I stare into the darkness
Of my coffee
As my thoughts percolate
And drop their bitterness to the glass
I swallow them down
With no cream or sugar coating
And go about my day.
– Shaman Romney 2017
Archive for the ‘poetry’ Tag
Morning Ritual (National Poetry Writing Month 2017 #1) Leave a comment
A Sonnet Leave a comment
Today I wanted to write a sonnet
So I stood up then sat down in my chair.
But as I placed my butt down upon it,
I found the poem was no longer there.I would not dare to start out without it
Unless I would like my effort wasted
The coward in me thinks I should just quit
But I cannot with the sonnet tastedWhat do I write when my thoughts go astray?
When my ideas are derailed off the track?
Normally I have way too much to say
and struggle to take far too many back.So when in doubt, I will write what I know
A sonnet’s sonnet is the way to go.
– Shaman Romney 2017
Change My View Leave a comment
Changing your mind should be viewed
As a virtue and not a vice
A free flow of ideas is the price we pay
For the privilege of being challenged.The gift of being told we are flawed,
We are wrong, we are imperfect.
We crave this advice, we need it to grow.
Impressing upon ourselves the advice of our peers
In an attempt to be a better person,
Creating a better world for others.
– Shaman Romney 2017
Malpractice Leave a comment
He told me to remove the colon
I didn’t realize he meant my resume
-Shaman Romney 2016
Dead Man Walking 2 comments
I’m boring
I’m dull
I’m an anxious coward
An asshole, not a man
I’m a bundle of insecurities and fears
Wrapped up in day dreams and fantasies
Masquerading as a functioning adult
Who pretends he gives a damn if he wakes up tomorrow or not.I’m holding on, barely anchored to the shore
But still I’m finding ways to sever what few lines keep me moored
Using knives fashioned from doubt to hack away
One at a time
Until I’m finally released from it all.I’ve squandered the one thing I can’t get back
Spending all my time hiding in a room
Playing video games and jerking off
That’s not life, that’s just existing
Taking up space in this world until my ticket comes up
And someone else gets my spot.I’m not a human being
I’m just a future has been
A forgotten memory
I’m not alive
I’m just a dead man walking
-Shaman Romney 2016
Dead Bird 1 comment
I walked down the street and cried
As I passed her grave
Unmarked, rotten, and ant riddled.
Her life cut short, her wings clipped
She learned to fly. Learned to fall.
A life without purpose,
At least the one she wanted.
Now she feeds the ants instead.
– Shaman Romney 2016
Idolatry Leave a comment
Never meet your idols. They’re better in your mind.
You’ll find they’ll never live up to the image you’ve designed.
You might get lucky, and realize they’re just human.
They might think you are cool, and you could gain a great friend.
But most likely they just smile and walk away.
You came on far too strong
Like the thousands of other fans they meet everyday.If I met my idol, he’d pretend to be my friend
But in the end, at best he’d forget me
At worse, he’d regret meeting me.
I’m a reminder of the life he might have led
If he didn’t have the guts to tackle his problems
And pursue his dreams.So I’ll remain idle in my idol worship
Ideally, I’ll never meet any of them.
-Shaman Romney 2016
Pitter Patter Leave a comment
Pitter patter
My thoughts scatter
Like rain drops in my mind
A constant torrent that won’t relent
At best my mind is like Seattle
At worst its a monsoon
It’s like I live in a steel roofed house
Eventually all the metallic static
Becomes synonymous with silence
Most of my ideas get lost in the flood waters
I’m only left with the biggest, the best, the worst
Imagine what I could do
If I wasn’t mostly water.
If I was filled with sunny days
And springtime weather.
-Shaman Romney 2016
Static Leave a comment
It’s quiet here in the clutter of my room
But BOOM there is thunder in my mind’s confines
And POP something drops from the top of the shelf
I pick it up, I write it down so it’ll make a sound
Like CRASH as I smash it into a line
Now that looks fine; something that I can call mine
And DING hear it ring the timer says time to finish up
But no, my mind doesn’t think it’s enough
So POW hear it now as I’m messing it up
I keep meddling, back peddling. It’s not enough
I SCREAM as I dream of the perfect line
Hiding in the back of my mind and so I mine
My delusions of grandeur, I’m looking for gold
No matter how hard I swing, CRACK, I bring up coal
I’m tired of always digging, but I have to keep at it
Otherwise my mind will devolve into static
-Shaman Romney 2016
Diction Practice Leave a comment
I want an addiction to proper diction
No friction between my words as I pick them
Flowing slick as I quickly slide them
From inside and drop them for you to see
Like seashells, sitting on the seashore
For you to admire, I desire that satisfaction
Even if I only receive a fraction.They need to sound consistent, unique,
The transition of constants and consonants
Needs to lack resistance no matter how much
The words smash and crash into each other
In a tidal wave of dissonance and discordance
These dissidents of English will be brought to confluence
By my mastery of clarity and the dictionaryBut on the contrary, right now it is scary
That I only have a passing skill, and nary the time
To pass on asking myself to task myself
With attacking the assonance and rhythm
Of poetry, knowing that I am an amateur,
Unsure of myself and of my place
But I will face this challenge with prideBecause inside, I’ll confide that I hide
The heart of a lion, which I’ll start to show
With more sincerity, as this disparity I’ve displayed
Has left me dismayed, but I wont be dissuaded
In fact, I’m elated that this fear has abated
I created, with little conflict or object
This poem to finally addict me to proper diction.
-Shaman Romney 2016
Shame on The Universe 