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Best Poems From
LAURENCE OVERMIRE
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429.
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The Lost Works of Shakespeare
Thank God the truly wretched works of
Shakespeare
Were never produced or brought to light.
For that small piece of good fortune
The old bard must be truly grateful.
Think of it
They must have existed once
Little-known drafts of real stinkers like
'Cicero’s Bathtub'
A horrid little tragedy in the Greco-Roman style
Or perhaps
'Helmut und Brunhilde'
An impossibly unfunny romantic comedy set
In a German brothel.
No. They are forever lost to our great relief.
Had they been extant, surely some high-minded
Critic, quick to make a name
Would have declared them masterpieces
And some sleazy production company
Would have turned them into
Even cheesier Movies of the Week.
(Previously published in Panic! Brixton Poetry, England, Oct.2000)
Laurence Overmire
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430.
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The Making of a Man
The masculine, my lad
Is not the bombast of foolish braggadocio
Nor the flexing of unwarranted muscle
The brutal crush of an innocent
No, the masculine is
The glint of the sword, sheathed yet
Ready to defend
With honor and dignity
Those who would be trespassed
The strength of steel running
Through the marrow of the heart
Capable of great tenderness
The deepest kind of compassion
The life blood that flows from a
Wounded thigh
The wellspring of
All humanity.
Laurence Overmire
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431.
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The Mona Lisa
Her appeal is universal
Something mysterious, enigmatic
Like the universe itself
She holds the secrets behind her eyes
The smile tantalizing in its awareness
But she will never say a word
To behold must be enough
To marvel and to wonder
The beauty of her poise.
Note: For those who are interested, check out Da Vinci's Mona Lisa here:
http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mona_Lisa
(Previously published in The Stellar Showcase Journal, Spring 2007 Issue)
Laurence Overmire
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432.
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The Moral
He was so moral, very moral
A moral man
He was passionate about morals
Morals were his life
As a child, he was told “don’t, ” so he didn’t.
He didn’t smoke, he didn’t drink,
He didn’t have sex before marriage
He didn’t lie, he didn’t cheat, he didn’t steal
He didn’t get divorced, he didn’t have affairs
He didn’t whine, he didn’t complain
He didn’t even cry.
His whole life was a don’t, so he didn’t.
And, in the end, it was no surprise
He didn’t have relationships either.
Not with his wife.
Not with his kids.
Because the biggest of all his didn’ts:
He didn’t know how to love.
(Previously published in The Indie Journal, Jan 1999)
Laurence Overmire
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