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Printed from https://shop.writing.com/main/profile/blog/ripglaedr3/sort_by/entry_order DESC, entry_creation_time DESC/page/16
Rated: 18+ · Book · Spiritual · #1149750

A nothing from nowhere cast his words to a world wide wind, hindered by periphery.

༺♡༻


It’s full on now ~ woke and slimy-scaly.



You had to…

Solicitors Get Off My Lawn (or I’ll hose you down! *Laugh*
Platitudes and false flattery don’t put their hands down these pants.
So, you were collecting for who, now? *Think*

Over 20-thousand times unseen. (Who’s fake?)
It’s still a beautiful thing, with pipes that I sing (while I’m the Angelou bird)



My family will have instructions to unhide post mortem. Post Morten, Apple? It’s all around.
————————————————————————-
I’ve deleted five times more than what’s seen now. Less to view in future. Mind-boggling the words I’ve produced with low vision. Conditions I live with, the strength it takes to hold it all in, as I’m redacted by cowards in society…no that’s it. I eat more than words, self-repair. How much of it got on you? — your monster? If you prick a caged animal and it doesn’t have to be put down for savoring your flesh, does it not…what? I’m a fool, if I’m played by fools. And, you are…? But, you…know as much of me as you want. What more can I offer you today? I have leftover dignity and steely resolve, reproducing daily.
Reason I came here in 2006, before all butterfly fancy and aimless balloon chasings. Thanks.

It went…that way…


T̵̢̝̗̰̪̠̹͗̾̾h̵̥͉̲̠̍̽͛̌͂̆̚ě̸̗͓̱̺̮̣̽͆ Ab̴̦̄̈͐̾̑̚͝s̸͉̻̃͘ě̸̗͓̱̺̮̣̽͆n̴̝͚͎͔̘̰̅ͅcě̸̗͓̱̺̮̣̽͆ o̷͍̥̣̺͋f̶̭̱̘͇͊͋̾̋̄͆ Wa̴͙͓̓̕vě̸̗͓̱̺̮̣̽͆l̵̩̘̯̪͋͒͒̉͒̄ě̸̗͓̱̺̮̣̽͆n̴̝͚͎͔̘̅ͅg̸̫͙̻̭͐͝ț̴̵̢̝̗̰̪̠̹̈́͌͆̑͋͂̅͗̾̾h̵̥͉̲̠̍̽͛̌͂̆̚            


You get hungry as a seldom published author/poet/lyricist, so quit pedaling words and just enjoy the writing process. The bullshit ‘process’ of submitting is submission.

We had a season, and people better not forget when it’s done. This is hard work and dedication (in the zone nightly) from one who is PRIME for next season:



In sports, there’s absolutely no back down when it comes to the greats/greatest. Recognize…
End of these days near…ing…
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My *Basketball* goes through —   R S = 2 G M c 2

*StarfishY* ~~~*Fishing*~~~*FishB*~~~*Beach*~~~*Swimming*~~~*Sailing*~~~*TrophyG* *Stop* *Fork* ————————- .

How I see myself create…in the zone
Curry Flurry:

Writing

The beautiful mess made:
I had a lover's quarrel with the world - Robert Frost

         |
I'm sorry you got caught in the middle. - me

Neurodivergent poet

 
"Note: Poetry: life’s little interruptions amassing int..."
 

Best Poetry Collection Been more than I could imagine or expect here.
Why Mail It In? In Latin

Pluggers:
You are an icon here.*BigSmile*
You suffer, but you suffer brilliantly. Wow, what a great writer.*Heart*


And other people’s (reviewers) words…Review of "Rolling Through Intersections" Open in New Window
Your poetic muse is on fire! *Fire* Some great emotion, well-balance(d), lovely lyrical qualities -- even the ones that were written out of sadness or anger came through in a clever cadence…It's obvious you've put a lot of work into each entry and the totality of the blog has eye appeal. *Cool*

 
Published four times with one a literary journal, including… *PointRight*   "The Tender Core (Sedona)Open in new Window.
I don’t submit—too much work with ADHD, OCD, low vision in condensate in mental prison of failing memory. I’ve seen a lot of smoldering and snow. Cynicism bred, work hard at openness and consideration.

Merit Badge in Taboo Words
[Click For More Info]

Brian,

Congratulations! You won 1st Place in Taboo Words with your fantastic poem, [Link to Book Entry #1027659]. 

I absolutely loved this! *^*Heart*^*

Rachel Merit Badge in Poetry
[Click For More Info]

    Thanks you for supporting the  [Link To Item #power]  with an order to the  [Link To Item #powergifts] ! We appreciate it. *^*Heartv*^* Keep writing the beautiful poetry. [Link to Book Entry #1027659] is an awesome poem! *^*Starv*^* ~Lornda    ... About this awardicon ...

 Given by memories 

 Given to  

 Date Awarded: September 16, 2022

 
18+ Comment: Love my process constructing and sharing visions in words collected (fuck limitations).

