National Poetry Writing Month - April 30, 2014

30 straight days of writing. I don't know how many words or lines or verses that is, but it's impressive nonetheless. Thank you to those who have read what I have written, and if you like any of it by all means leave comments and let me know about it.

I will endeavor to keep up with it, going back and trying out some of the earlier styles and schemes. But for now, here's the last one of the month. And of course, what better way to wrap up than with a sonnet.

Done, But Not Over

The month is now done, the pen is set down

As I say farewell to this writing task

Hoping that I have made smiles out of frowns

With only one humble request to ask

If you hear the muse, then take up a pen

Take out a notebook and put thoughts to page

Write down what you feel, because only then

So words will be kept for every age

I'll give you more rhymes, some old and some new

Improving with each of the words that I write

I've enjoyed this whole month with nothing to prove

We go now into that poets good night

Thank you dear readers for sharing my space

I hope that I'll see you again in this place

National Poetry Writing Month - April 25, 2014

Tonight was a beautiful night to be out and about. It was warm and clear and there were lots of people but nobody was being stupid. Just what I wanted for the evening. And as an added bonus, I got to have dinner with my beautiful bride.

While some folks get this privilege every night, for me it's a treat because of the shift that I work. Coupled with the long hours her job is demanding of her lately and we're a tired pair when we're off. So, when I get the chance to see her when I'm working, I take it because it's a rarity for us.

This one is for you Baby. I love you.

No Comparison

Rivers and valleys and mountains and streams

The wind in my eyes. Warm sun on my face

There's nothing like her in any of your dreams

That can even come close to taking her place

She challenges my mind and she makes me so glad

I kiss her hello no matter when we meet

She'll hold me close and console me when sad

Her love for me is what makes me complete

At the end of the day, or in the cool early morn

I know that I love her with all of my heart

She makes my heart happy and I'm never forlorn

We're together forever; never apart

You make me better Baby, without a doubt

My love for you from the mountaintops I'll shout

National Poetry Writing Month - April 16, 2014

It's been warm. It's been cold. It's been rainy, sunny, and snowy. All in the space of a week. The poor flowers and birds don't know what in the hell to think. But, as I look out the window right now, the grass is green, the sky is blue and the birds are singing.

And Ode To (Hopefully) Spring

Once in a while you must look outside

And see what's been going on around you

To see the green grass and the nests of pride

That the birds have built up all about you

Watch the snow wash away and show the ground

And all of the blades it once had hidden

The warmth of the sun brings life all around

Baby birds hidden high. Puppies. Kittens

Despite the cruel winter it all comes back

Slowly but surely the flowers return

Through the harsh cold springtime finds a crack

To makes itself felt in the sunshine's burn

Go out in your yard and smell the flowers

Take in their new life; take awe in their power

National Poetry Writing Month - April 4, 2014

Nothing says classic poetry like the one and only sonnet. A standard for Shakespeare and countless others for centuries. This is the first of what I'm sure will be many more this month.

NaPoWriMo Sonnet #1

With the wind howling outside of my door

I sit and I stare at the blank screen

The dog shifts roughly and lets out a snore

While the blank white page stares back at me. Clean

As a drift of the snow that has melted

And as harsh as the cold piercing draft

The spring time rain on my windows have pelted

Giving a rhythm to my typing craft

I see trees bending under the force of the gale

As I sit warm and snug in my room

Shielded away from the gray sky so pale

The color of wintertime's fading gloom

Green is returning to the ground and the sky

And summer will be upon us by and by

A Sonnet For My Baby

I have the best wife in the entire world. Despite what you may think about your spouse, none of them can hold a candle to mine. She makes me happy, she makes me think, she makes me feel safe and smart. We rarely "fight" and when there is a serious discussion, it isn't with loud voices.

This one is for you Baby. I love you. RAWR!

We two have been married about five years

The best five years of my life up to date

There’s been lots of laughter and a few tears

And for the next 50 I simply can’t wait

You make me so happy when I see you at night

There’s nothing more that I need to feel bliss

When something’s gone wrong you make it all right

And when I’m alone it’s you that I miss

A warm July morning Team R was made

He and She became We. The two became one

I hope I can show you for the rest of my days

A life of happiness, love and of fun

I love you Baby, and I always will

And of your kisses, I can’t get my fill

October 1, 2011 - 0500

And, welcome to the last quarter of 2011. It was a much more productive night than last night, since I posted nothing yesterday. And despite being harangued by my peer for about an hour and a half, I was able to get out and make an arrest before the bars closed. DUI arrests are probably my favorites. They can be dangerous, without a doubt, but most of the time they are merely entertaining. And for me, even if there isn't anything particularly funny about the contact or tests, it's still satisfying to get a drunk driver off of the streets. Which is what I did tonight.

