My Poems

Productivity
1

First I would like to thank Felipe for adding this section at an honest question about where to post works of fiction. In this case, at least for the time being, my poetry. What I plan to do is post one Poem, allow people to post there thoughts on it; if they would be so kind, and then respond to anybodies comments and then post a new poem.

Here is the first.

No More

No more will I allow my death.

At the hand of the living dead

Who follow the sacrificial path.

That leads to unreason

Forcing me to be human no more.

No more will I bow down

To those who have lost all

Following sick passions

Abandoning their reason to feeling

Forcing me to be human no more

No more will I be meek

Waiting for prayers that will never be

Sitting around watching life pass by

While waiting on a Ghost to provide

Forcing me to be human no more

No more will a force dictate

Beating me down to the ground

Raping me of ever thinking

That I am worth anything

Forcing me to be human no more

No more will I be a dependent

Leeching the blood of others

To live in a pseudo world

And not know who I am

Forcing me to be human no more

I will be a Man

Whose life is his, only his, and is an end itself

Whose only guiding light is Reason’s Fire

Who knows how to reach Life’s Purpose,

Which is to be a man of Ego and Self-Esteem

Who is able to Produce all his Desires

And his final and ultimate Value,

His own Happiness in Life

In this world and no other. And,

I will stand tall with Pride Beating

For I will be Human Once More!

Keith Engel

February 10th 2001

Edited: Edited because I changed the last verse just before posting and then changed it back to the original version.

2

Well thirty looks and no replies. Oh well No More is dealing with my conversion over to Objectivism and what it felt like becoming an Objectivist. Since I haven’t gotten a response with No More, then another Poem is due.

Wishing Goodnight…Remembering…Dreams

To many I want to wish a very goodnight

Never worry about that constant dreadful fright

That comes with the long dark cold night

For with the dawn there comes new light

A day is born and with it comes the fight

The chance to sit and make yesterdays wrongs right

For there is never a loss, hope is always in sight

Because the beating of the heart is might

With the breath of life filling the lungs tight

Don’t ever sit by and watch with simple delight

By not truly partaking in this wonderful dance

You do have a shot and a magical chance

Of going a head and fulfilling that dream

Never let go of that shining beam

Because once you do that is when life ends

And the rest of life just really depends

Do you become a simple lowly pawn?

Like a game of chess played on the lawn

Being directed to by a master hand

Nothing more than a slave to a command

Or do you wish to have the sway

Using your sweet sounding lies of wordplay

To rule over those and having the power

Making those below you cringe and cower

Being able to answer every question with I do!

Yet slave all the same in everything you pursue

For those below you they are your master

For with out them your life is a disaster

Yet, this dark dank and gloomy destiny

Isn’t necessarily a permanent consistency

If you only sit back and remember this

The past is dead, and the future is bliss

It is like a true and honest lover’s kiss

So I wish everybody a good night

Never give up a dream and the fight

3

I’m no literary critic, so I don’t have much to offer in that arena. I do want to say that I can really relate to “No More,” and I’m forwarding a link to a couple of friends who I think will enjoy it as well. Bravo!

Edit to add: Judging by your poetry, you may really enjoy indy-rocker Ted Leo’s lyrics. I have my two favorites posted up on my blog.

4

This makes me want to get out my instrument and start composing music…

5

I do want to say that I can really relate to “No More,” and I’m forwarding a link to a couple of friends who I think will enjoy it as well. Bravo!

I am happy you can relate to the poem. This is my greatest of hopes, people being able to relate to my writing and my poetry. If you notice I don’t try to hide behind flowery words and what not in my poetry. What you see is what you get. I hope you friends enjoy the poem as well and can also relate. I will check out the Poet you mention. Also, I am not sure, but have you ever checked out the work of Berton Braley, truly phenomenal, it is unfortunate that his poetry isn’t taught in school.

6

I’ve never heard of Berton Braley, but then I’ve never really actively pursued an interest in poetry - mostly because a lot of poets do hide behind a lot of flowery words, and it makes it so difficult to understand what their trying to say that I get bored with the task and give up.

Ted Leo isn’t really a poet, per se, but song lyrics really are just poetry put to music, so I guess in that respect he is. Definitely check out the two songs I’ve posted on my blog (the link is in my signature). I think any Objectivist will really enjoy reading them.

7

If you are interested in reading work by Berton Braley, you can go to http://cordair.com/apotheosis/index.htm then click on available poetry. There you can click on the poems you want. There are many good poems available for the reading pleasure. Another word about Braley’s Poetry even though in his biography on the official website devoted to him doesn’t say whether or not he was influenced by Objectivism, after reading some of his works one can beging wondering if he was. He is also a straight forward poet in his use of the written word.