I'm Godzilla
August 28, 2006 this blog opened

BOOK
SuperNova Afterglow Spews Embers of Time Open in new Window. (18+)
All that remains: in afterlife as 'mainstream' blogger, with what little I know. 20k views
#1300042 by Brian K Compton Author IconMail Icon


No specific aim going forward (2014)

 
What I used to say: 'Maybe, I just don't get it. Watch me fumble with my version of reality, expose ignorance as truth. You don't have to get me, either. But, wish someone would explain me to myself.' Now I say: *Cool* *FacePalm* Now: I was such a whore.
 



... About this awardicon ...

 Given by purplesunday 

 Given to  

 Date Awarded: April 18, 2020              ... About this awardicon ...

 Given by purplesunday 

 Given to  

 Date Awarded: September 20, 2022



What Was NEW

Who am I, you ask? My mirror knows that question, repeated daily.

Just trying to create a little buzz, not boost my ego
#amwriting #poetry #blog #contest #freeverse #award #bestpoetry #lyrics #music #video #YouTube #awardwinning

Can you believe it took this long for someone to put a quarter in me and push the button GET ANGRY?
 

Mud 4 My Eye: ... About this awardicon ...

 Given by lilli_in_fl 

 Given to  

 Date Awarded: December 31, 2022 Is that you, Poo? 💩 Secret Back Door
Previous ... 12 13 14 15 -16- 17 ... Next
October 23, 2018 at 2:00pm
October 23, 2018 at 2:00pm
#944047
From the Journal of Whatever the Hell Medicine I'm Dispensing:
(I made that up)

In response to the 'depressed' girl who got my DNA:


It takes a good support system to overcome bouts with depression. You can say and do all the right things dealing but no one is capable of doing it alone 24/7. Knowing you can depend on someone gives assurances. Being able to open up about what you feel and not be judged makes you stronger. Thinking you are the only one who struggles alone and shut the world out and you are right back to square one.

Life's ills have a way of sneaking up on you, outright hit you right out of left field. If you don't recognize signs, prepare, you carry an immeasurable weight that will make a comeback seem impossible, possibly hopeless. What you want to be able to do is be ready to face life head on. That might not always be easy.

If something is holding you back from calling out, it has you. You locked your mind up and swallowed the key. It feels like you should be able to do something, lack desire to get yourself out. Your strength is suppressed, your mind blocked from answers it seeks. Having someone who can recognize the signs, know what works best for you, can get you out.

We struggle with why we feel this way. Accept the disadvantage your DNA provides. If medication doesn't work, there is exercise. Going outside and getting sunlight is important. Fresh air and new vistas for the mind's eye are important. The more creative outlet, the more rewarding how energy is spent, and the better you'll begin to feel. There's more.

Eat right. Good food can help. Avoid sugar and carbs that will affect your desire for more. Snack less. Get help finding best foods, meal plans to help. Obviously, substance abuse affects depression. So does the wrong foods. Be careful what you put in your body. If you have setbacks with diet, acknowledge and start over again. There are no failures and plenty of do-overs.

Find an outlet to be the best version of you. What are your interests? Writing, art or something more functional like cooking, knitting, or maybe, reading. When you are being creative, exploring new worlds, you can build as a person. You can try a new activity, do it with friend or family. Experiencing what you like and sharing passions at home and in the community creates extra reward and incentive. You develop interests and grow as an individual.

With depression comes feeling overwhelmed. Doing something like a task and mentally checking it off can feel good. When you reward yourself with an hour of something you like to do, take a break to do a chore. It doesn't require a planner or reminders. When you are ready to reward yourself, think of something to do afterward as payment. You get two rewards in this way, maybe more. As you find yourself getting things done and enjoying yourself, those rewards earn interest. You may feel inspired to get a lot done. It's important to take breaks from things you enjoy. Be sure to get a breath of fresh air and a new perspective.

Now, there are times we get in a rut. Don't blame yourself if you got off track. The moment you recognize is the moment you have that wheel in your hands. Gently return to doing the things that reward and do not bother with that rear view mirror. You can even ask your co-pilots and navigators for help. They say it takes a village. Supporting one another keeps us all strong and happy.

It's important to remember we are human. Our feelings count. We can learn to rely on ourselves. We can have fun and enjoy life. If we can't deal with problems head on, ask for help. Understand, we all have obstacles in our life, just not all the same. We can come together to support one another.



BTW, this is in response to an essay her eighth grade teacher wants to see published, unable to know the true drama we have witnessed that comes from bad habits, not wanting to do chores/homework and hormones uniquely befitting a 13-year-old girl struggling with becoming a woman. Hang in there baby. You emote well, even on paper.

Maddie's article not provided, her copyright.
October 19, 2018 at 9:49pm
October 19, 2018 at 9:49pm
#943784

Just noticed my latest poem was featured in this week's Spiritual Newsletter...

