Newell's Poetry Corner 

A poem captures a moment in my soul more thoroughly than a photograph. I return to these and a few more to remember where I've been and how far I've come. Ask me for a reading, it's... different.

-- Newell Rose

Born to Ride -- Oct 2002
Sit upon two wheels,
Launch and coasting first time,
Life without a net,
Suddenly failing, crash and skid,
Scrapped knees, broken skin and tears,
Not stopped by failure, onward, try again,
Wobbly start and peddling, balance,
Excitement that it's working, feels right,
Turn too quickly, ends worse, smashed,
Bleeding, bruised, and crying freely,
Hurts worse because it worked,
Too much to try again,
Stop now and never learn to fly.
Life in the Real World -- circa 1989
Once upon a time, in a far away lint-ball,
At the arcade, in the corner mall,
The Greatest Empire of All,
Did rise and fall.
There was microbial excitement,
And profound enlightenment;
Science and technology had become
Surprisingly advanced.
In the microcosm, the galaxy danced,
Tron watched from a distance, entranced.
The seeds of rebellion
and destruction below,
Were trampled and trodden,
But continued to grow
Stronger, in the smallest place.
They did not know
The weather, or astrology;
It cannot make sense what you cannot see.
The scheme it was evil, a plot!
They would never get caught,
Whether it matters or not.
Then came the signal, at 3 on the dot,
The battle would be fought,
But alas, came the vacuum.
A Letter to My Dearly-Departed, Much-Missed Mind-- circa 1989
You were my precious mind,
The only one for me.
But when the pace, a panic struck,
"To the hills!" Why did you flee?

As I stand here in the shower,
Shaking from the snow,
I make to you one last request,
Return from where you go.

I may never fill,
The void you left behind,
But I am in the market,
For a second-hand, used mind,
Now I'm being followed,
By a misty unseen band,
Of combat-ready christian gods,
Who just don't understand,

The military import,
And the scientific use,
Of Toyotas in a gym sock,
And us nuts running loose.

Won't you come and save me,
From the horrible and green,
Man-eating, communist, alien,
Can-opening machine?
It is here with me now.
It will not go away.
Because I don't stop asking,
The monstrosity to stay!

But still I'm safe in hiding,
Here beneath my water bed,
Because to keep them all confused,
I'm standing on my head.

So you see that life without you,
Just cannot be the same,
The cat is mewing to get out,
And life is much too tame,
(My mind, might I mention that I miss you much!)
X -- circa 1992
You're needing now this one night's rest,
As I brush by your tender breast,
You're pleading for my finger's play,
I wag my tongue a wonderous way,
You quiver with the quickest touch,
Your body bends - you savor such,
Now here's too hot for us to haste,
And so your sigh says to me please taste,
But peace completed I cannot find,
Until at best, I blow your mind.
From the Extreme, With Love -- circa 1988
A billion tons of TNT
Isn't such a blast,
Unless I know your love for me,
Will forever last.
These are what I do for you,
Sabotage the west
Hijack planes for Malibu
And gun down all the rest.
Kidnap scores of diplomats,
Drive with haste in to a wall,
Slaughter teens like pesky gnats,
Walking at the mall.

For you I am fanatic,
It is for you I made,
An H-bomb in the attic
The size of a grenade

So it is to find you willing,
To show you my great love,
I go on in killing,
In the name of Allah above.


I'm afraid I must explain "From the Extreme with Love". At the time I wrote this, I was in the process of altering my own world view, not just because of religious ferver, but for interest in a girl. I stopped to consider how much great work, how many passionate ideas have been inspired in men to impress women. Then it occured to me that terrible things could also be done, religious dedication could be carried to an extreme in the interest of appearing "holy" by standards more violent than my own peaceful tendencies. To me it seems grotesque and ironic that something so beautiful as love could motivate a person to die in pursuit of the hateful goals of a twisted society.
Not me -- circa 1992
I beg to be a help for you,
To make of me some dream or two,
This I would plan, a better life,
Were I your man and you my wife,
Not to be soiled, not to take fright,
It is a dream, for me at least,
To be a team, to be at peace,
But just my love, now I can give,
A sample of what you can live,
The love we hold, please dream on it,
When all is told, you'll have more yet.
The longest walks, most gentle play,
And honest talks be yours some day.
Dream of the one who will fulfull,
All that I've done and greater still,
A friend to care, to comfort you,
Your trials to share more than I do,
A friend to weep, a friend so dear,
When you fall deep, this will be there,
The little things I do for you,
I pray love brings these treasures too.
Victory is Bitter Sweet -- circa 1986
They saw the war
As a knock at the door
please don't let it in
nobody can win
How could we ignore
The knocking on the door?

Come FIGHT one and all!
They sent out the call.
I asked them why
And knew enough to cry
The enemy must fall
Brave men answered the call

For their country they fight
A brave man's right
but what of my fears?
and brave women's tears?
They marched out one night
All knowing they were right

Those who survived the attack
Soon they'll be back
but women still cried
for the men that died
We must ignore the fact
That they won't be back

We won!
We won?
Unexpected Purpose -- Jul 2002
Everything that God said is what you've done for me.
I know our love is His plan, but suddenly I'm free.
Who am I to argue?
God sent you.
I hope that you can see.
God sent me.
Instantly dawning, that I've always known.
Finding you strangely and at last being home.
Scary magic and true,
God sent you.
Stepping into destiny
God sent me.
Never once expecting to stumble into fate.
But now that we've discovered, we cannot hesitate.
Each for the other,
God planned us.
Together at last,
God made us.