8

Time for Another poem, This is one is sorta loosely based off of a John Keats poem entitled To Autumn. I of course have chosen another subject for the the poem.

To Reason

1

A guiding light to those who know

Bringing both desire and peace

Warming those who choose to follow

Opening wide the doors of release

Filling followers with wanton desire

Broadening the distant orange sky

Rebirthing the spirit in Phoenix’s fire

Giving off the most euphoric high

2

The touch of you is an orgasmic pleasure

Far greater than any lover’s kiss

No worth is found in secular treasure

Nor will rubies and diamonds be amiss

So I embrace you my fellow lover

Being as one in this delicate dance

Never again will I ever be in cower

With you as my divine guidance

3

Proudly do we reach the bright end

Happiness and all its designs are gaily met

Reaching this esteeming quality many pretend

Giving up virtuous goals previously set

All because they lost you lover

No longer willing to fight but sacrifice

Fleeting minds that are lost becoming a sewer

Leaving themselves to the chance of rolling dice

4

Lo! Lover! I have not lost you though

You are still here in my lustful soul

You bring me the seed I must sow

To reach the glorious end in Control

So we may sit back with seductive grin

For we are the reality masters of Life

And together, we will always win

And be considered husband and wife

Keith Engel

February 11th 2001

9

Time for Another poem, This is one is sorta loosely based off of a John Keats poem entitled To Autumn. I of course have chosen another subject for the the poem.

To Reason

1

A guiding light to those who know

Bringing both desire and peace

Warming those who choose to follow

Opening wide the doors of release

Filling followers with wanton desire

Broadening the distant orange sky

Rebirthing the spirit in Phoenix’s fire

Giving off the most euphoric high …

Keith Engel

February 11th 2001

This one I really liked. It speaks to me quite nicely. I am now in the mood for a giant big steak.

I wish every one a good Friday, this friday is sunny in Toronto, and spring is sending its promises, it’s the light and the melting snow, and the scents of the city returning, and the green as the symbol of life,

Americo.

10

I am happy you enjoyed To Reason Americo, though I am unsure why it makes you want to have a big steak :confused:

11

I’ve been making sure to have a big hunk of beef every Friday during lent. Gotta do my part to counter the harm Catholicism is doing to cattle farmers around the the world. :confused:

Perhaps that’s why Americo wants one as well.

12

LOL You know what I have been atheist for so long that I don’t give that much thought about the time of year. Just had some speghetti with meat sauce. :confused:

13

Honestly, I didn’t even realize this Sunday was Easter until I got to work and some Catholic coworkers were talking about it. They are also the reason I know about lent. :confused:

14

In honor of this glorious holiday I must say my grace.

An Atheist’s Grace

I give thanks to those

Who have really provided

The food sitting here

On this bountiful day

With a table full of good

Friends and Family

I give thanks the to farmers

Who toil day and night

Over the fields and crops

While tending the live stock

They are the men who

Have dug into the earth

Giving us the constant birth

Of the food that nourishes us

I give thanks to the truckers

Who spend long days and nights

Away from their families

Driving in their Rigs

On the long highways

That stretch across this nation

Making sure that the crops

Get delivered on time

To the markets of purchase

I give thanks to the inventors

Who with out their brilliant minds

None of this would be possible

The machinery that allows the farmer

To plant several fields of various crops

To harvest them in the same fashion

Who invented the combustion engine

That drives the force that brings the food

Which is now sitting here on this table

Warm and hearty from an oven and stove

That a man invented

This is who I give my thanks to

Not some grand Ghost

Sitting in the sky.

15

This last one’s my favorite so far. It might be just me, but I think it would be better to just leave off the last two lines altogether.

16

Thanks Tom for the good response and I am happy you enjoyed it. To tell you honestly this isn’t the actual Atheist Grace that I originally envisioned. I just can’t remember the original way I wanted to do it. It is rather frustrating when this happens as a writer. Your laying in bed thinking and the words just begin to flow off your tongue and your like, i’ll write it down tomorrow for surely I’ll remember the way I had it then. Unfortunately it does’t work that way.

17

First I would like to thank Felipe for adding this section at an honest question about where to post works of fiction. In this case, at least for the time being, my poetry. What I plan to do is post one Poem, allow people to post there thoughts on it; if they would be so kind, and then respond to anybodies comments and then post a new poem.

Here is the first.

No More

No more will I allow my death.

At the hand of the living dead

Who follow the sacrificial path.

That leads to unreason

Forcing me to be human no more.

