Rhymes from the Hinterland - The Hypocrites - The Things Which Kill - An Event to Lament - The Solemn Swearers by Guy Graybill!

 

THE HYPOCRITES 

They dot their ev’ry ‘i’

And cross their ev’ry ‘t’. 

They’re perfect,

 so they claim,

 Compared to you and me.

 No rule may thus be bent

 By any human known.

 There’s nothing they’ll approve

 And nothing they’ll condone.

 With knowledge less than slight,

 They think they know too much;

 So those they find know more

 They claim are ‘out-of-touch’.

 Should ever you dispute

 The power they’ve assumed,

 There’s none can stay your fate.

 In wrath, you’ll be consumed!

 They summon all their friends,

 To quickly congregate.

 They made a super find:

 Another group to hate!

 With venom they condemn.

 Each boldly vilifies;

 With rumors lacking base

 And oft-repeated lies.

 At those who bend the rules,

 They’re first to cast a stone.

 There’s no exception seen

 Except, of course, their own!

~

THE THINGS WHICH KILL

 When blinded Polyphemus chose a rock

 To hurl at bold Odysseus in his flight,

 His weapon was as one from cave-man’s stock;

 Its simple function: death to expedite!

 But, even then, in that gray, Dorian dawn,

 New ways had been designed to maim and slay.

 The things which kill have ever come and gone,

 ‘Though killing’s stayed in fashion to this day. Creating weapons always leads the field

 Of scientific areas of advance. 

New, shining missiles are today revealed,

 As genius takes a military stance.

 But, whether made by genius or by fool,

 Each weapon’s still a gross, barbarian tool.

~

AN EVENT TO LAMENT

 The war has gone away. 

Who will we bomb today?

 Without a formal fight,

 What homes can we ignite?

 How will we stay in shape,

 If we can’t kill and rape?

 Without campaigns to win,

 What medals will they pin?

 Should peaceful times prevail,

 We’ll all be whole and hale;

 But, grit we can’t display.

 The war has gone away. . . .

~

THE SOLEMN SWEARERS

 When presidents declaim their oaths

 And utter to the fawning crowd,

 The nation looks,

 and glows with pride.

 Each native heart is justly proud.

 But, we all know—

if we’ll admit—

 The luster pales;

 the pride recedes.

 Each spotless one self tarnishes.

 Our leader changes as he leads.

 We might expect each aspirant,

 The august office to besmirch.

 We seek for men of noble mien;

 But, that’s an almost futile search.

 In fact, we’ve gone the other way.

 The ones that voters let survive,

 Not chancing image newly stained,

 Are tarnished well when they arrive!

~

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Guy Graybill Presents Rhymes from the Hinterland - A Tome of Clever Poems!

Creator: BraunS | Credit: Getty Images

Copyright: BraunS

OUR YOUNG

They are safe as they play

Here among us today;

 But, how safe will they play

 On the morrow; 

Since the strangers came in,

 With a smile and a grin,

 Thus to buy

 What they never could borrow?

 Using money and guile

 And political style,

 They got land

 Which was prime and impressive.

 Will our young ones soon shrink

 From the water they drink,

 ‘Cause the toxins within are excessive?

 Will the strangers provide

 Waste for making our wide

 Susquehanna a river of sorrow?

 They are safe as they play

 Here among us today . . .

 But, will they safely play

 On the morrow?

~~~~

THE ROMANCE OF WAR

 Our young should know of war;

 That pre-historic way

 Men found to wound and slay . . .

 To smear the land with gore!

 Our young should early learn

!!!!

AN ACT OF SELF DEFENSE

 Her Smile is a rebel Smile.

 She knows the disarming art.

 Her lips bring to light her guile:

 A threat to my sov’reign heart.

💝

Guy Graybill's latest book is a compilation of written poems over the years--ones that were meant to be shared someday... Rhymes from the Hinterland brings to readers history, humor, romance and so much more... Guy has strong opinions; he shares them freely as one who writes poetry often does. For poetry is the words of need--a short time expressing what is in your mind or heart... 

Sometimes heavy with warning, sometimes light in joy of life. Sometimes he writes with words of old, yet, the meaning for today seems so clear...

THE VIGIL MAINTAIN

 So, you’ve put away all of your armor.

 So, your lance you have now set aside!

 And you say we have slain all the dragons?

 Here our thinking is bound to collide.

 You’re a fool, who is too soon deluded.

 Our world’s yet the dark, beast-laden wood.

 Here live creatures that hope to devour us;

 Here are foes who would do us no good.

 They are cloaked in a guise that is modern—

 Like the razor-sharp blade in the sheath—

 So that, outwardly, they appear harmless;

 But, the ‘dragon’ still lurks underneath!

 Some are nations that feign would embrace us; Others, groups that would offer us peace.

 Some are concepts that promise Utopia . . .

 The proverbial ‘wolves under fleece’?

 All those brutes would, with ease, overpower us,

 If we fell, importunely, asleep.

 So, we must have the moat filled with Caution

 And let Truth help us strengthen the keep.

 We’ve no choice but to maintain the vigil,

 And be certain our young can derive

 A concern for the imminent dangers.

 The alert are the ones who survive!

