Poetry and Potpourri .... October 20-21, 2003

October 20, 2003 | JustAmy, St.Louie1 and Mama_Bear

[JustAmy]

.................................................................

The Poetry Branch has been in limbo since the prior hostess left FreeRepublic April 15th 2003. We've since learned that said hostess has lost her posting privilege. That being the case, and Jim Robinson having given his ok, I wanted to renew the thread.

FreeRepublic is blessed with many fine poets, and we look forward to seeing their poems posted on FR once again. There were many non-poet FReepers who visited the Poetry Branch for the camaraderie; we hope they will return.

I would like to invite everyone to visit and relax at Poetry and Potpourri. Hopefully you will renew old acquaintances for chatting, sharing jokes, telling stories, posting cartoons, etc. Everyone needs a place to escape from the everyday news, make Poetry and Potpourri that place.

...................

The Belvedere's Guardian Wolf ~
the always charming, lovable, huggable,
LouieWolf.

[JustAmy]

To be added to or removed from the Poetry and Potpourri ping list, please notify me via FReepMail

Prior Threads:
September 22, 2003
September 24, 2003
September 26, 2003
September 27-28, 2003
September 29-30, 2003
October 1-2, 2003
October 3-4-5, 2003
October 6-7, 2003
October 8-9, 2003
October 10-11-12, 2003
October 13-14, 2003
October 15-16, 2003
October 17-18-19, 2003

[JustAmy]

Hope is the thing...

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

By Emily Dickinson

[The Mayor]

[JustAmy]

Winding Roads of Texas

The winding roads of Texas
From Staked Plains to the sea,
Are dressing up for springtime,
And for you and me.
Buttercups and daisies
Are full of April dew,
And the meadows are wearing
Gayest bonnets of blue.

There's perfume from the roses,
There's nectar for the bees,
And the lush prairie grasses
Are waving in the breeze.
The mocking-birds are singing
Their purest melody,
And the meadow larks fly upward
So high, I cannot see.

From San Antonio to Brownsville,
And El Paso in the West,
I cannot name a city
I love above the rest
For all the towns in Texas,
From mountains to the sea,
There is love within my heart,
It's there I long to be.

By Laressa Cox McBurney
Published in 1938


PS: Laressa Cox McBurney was my Grandmother's half-sister. I am not sure of the year but Aunt Laressa was born about 1885.

[JustAmy]

Thank you, Mayor .....

I had a cup of your wonderful coffee on the other thread earlier this morning, but I am definitely ready for a second cup.
Having a cup of coffee in that purple cup is a wonderful start to a new week. Thank you.

[Darksheare]

I ghot ghosted!
I put up lyrics to Nickelback's "Someday", and a link to the video.
Video is roughly about a guy who's aghost and doesn't know it.
*chuckle*
And then I was off into video card driver limbo!!

[Alamo-Girl]

Wow! You have great talent in your family. And what a beautiful poem about my beloved Texas.

[JustAmy]

Thank you; I tried to ping all of the Texas Freepers that are on my ping list. Thought they might enjoy that poem.

As I get more of her poems typed, I will post them. I believe she published three books of poems; I have copies of two.

[Alamo-Girl]

I cannot imagine a Texan that would not cherish the poem! And please be sure to ping me to her other poems as you post them. Thank you!

[JustAmy]

One night, a drunk comes stumbling into a bar and says to the bartender: "Drinks for all on me including you, bartender." So the bartender follows the mans orders and says: "That will be $36.50 please." The drunk says he has no money so the bartender slaps him around and throws him out.

The next night the same drunk comes in again and orders a drink for everyone in the bar including the bartender. Again the bartender follows instructions and again the drunk says he has no money. So the bartender slaps him around and throws him out.

On the third night he comes in, the drunk orders drinks for all except the bartender. "What, no drink for me?" replies the bartender. "Oh, no. You get violent when you drink."

[MeekOneGOP]

LOL ! ...

[Billie]

Afternoon, Amy - Emily Dickenson writes such great stuff. :)

[Billie]

Oh, I love this Texas poem from your Grandmother's half sister.

Gosh, that picture is certainly desolate-looking! One can see every kind of country right here in Texas. :)

   

[Darksheare]

I should have found this the other day instead..
*pouts*

Thirteen O'Clock
-Kenneth Fearing

Why do they whistle so loud, when they walk past the graveyard late at night?
Why do they look behind them when they reach the gates?
Why do they have any gates? Why don't they go through the wall?
But why, O why do they make that horrible whistling sound?

GO AWAY, LIVE PEOPLE, STOP HAUNTING THE DEAD

If they catch you, it is said, they make you rap, rap, rap on a table all
night,
And blow through a trumpet and float around the room in long white veils,
While they ask you, and ask you: Can you hear us, Uncle Ted?
Are you happy, Uncle Ted? Should we buy or should we sell?
Should we marry, Uncle Ted?
What became of Uncle Ned, Uncle Ted, and is he happy,
and ask him if he knows what became of Uncle Fred?

KEEP AWAY, LIVE PEOPLE, KEEP FAR AWAY,
STAY IN THE WORLD'S OTHER WORLD WHERE YOU REALLY BELONG.
YOU WILL PROBABLY BE MUCH HAPPIER THERE.

And who knows, what they are hunting for, always looking,
looking, looking with sharp bright eyes where they ought to have sockets?
Whoever saw them really grin with their teeth?
Who knows why they worry, or what they scheme, with a brain where there should
be nothing but good, damp air?

STAY AWAY, LIVE PEOPLE, STAY AWAY,
YOU MEAN NO HARM, AND WE AREN'T AFRAID OF YOU, AND WE DON'T
BELIEVE SUCH PEOPLE EXIST,
BUT WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? WHO DO YOU WANT?
WHO? WHO? WHO? O WHO?

[deadhead]

Wow, Amy...great poem by Laressa. What a special gift you have from your Grandmothers half-sister, her beautiful words to share with all. Thank You. I wish I were able to write poetry. I can't, but poetry is in my heart.

[deadhead]

What Would Life Be
by Scott Wheeler, Sr

What would life be with out friends like thee
I'll tell you, like no longer being free.
Imagine what life would be so sad and blue
To go through life without that special you.
And I know we live so far away
Through the internet we are like castaways
Never get to touch or hug you for this I only pray
For some day I hope we can meet
To hug and laugh and dance to the beat
I know this would be a treat
For now this is all I see
Is my good friend here with me
Just think what life would be
Without friends like thee

[Calpernia]

Good evening!

[JustAmy]

Thanks for that, Meekie.

[JustAmy]

Thanks for coming by, Billie.

Texas has every landscape you can imagine. My family comes from the Texas panhandle. One grandfather was born in Jacksboro but bought property in Wheeler County.

Since Aunt Laressa mentioned the prairie grasses, I decided to find a prairie picture. I was surprised to see the hill country in the Jack County area and also the Red River canyons.

[Darksheare]

Wandering on the forested path
Where once there strode three
There remains only two
Tears stream down as rain
And shadows engulfed the stars
Friendships sundered
Our paths divurged
The two that remain mourn
Their tears run as rain
And shadows engulfed the stars
Back from the path we wandered
Memories dance, memories drift
A fog floats in my sight
Your tears stream down as rain
And a shadow engulfs my star