Day One DUI


The first day of the month of quarter last
As I sat with a partner passing time
I saw a car without lights driving past
Not exactly the most heinous of crimes

But we know that these can lead to something
And so I left our chat to catch the car
Most times it just turns out to be nothing
But late at night I can't let them go far

The smell of booze inside the car was strong
I got her out and made her do my tests
From what I saw her driving now was wrong
This is one of the things that I do best

She refused and soon was sent on her way
And I went back out on the streets to play

September 17, 2011 - 0500

It's time for yet another festival in town. This one closes most of one of the major streets in the business district of the town. It's only a minor inconvenience for us (the police) to drive the side streets and adjacent lots to get where we need to go, but I can't imagine what would happen if there were a fire.

Despite this, a couple of the bars did well for themselves this night. Probably because it was a pain in the rear to get to others. One in particular had a large crowd, and we kept our trained eyes on this place so that they knew no shenanigans would be allowed.

But Is It Art?


A major street in town was closed tonight
This blocked some businesses and several homes
Nobody came to us and begged their plight
We knew not where they went, not where they roamed

A staggering blue shirt walked and kicked cones
I caught him just outside of a bears bar
We talked and his sorrow became well known
He was not from the town, he was from far

Some bars were busy but most were not full
Most closed early, tow stayed open late
Expecting trouble to one we all did roll
The fights and boobery we did abate

They say the town is too small for real crime
My answer is to say just give it time

July 12, 2011 - 0500

This week will be the sonnet week. All four will be in various styles of the classic poetry form. Always go with what works.

Monday are usually slow, as I've mentioned before. But tonight was particularly so. A strong storm came through in the morning but the power was all on and no real damage around town. When I checked my e-mail after the bars had closed I found a message from the chief, asking me to help with a presentation for the city. We are going to present information against allowing golf carts on city streets. I can see the downside of it, I just hope that we can convey that to the 9 members of the council.

Electric Conveyence Concerns


It's hard to think what I've been asked to do
Another senseless waste of city time
It's not that I'm too busy. That's not true.
But the silliness boarders on a crime

Who would want to drive a golf cart in town
A place where booze is the entertainment?
Just thinking of the trouble makes me frown
But we have the time to head this off yet

Two weeks to find all that we can about
the laws that we soon would face
I wonder if the chief and I have clout
enough to put this in it's proper place

I hope we end this long before it starts
For I see trouble brewing at it's heart

June 27, 2011 - 0500

As I wrapped up my work week, I figured it would be an uneventful Sunday night into Monday morning. It started out that way, but when we finally made it out onto the streets I was surprised at what I saw.

This morning is the classic sonnet, with a slightly altered rhyme structure. I didn't start out to make any changes, but ended up switching a couple things around and I like how it turned out. I'm sure there's a name for the type of sonnet written, but I have no idea what it would be.

Rare Sight Sonnet


My talk ran over with partner and peer
They debated and I just did not care
When we got out there was no one there
Except for a girl with eyes like a deer

She swayed from the booze on the low sidewalk
Boyfriend and her were just standing outside
Next to the street as if waiting to ride
She dropped her pants and I jerked to a stop

Boys pee outside, but girls do so rarely
Partner handcuffed her and took her to jail
Cursing and crying her ticket of fail
Called racist, she left. Laughs held in barely

The night finished slow. The paperwork done
Only early in shift did we have any fun

April 9, 2011 - 0517

A sonnet has a highly structured set of rules. Meter, rhyme scheme, length are all regulated. I tried to stay as close to those rules as I could in describing our Friday night.

Not For Lack Of Trying


The town is small, but the crowd was large, for us,
For us to be out side. Oh how we looked.
With dancers on tables we made a fuss
Yet try as we may not a one was booked.

Cars were stopped but no drunks were found. I tried
but to no avail. A litterbug said,
"Who me?" when told his friend should be his guide.
"Keep our town tidy and don't lose your head."

A soldier was drunk, a sailor was drunk
They held hands as they walked towards their houses.
Stay calm, be nice, and go back to your bunk.
Don't talk; don't speak but be quiet like mouses.

I tried but the crowd in my town was dying.
No lock ups, but not for lack of trying.