~~~~

UPBRINGING

 While I was yet an infant,

 My parents cast the die.

 They weaned me on bologna;

 They fed me rabbit pie.

 And as a lad, a-growing,

 They gave me kettle meat,

 Along with steaming mince pies,

Both savory and sweet.

 They set my tastes forever

 And didn’t even try.

 A carnivore they raised me;

 A carnivore I’ll die. 

😁

Some of my long-time readers will remember his book, Bravo, spotlighting music from Italy... I think I individually covered most of those individuals mentioned, more extensively at Book Readers Heaven. With this new book Guy has again become an ongoing contributor here, sharing over 160 poems found in this book through the upcoming moths or years... On the other hand, I've already read the entire book and can highly recommend it to all poetry readers. 

As mentioned, style of writing changes, based upon the topic... I find it delightful that he adds a touch of "theatre" to each poem...

 SUNRISE AND SADNESS 

When hopes lie shattered on the shore,

 Good friends are often wont to say:

 “The Sun will rise; just as before.

 Tomorrow is another day.”

 That’s what good friends are wont to say.

 But grave injustice came to call.

 Yes, grave injustice came to stay.

 So, I must dine on bitter gall 

And I’m condemned to sip dismay,

 No matter what good friends might say.

 On days when duties don’t impede,

 My will can’t push me from the cot.

 If bladder does not intercede,

 I’d rather slumber; rather rot,

 Than join a world where truth’s forgot!

 I curse the knaves who gain success

 By trampling ethics under hoof.

 One thought ignites my bitterness:

 I sense the crime; but lack the proof . . .

 I sense the crime; but lack the proof.

 To know injustice, unerased,

 Leaves morning’s joy forever gone;

 With courage lost and hope effaced.

 So long as justice is withdrawn,

 Sunrise and sadness crow the dawn . . .

😞

Folks, this last poem spoke to me,

  of attempts to progress backward...

For each day we see that,

 indeed, a failing justice

 How many thousands of years

 has this gone on,

 but never more

 than today's sad morn

I don't profess to be a poet,

Yet words speaking truth

do call to me...

Thus, a responsive attempt by me...

😍

Plan on seeing Guy around along with other contributors... In the meantime, I suggest that you get your own copy and place it next to where you sit... Turn the noise of news down  or read a poem or two during commercials. Each time a new one comes, you'll find that it may just speak to you as well...

GABixlerReviews

RELATIVE TIME 

“How it flies!” said the conquering Romans,

 Offering comment on Time’s rapid pace;

 And they’ve now made a clock run by atoms,

 Just to measure Time’s passage through space.

 Now, if life can flash by in an instant,

 And the earth, in a twinkling, will burn;

 Oh, then, why does an hour seem eternal,

 While I’m waiting for you to return?

💕

Long-Time Contributor, Guy Graybill, Announces Rhymes from the Hinterland--Just Out! Presenting Isle of Light

I've already talked with Graybill and have been given authority to share selections from this new book! Plan on seeing him as an ongoing contributor in the future... Or check out in the right column more of what he's been writing!

ISLE OF LIGHT 

As ancient tribal bowmen might fight a bowless band,

A nation’s modern weapon can crush a weaker land.

Upon a distant island, a plane was set on course;

Within, unseen in warfare, a new and Hellish force!

 The plane droned through the darkness; its crew a chosen few. 

They flew above the ocean; a somber, starlit view.

 Within the target city, no one foresaw the guest.

 Most rose to greet the new day; while slumber held the rest. . . . 

But, then arose a thousand suns; one blinding, searing flash! 

What Twilight bathed in glory, foul Dawn would bathe in ash! 

The victors won their skirmish, with soldiers undeployed. 

They also won their battle. The vanquished were destroyed. 

That bomb destroyed an empire. Proud leaders had to bow. 

But, that is all behind us; for we are here and now.

Soon, other nations differed and later wars were waged. 

Old conflicts are forgotten; Fate’s diary must be paged. 

My sadness overwhelms me. My sorrow overcomes, As I recall how fickle we’re made by martial drums.

 As decades drop behind us, the bomb begins to bore, As ‘just another weapon,’ in ‘just another war’. . . .

~

While historians speak of past wars, today we see the same

But this time something's different, the U.S. has lost its way

War is instigated by one man, instead of the government as a whole

Why is this allowed? We surely do not know...

Men who crave and lie for power

Who sit at home while citizens die

Cannot be allowed to continue to win

The rich get richer as widows and children cry...

Who are we who only choose peace

We lose so many in response to so few

When the majority wants only for wars to cease

Who are we? Who want only Peace...

Gabby

Do YOU Remember the Reason for the Season???