January 2023 Poetry

jan-2023-poetry
Image by Pexels from Pixabay
Beethoven’s Fifth en flambe 
Audience settles in 
Orchestra tunes, then quiets 
Bernstein enters the orchestra pit stage left 

The Maestro lifts his baton and 
The music begins 
Ta-ta-ta-tum 
Ta-ta-ta-tum 

Brass to his right 
Strings in front of him 
Percussion on the left 

Bernstein directs with oceanic waves of his arms 
Orchestra responds with percussion crashes on 
the shore 
Now the drums thunder 
Strings scream 
then sing 

The flames in the heating stove 
Dance 
Dive 
Ebb and Flow 

Hear the music 
See the show 
Carol McDermott, Montrose 
GCEA consumer-member
MY HYMN TO JOY AT EIGHTY THREE 
IF MY WORLD BE FITTED SNUGLY TO A SINGLE YEAR 
WOULD THAT WORLD BE FILLED WITH FRIENDS AND JOY 
TO FILL THE YEAR, I MUST RUSH, RUSH, EVER RUSH 
TIME FLIES, SHOPWORN WORDS WITH SUDDEN BITE 
OUCH! WELL, PERHAPS MORE, THAN THAT SINGLE YEAR 
PERHAPS MORE, COULD BE TWO OR THREE, EVEN MORE 
STILL MORE TIME TO FULLY SAVOUR A JOYFUL LIFE 
Fred Koch, Red Feather Lakes 
Poudre Valley REA consumer-member
Cowboy Ways 
Tender heart, calloused hands, owned the ranch and worked the land, in the sun many a day, fixin’ fence, baling hay. 

Tough as nails on his skin, he can do most anything; ride a horse, brand a calf, sit with the boys and have a laugh. 

He worked the land most all his life, he has three children and a wife, but inside he’s like a child, underneath, meek and mild. Likes newborn calves and little girls in cowboy boots, with golden curls; those little puppies by the door, he could hardly ask for more. 

He’s gettin’ gray and walkin’ slow, enjoying his time here below; he likes old trucks and that John Deere, city folks might think him queer. 

But out on the range he is the king, understands most everything; with tender heart and calloused hands — all those years out on the land. Might see a tear come in his eye, thinking back to days gone by. With tender heart and calloused hands, he loved the range, he loved the land. 

His hands are clean, his heart is pure, those like him, they will endure. With tender heart and calloused hands, they love the range, they love the land. 
Robert Miller, Loma 
Grand Valley Power consumer-member