robertthesmall

Common life

lt’s a common life

we share

neither fame nor fortune

cats dogs and now, it seems, chickens

——————————————

it’s a usual living

poetry, politics, readings, movies,

walking into town

driving around

———————————

we’re the same as others

unknowing how the play ends

how we end

is it a good one

—————————————————————-

we will be remembered

by those who chose to do so

hopefully, for our good

hopefully, for our good

—————————————–

it is a common life

she is uncommon

and I would not choose another

to share this common life with

————————————————

Bob 6-30

Rev 7-4

first scanned poem on new scanner/computer

wish I knew the year

List Gallery 4-23-22

Shoes

Emeline Wolf

Jolie Feten (nice party)

Maybe half her paintings

were of shoes

shoes

shoes

shoes without feet

not

feet without shoes

_______________________________________________

Wondering and wondering

what and where

the meaning was

this was during a first day

the sun was

shining

______________________

3. Went to Fetter concert

next

and then to home

and then to home

stopped to see shoes again

we all need a day

when we do

nothing

nothing

nothing

but observe

4-23-22

Note: This was at Swarthmore College,

now again open to visitors.

 

 

I remember Swarthmore

 

I remember Swarthmore

all the trees that used to grow

all the stores we used to know

I remember Swarthmore

biking, sitting

standing, walking

stopping in the sidewalk’s middle

for some

unplanned

talking

______________

Do you remember Swarthmore

as it is now and before

a village nay a borough or a town

where people met both town and gown

while people just

going

around

______________________________

But this photo of Swarthmore

will soon be

no more

never more

 

Note;  This was read at the Tuesday, April 26th meeting

about the proposed demolition of the Celia Building

in order to build an unneeded 5 story condo.

I was the third speaker and read the only Poem,

which, I’m told, set the tone.

We defeated the demolition.

 

Lying there Bob fought fear or tried
then felt as hot as if fried
then next like times of being high
would one wake up or would he go to __

Bob felt so hot, was he baked or fried
Should he shout or laugh or cry
would he wake or find this time to _
a needed test Bob did know why

Should Bob shout or laugh or cry
what is next hello goodbye
a needed test now wonders why
medicine’s new toy, wink and a sigh

5-19-22

It’s funny how you worry some things

and they’re so important

until they’re not

until they’re not

________________________

the internet is not a person

TV is not a warm body

and writing is not a hobby

writing is not a hobby

________________

I couldn’t find a title for this Poem

and maybe it doesn’t need one

and now there’s the real important

the real important

In the dream last night

my character was just released

tried to remember

where he lived

tried to remember

where

home

actually

was

So I’ve been working on the novel and my posts

with thoughts of returning to Poetry.

Don’t look back, something might be gaining on you

Satchel Paige

_________________________________

Who I could have been what I should of done

What I could have been worlds I should of done

Who and what

I should of turned away from

Who and what

I should not

have turned away

from

________________

Decisions made

fifty

fourty

thirty

and less years ago

are non-reversible

nor should they be

nor

should

they

be

________________________

I have to be happy

with who I am

with who I have

with what I’ve done

with what I do

with what I’ve done

with what I do

(breath)

with what I still plan

and will

with what I still plan

and will

do

In the haze of morning

I wonder

who I could have been

who I could have been

and how and whether

it would of mattered

_____________________

Sometimes

in the haze of morning

I wonder

If I hadn’t

spent too much time

chasing flesh and drugs

chasing flesh and drugs

what I might have-

___________________

Sometimes

I turn away from the wonder

hold myself and herself

and breathe slowly

in and out

in and out

This was after we left Paris, Illinois

realizing

this wasn’t gonna work

me and Claire

soon to be pregnant Claire

_____________________________

This was Ukranski Logan

1970’s early Logan

The Ukranian Bank did not have

deposit slips in English

For what should they have them

________________________

The local bar in Ukranski Logan

had photos of Walter Chyzowych

don’t ask me to say this name again

of Philadelphia Ukranian Nationals

Soccer team

_______________________________

Here, a descendent of Ukranski Jews

and all the Catholics sitting next to me

in Nick’s Bar, or whatever

it was called spoke to each other

like they never would back home

______________________________

We really tried to make it work

and maybe if we would of stayed here…

at what was it 12^th and Logan?

Living in the first floor back again

and glad to be in Philly again

Hunter Biden is using some of his monies

from Burisma

to outfit a fighting group to-

no, that’s not true

_________________________

If two sides are fighting

who do we support

well, the US likes to support Dictators

again, who do we support

___________________________

there were ancestors of mine

who left Ukraine/Poland/Russia

they were Jewish and none of those countries

none of them wanted Jews

__________________________

that people are dying dying dying

again

on all sides/on all sides

remains the greatest tragedy