The cry of Freedom
Rings true in hearts of all men
“Set the captives free”
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Have a great Fourth of July!
Stamp Art: Dwight L. Roth
Let Freedom Ring
Independence Day…”all men are created equal”
Fourth of July 2012
I wrote this poem almost ten years ago. Thinking about the 4th of July and what independence day really means, I realized that it is all in the perspective from which it is viewed. It may be uncomfortable to look back at history the way it really was and know that for many generations, equality was nowhere to be found. A lot has changed in the last ten years, but inequality still exists in our nation. What will you and your children do to bring about change for the common good?
When all the fireworks fade into ashes
And the Bar-B-Que grills have cooled.
When the wide eyes of the children close in blissful sleep
Do you ever wonder what Independence Day really means…
To the ancestors of African slaves brought here in the holds of ships
Who look back at our forefather who bought and sold them,
Forefathers who wrote, “all men are created equal,”
And realize, the dark ones were not included.
In the words of, Thomas Jefferson, “less than human…”
Or, perhaps, to the Native Americans who loved the free and open spaces
Only to be run off their lands, pushed into the deserts,
Left where summer heat scorched them
And winter snows chilled them to the bone,
Where animals were few and crops refused to grow…
Were they a part of “All men are created equal?”
No, in the words of our former Presidents,
“They were just savages… they were less than human.”
Or, perhaps, to the ‘”Illegal Aliens” who scrub our floors,
Pick our fruits and vegetables, build our houses,
And mow our lawns and mulch our shrubs,
Are they part of “All men are created equal?”
No, in the words of many of us, “They are just ‘wetbacks,’”
Nameless illegals, “…Who should be sent back where they came from.”
Though we may not say it, some of us think they too are less than human.
How quickly we forget the dark side…
How soon we lay aside our guilt, insult, and pain…
We rise as a flower in the sidewalk crack,
Stepped on over and over again,
Yet, we rise and bloom from the strength of our roots.
Independence Day is a time to “Bloom”…
To draw from the strength of our roots… not to forget, but to move on
To all that we can become, in a land where in God’s eyes,
“All men are truly created equal!”
Round Bales
Wheat harvest complete
Round straw bales dot horizon
Thunder clouds roll in
Photos: Dwight L. Roth
Come Fly With Me
Like sardines in a can we waited
for Covid to to be abated
Some wore sweats all day
on their computers with pay
Now many have their shot
Tired of staying home a lot
Fourth of July is coming
Jet engines are now humming
Stamp Art: Dwight L. Roth
Today I wrote a Quadrille of exactly 44 words. The Quadrille was created by d’Verse Poets Pub, which is now on mid summer break for two weeks.
Twin Kiss
Sweet twin kiss, vanilla and chocolate
teasing the taste buds, cooling my palate
Buddy Morgan was the man, drove an orange race car
Raced oval dirt tracks both near and far
His Twin Kiss was the place to be
Burgers, pizza, and milkshakes for me
Mugs of root beer with ice on the glass
Drinking it down was a very easy task
Chevys, Fords, and a 58 Mercury
all parked in rows; but no one’s in a hurry
Guys with duck-tails, Girls with teased hair
Bobby socks and poodle skirts, they made quite a pair
Sitting tight by their guy, teasing and kissing
It’s those days, now in old age, I am missing
Days long gone, and the Twin Kiss too
I loved those old days…
How about you?
This is a poem I wrote earlier and have now revised. It has been chosen by Old Mountain Press for the upcoming anthology, Old Tales!
You can read my poems in several other Old Mountain Press anthologies here:
Hollywood Seashore
Like shells
scattered on the beach
many come and go
seeking their fortune…
Many are gathered.
Special ones found.
Others cast away…
washed out by the tide
or buried in the sand…
While,
“All the Gold in California
in someone else’s name…”
,I saw an interview with Larry Gatlin who wrote this song. He said he was on his way to a meeting and stopped at a traffic light. In the car ahead of him was a station wagon, loaded down with all of the owner’s earthly possessions. The license plate was from Oklahoma. He said it struck him that these poor folks don’t realize that all the gold in California is in a bank in the middle of Beverly Hills, in someone else’s name. When he got to his meeting he quickly jotted that first line down on a piece of paper. He later wrote this song from that inspiration.
“Don’t let inspiration pass. You many not get it back again.” ~ Dwight L. Roth
Summer Peaches
Today I ate a peach
So delectably tart and sweet
Perfectly ripened.
Juice running down my chin
I took another bite
Without even wiping it.
So amazing to find
Such satisfying flavor
In something made
From the same soil
As an Irish potato
Or a red ripe tomato.
Photo: Dwight L. Roth
Summer Sunshine
Summer sunshine glows
yellow on Bee and flower
Nature’s gold displayed
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Photo: Dwight L. Roth
Words of Wisdom from Kipling
We all want the best for our children. As father’s. we hope to impart some wisdom to them in hopes that they might avoid some of the things we had to face. This reading from Rudyard Kipling came across Facebook on Father’s day. I thought it was such a great capsule of wisdom, not just for sons and daughters, but for all of us. Keeping one’s head while all around us others are losing theirs is very hard to do. We saw that very clearly with the Capitol riots in DC after the last election.
“If” means self-control
Life’s challenges are many
Hurricanes still come
Ancient Superhero
This past week we visited the Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC. It has a great collection of Mexican, Central American, and Peruvian artifacts. It is amazing to see the detailed work on each object. Each piece was made with a purpose in mind. Many had spiritual significance attached with them. This rugged looking warrior reminded me of all the superheroes that have become so popular in the past few years.
Warrior in black paint
Headbanging club held ready
Past superhero
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Photo: Dwight L. Roth