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#2171608 by Not Available.


Thanks Sophy Author Icon

Also, my 2018 Quill Award nominee "Invalid EntryOpen in new Window. earned a great honor from "Second Time Around ~ Birthday SpecialOpen in new Window.

... About this awardicon ...

 Given by purplesunday 

 Given to  

 Date Awarded: October 19, 2018 Merit Badge in Second Time Around Contest
[Click For More Info]

Congratulations on winning the Grand Overall Prize in  [Link To Item #2164876]  with your beautiful poem, [Link to Book Entry #933358]. This poem really moved me. Great writing!

Rachel *^*Heartv*^*


Thanks Choconut Author Icon

Great opportunity for those who have contest items that earned honorable mention or less...poems or stories. Was a pleasure!

Brian

October 12, 2018 at 2:07pm
October 12, 2018 at 2:07pm
#943287
I might share a poem with you
         feeling like
I shoved it in your face
You might say, it's nice
When did you write it?
Thirty years ago
But, you look as though
you thought
I wrote it this morning
in response to something
         the way I always respond
And, I learn
from our little interactions
you don't know me
like you say

I tell the same stories
         until they're cliche
But, what you know
is what you chose to see
         hidden between those lines
         in your reality --
fiction imposed on me
of original glances
without deeper introspect
I desire, maybe
         don't deserve
from one as discerning as you

But, I'm watching
         learning how you observe
knee-jerk reactions
you've culled
from one so unwitting --
realize, you changed me
And yet,
I'm the same
after thirty years
         but, not exactly
the person
you envisioned me to be

Because, I'm escaping
on a horizon --
a ghost searching
without you
looking for a man
I was thirty years ago
         once so amazing
want to introduce you to
when I find him

I'll write again
tomorrow and tomorrow
hoping I'll get me right -- that
you'll catch a glimpse
         catch on
so I can begin again anew

Thirty years --
a long time
to be stuck
in that frame
         happy
to smile back for you
         even knowing
I'm not me.
October 12, 2018 at 7:22am
October 12, 2018 at 7:22am
#943269
It wasn't just mom at the table,
It was five mothers who entreated a child
With baked goods and compliments,
While men, gruff, killed animals in their tales
By the glowing mantle of the living room.

It was cozy and bright at the round table.
Some knitted, wore shawls by the cold wall.
Something warm formed a smell enticing
From our nearby oven, coffee aroma tempted.
If you spoke, each scented lady responded.

The men never noticed, took time to feed
A curious child's ego should he near. But,
There was a knowing boy, much younger,
Sitting on our father's lap. Allowed to touch
The stock of a long-barreled gun. And,

When he hungered, the moms would come
Entreat with their adoring haloes, present gifts
Of fresh baked goods from our round table.
And when they exited the door, his cheeks
Pinched, protruding belly prodded, hair
Rubbed a mess, with a smile all too knowing,
As I stood empty, deflecting a lifetime.


October 11, 2018 at 10:37am
October 11, 2018 at 10:37am
#943210
Sacrifice

a dog ate its own testicles
it was so hungry
October 10, 2018 at 10:14pm
October 10, 2018 at 10:14pm
#943177
Do the crickets know

All the commotion began
At 1 pm
With the village tornado
Siren
A front moved in
Our song would pause
Windows cracked
Kill humid
Air trapped
In our halls
Ushered past closets
Walls
Journey out
Meet the fate
Of sweet violinists
Their wings still
Huddled under
Shrubs, logs
The uneven path
Long about dusk
And the gale
And harsh fall thrust
Crushing Hammers the silence comes
Do the crickets know
They die tonight
We must wait long beyond
The next cherry blossom
Greet humecate symphonies
Mild

10.10.2018
October 10, 2018 at 2:30pm
October 10, 2018 at 2:30pm
#943143
I can grow as a writer but not as a person?
Rewrite of "Efflorescence SongOpen in new Window. should show how I can improve as a poet. At least to me. *pats back*

Am I Loved?

My efflorescence sings on the ground.
A loathsome tree leans low to hear
         aching
branches hang
heavy with love's burden
         leaves
unfurl, spiral breathless
fan glory
burst and fade,
tumble
         dutifully
                   down
crumble, feed life back
to the giver.

Am I loved?
Transparent wind, soft
brushes, chafes
the tender skin
Have I lived if I don't
dance amid beauty
and immortality
knowing certain death?
Shall I shine like the song
some lover sent?
Am I loved
if I shelter myself
from heaven's miraculous droplets of clear purity,
knowing
I'm an unrepentant sinner
'til the day I spoil
the ground with my own decay?

Am I loved
if I don't lend my instrument
harmonize with your golden voice
a wholesome symphony
cascading over mountains
to spare my dry,
forgotten valley?

I will stand on my heart just to hear your proclamations
lifted higher by
faintest of nurturing words
gravitate to hopeful heaven
know I will commune with lasting felicity
But,
I am as simple as dirt
pale as death with two pink lungs
ordinary, dull-eyed
a farm hand toiling some hard land
seek shelter, your offer
of refreshing lemonade.

