State House Stars, Bars And Scars: Revolutionary ImproVerse Rhyming Poem

The stars/
showing Sherman’s scars/
before this/
meant nothing to me./
Long live the Republic!/
Long live the Confederacy!/
(But now it does/
because/
I’ve touched history.*)

*[added later]

———–
The back story behind this poem:
Toward the end of the Civil War, General William T. Sherman and his Union army captured the South Carolina State Capital in Columbia, SC on February 17, 1865, leaving city-wide destruction. Shells from Sherman’s cannons, which were of light caliber, damaged the building only slightly, and brass markers were subsequently placed on the west and southwest walls of the building to show where the shots had landed. Ten were fired in all. Six “struck the western front,” with little damage. This photo is of the lowest (and most accessible) brass star marker (and the damage), near the western door.
In late February, 2015, I turned the star and ran my fingers along the damaged wall.

Advertisement

I’ve Left Alone: Revolutionary Blogging Iambic Poem

Late night
starry lights
shine at Christmas.

Neighbors trees
illuminate me
as I pass.

My friends I’ve left.
I feel bereft
and moan “Alas!”

To whom shall I turn?
They won’t return
who I’ve sassed.

I shouldn’t turn away.
I should let my heart stay
open at Christmas.

The Meaning Of Blue Skies: Romantic ImproVerse Haiku

She claimed she was a/
star gazer, but she forgot /
what clear blue skies meant.

The Advantage Of A Nighttime Freeway Accident: Revolutionary Blogging Haiku

Freeway accident./
Stopped traffic at night. Ragtop/
lets me gaze at stars.

False Rain: Revolutionary ConTEXTing Haiku

I thought I heard rain./
It was wind through cottonwoods./
I gazed up at stars.

Everybody Hurts: Romantic ConTEXTing Haiku

Even blonde stars hurt,/
sometimes. Oh, wait. REM/
already said that.

At Never-Never Land, U R not home: an old Romantic IMbic poem

I went to Never-Never Land
but didnt find you there!
I knew that, if I had,
I’d simply stand, stare,
and think how lovely you are!

But, alas!
I must have turned too far
wrong;
gone past
the star
that is home.