.
The Mystery of Poetry
The mystery of poetry
__is found between the lines.
The poet sends the signals while
__the sentence shows the signs.
Alliterative artifices
__alert the adept minds.
The power of each poem portrays
__the images one finds.
Enchantment of entendrés and
__emotions words define,
As carefully the poem is read
__for gold that’s in the mine.
With meter that is measured there
__is magic in the rhyme,
As bards compose a ballad with
__the muses keeping time.
.
.
Spring Is Coming Soon
The air is clear and crisp today,
__As I walk through my garden.
A morning shower came to play,
__But then it begged my pardon.
The mixed scent of the flowers blooming
__Scrubs chill morning air.
A bee seems drunk by their perfuming
__And wanders everywhere.
The daffodils are laughing now.
__They’ve opened up their petals.
A bee dips down, as if to bow,
__Then on a jonquil settles.
The sky is blue. The clouds are gone.
__The garden path is sunny.
The happy bee now flies along—
__He’s off to make some honey.
I love my flowers everywhere
__Like carpets made of satin,
So with the bees, the path I share:
__And sniff the buds they sat in.
.
.
I’ll Be Waiting by the Fountain
If this should be the last poem
That these poor hands ever write,
Should my soul ascend to heaven
When I’m taken in the night,
Then I’ll meet you at the fountain
Where the crystal waters flow,
Where I dreamed that I first saw you
Many moonbeams long ago.
It’s just passing through a portal
That portends the mystery.
We have had our passage paid for
By our King of Destiny.
As He went back up to heaven
To prepare for us a home,
I’ll be waiting by the fountain
Where the crystal waters foam.
.
.
LTC Roy E. Peterson, US Army Military Intelligence and Russian Foreign Area Officer (Retired) has published more than 5,000 poems in 78 of his 101 books. He has been an Army Attaché in Moscow, Commander of INF Portal Monitoring in Votkinsk, first US Foreign Commercial Officer in Vladivostok, Russia and Regional Manager in the Russian Far East for IBM. He holds a BA, Hardin-Simmons University (Political Science); MA, University of Arizona (Political Science); MA, University of Southern California (Int. Relations) and MBA University of Phoenix. He taught at the University of Arizona, Western New Mexico University, University of Maryland, Travel University and the University of Phoenix.
These are pleasing poems, Roy. I especially liked the calming effect of “Spring Is Coming Soon.”
Thank you, Mary!
I loved all three of these poems Roy. For some reason I found myself very emotional after reading them. Thank you.
Bless your heart, Norma. Precious comments!
Good stuff, Roy. I especially enjoyed the deceptive simplicity of ‘Spring Is Coming Soon’. You made it look so easy.
Thank you, Paul. I especially appreciate your comments.
Roy, all three of these poems are not only adeptly, beautifully written but they are extremely charming. One cannot help but be drawn in, even — as in “I’ll Be Waiting By the Fountain” — there is an underlying sadness to it. I very much like the child-like wonder that infuses “Spring is Coming Soon” but of the three my favorite is “Fountain” in which I find echoes from the hymnal — particularly, “Shall We Gather at the River” which speaks of crystal waters and a similarly trusting faith in God. The fountain in the afterlife of which you speak may well reflect the waters of baptism in this world It’s quite moving.
Wonderful comments that amplify the meanings of the poems. “Shall We Gather at the River” is one of my favorite old hymns often sung on Sundays by congregations. I like your interesting idea of the waters reflecting baptism, as well. Your thoughts are always welcome and well appreciated.
Roy, I’ll always look for the gold in a garden poem or a fountain poem! I must agree with Brian Yapko that “Waiting by the Fountian” is the more substantial one, but like Paul Freeman, I appreciate the simplicity of your spring garden. Especially love that final line and rhyme and image!
I deeply appreciate your kind comments and encouragement. Bless you and thank you, Margaret!
Roy, I like the way you return to the fountain imagery in the last poem, as if closing the circle. My favorite lines in your “Spring” poem as “A bee seems drunk by their perfuming” and “A bee dips down, as if to bow,
__Then on a jonquil settles.” I’m still waiting for my daffodils to open. Maybe this week….
Those are precious comments! I know you will be rewarded when your daffodils open. Thank you, so much.
I’ve enjoyed reading all three of these delightful poems, Roy. Thank you! My favorite is “The Mystery of Poetry”… you sum the remarkable creative process up beautifully for me… I love to delve between those lines to search for the treasure buried beneath the obvious. Wonderful!
Such wonderful and kind comments, Susan! You always have treasures “buried beneath the obvious.” I thank you, sincerely!
I enjoyed these poems immensely!
Sweet and delightful poems, Roy – well done. I like especially ‘found between the lines’. Scripture itself should be read in 4 senses, so surely poetry too where that is possible!