Category Archives: Poems

Coffee House Reflections 2016-20

Posted in Contemplation by

A long ago visit with my son, (OK, 10 plus years, at least)  to a Cleveland Hts., Oh, coffee house and this made me think the below thoughts of the visit. This was actually before Starbucks was the norm. That statement dates me, but it was a different experience then, but one I cherish as being with and part of my son’s life then.

 Coffee House Reflections  2016-20

A melting pot of God’s creations

as Army green jacketed youth

rub elbows with English tweeded

professors at worn tables.

 

“I’ll walk a mile for a camel” or similar,

mingled with McBarrons Golden

Extra”, drifting upwards in an

aromatic misty cloud.

 

A corner with an old“Playboy” competes

with a “Wall Street Journal” as

a free “Arts and Entertainment”

struggle for survival.

 

Mocha Café topped with frosty

white, enticing those waiting

for a seat; a smell then taste

of salivating glory.

 

Politics and sports talk abound

mixed with one man’s answer to the

worlds problems with a woman’s

rebuttal in the fray.

 

A conservative Van Dyke peeks

over a crossword puzzle,

listening to a boisterous

pony tailed with diamond in ear.

 

Studs strut and belles preen

as a well-dressed lad studies

a cranberry tea, looking at a

whirlwind of his inner life.

 

Discussions, arguments and

such, agreements then palliation

with an orgasmic understanding

and comprehension of selves.

 

A melding of minds, races, ages

and dress, combining to form

a clutch of coffee

drunkards; living life.

 

Den Betts

Convoluted Thoughts 2016-19

Posted in Contemplation, Current Events by

Convoluted Thoughts 2016-19

The truth distorts a telling of a lie

And a lie twists the truth in the telling

Plus, a falsehood deceives the reader from the truth

Leaving all to decide on what to believe or not.

 WHAT IS TRUTH?!

I came up with this thought the other day after reading a statement someone made about my favorite politician Donny. The facts were not included in the story about him and I did research what was said.  It, the declaration, made Donny something he was not, which is not unusual.

Anyhow, what is said in the news, other media, or on Facebook which goes against Donny or is for Donny makes all of us confused at times. This also goes for discussing each political party whereas one side is, of course, one sided and makes a plus or negative into whatever their aim is in the story. This is not fair to anyone and just perpetuates a false feeling, plus or minus, depending on who or what is the subject.

I guess I should not be surprised. I remember a few years ago where someone state, “I don’t check my postings for fact, I just post them.” In other words, that person did not care if it was true or not, an untrue point was being made. All other statements were then questioned as being factual or not, which made any or all suspect. Sad!!!!

I see this so much now, I doubt the authenticity of much that is put out in favor or disfavor of a politician.

WHAT IS TRUTH?

 

Den Betts

Essence of Thought 2016-18

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What are thoughts and how do we come up with the many that we do? I believe when I wrote this, I was thinking too much (and maybe still am).

Essence of Thought  2016-18 

Begone, begone ye cursed thoughts,

Take off and flee to a different day.

Let my mind be at rest for a fleeting moment,

To regroup for a haggard stay.

 

Interest wanes for continued love,

In dismay, my mind wanders still.

Perish the Devil for allowing this,

A wicked way of fortunate bliss.

 

A rusty pinnacle of frozen tableau,

Given in time for decrepit spray.

Alas, the heart beat continues still,

Allowing a millennium of joy, I pray.

 

Where is the harbinger of celestial upheaval,

To judge those left behind.

Thoughts remain to drip to oblivion,

Finally peace reigns in my time.

Den Betts

“TO” 2016-17

Posted in Contemplation by

                                        “TO”      2016-17

To appreciate life in its fullest, with all the UP’s and DOWN’s of existence

To realize living is, in fact, a luxury of life itself and of being

To know that existence is a wonderful facet of life, we enjoy

To recognize we have to take the BAD and GOOD, as part of our enjoyment of being

To understand our time on Earth is a microcosm of a future period of eternity

To discover that life’s “Earth journey” was, in effect, a test for living that life of eternity

To grasp the significance of our being on how and why we do exist

To identify those things that make up our self within our Selves

To fathom that we are children of a higher being than those of our parents

To accept without knowing the mysteries of life

At this junction I welcome you to add your things to the “TO” list!!!

 

Den Betts

Eco Echo 2016-14

Posted in Contemplation, Current Events by

I hear some people (and politicians) complaining of certain restrictions on what they must do in life that is different than before, based on climatology reasons, especially due to air pollution, created by us, the people. The same can be said for our water problems such as in Flint with the lead! Who is to blame? Who can we accuse? Who will pay for it? (Ha– I know some of the answers, but not all of them).

Eco Echo 2016-14

What will happen, who will say what, of the poor light

in a world of blight, if the sun doesn’t shine bright.

What will be said if the sky is so ugly, a poor display

turning from rich blue to dull grey, each and everyday.

 

Will there be finger pointing and yelling around then,

blame cast, accusations toward others, again and again.

Is the fuse already lit and the countdown begun,

to a daily dull filtering of our yellow sun

 

Shall the future of the world be dictated to  – now

by those of the present – we that befoul

Will our grandchild’s grand children despise our lot,

for waffling, wavering, wasting – for not saying NOT!!!.

 

Will the present haunt them like a ghost from the past,

in a forever struggle to live, breath and – just last.

Should the dollar, the mark and yen be the rule,

prescribing to all – until the world becomes so cruel.

