The Poetic Side of Me

By Bruce Ulrich

 

 

Table of Contents

 

Letter to readers 1

 

Initial Poetry Reaction 2

 

Headline Poem (Jordan) 3

 

Recipe Poem (Paintball) 4

 

Two-tone poem (Me, Myself, and I) 5

 

First person simile poem (My Day) 6

 

Family Metaphor Poem (The Book) 7

 

Confession Poem (Christmas) 8

 

Found Poem (Kosovo) 9

 

Heritage Poem (My Heritage) 10

 

Personification Poem (Love) 11

 

 

 

 

Dear Readers,

I hope you enjoy this book. This is a collection of poems I have written myself. My poems were written to emphasize a certain theme every time. It may be about me, or it may just be to emphasize things such as similes and metaphors.

My favorite poem of all time is "The Road Not Taken" because it shows how everyday choices can affect our lives in tremendous ways. One good decision could make the rest of your life happy. One stupid mistake, however, could lead to death. I like the way it is put into the form of paths, also.

Thank you for reading,

 

Bruce Ulrich

 

 

 

18 Days!!

 

My first reaction to having to spend 18 days on poetry is a horrified one. I usually like poetry, and I love to write. The problem is the memories of my 8th grade poetry section. Our teacher was mean. She made us teach ourselves the material. She would make us conclude what a confusing poem meant on our own and then give us a test over what she thought it meant. It made the rest of my day miserable.

 

 

Jordan

 

The great one ends his legacy.

Jordan痴 cloud of dust

Will impact the school

Greater than the school board.

He is honored for high grades

In a 12 year career.

He will continue to rule the school.

Goodbye, classic champion.

 

 

Paintball

 

You start on the end of the field

When you hear the ref yell

3, 2, 1, Go!!

 

You run with all of your might

To a strategic bunker that you have picked

Thunk, thunk, thunk!!

 

Paintballs splat on your bunker

Your adrenaline pumps as you run screaming

Cover me!!

 

You hear paint fly by your head

And hit your feet, they池e on you

Dive, dive, dive!!

 

You dive behind a bunker and start

Shooting at the rest, then duck as you hear

Whiz, whiz, whiz!!

 

The rest is like a bloody war

Just like it was at first, you dive, you duck, you shoot

We win, we win, we win!!

 

 

Me, myself, and I

 

Most of the time I知 a bright white

Good and nice and clean.

I知 nice to people, not just friends

And give whatever is asked of me.

 

Other times I am a deep, dark black

Mean to everyone

I "spit" on people and call them names

And even kick them when they池e down.

 

At the moment I知 a gray in between

Nice to some and mean to others.

Trying to lean toward the white

Because of the idea of going to hell.

 

 

 

My Day

 

As I wake up

I am just like a sloth:

Going as fast as I can

Yet getting nowhere.

 

As for the first part of school

I知 like a bump on a log:

Sleeping in class

Almost snoring out loud.

 

Right after lunch

I知 like a dog with a toy:

Wanting to run and play

With everyone in sight.

 

When I get home

I知 as a vulture

When he searches everywhere

For something to eat.

 

When the night comes

I am like a wind-up toy:

I slowly wind down

Until I finally stop.

 

 

 

The Book

 

My family is a book,

Each of us a part.

My father is the cover that

Holds us all together.

My mother is the Contents

Organized and neat.

Brian and Brad are the main plot

Setting the base for the rest.

Brittany and Brooke are the tiny rips and tears

That sometimes mess it up.

I think of myself as the details

The most entertaining of all.

 

 

 

Christmas

 

It was a cold, cold night

I was looking for some blankets,

I went straight to my uncle's closet

Where all of them were held.

I opened the door and what did I see?

 

I saw Christmas presents

For me and my siblings

I could have stopped and turned away

But my dark side kept persisting

And I sifted through them all.

 

 

 

Kosovo

 

Ten of thousands

Of fleeing refugees

Stranded at Kosovo's borders

NATO jets destroyed the bride

As civilians were crossing.

 

Yugoslavia must accept arrangements

In which all can return safely.

Eight cruise missiles rocked

The early hours of Saturday.

 

The military mission (is) dangerous

And difficult, but

Also necessary and right.

 

 

 

My Heritage

 

I am from antiques,

From sausage and hog butcherings

I am from barbary bushes crowding the sidewalk.

(Sharp, pointy, and stabbing at your sides.)

I am from the dogwood tree,

And weedy yards

That I had to mow almost every Saturday.

 

I'm from Christmas Eve parties and round, bald heads

From James and Warner

I'm from the hardheads

And the meat lovers,

From "that'll make you go blind"

And "a hard head makes a soft butt"

I'm from strong Catholic faith

And every Sunday in church

And kindness to all people.

 

I'm from Paducah and Germany,

Cracklins and bacon.

From the horseweed that my dad

stuck in my uncles back

while playing war in the fields,

The tragic death of my uncle

Billy Joe and his wife.

The chest in the dining room

That holds the evidence of my twisted,

German family tree.

 

 

Love

 

If love were a person she would:

 

Listen to all of your problems, be

Open to your feelings, always

Value all of your precious time, and

Every day give you a smile.