I have known love
of the most immaculent perfection
unlike oily, piteous contempt
in veil slithering about
I tell you
I'm not worthy of you,
return 'heartfelt,' echoing praises
return to sit
on scorched grass
beneath that most withered tree
thriving
on your craggy mount
like thread roots
still yearn
God's tender mercies,
know the most ugly verses
from tongues
peel our bark, lack
true beauty and
the only reward
one man can earn.


...maybe, it's you. No, for sure, it's me. Child of OCD, perpetually distrustful, hesitant, in doubt, unable to break the cycle of life's punitive, unrelenting dramas (my imagination? Get inside my head..been writing about the stigma). Getting there, though. Not coming to my aid? I've hurt you. Maybe, WE have OCD together?
October 10, 2018 at 9:52am
October 10, 2018 at 9:52am
#943122
...and it's why I'm conceited...or boosts an ordinarily low self-esteem borne out of my OCD that needs ego gratification...that I'm still attractive.

Just today, I get the pretty Latino receptionist at hospital for a blood draw. She's always been indifferent, doesn't seem to feign a smile until she tells me someone will be with me in short order, my cue to smile back, which I do...all formality. I scan the room before I sit down. Never know who you might find waiting. Non-descript setting, as I take my place. I'm playing Words with Friends, finish and turn my attention to writing when I look up. We are in direct line of vision when our eyes lock. She looks away quick to her computer, while I'm turned back to my writing. (Not a Pam Beasley moment)

I finally decided to Google what these little eye interventions mean. Am I picking up some transmission I can't translate? My impression is she did not want to give the indication looking at me when I looked up meant anything. Given her demeanor, it made me wonder if she did what I and all do...evaluate people's looks. Now, I can recall looking at older people when I was young to understand their appearance. Anyone uninteresting didn't get a second thought. But, anyone who could have been attractive or could have done more with their appearance got special study. Sad that they didn't try more or how beautiful they must have been.

I can write off these visual interferences as nothing more than I'm pretty enough for study by a young person who wonders. I wasn't dressed well. Hooded raincoat and sweat pants with ball cap covering unkempt hair. I haven't been wearing my glasses, so my shaded face is good for study. I think she saw something but didn't want me to misunderstand, maybe, a little embarrassed at being caught. Given her demeanor, not wanting to seem weak, needed to feel superior because -- youth trumps my looks. Conceit tells me she would have been lucky with a pairing, if I was her age.

The website I googled supports my conjecture but leaves out things like age factor. Or, that people cannot look away from something hideous, too. I'm going to say I'm not an ogre, though the way I dress suggests I'd be more comfortable in a swamp.

https://markmanson.net/the-levels-of-eye-contact

One week later, I return to the window for my follow-up appointment and she's helping someone at a terminal next to me. I'm greeted by the woman next to her who asks me how she can help. I tell her who I came to see. Name please, I comply and she turns and immediately looks up from her adjacent station to look at me, only I do not turn to greet her eyes. She returns to her work while I'm smiling inside.
October 9, 2018 at 3:44pm
October 9, 2018 at 3:44pm
#943068

I miss the tiny faces,
shadowed, round,
smudging our kitchen window
waiting impatiently
until mother said
I'd eaten enough,
skip the dishes to
aim cap guns
in each other's faces
in our deciduous escape,
unconditional.
I'll be back tomorrows
forever seemed unending.
Hot sun baked the seats of
banana-seat bikes,
handles burdened with
leather gloves --
one hand cycling
with lumbered shoulders
standing on pedals
in cleats somehow
never falling that summer.
Endless fun
shouting, mimicking
our immortals.

I look out now
for those prying eyes.
No surprise.
We're all dead.



IDEA FOR ANOTHER POEM...

How about a poem that stops short of making obvious rhymes to intone what need not be said? Cause we know,
October 9, 2018 at 10:17am
October 9, 2018 at 10:17am
#943046
...I ever wrote. Few can comprehend its obtuse meaning...

STATIC
The Prankster is Brian K Compton  Open in new Window. (ASR)
Fresh Edit: Things a boy does to make people laugh, appeasing himself to cope with grief.
#1195045 by Brian K Compton Author IconMail Icon


October 5, 2018 at 12:01pm
October 5, 2018 at 12:01pm
#942729

Find Me A Dollar
(In This Mud)

where is your coat
warm me
where I lay
on sodden ground
i danced the lonely
dance with a stripper
she needed my comfort
felt my warmth
she lays here somewhere
close beside

where is your solace
beyond this late hour
the sainthood
that could give us honor
lost in this mud
where I wallow
trudge
like I have purpose
a beauty queen
now shove me your dollar

??




