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The Poetry of Pat
Brotbeck
*****
THE PLACE
by Pat Brotbeck
Tiny leaf blown out to sea
Take my soul along with thee.
We'll ride the waves until we find
A restful place and peace of mind.
A place where hate won't gain a hold;
A. place where hopes aren't bought and sold
A place of joy~ where we'll be free
Of thoughts of pride and jealousy.
I'm sure there is a land beyond,
Where love's the king~ who waves his wand,
And troubles melt and pain's no more;
So top the crest, let's find that shore.
*****
HELL
by Pat Brotbeck
A place where bells will never ring
To welcome day; nor call to bring
The time to set a wrong aright.
Where justice rules with blinded sight
Forever.
Where ice incrusts all growing things,
And songless birds have lost their wings.
Where rose buds wither 'ere they bloom,
And palm fronds droop in breezeless gloom
Forever.
Where no one laughs, or even seems
To want to smile. Where there's no dreams
Of future joys. All loves have flown
And left me where I'll be alone
Forever.
*****
LOVE OF LIFE
by Pat Brotbeck
From every blade of grass and tree
That's grown on earth, there's gi'en to me
A love of life. And as I go
My way, they'll be the lights that glow
In truth along the road.
Each flower blooms, and so I know
The beauty of all colors. Though
Their lives are short, I often find
Their fragrance lingering in my mind
With joy along the road.
From mountains high, a water fall
Can make me stand and stare, enthrall
My every fiber. And I'll gaze
Into its ceaseless, thundering haze
For hope along the road.
When to the sea I've come at last
Where I'll enjoy my last repast
Of life; recount the joys I've had
In passing by. I wont be sad,
I've loved along the road.
*****
HONOR
by Pat Brotbeck
Hail! to you who strive to gain
The laurel leaf. You’ll ne'r refrain
From giving all your strength and main
To run the race with honor.
All the years of toil you spent;
Dauntless waged without relent.
With struggling dreams. you always meant
To run the race with honor.
Now, may your days be filled with peace;
From all your cares and pains, release
Be granted, so you'll never cease
To run the race with honor.
*****
LITTLE MIND
Pat Brotbeck
Is my mind so tightly bound
In ridged cords I've spun,
That I can't see what others found
As truths, my own undone.
Are all my patterns set and sewn
Along one certain seam,
So when a new die comes, unknown
I can't accept its dream?
I must explore each open door,
So I won't find I've been
A fool that's left upon the shore,
Untaught by all world's men!
*****
DEATH OF A SMALL CHILD
by Pat Brotbeck
The sky pours down its abject tears,
As stunned, ~we grope our way through fears,
To find some reason why.
The thunder roars in stark dismay
At man's poor quizzing, fumbling way
To find some reason why.
The lightening streaks across the sky
But gives no light, or help where by
We'll find some reason why.
So short a time for love to grow
And man so helpless, begs to know
Who'll give some reason why.
*****
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