Bob-o-Link 3

Writer

Writings & Publications Continued: Titles, Synopsis, Excerpts

HOMAGE RHYME

Three-Volume Collection

(Three-Hundred Sixty-Five Versed Scenes)

EXCERPTS

HOMAGE RHYME I - The Dawning

1931-1953

Soul Aglow

Soul eternal seed
aglow to feed
thirst of human need
when freed to lead.

Hear gentle plead
before mind's heed;
respect wisdom's creed,
reap honest deed.

All that is or will
moored in the soul
bares fruit of truth
to achieve any goal.

1931

Tag Along

Curious mind examining anything perceived;
avid desire exposing what is believed.
Sprouting body's persistent potent need;
short gaunt legs, tempo gait freed.
Fleet agile hands touching hold;
opportunity aglore learning to mold.

Saw King 'n Ginger harnessed, led
from red barn to front of wagon-bed.
Double-trees hitched to dappel-greys,
wood tongue lifted, sling-ring way.
Teamster lifted me up, in to stand;
he stepped aboard reins in hand.
Away we jostled, jiggled along,
him whistling, singing some old song.

Diamond 'n Pearl was second team,
powerful Belgium horses sheen, lean.
From vantage of Dad's lap weaned
to ride, steer, pull machines deemed...
plow, disk, harrow, planter, spreader,
cultivator, cutter, rake, shredder,
scoop, grader, fork, binder, header,
sledded sheds, devices tethered.

Tagged after Dad when scampy lad;
lagged not behind whether glad, sad.
Nagged to learn no matter good, bad;
wagged obliging adore for tutor had.

Mimiced behavior, strategy, motion;
helpin' out, in-the-way emotions...
hammering nails, sawing planks,
windmillin', filling tanks;

binding twine, knotting ropes,
pitchin' hay, bailin' oats,
sorting nuts, bolts, nails,
forkin' manure, shockin' bails;

greasing parts, lugging sacks,
totin' buckets, loadin' racks,
spading dirt, cleaning tools,
shovelin' snow, mendin' stools;

scooping corn, digging holes,
luggin' sacks, settin' poles,
tamping posts, stretching wire,
stringin' fence, kindlin' fire;

burning brush, pumping water,
buildin' troughs, hawlin' fodder,
diggin' potatoes, hiving bees,
choppin' wood, clearing trees;

ricking lumber, shelling corn,
pickin' fruit, blowin' horn,
feeding herfords, milking cows,
sloppin' pigs, bedding sows;

Strewing clover, cleaning sheds,
mowin' grass, movin' sheds,
raking leaves, hoein' weeds,
herdin' bulls, mixin' feeds...
taking care of farming's needs.

Tagged after Mom when scampy lad;
lagged not behind whether glad, sad.
Nagged to learn no matter good, bad;
wagged obliging adore for tutor had.

Mimed conduct, tactics, movement;
assisting with, declared improvement...
skimming cream, churning butter,
baking bread, pressing cutter;

molding jelly, waving fans,
fillin' pies, cannin' jams,
sifting flour, rolling dough,
pickin' veggies, carryin' hoe;

shaping cookies, frying chicken,
cookin' meals, finger lickin',
stirring lemonade, setting table,
pourin' sugar, stickin' labels;

brewing coffee, serving food,
eatin' edibles, cribbin' wood,
saving leftovers, scraping scraps,
soapin' dishes, baitin' traps;

sacking garbage, scouring pans,
picklin' jars, deliddin' cans,
oiling lamps, lighting candles,
pottin' plants, turnin' handles;

moving furniture, sweeping out,
cleanin' cupboards, stools mount,
scrubbing steps, mopping floors,
washin' clothes, shuttin' doors;

folding towels, shaking rugs,
emptyin' pot, swattin' bugs,
making beds, chipping ice,
gatherin' eggs, sortin' spice...
all that 'n more was very nice.