My scars are my own
I'm not willing to try
That is why
I hand you the knife
You're so willing to wield

October 3, 2018 at 7:31am
October 3, 2018 at 7:31am
#942543
Does every word
Every line
Each poem contain
Earth shattering
Eye opening
Heart skipping
Baubles of Experience
We must clutch
Never put down
Because
It escapes
         Fades   into   oblivion
With the next
And the next
And another
We pile on
The writer's words
Like pseudo-life
Altered dimension
We pass through
Again and again
         We   breathe
         Another life
         As words   mesh
         Thoughts   coalesce
         Yes, but
Not ours unless
Empathy,
Experience
Do we even
Breathe the same
Air, inhale
With same lust
Or wish
We could just
Write
Like
The
Poet
         Dreams ?


It started off as a poem about tough love for a sick daughter who doesn't need to miss a third day of school, and how I must administer this medicine without invoking her resentment. Never easy.
Steps back to look. Yeah, not the vision. Maybe, another.

Edit later.
October 1, 2018 at 11:20am
October 1, 2018 at 11:20am
#942330
Sweet sensory poetry, youth...


Oranges
by Gary Soto

The first time I walked
With a girl, I was twelve,
Cold, and weighted down
With two oranges in my jacket.
December. Frost cracking
Beneath my steps, my breath
Before me, then gone,
As I walked toward
Her house, the one whose
Porch light burned yellow
Night and day, in any weather.
A dog barked at me, until
She came out pulling
At her gloves, face bright
With rouge. I smiled,
Touched her shoulder, and led
Her down the street, across
A used car lot and a line
Of newly planted trees,
Until we were breathing
Before a drugstore. We
Entered, the tiny bell
Bringing a saleslady
Down a narrow aisle of goods.
I turned to the candies
Tiered like bleachers,
And asked what she wanted -
Light in her eyes, a smile
Starting at the corners
Of her mouth. I fingered
A nickle in my pocket,
And when she lifted a chocolate
That cost a dime,

I didn’t say anything.
I took the nickle from
My pocket, then an orange,
And set them quietly on
The counter. When I looked up,
The lady’s eyes met mine,
And held them, knowing
Very well what it was all
About.


           Outside,
A few cars hissing past,
Fog hanging like old
Coats between the trees.
I took my girl’s hand
In mine for two blocks,
Then released it to let
Her unwrap the chocolate.
I peeled my orange
That was so bright against
The gray of December
That, from some distance,
Someone might have thought
I was making a fire in my hands.



https://owlcation.com/humanities/Analysis-of-Oranges-by-Gary-Soto
June 10, 2018 at 2:40pm
June 10, 2018 at 2:40pm
#936090
There are moments I feel indestructible. People at the YMCA where I play pickup basketball are afraid to come near me. Seems the slightest contact from me hurts a lot of guys, though I have no intention of fouling. I think it's their movement into my stationary body that does the damage.

Friday, after a week of waiting for the gym to reopen after spring cleaning, I was late and forgot my basketball. I reached into my bag to discover one of the cats peered on stuff in one of the partly unzipped pockets. It reminded me of why I was late. My wife took the high tops from my bag to put in the garage because of the smell, not knowing it had not come from my feet. I Doubled back after doing a mental inventory in my head, remembering what she had done.

The YMCA cannot keep decent equipment, so I managed to find a men's ball that wasn't lopsided or flat but only squeezed off a few shots before another game was to begin. I found a dry bandana to wrap around my head, my only sweat collector to protect my eyes for the afternoon.

I was glad Nate was on my team. He's a really good player who will keep me motivated and get me the ball, as he did on this day. I seldom need to get limber nowadays, years of physical conditioning finally paying off. Nate is one of those guys who is vocal about not wanting to collide with me, too.

We were a motivated group. I thought we would be a bit outmatched, since there were some big boys in the gym...at least two about 6'5". Nate guarded one. Though I can't remember much of the game, only passing up a shot Nate wanted me to take, I did get a clean catch from his pass and saw the defense coming to close me out. We needed a three to win. I made a quick touch release shot that was short on arm motion but relied on a full extension from time of catch at my shoulder to the top of my head release. It was a pretty arc that landed softly and cleanly through the net. There wasn't a huge commotion that we won, but I felt a great sense of satisfaction before low fiving Nate, who confused me with what hand and how we our palms would meet to celebrate.

There was a lot of disappointment in the other games and matchups, though I felt we competed. I knew the week off made me rusty. I should have been in the gym early.

Friday is usually a busy day for ball at the Y. Our last game ended when I was finally getting it all together. We had a huge disadvantage. I was tallest at 6'2" as our talent and scoring came from two guards averaging 5'7" in height, guarding two of the giants I mentioned. We managed to keep the game close until it looked like they would win. I played hard as hell to deny any scoring, getting boards and loose balls and setting up our scorers. They were close to scoring the winning bucket when I saw the ball go up and made a mad dash down the baseline. I could get to the ball like I did earlier, or just deflect it enough that their bigs wouldn't get an easy put back. Or, maybe steal the rebound or contest a put back. I managed to high point the ball on the other side of the rim and got it out to our team. I did it again when we were on offense. I deflected a missed shot, making the carom go to another teammate that got us our winning basket. Again, not much celebrating, but feel good for the effort.