No more will I bow down

To those who have lost all

Following sick passions

Abandoning their reason to feeling

Forcing me to be human no more

No more will I be meek

Waiting for prayers that will never be

Sitting around watching life pass by

While waiting on a Ghost to provide

Forcing me to be human no more

No more will a force dictate

Beating me down to the ground

Raping me of ever thinking

That I am worth anything

Forcing me to be human no more

No more will I be a dependent

Leeching the blood of others

To live in a pseudo world

And not know who I am

Forcing me to be human no more

I will be a Man

Whose life is his, only his, and is an end itself

Whose only guiding light is Reason’s Fire

Who knows how to reach Life’s Purpose,

Which is to be a man of Ego and Self-Esteem

Who is able to Produce all his Desires

And his final and ultimate Value,

His own Happiness in Life

In this world and no other. And,

I will stand tall with Pride Beating

For I will be Human Once More!

Keith Engel

February 10th 2001

Edited: Edited because I changed the last verse just before posting and then changed it back to the original version.

The theme got me. Rhyme is crucial. However, ironically, you succeeded in keeping me hopping. Theme was good. But some rhyme is sacred. However I heard it in a song, not rap, but something rap-like but right. If you have an operaetta ready then I apologize because I know nothing about music. This is the type of “stuff” I want to hear from “Objectivists”.

Americo.

18

Ah Americo, could you go a head and try explaining that last post of yours to me in Grammatical sentence structure. I didn’t quite get it. :confused:

19

This one is a bit different from the others.

The Oak

There is a tall proud oak tree

Standing out in the air free

Nothing is ever surrounding him

Others do stand on the horizon dim

Yet they are off in the distant

Nowhere near him this instant

Visitors he does have his share

Who come and go as free as the air

Birds and other beast is the standard fair

Yet, during the summer there is a pair of dancers

Joyous for they are a couple of lovers

Enjoying the cool shade in summer’s heat

With love’s lust as the dance’s beat

Eyes shining, reflecting with the fun

Yet this isn’t a very long run

It comes and goes like the setting sun

Staying like the December freeze

Lasting like the summer breeze

Here one instant, gone the next

Just like the lover’s sex

There are his many leaves hanging

That are bobbing and weaving

On branches thin and long

The wind brings him their song

As they brush up against one another

Filling the air with their constant chatter

Then suddenly they begin to change

There soft chatter no longer in range

With the onslaught of Autumn’s days

Stripping him of their incessant ways

Falling to the ground one by one

It doesn’t take long

For it to be all done

Then with branches bare does he stand

In the grip of winters long hand

Stretching on into the waning night

Causing many to come upon him with fright

Bearing weapons to calm the cold

They set upon him from the fold

Bringing their weapons to bare

They are without fear and dare

Stripping from him many appendages

And don’t offer any bandages

For even his branches come and go

With time’s ever constant flow

Yet there is one constant in his life

That will never go, like an endearing wife

They dig deep into the ground

They are always to be found

Beneath him supporting his very existence

Never do they waver in their persistence

Keeping him on the steady course

Oh, it could be much worse

He could not have them there

That is why he holds them dear

Because they will remain true

He grants them their due

For they will never leave his side

Even if ill times betide

For true friends are like the roots

Of the tall proud mighty oak

Keith Engel

October 2004

20

“No More” is pretty powerful stuff. I like how the negatives in the first 5 stanzas are countered by statements in the last larger, positive stanza.

“Wishing Goodnight…Remembering…Dreams” has some good images & couplets. It’s a little too “stream of consciousness” fo my tastes. But, then again, that might be the point considering the title. Maybe break it up in sections? At least visually that might help clarify it.

“To Reason” is nicely organized, “in the manner of Keats” as you say. But where his “To Autumn” has 3 groups, 11 lines each, yours has 4 groups, 8 lines each. I like your structure more! This one has excellent images & touches (tactily!) well on more of the senses. It also sounds the best aloud (of what you posted so far). The pacing/phrasing is really good. Also, the not-exact rhymes but closely related syllabant sounds & alliteratives are well done. Good stuff.

“An Atheist’s Grace” is kind of obvious, but good fun anyway. Someone needs to say that stuff, huh? It’s good to have an Objectivist poet do it!

“The Oak” is very pensive. It works better read silently than aloud for me. It’s a good analogy & I didn’t know where it was headed until the end. It started in summer & moved on to fall & winter. Then, being in 4 sections I was kind of expecting the return of spring, so you had a little redirection going on there. During the winter when the branches are being torn off for firewood I started thinking of Howard Roark saying the pain only goes so deep…Don’t know exactly where that free association came from…I am currently re-reading “The Fountainhead”, maybe that was it!

Thanks for sharing.

What other poets do you admire or consider yourself influenced by? What poets are you currently reading/studying?