day
Barely, She exists

Life swirls around her
Tugging, pulling, encouraging,
But, She exists

Friends call, children grow
Pets come and go,
Still She exists

Chances beat boldly on doors
Wisper seductively through windows,
Meagerly She exists

Unaffected, uninvolved
Unsustainably
Yet She exists

Clutching close to tainted breath
Tears spent in self-conflicted emotions
Wearily She Exists

Marking the days allotted her
Not by living, but by not,
Waiting She exists

© 2018 Copyright, Marty Vandermolen, All Rights Reserved

Wind Whistles Lonely

Why does the wind whistle so lonely
When it winds its way through the trees
Sounding clarion trumpets loud
Or sighing soft as you please

Why is the moon so bright
On wilderness twisted terrain
Lighting each rock and tree
Til daylight comes once again

And when the moon is dark
How do the stars shine so great
That the trees and the mountains reflect
Off the surface of a calm lake

And when winds carry before them
Bunched and laden cloud
Why is the thunder so pleasing
Regardless being scary and loud

More important than even these puzzles
Is that while in knowing yet I stand
Not in wilderness soils deep
But in the “civilized” land

My mind yearns for the wilds
My heart cries out to be heard
I need to be out there encompassed
Seldom trouble by wasted word

Far from the stresses of people
Far from the anger and shame
Living a life of simplicity
Where nature sets the soul tame

I need to be out in the forest
Or afloat on ocean grand
Challenged by wind and wave
Far from concreted over land

©Copyright 2018, Marty Vandermolen, All Rights Reserved

After Parenting

What pray tell should life become
With setting of child rearing’s sun
Shall life remain moored as in bearing years
Or cast adrift to seek new cheers

As father I wore a certain coat
As parent I captained a specific boat
That carried goods and goals and needs
Provided grain and eggs and feeds

Before that time though I did stand
On a different path across this land
My coat then made of leather tough
To protect me from adventures rough

Old siren calls of places, things
Remain in memory as clarion rings
Urging me to cut the chains that moor
Take aim for far gone distant shore

To seek new life in what’s left of my days
Thus to impact in as many ways
The world around; to betterment make
And repay the resources that I did take

© Copyright 2018, Marty Vandermolen, All Rights Reserved

Grieve No More For Me

Grieve no more for me
For I’m gone and surely free
Grieve not for my life surrendered
I’ve taken with me the joy it rendered
Grieve not for what I’ve left undone
I gladly hand it off to one
With more youth and vision than I
To paint anew the land, the sea, the sky

 ©2018, Marty Vandermolen, All Rights Reserved

Temptations Thrive

This year begins as all years should
A slow meander through the wood
With time to feel and space to think
A crystal falls from which to drink
The sun’s pure and tempered light
Heating every stone and tree in sight
Casting magic through dappled glade
Weaving retreat in meadow jade

Laying back on sun warmed stone
Wispy dreams on breezes blown 
Of paramour known but unrealized
Though mind and heart had idolized
Bringing peace to fevered brow
Slowing heart rate, resting now
Time tempers all that life can accept
Changes wrought while emotions slept

Feelings treasured as they merged
Joys retained, pain is purged
Recalling past years’ living done
Melding memories, actions won
Shifting sun counters cooling shade
Yet falls behind as daylights fade
Until air is cooled, stone is cold
Reminding one that time grows old

What was once, shall nevermore be
Though sparks remain in memory
Facing New Year with chances unknown
Memory feeds stable life path sown
And long and short, far and near
It is memories of each yesteryear
That buoy through times hard and bad
Stressful, angry, boring, sad

Thus through verse, and remembered bliss
Allow me just once to express all this
I treasure beyond mere words scribed here
Select memories of you that I hold most dear
And times we spent in thoughtful deep
Discussions long, great thoughts to reap
While lastly thank you for temptations that thrive
Reminding me even now that I am truly alive

 © Copyright, 2018, Marty Vandermolen, All Rights Reserved