Shot around for awhile as people left until my 10,000th step was reached on Fitbit, packed up my smelly gym bag and drove home.

October 16, 2015 at 10:26am
October 16, 2015 at 10:26am
#863061
I made fudge. Now I need someone to Jedi mind trick me out of eating it. But no one else touch. We're all just going to stare at it like starving, would-be cannibals.
December 25, 2011 at 12:52am
December 25, 2011 at 12:52am
#742518
After much arm-twisting from my wife, I finally published some poetry. Only I did it on Amazon as a kindle book for 99 cents just so she can have a copy for Christmas and then I can go on with my life.

ASIN: B006PUZY78
Product Type: Kindle Store
Amazon's Price: $ 2.99


I really was not able to put together a collection that I could tag with a much higher price tag like other authors do. I don't think anyone is looking to buy poetry anyway, but maybe family and friends can download it and share it. That would mean more to me.

If by chance I find others who are interested, hopefully I will learn something from the process.

Anyway, let me know what you think. I'm in the market for a book cover instead of that stupid image that I didn't want that I can't take off until I find a replacement. Any suggestions?
August 10, 2009 at 9:19pm
August 10, 2009 at 9:19pm
#663083
My life has been about squandered opportunities, not having the confidence to pull the trigger on decisions that would have ultimately impacted the outcome of my life. I look back at the wake of obstacles I’ve avoided and wonder how I managed to get this far, steering my life through the wreckage of lost chances.

Why do I just let life happen, rather than live it. I don’t interact with it, try to control it by turning down the shades. Don’t want the light to shine in. Don’t want my eyes to look out and see what I’m missing. Each new day is squandered indoors by the dim light of a tv screen or computer. By shuttering eyes that dare not see what little opportunity is left for me. I dare not reminisce on what I could have had, how I have not lived. Don’t want to spiral into deep regret.

Today. Today I live. For what little there is left for me, I scoop heaping handfuls into my mouth and savor every bite. If I have to look back at another day and see what I have failed to pursue, I will die another thousand deaths of self-pity and contempt. I do not blame anyone else for my misdirection anymore. My parents are both dead. My loving wife and darling children are blessings not obstacles to the future I can choose to have.

Let’s see how long I can live by this mantra. Seize the day! Carpe diem. Latin, latin, something, something. The End. Fin.


A poem that epitomizes my life long struggle, written when I was still a young man:

STATIC
🎨 Before I'm Rejected By You 🖌️ Open in new Window. (E)
Artist fears commit to subject.🥇WDC Hall of Fame Poem. 22,888 views. 77 reviews. TY
#1152712 by Brian K Compton Author IconMail Icon

"One Little WordOpen in new Window.
April 6, 2008 at 11:39am
April 6, 2008 at 11:39am
#577889
Ever feel helpless because you are just one person? Every day you hear about the atrocities around the world. You can pick out a sad story from the headlines any time you turn on the news, reach for a newspaper, or listen to the accounts of the lives about you. It's unfortunate that we feel we cannot unify ourselves to combat the elements that sadden us, weaken our hearts daily.

But I'm reminded, as I was today, there is hope. I just have to trust in the Lord/God, in myself, to do the right things to bring about change. We could also just spread the love and infect others with the joy that could encourage change in our lives and to the surrounding world until all the walls that surround us can tumble down. Its like the little ant, that little locomotive, the one spark that could ignite a fire. Just as we could inflict pain with one little word, we could do so much good with one act/word that is good.

Yes, I'm fresh from this Sunday's sermon. I have my pastor and my son to thank for some encouraging words that resonate in my mind as I type this message. In fact, I was jotting down my thoughts on the church bulletin when I was struck with another epiphany to bring it all home.

The message today was about one little word and how it could have so much meaning and impact -- when words tempt tongues and teaching ourselves to spread love and not hate. And I was reminded how much time I dwell on the negative, the things I cannot change while ignoring the most precious assets in my life...my children.

As my son and I walked up the aisle to take communion holding hands, he gave me a tug to pull my ear down to his level. He had wanted to walk up with his mother who opted to carry his sister and a fight could have broken out, but I had reached back and tenderly took his hand to show him I needed him by my side. The loving act inspired him to say, "Dad, do you think after church we could spend some time together? Just you and me?" How could I deny this request, even though I had planned to write. (I'm writing this now while he is in Sunday school so I do not interfere with our time together when he returns home)

Thoughts were taking shape in my mind about Alex growing up and needing me. Would we still be close and share time together, have a bond so strong that it would do both our hearts good. I thought about the path so many other parents take with their teens, getting disconnected and never being able to properly communicate or respect one another enough to know each others needs, the common understanding of what each face and how they are really in this life together.