Tagged after parents when scampy lad;
lagged not behind whether glad, sad.
Nagged to learn no matter good, bad;
wagged obliging adore for tutors had.

1935

Depression Blues

Wind thrust shadowy dust barren clouds;
haunted hushed death of drought's growl.
Depressed value of scorched grain bowed;
pride's desperate cries fouled aloud.

Salvaging claim of thirsted immature crops,
Dad rented horse-drawn machine to chop.
Contracted neighboring farmers the same;
loaded wagons with cut ensilage gained.
Forked into scooped pits for aging's surge;
sold in spring for ranchers' plighted herds.

Drought, dust, locusts, floods wailed;
failed claim to undaughted victims assailed.
Overcoming the great depression blues,
heartfelt gratitude of survivors grew.

Colossal creeping wave of locusts neared;
devour chewing of meagre crops feared.
Hitched dapple-greys to two-bottom plow;
urgent trenching of endangered field allowed.

Fuel oil poured fast to saturate tiny moat;
torched blaze's destruction ignited hope.
Plaguing locusts met firey doom;
Ash-smoked corpses pervaded moon's loom.

Drought, dust, locusts, floods wailed;
failed claim to undaunted victims assailed.
Overcoming the great depression blues,
heartfelt gratitude of survivors flew.

Despite winter's void of rain, ice, snow,
our farm's abutting flow began to grow.
Diamond 'n Pearl harnessed, hitched
reinforced stunted levee's lapped pitch.

Afoot patrols defended tide's crest;
shoring assaulted surface without rest.
Brave divers plugged appetures beneath;
sandbagged barrier's endearing relief.

Drought, dust, locusts, floods wailed;
failed claim to undaunted victims assailed.
Overcoming the great depression blues,
heartfelt gratitude of survivors true.

1936

Lucious Sough

Every child deserves a slough,
muddy waters seldom blue;
playplace of stagnant slime,
gars 'n skeeters do just fine.

Long billed cranes poke around
swallowing lunch surely found.
Awesome webs of clever spiders,
sticky traps for reckless riders.

Muskrats ramble here and there
collecting residue for a lair.
Falcons plummet from the sky
like bullets zinging by.

Berries savored very best;
cran, raz, goose, the rest.
Jumping from washed-up log,
imitating leaping frogs.

Skinny dippin's out of sight;
wearing clothes just ain't right.
Mucked mud squishes toughy toes;
flying low are sqwaking crows.

Beaver swat tails with might,
disappearing near their dike.
Wild onion's baiting scent,
hollowed tree's honey spent.

Crawdads sneak to peek;
catchin' one takes a week.
Species of peddled bells
secrete pleasing smells.

Hummingbirds flurry there,
hovering briefly in the air.
Ducks waddle on the flats,
webbing sunbacked cracks.

Stuffing pockets with castaways,
things peculiar in many ways.
Pretty butterflies passing over
create rainbows on the clover.

Bein' hooked on luscious sloughs
surely cures the lonesome blues.
Along a slough, two or three,
aroused adventure in me.

1939

Gunnied Jug

Potter's aged clay-fired jug given test;
gunny sack wrap shielded sun's quest.
Fill-up's cold water well's pumped best;
plugged vessel put in pickup's rear nest
lest weary workers slighted thirst's rest.

Whenever clusters of farm-hands lacked,
whether packin', stackin', rackin', hackin';
chugged from shared jug cloaked in sacking
when laid-backs, wise-cracks, humored acting.

Seasons came and went for gunnied jug
that many hankered laborers liked to hug.
Tugged pluck of plug, lugged tilt of mug,
guzzled cooling slug, nuzzled joyful shrug.

Hoeing weeds from rowed corn a humid day
towering thunderstorm unleashed fury's way.
Mad rush to shelter until squall at bay;
old clay friend missed during relaxing's stay.
Gunnied jug had been struck by sky's fray;
tended regret of shattered waste's lay.