 

What does it take to hear the sound of anguished din,

the echo of the ecology – crying in the wind……

Den Betts

Life’s Questions 2016-13

Posted in Contemplation, Poems by

My mother was a writer of poems and submitted some to local contests. She never received a mention that I know of, and always told me how she HATED those that won, with poems that made no sense to her. Maybe the following poem that I wrote is the same and she is grinding her false teeth as I speak, from the hereafter; don’t know……

 

Life’s Questions 2016-13

 

The equation in life is but a paradox,

 

It sits on the verge of reality.

 

A balance, a draw either way,

 

From knowing or being lost in a void.

 

 

Multitudes of signals transpire,

 

With highlights of supposition.

 

The answer is but opinion,

 

One to be recognized for what it is.

 

 

It remains, as to who really knows all things,

 

Of life, with its totality of questions.

 

Who is to know what reality really is

 

From an existence that has so many inconsistencies?

 

 

Den Betts   (More at Questions in Life 2015-112)

Girl and Child 2016-09

Posted in Contemplation, Current Events, Statement by

I came up with this after watching an article on TV that described how mothers with addiction have babies that are born addicted to the drugs their mother was using. It was horrible to watch as the child lay there wracked with spasms. Other people were also shown and, they too had problems that affected them.

What will it actually take to eradicate the use of drugs, or the NEED of using drugs? A “war on drugs” failed when it was playing out.  Drug usage and crimes that involve those using drugs is rampant and part of life today. So sad!!!

 

Girl and Child 2016-09

Her mother was a prostitute also,

The father an unknown man,

       The pain was more than discomfort

        The itching almost insane.

 

She had no skills to offer except herself,

Quitting school early, she could not read.

       His lungs cried out in agony,

        The breath in and out, dry and parched.

 

The hope she had as a little girl,

Was lost in reality at thirteen.

         The twitching of the body increasing,

          But his mind had no control.

 

A number amongst a pile of statistics,

Stacked on a desk of a human service worker.

         Life tubes, wires, monitors and tape,

          Telling the caregiver of continued life.

 

What chance or choice does she really have,

With the uncaring majority of others?

               The “crack baby” struggles for living,

               An addict with a bleak dim future.

The mother, the son, both victims,

Of the way of life in this modern world.

 

Den Betts

Dream Gone? 2016-07

Posted in Contemplation, Poems, Statement by

I think this is somewhat of an unfair poem I wrote, but feel I must post it today on Martin Luther King Remembrance Day. It is about a man that I DO respect, and a cause that was great, but because of a misguided individual, the dream was interrupted. Is the dream actually gone or just not a reality today; don’t know.

 

Dream Gone? 2016-07

He had a dream so long ago,

One that inspired others; young and old.

Giving hope to those oppressed,

“Keep the faith” he said and overcome

all, he stressed.

 

So long ago, is not now,

things have changed, since then,

The standard has fallen and with it the dream

Nay, not it, but its hope and reality.

Overcome by other things, overshadowing all.

 

A revival once a year, more to honor,

Soon forgotten afterwards, the essence of his doing.

A crime of remembrance, without the action.

Lip service by many of power and fame

Looking for recognition for a day.

 

Pride in self and others no longer there

Easier to wail and wallow in white dust of death.

Excuses thrown out for fellow man to hear

To recognize as a reflection of themselves

In a mirror of their dismal lives; so sad.

 

So hard to crawl out of the troughs of despair

To fight the injustices of those against you.

To say no to temptation from peer groups around,

And stand up with pride of the right kind.

Straight, mighty, with both feet on ground.

 

The wind carries an echo of “I have a dream”

A haunting reminder of a better life ahead.

A hope, with faith of final success,

Equality for all with peace earned

for those deserving, working for that dream

 

Den Betts

Insane World 2016-02

Posted in Contemplation, Poems, Statement by

The horrible things that are happening here in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world by people doing crazy things, for whatever reasons, brought me to the point of asking a child’s question of WHY!!!!

 

Insane World 2016-02

What is the reason for the insanity today,

the genocide of people

against their own?

 

Does it go back to a clannish or tribal

day of time and life

The mystic mood, decreeing

action, distant drum telling

the way, but not the why.

 

More than macho, more than religion

more than a full moon, it has to be!

Why  is for children to ask, in their

innocence of life.

 

Nations, cities, groups, and

such, all bent on self-destruction

of one another to each other

A pity, a waste, a total

Inexcusable happening, but

is life, as we know it.

 

I ask WHY, like an innocent child

of the world? Can you

help me with an answer

that makes sense?

Den Betts

Earth Brother-Sister 2016-05

Posted in Contemplation, Poems, Religious type by

I think of all the conflict, hatred, bad blood, and religious turmoil on Earth that we see on the news regularly. Do not people of all faiths, heritage, race and ethnicity realize that we are ALL brothers on this planet? We do not HAVE to exist in perfect harmony, but there is NO reason for the horrible relationships that occur on a daily basis.

I don’t care what God, or even if people believe in God, but, common sense should rule. Each of us has to share what we have and exist together, in a better way than what we do. The God I believe in said, “Love one another as I have loved you.” (John 13:34). And that should NOT be that difficult. It takes an effort, leadership, desire, etc., but it should NOT be that hard of a thing to do.

 

Earth Brother-Sister   2016-05

 

Be my brother/sister

 

ye of another race

 

Hold my hand

 

as we both say grace.

 

Be my brother/sister

 

ye of another faith

 

Let us both believe and live

 

in eternity, when we leave.

 

Be my brother/sister

 

ye of another heritage,

 

Down  through time

 

may be greet as friends.

 

Be my brother/sister,

 

ye of this planet Earth

 

Not of blood,

 

but one of worth.

 

Den Betts