When we had returned to our pews, I reached for my bulletin to write down this precious moment to recount in my blog here. I didn't want to lose its profoundness. I started by jotting 'could it be as simple as the precious gift of our time, giving them not only our eyes and ears but our hearts?' After I began to scribble down what Alex had told me, it was time to turn to our hymnals and the profundity struck again like a tidal wave...Hymn number 454: "Open My Eyes, That I May See".

It was all there, discovering the words as we sang about the eyes, ears, and mind, and ultimately, the heart. Three simple verses resonated in my soul. I realized then God had a suggestion for me, telling me I was on the right path to understanding. The sermon about spreading those words of love, about sharing this kindness with my children, seeds of love to plant and watch grow, to carry on the message of His love.

It's so obvious, and we all know right from wrong. But don't we need an eye-opener like this from time to time? Don't we need to feel that special connection to God to let us know he is listening? Timing is everything. It is key to helping us take a moment of epiphany and make it life changing. I have been tuning out my family to focus on this writing that just would not bear fruit for me. But with my children, I have true inspiration. The love I share with them will grow and return to me. I just have to be patient and give it a little time.

I wrestle with not being a more productive writer with the limitations of my vision, mental and physical health, my shortcomings as a human who finds it difficult to interface with this alien internet society. I wanted more from myself, to feel fulfillment from something that would not give back. I looked for rewards, feedback, any message that would say 'yes, this is your calling. You've finally found what you've been looking for.' But I have nothing to reap from what I have sown.

It seems a lifetime since I started writing again and found myself here. I lost my way. There has been so much ignorance to this renewed fire to write that I cannot see where it should be taking me. I need to take a step back and focus on family, on sharing my love with others, on taking care of this fragile psyche so I can be healthy enough to write again...when the time is right.

I have to take these little words and invest them in a loving strategy. I need to plant these seeds where they will grow and ignore infertile soils and seek greater pasture. I'm running out of metaphors! *Laugh*

Guess that's my cue to end it here for now. I really should end it here...take some time and really consider hard the choices I've been presented with today. If I never come back to write, I should still be happy. I have love...God and family. That's all I need to insure happiness. No more of the 'what if', doubting, trolling this empty internet wasteland to sate my need for some arrival. It's not here (at this website for writers). It may never be. It's just a virtual reality. I've got something real.

~ Brian


Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.

Refrain 1:
Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

Open my ears, that I may hear
Voices of truth Thou sendest clear;
And while the wave notes fall on my ear,
Everything false will disappear.

Refrain 2:
Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my ears, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

Open my mouth, and let me bear,
Gladly the warm truth everywhere;
Open my heart and let me prepare
Love with Thy children thus to share.

Refrain 3:
Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my heart, illumine me,
Spirit divine!


October 3, 2007 at 7:57pm
October 3, 2007 at 7:57pm
#539406
*******************************************************************
WARNING! EDITORIAL WARNING! OPINION:

Unscripted small talk can make you cringe or it can make you smile. And when it can make you smile, it can REALLY make you smile. I think about this when I watch certain segments of television programs. I especially do not like news anchors pitching their banter about at the end of a newscast. I know they need to kill time before going into station break, but some think they are witty or even funny. Could we just script the small talk, too? Just run a few more words through the teleprompter and save us the embarrassment of watching their gaffes unfold live on the airwaves. The movie Anchorman went overboard with how inanely unintelligent television broadcasters can be, and yet underlined the truth about how undereducated, underinformed these mouth pieces can be.


*******************************************************************

I feel like Erkel sometimes. Ever write something and then come back to it and think, "Did I write thaaaaat?" It's like getting out of bed at night to use the toilet and having no memory of it. It's like driving down those lanes in life before you realize you can't remember passing the Jiffy Lube or the hamburger joint enroute to your destination. And of course, and possibly because of the denial, how that bag of chips magically disappeared when you reach for another nibble and nothing there.

It's weird reading stuff I've written and think about the state of mind I was in. Sometimes, it feels like I've become a completely different person. Some things I write I nail down the first time out. Other times, I struggle with much of the baggage this craft has to offer. I wonder how I can be so different day to day. I wonder how it is that I could leave a little piece of myself behind and not know it, not relate to it. I start to look at the past and think, that wasn't me. It's like you can step out of your shell and into something new. Maybe, like trading in a vehicle. You want something roomy, a little more comfortable. And don't we all upsize with age?

Whatever it was that was me, it's gone. I can't relate to it, as it's in the past. Have to put all that stuff behind me and focus on the road ahead. I really don't know who I was anymore. Just little bits and pieces of me stayed, like the core players of a football team. I just go out and draft a few more character traits, seek to upgrade my talent pool via free agency, maybe develop some undrafted sorts who have what it takes to make my team. I keep rebuilding with the same, or similar emphasis on, my overall game plan and/or concept.

