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poetry by j matthew waters

Archive for the tag “poetry”

05 Oct 2013

a tale of two long-shots


there’s something special about the underdog
how he manages to overcome the odds
beating a superior opponent
via intellect and luck
and lifting the spirits
of all the little people of the world

contrary to the underdog the dark horse
arrives out of thin air
achieving complete dominance
in stunning fashion
at times cheered by all of society
at times despised by every single side


october two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Poetry and tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
03 Oct 2013
19 Comments

tomorrow’s sunrise


wake me up and tell me
to eat something nutritious
like a bowl of peacefulness

wake me up and ask me
to read something beautiful
that will make me mindful
all roads lead to somewhere

teach me to wake up
with the birds as my alarm
while traces of morning light
illuminates my inner thoughts

teach me to wake up
to the fact that one day I will be
looking down on a world
that is no longer mine
smiling knowing I left my mark
a few are certain to find

wake me up
so I may grind some beans
and share them with you
on a rainy saturday morning

I may not always be here
but I will always
wake up
if not here
then somewhere else
where you are certain to find me


october two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Poetry and tagged , , , , , , ,
01 Oct 2013
9 Comments

all aboard


lights are everywhere like an
electric parade up and down
streets without ends

alien onlookers are amazed
with colors and sounds
this virtual airstrip provides
capable of calling forth
anything attracted to the lights

systematically tagged
the subjects board
kaleidoscope spaceships
buckling in and holding their breath
until reaching their final destination





october two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Aliens, Poetry and tagged , , , ,
29 Sep 2013
6 Comments

nothing is for sale here


the wagon lie dormant in the garage
tucked away in the corner
behind the lawnmower and snowblower
filled with tonka construction trucks
yellow and rusty and somewhat dirty

spiders long ago moved in
weaving complexities along the
wagon’s plastic wheels and metal shaft
scurrying along the dusty
sides of the once shiny red body

taking inventory I keep them in mind
knowing one day the children
will visit with their own
and together we will discover
old things becoming new again


september two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Poetry and tagged , , , , , , , ,
28 Sep 2013

lost continents


they sailed along silver waves
in search of higher lands
the maps in their hands
aligned with ancient stars
that never shined so bright

under the bridge women rocked
stitching winter clothing
the children praying
for a higher power
to free them from their plight

as years turned into decades
mountains slowly emerged
caverns like beacons
calling forth their vessels
to dock within the light


september two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Poetry and tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
26 Sep 2013
12 Comments

that cool refreshing drink


this notion about life giving you lemons
seems a bit silly

I mean
what about apples
and oranges and pears

there is orange juice
and apple juice
but with pears
it seems they’re
mostly compatible with jello

with lemons I envision
shots of tequila and table salt
even though the most popular
drink of all must be lemonade

as children we constructed a booth
and sold nature’s candy
all summer long
and when the homeless arrived
with their hands held out
we smiled and offered them
dixie cups full of our finest elixir



two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Poetry and tagged , , , ,
22 Sep 2013
7 Comments

where white flags sail high


we tested the water
by shooting bullets at it
then crossed to the
other side without missing
a beat

bullets never scare me
it’s the people who own them
that do
the ones who spend their
weekends at the shooting range
or the gamers club
or any dungeon of a basement
where m is for murder and
nothing else matters
where killing sprees can last
for hours on end

now that we made it
to the other side
to a place without war games
real or imagined
there was no reason
to remain on high alert
and with gratitude
we surrendered our arms



september two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Poetry and tagged , , , , , , , ,
21 Sep 2013
4 Comments

this day our daily bread


we worked the fields
wielding sickles
and scattered thoughts of
one day crossing the
border into worlds
before unseen

we step and sway and cut
and sing in praise as
women and children
transform the stalks into
bundles for the wind
and sun to remedy

we left the fields
nearly naked and dotted
with purposeful randomness
our backs still strong
our minds set on preparing
this evening’s meal


september two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Poetry and tagged , , , , , , , , , ,
15 Sep 2013
5 Comments

here to stay


I stood at the podium
declaring my faith to a world
I once called home

the strangers in front of me
knelt and lifted their arms
anticipating a deliverance
they had only dared to dream

as I breathed into the hall
they began to understand
freedom was here to stay


september two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Dogma, Poetry and tagged , , , ,
12 Sep 2013
15 Comments

If I die before I wake


never mind the world ends today
and you left so many
things undone

never mind the starving children
throughout the world
who could easily be fed
with a little capital
and alien ingenuity

never mind the excessive waste
you selfishly accumulated
and contributed
toward urban ski slopes
and 18 hole golf courses

as the world ends today
never mind racial bias
gender bias
religious bias
nationality bias
and any kind of intriguing international bias

never mind discrimination
and mistrust
especially of crooked governments
and wars unjust

never mind outspokenly peaceful men
becoming silenced as we speak
by programs perpetuated
by deceit and hatred
by programs advocating
five o’clock killings
for everyone to see

never mind all the work undone
before the world ends today
never mind how it must bother you
knowing the story
never changes


september two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Poetry and tagged , , , , , , ,
10 Sep 2013
9 Comments

first call same as last call


I stroll into the kitchen
to mix another drink
and as I return I realize
this one is no more
important than the
previous ones
and that they all contribute
cumulatively to my
intoxicating creativity


september two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Poetry and tagged , , , , , , ,
02 Sep 2013
12 Comments

no way out of ebla


planes overhead
fly day and night
going on forever

kneeling with daughter
elbows on bed
one candle casts a light

equipped to the hilt
martyrs and saints
march into the desert

daughter falls asleep
dreams of war drums
advancing up the street

escape routes collapse
from the dead air
I take her hand and run


september two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Poetry, War Poems and tagged , , , , ,
31 Aug 2013
10 Comments

when stars die


billions of stars
drawing a map
across time

adrift in an
endless quest for
intelligent life

setting suns
give birth
to new moons

new life spawns
deep inside
planetary waters





august two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Aliens, Nature, Poetry and tagged , , ,
30 Aug 2013
14 Comments

not wanted


call off your eagles
nesting in my trees
they belong back home
protecting your streets

those sharks in the sea
circling near the coast
free them from their wrath
far away from my church

the seven nation army
breathing down my neck
marches on with dignity
only few understand





august two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Poetry, War Poems and tagged , ,
25 Aug 2013
8 Comments

making conversation


what’s your favorite song
I asked her
as we sat atop the bluff
overlooking the mississippi river
the white sails below looking like
a paint-by-number watercolor

she took a sip of her arnie palmer
and lowered her sunglasses
exposing sinister eyes
straight into mine
then pushed them back
and returned to her sunbathing

what was that look for
I asked her
picking up a rock and rubbing it
with my thumb and fingers

you know what my favorite song is
you silly man
she whispered above the happy birds
why don’t you go ahead
and sing it for me


august two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Poetry and tagged , , , ,
24 Aug 2013
13 Comments

those shoes


she wore them only
on special occasions
and every time I saw them
I just wanted to slip them off her feet
and take her upstairs

but alas that was just a wish
and we paraded into town
high heels and all
the center of attention
every place we ventured

wickedly well rested
we danced into the night
tearing down disco walls
and cutting beale street rugs
deep inside memphis





august two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in In the City, Poetry and tagged , , , , ,

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