1941

Frantic Fanatic

Charmed by Anna Celsey
to attend youth rally's fun,
designed to save pitiful sinners
then on downward run.
Sighed relief for buddies,
no longer gender's one,
seated on church's fifth pew
before program begun.

Yesteryear's silly giggly girls
bunched right up front;
pumped bloomin' beauties
espoused puberty's hunt.
Clumped Tommy, Steve, Ben, I
braved flirted trumps;
boyish naive advances
escalated heartfelt pumps.

Fantasy interrupted by the
good preacher's ardent prayer;
fervent message, closing plea,
struck amicable care.
Inspired reality's calling
ignited wanting faith's flare;
went forth, at altar bowed,
saved life for Jesus dared.

Emersed by holy spirit,
I floated from sacred shrine;
forgot exalted bicycle,
three-mile footpace remind.
Sung, 'I got a little light,
gonna let it shine...';
ran, skipped, leaped, shouted,
small town left far behind.
Freed as a breeze, elated ease,
new miracle kinship's fine;
anxious anticipation of
salvation glories mine.

Steadfast windmill's creaky wail
welcomed me back home;
porch door's hinged groans
when I stormed inside along.
Frantic entry fomented
my mother's faltered moan;
redemption's elated outburst
soon etched in stone.

Her compassioned gape
guieted my tumult sown;
inquired understanding of
faith's commitment owned.
Blurted to be worthy
missionary when fully grown;
maybe Africa, India, China
or other places known.
She had humored smile,
sat me down, bible loaned;
first passages for discern
before any anointment honed.

Tempered study for
pious recruitment tallied;
persuaded Willy and Butch
to avoid their dilly-dally.
Brought in the sheep
for next afternoon's rally;
cornered Catholics in
Protestant's sacred alley.

My suckered buddies
caught the spirit's lure;
got down on knotty knees
for awful sin's teared cure.
Thrilled, I surely imagined
God's special recompense
for saved souls purer;
didn't foresee Catholic parents'
instant rebuttal's furor.

Telephoned rings intruded
supper's savored consumption;
my father's panged heed
gave pause to family's munchin'.
His repreated apology defied
any sensible assumption
before then cold dining's
disquieted resumption.

Dad sorely informed us of
complaint rightly berated
by Butch Murphy's furious father
nonetheless understated.
Lower than low I sunk
to escape sorry guilt fated;
belated save by second call's
purport quickly related.

Irate father of Willy Henry
had somehow restated
my premature obituary
chiseled on granite dated.

Bad rumors of my blunder
thereafter willfully exposed;
severe castigations of me
had been imposed.
Aspects of my buddys'
harsh punishment also arose;
seemed incident's case
would never be closed.

After tramatic emergency
confessional's pardon,
Butch had been distanced
from my radical jargon.
For getting his gospel
in the wrong church,
Willy had done penanced
review at desk perched.

Lesson of religious freedom
had been sorely learned...
'Lovin' Jesus is okay
but avoid zealous turns.'
Any frantic fanatic
just might get burned
for behavior unbecoming
a naive Christian earned.

1943

Asparagus Patch

Across from home's frontal lane
was pasture for livestock gain.
Beyond ripening field of grain
nourished by silt, sun and rain.
Farther east asparagus waned,
five acres lacking cared tame.

Rushed boy-man yet only twelve,
given that patch of land to delve.
Manure spread from barns welled,
soil's thirst for forage quelled.

Assigned my father's old truck
void of windows, doors amuck.
Rusted body, dirty engine bucked,
better used than junked.

Wonders of asparagus patch,
skills of management hatched.
Bent backs to sever and batch,
baskets brimmed to match.
Crates for transporting cache,
baited selling's banked cash,
savings for college to stash.

Tilled rows, weeded plants alike,
constructed shed to store on site.
Bought havesting knives to spike,
scales for weighing product right.

Hired cuttin' crew of leary peers,
reported for work when cleared.
Detailed instructions near to hear,
cautioned about mishaps feared.