The more I work at this craft, the better I should become. No matter how many skins I shed, it's all for the good. I'll eventually find my goal through this massive transformation as a writer. And if I don't make it, I'll have the journey and the trail I can trace back to the past to bring me forward again.

ah, yeah. did I just write that too? Wonder how many times I'll look back at this and think someone else could have wrote it.

September 25, 2007 at 12:49pm
September 25, 2007 at 12:49pm
#537618
I got done with my third yoga class in a month and reached for my notebook to pen these words:

"Eternally terminally ill:
Life is my death sentence."


In other words, I feel like the walking dead...in more ways than one. Physically, I've had my struggles. Mentally, I cannot get with the program. Yoga is teaching me and exercising these tired old limbs, in hopes of being productive and useful again. But I'm learning I resist change, I'm pessimistic and my body is failing me where I was once a superior physical specimen. I'm learning I've got an uphill battle and it's not as easy as it used to be for me. I was the type that didn't have to study much for a test. My body needed little help with conditioning. I've been idle in so many areas of my life for so long, I've never experienced having this many obstacles to overcome.

Besides the bad eyesight, my hearing is bad. I can't even balance myself on one foot. I'm awkward and worry that I'll bump or fall into a fellow classmate during routines that move too fast for me. I try to sit at the back of the room so I don't become a spectacle or raise more self-doubt making me want to skip the rest of these sessions. But I know I must preservere. I must make a fool of myself if I want to get ahead. But, I just can't get with the program.

The one thing above all that I'm noticing is these child like fears that keep springing up. It could be something as simple as my breathing. When to breath in. When to breath out. How to measure those breaths. It's reminding me of the panic I felt as a young one, worrying I would get scolded for not doing something properly. I'm actually worried I will be singled out in front of a class of adults because I didn't exhale for the same amount of time as I inhaled. I don't want to be reminded I could make the mistake of inhaling when I should have exhaled. I'm trying to breath through my nose, but I've been stuffed up with respiratory issues on and off since January. I breath through my mouth repeatedly to compensate. Fortunately, as the exercise routines play out, my airways clear up so that I can get some air through my nostrils, but then all the mucous moves to the back of my throat.

All this discomfort, all these ordinary little problems compounded by the larger physical and emotional setbacks, and I keep reminding myself to just breathe...to just stay calm...to stay the course. I'm so much better for it when the class is over, but then I look back through all the obstacles real and imaginary and wonder if this is my life. Do I go through this day in and day out, putting obstacles in my path? Do I make out some obstacles to be larger than most? Why does my childhood haunt me still?

I came to conclude that I'm still seeking rewards denied me by my Dad growing up, even though I thought I had put this behind me. I transfer this onto others who don't reward me, real or unmerited. I know that I should focus on the positives and look away from the headlights of the past that still lock me in, stare me down, dare me. I feel like I still have a score to settle with the old man for all the years he kept me humble, knocking me down and daring me to get up only to be sent to the mat again.

I also wonder if Mom was a bit of a perfectionist who was overprotective and tried to keep me out of harms way, from experiencing life. There are times I cannot fathom how to overcome some of life's little ailments. I have to learn for myself what it takes to become an adult on my own, tackle my own problems in ways my parents could not understand, in ways they could have never been prepared to instruct me.

So, I packed up my bag, put away my mats, got a basketball and walked into the gym. This was where I could feel good about myself, the realm where I once overachieved because I dreamed of making basketball stardom a reality. That course in life is well in the past, and while I'm legally blind and physically in the worst shape of my life, I can still do things with a basketball that others can only imagine.

My body was becoming tight from the yoga, and I had to continually stretch to keep arms, legs and back limber. But, as I pounded that ball into the floor, I could feel all the anxiety, frustration and depression melt away. As I hoisted that ball and launched shot after shot, calm and satisfaction set in. I could hear the net's rip from over 20 feet away, better than I could visualize that basketball quickly passing through its goal. My confidence was returning, my realizations about my true potential came into the light. The illumination of who I am, what I am capable of, made me wonder how I could let it all slip away in the first place. I can't stay more than a few steps away from the core of my beliefs. I have to tether myself to the happy side of this reality, surround myself with those who know who I am, what I am, and stop listening to the doubts.

Now, if I could just drop a few pounds and get some cardio conditioning under my belt, I could make a few cuts on these less than nimble feet. Be nice to attack the basket, leap or knife my way through the air like I once did. It still gives me a special feeling when I walk off that court and know that I can still make a few jaws drop with all the bombs I land. If they only knew...

Now, I'm at the computer typing about my experiences, getting those special little throbs of pain to let me know what areas of my body I've overworked. I'm fortunate that my wife has the day off, as she is out of the house with Maddie. Alone, and in need of a shower, the blood inside my body is warm, a temporary sense of satisfaction. But, I must stop myself now. Time to raise the bar, add a few more goals and keep the focus on the road ahead. Time to say goodbye to the doubts of the past. Time to live like I was dying.


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