Poetry

Dreamer, Dream On
by Earl Bergland, 1970

Everyday I dream a little,
Yet onto myself I am true.
Everyday I dream of the things,
Million things I will never do.

Magic box of my designed toys
My work and worries let them stray.
Hunt for an omnipotent perch
I in a command hideaway.

Dreams begin as foolish fancies;
They shyly waste away the while.
But there is sparkle in the eye
Pleasure in the face of a child.

Gliding with soaring surfing clouds,
Clouds eulogizing mountaintops.
I wander thru their frothy sails;
Their creations and mine never stop.

Penning picture puzzles with laser hand,
The page becomes a book shared clan to clan.
The dreams are of hopes that will never be.
Still, dreams are sirens for my sanity!

I awe teasing muses astride capricious unicorns.
I challenge bulls elegantly wielding dagger horns.
If hard earned moneyed prizes fade as the morning blue,
Then are dreams the only realities for clinging to?

I am a beacon (as you) in the finned sea.
Life is in dreams shining thru eternity,
As grains of sand, to be played with
By children of children. A myth?

If my dreams are me,
Then who am I?
What merit life's work,
A living lie?

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Writing Poetry

Why Poetry? Poems are written by people who are too lazy to write a book. Most people who write poetry would do more good for the world by growing flowers or painting old barns. But we need to have patience because many young poets just need a few years of practicing as do musicians.
What are the three basic requirements for a quality poem?
A. The topic must be very important.
B. The poet must express thoughts with clarity.
C. The poem must create a dramatic impact (create an emotional feeling) in reader.
Is poetry a waste of time? That is a tough question. We can wonder the same thing about fishing or watching a football game. A poem provides the poet with a means of expressing ideas and feelings by a very personal means. Playing basket ball or cooking is also a means of personal expression.
What kind of an attitude should we have about reading poetry? Imagine sitting in a park on a spring day listening to your friend discuss ideas with you. Poets love waterfalls and country fried chicken.