Set example for all to aspire,
laboring until shoots expired.
Accurate weigh-ins required
crating for sure-bet buyers.

First day being boss messy,
pressed and stressed at best.
Buster smacked Steve with stone,
Anna excused early to go home,
Tommy's stupid complaint condoned,
Kerri illed moan where prone,
Butch snitched Donna's new comb,
Pete asked an advance on loan,
Skeeter vanished alone to roam,
Lisa's mouth suddenly foamed,
Ben's middle finger cut to bone.
Oh, had I only know.

Wonders of asparagus patch,
management skills hatched.
Bent backs severed, batched,
baskets brimmed to match,
crated for transporting cache.
Baited selling's banked cash,
savings for college stashed.

Soon learned to
seek and lead,
wheel and deal,
mettle and peddle,
test and invest.

Patience and sanity revived,
frequent episodes survived
hurting, flirting,
fraying, straying,
goofing, roofing,
dickering, bickering,
joking, poking,
frowning, clowning,
pouting, shouting,
toting, soaking,
loading, roading.

Wonders of asparagus patch,
memorable experiences hatched.
Strong hands severed batches,
superb product unmatched.
Sold wealth of tasty caches,
savings no longer latched,
financed education's past.

1943-1947

Southpaw

Bottom of the seventh, two on, two out;
runners at first, second, game still in doubt.
Civil Bend's baseballers had avoided rout,
trailed Green Hollow by single count.

Micky Flick, slickest pitcher around,
humiliated good teams in every town.
Certain next batter would be final downed,
cocky strikeout artist kicked mound.

Jack Slatt was scheduled to bat;
recalled by coach, pat on the back.
Tracked benchwarmers where we sat.
"Grab a bat, Lefty! Whack for Jack."

Varsity was my dream come true;
anchored cap, to bat-rack flew.
Withdrew slugger right on cue,
visioning refined skills anew.

Throwin', catchin', bouncin',
bootin', shootin', battin'...
clods, rocks, hedge-apples, taters,
snowballs, peaches, plumbs, tamaters.

Swingin' with sticks, boards, bats...
buntin', poppin', loopin', linin',
foulin', bouncin', flyin', drivin'.

Runnin', divin', slidin'...
legs, feet, arms, hands,
belly, buttocks, brands.

Pitching warm-ups...
glovin', graspin', stancin',
windin', twistin', kickin',
whippin', releasin'
fastball, slowball, curveball,
forkball, knuckleball, palmball,
spitball, floater, slider,
upper, downer, insider, outsider.

Game to play...
interest, desire, discipline,
rules, training, practicing,
refining, posturing, relaxing.

Play ball...
spring, summer, fall,
stand tall, slug ball, close call,
hit fence, wall, don't fall.

Coach Mump growled,
"Lefty, come 'ere!"
I eagerly rushed near to hear,
"You're hot to trot?" he hawked.
"Been much too long," I thought.
Coach mocked,
"Flick's a pitcher who brags alot.
"Yeah," I thought. Time to rock 'n sock."
Coach gawked.
"Chuckin' all he's got. Pick your shot."
My stomach knots, "Thanks alot."

Coerced by catcher's smear arear,
scoffed by pitcher's glarey veneer,
insulted by fielders' noisy jeers,
easy victim of put-out clear.

Stanced box, dug cleets in clay,
dogged by Slick bent on ending fray.
Crouching, I leveled bat of play;
fists clinched to swing away.

Gripped fingers release, total war.
Wrists snap, bat cracks, ball soars;
shocked outfielders chase even more.
Runner crossed, tied game's roars,
pursuing teammate, winning score.

Sweet reality for boys who dream,
playing ball on fields of green.
Thrilling moment of triumph's gleam
shared with lauding fans and team.

Aspiring southpaw pitcher trained
when not snagging flies claimed.
Beat first opponent to reign,
sectional tourney's rival tamed.

Threw shutout at contending nine;
three more victories in due time.
District's semi-final was mine;
final pitch, health's sudden decline.

