An Unpublished Maniscript for J.D. Salinger by Rider Strong
It is possible to assassinate my heroes
with the scope of my individualism
However, by their own persistence to themselves
I believe that they have chosen me to pursue a self
What is literature
but the illumination of that which I would write?
Salinger speaks through me, to me
whispers, "where to, little boy?"
My answer is the dogged pen to page
which lights consistently the pathway home
It is on that road
that I alone can trip my way back to myself.
I Will Wade Out by E.E. Cummings
I will wade out
till my thighs are steeped in burning flowers
I will take the sun in my mouth
and leap into the ripe air
Alive
with closed eyes
to dash against darkness
in the sleeping curves of my body
Shall enter fingers of smooth mastery
with chasteness of sea-girls
Will i complete the mystery
of my flesh
I will rise
After a thousand years
lipping
flowers
And set my teeth in the silver of the moon
Because She Would Ask Me Why I Loved Her by Christopher Brennan.
If questioning would make us wise
No eyes would ever gaze in eyes;
If all our tale were told in speech
No mouths would wander each to each.
Were spirits free from mortal mesh
And love not bound in hearts of flesh
No aching breasts would yearn to meet
And find their ecstasy complete.
For who is there that lives and knows
The secret powers by which he grows?
Were knowledge all, what were our need
To thrill and faint and sweetly bleed?.
Then seek not, sweet, the "If" and "Why"
I love you now until I die.
For I must love because I live
And life in me is what you give.
I wasn't originally going to contribute to this but Leah Ward wrote a piece which I can relate to. I would like to dedicate my choice in poetry to my fellow staff members on I'm with Geek, my friend and author MJ Rain, and Ronnie Dawson, the Founder and CEO of Broken Bars Publishing. Thank you all for giving me a chance when no one else believed in me. Thank you to Leah Ward for writing this and giving me permission to share such a wonderful poem.
I Look Up to You by Leah Ward (The Art of Words)
You've encouraged me in so many ways
You've inspired me in more
You make me want to be the best
And open all closed doors
I wouldn't be who I am today
If it wasn't for you
You turned my whole life around
Changed my whole view
Picked me up off the ground
Made me few anew
Maybe there is hope
In this world after all
Cause the light
Always comes after night fall.
And someday
I want to be like you
I want to glow in happiness
Like you do
I want to give the world
A glimpse of peace
I want to change lives
And change history
I want the whole world
To see
I want my heart
Half as strong as your will be
I want to follow
And then I want to lead
I want hope placed in
Everyone's eyes
So everyone will
See like mine
I just want the
Whole of society
To look up to me
Like I look up to you.