Heart weakened, ran out of luck;
withdrawl's misery had to buck.
Changed tack but didn't duck;
sport's writer, compromise stuck.

Doubts about future, fears purged,
alternate route, opportune emerged.
Onward to college, confidence surged,
career, family, service converged.

Sweet reality for boys who dream,
playing ball on fields of green.
Thrilling moment of triumph's gleam
shared with lauding fans and team.

1946

Remember

Romance's dawing splendor
awakened cherished souls.
Caressing whisk of candor
aroused desire to hold.

Alluring eyes revealing
essence of adoring truth.
Sensuous movement appealing,
taste of savory fruit.

Puckered lips giving
warmth of love inside.
Willful bodies reving,
clinged to abide.

Bared minds image
passions yet to come.
Joyful hearts linage
beating fancied drum.

Released the us in we
of obsession's grasp.
Savoring fancy's glee,
friendship forged to last.

Remember all that was
and is and will be.
Soar as the eagle does
high above to see.

1947

Letting Go

Water seeks its level,
movement to the sea.
What's really wanted
already set free.
Attachment restrains flow,
river passes by.
Drifting with current,
reaching for the sky.
Gentle strength assuring,
always letting go.
Cleansed tide of life,
surely need to grow.

1948

Tornado

Stilled air, sweltering heat,
menacing clouds, muggy beat,
spongy street, fast retreat,
eerie storm's twisting feats.

"Tornado!"
Snaking tail impacted earth,
routed trees, strewed turf,
enraged gasping's curse
girthing place of birth.

Grey beast advanced fast,
mesmerized observers aghast.
At cellar's door amassed,
braced for onslaught's blast.

"Save my hat!" Grandma pleaded,
her most urgent request heeded.
Inside house my uncle fleeted,
impulsive mission completed.

Grandma, daughter dashed below,
uncle and I vigiled the show.
Brewed, chewed, sprewed woe,
pounced suddenly upon us low.

Ducked inside, braced shore,
mighty beast purged outer door.
Sucking nearly disgorged core,
including our terrified four.

Not before such awesome roar,
fear could not be ignored.
Body trembled, heart tore,
cringed on cornered floor.

Hands clasped, breathless gasps,
final blast, tail moved past.
Weird calm, cautious task,
peeked out, ventured at last.

House ravaged, garage shattered,
crib savaged, barn battered,
equipment damaged, shed tattered,
fields rumaged, fences scattered.

Grandma on uprooted tree sat,
then asked, "Where's my hat?"
Recouped unscathed to tap
happily upon her soiled lap.

1951

Alma Mater

Scenic prairie hills, big blue river's still,
etched flour mills, ivy towers frilled.
Strong wills, writing quills, ill wills,
academic grills, headache pills,
testing nills, waiting's untils,
refining skills, sporting drills,
tuition bills, dining hall refills,
leisured fills, romantic thrills.
Autumn dills, winter chills, spring spills,
til graduation gala's happy shrills,
movin' on fulfills.
cherished haven abides.
Devote people maker,
arousing humility, pride.
Vital intelligence waker,
creative teachers, guides.
Dynamic mover, shaker,
inspiring giant strides.
Courageous risk taker,
riding triumph's tide.

Beanies, orange 'n black,
tiger claws striking back,
pep band's jivey sac,
cheerleaders' amazing acts,
athletes' whacks 'n stacks,
classmates' wise cracks,
bobbysockers' tack 'n flak,
dating's knack 'n lack,
playing's amusing chaps,
dorm's racks 'n sacks,
dining hall's tasty snacks,
library's astounding facts,
conservatory's clapped acts,
graduation's hats 'n plaques,
alumni's loyal tracks.

Pristine Alma Mater,
cherished haven abides.
Devote people maker,
arousing humility, pride.
Vital intelligence waker,
creative teachers, guides.
Dynamic mover, shaker,
inspiring giant strides.
Courageous risk taker,
riding triumph's tide.

1953

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