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Welcome to Brian James Rational Poet’s poetry blog
Welcome to my poetry blog. I love reading Plath and Sexton and Dickenson and Maya. But to me, the best poets I have read are the unknows. The giants are great for sure, but the friends and locals and groups are a joy to participate in. I encourage everyone who writes poetry to be themselves. It is ok to have influences, but you should always in the end be yourself. There is only one them, and only one you.
Let words be your canvas, show them the raw you, in all your happiness and sadness. Show them your love of nature, and empathy and kindness, but also make them think, provoke, even blaspheme. The poet’s job to me, is to never be shy or timid, but use every word in your vocabulary to paint the best pictures you can. Paint your sunrises, your sunsets, your romance, your fears. Paint your insecurities, your addictions, your successes, your tears.
This blog is dedicated to my late mother Jane. She was my biggest supporter and never let me fall through the cracks. While she was a bit of an authoritarian growing up, that all melted away in her late years, and we grew as close as any parent child could. We had so much fun with our silly car games and rubber duckies, and counting the trees. And our wordplay games, and our thumb wrestling. And forget Yahtzee and backgammon, she always kicked my…… at that. I love you mom. I miss you horribly.
And also my late best friend ever, Bob. He unfortunately passed away in 2017. He lived in Australia, he was a science geek, and he taught me a lot about debate, and some science. I can only grasp overall concepts, not real nitty gritty details. But he most importantly made me feel comfortable in my own skin. I miss you too Bob.
Then there is this annoying guy from Okleeee homa, who says “tators”, and “videeeaaaa” instead of “video”. And don’t get John started on banjos. He is my best friend and he is always there for me, and I love that redneck.
And also Dwayne, Stacey and Vicki. You saved my life all of you. Thank you.
All poetry posted by me on this website is attached to RationalPoet@brianrrs37, handle “RationalPoet” on Twitter ,as well as “Brian James Rational Poet” on Facebook/ META. And is subject to copywrite on all my pages.
A Special thanks to Brian Sapient of Rational Responders http://www.rationalresponders.com for hosting my poetry thread for so long. Thank you.
AND….. YOU are more than welcome to share this link on your social media. Especially Meta and Twitter, but your own social media too. Any help bringing traffic here is more than welcome. THANK YOU. You may not publish individual poems without my express permission. Any links to my poetry must be credited to me.This poetry blog may contain some material that may be considered sensitive to some viewers. Reader discretion advised.
Now, everyone, grab your popcorn, glass of wine, and watch me make a fool of myself. Enjoy.
HEADS UP….. THERE ARE PEOPLE MIMICKING MY TWITTER ACCOUNTS……
I only have two Twitter/X accounts. Twitter has now changed it’s name to “X”. So all poetry in this site referencing Twitter is also including the new name “X”.
“RationalPoet@brianrrs37”
AND
“Brian@rationalpoet37”
I have also joined Facebook/META poetry group “Facebook Poetry Society” Under “Brian James Rational Poet”
Also I just joined http://www.allpoetry.com under the user name “RationalPoet37”THERE ARE MORE PAGES. WHEN YOU GET TO THE BOTTOM OF EACH PAGE, in mice print….. It says “Next Page”. <—-CLICK ON THAT.
NEW EDIT………
A special thanks to Zaylen of “Okay Atheists” on the Discord app, for allowing me to guest host this poetry reading available on their YouTube channel originally aired 5/22/23. Here is the link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_ikCkc7lWEIf you want to leave a comment to any poem, click on the BOLD title of the poem first, scroll to the bottom of the poem, and you should see a field to leave the comment in.
UPDATE EDIT AS OF 11/13/2024. I have a new account at Bluesky Soical under the handle @rationalpoet37.bsky.social . -
Acrostic Reflection
Acrostic Reflection, By Brian37 (AKA Brian James Rational Poet on FB/META and @Brianrrs37 on Twitter)
My image is that of one life
Invisible to most, and those who have died
Reveals the scars and tumbles, and strife
Recollection, regret, can’t reverse time
Obvious lessons lost in the grind
Rescinded, remanded, thoughts of my mind
She bleeds on the page, her story not kind
Young at her death, she became blind
Lost in the pain, she could not refrain
Vacated this world, she didn’t remain
Inevitable conclusion, lost in confusion
Abandoned this life, head in the oven
Prose about tulips
Love lost on her lips
Amazing stanzas
To which we now read
Horrible ending, she planted the seed.
My image is that of many times
Inconceivable to me, to meet such demise
Revealing the feeling, to stay alive
Radiating, permutation, affirmation
Ovation, motivation, inspiration
Rarefied talent, she was that kind
Jesus she wrote of, that of a chief
Under the skies, the stars night shift
Surely the walk over the humped bridge
The neon strobed traffic, to that she confessed
Obdurate to follow her friend’s path
Now and forever, linked to Plath
Couldn’t shake oblivion’s hall
Emissions became her final call
Another master in the grip of a pen
Neither could shed the reaper’s wind
None of their words repeated again
Enigmatic, erratic, chaotic, atomic
Slowly, methodically, word chemistry
Elation, fixation, revelation, deduction
Xyster, scraping tool, sullen bone suicide rule
Tapestry of misery, artistry of poetry
Objective, collective, subjective, exhaustive
Now in the annals of history.
(end)
Another acrostic poem and ode to my favorite poets Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton.
Odes in the acrostic part “Mirror” by Silvia Plath
Odes in the acrostic part “Just Once” by Anne Sexton
References in the stanzas to Plath’s poem “Tulips”
References to Sexton’s poems are the bridge from Plath to Sexton “that kind”, in the last stanza about Plath, bridging to Sexton, refers to Sexton’s poem “Her Kind” and later references to “Wanting To Die” and “Jesus Cooks” and “Starry Night”.
Plath ended her life by sticking her head in the oven. Anne Sexton was a personal friend of Plath’s. 11 years later Anne ended her life with the car in a closed garage.
Both are huge influences on me. I am 100% anti-suicide. I think about all the times I came close, but as you read these words right now, know that you would not be reading them if I had succeeded in my prior thoughts.
“Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem”, unknown. But I agree. if you are having these feelings, get help. You can google suicide prevention online, or talk to a trusted family member or friend. Or call 988 or 911. You are not alone. -
Altruism
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Jester’s Box
Jester’s Box, By Brian37 (AKA Brian James Rational Poet on FB/META and @Brianrrs37 on Twitter)
The jester’s box , the statues locked
Deflating balloons, their heads be soon
Never in the sky will you see the moon
Agonized in pleated stone, nowhere to roam
Cast out from the castle, they freeze in gloom
Industrial factories, in background loom
No contemplation, except that of doom
Shadow lurching, motionless boom
Muses, muses, this can’t be true
What has this painter done to you
Fright in silence, shock fills the room
This lonely deck , forever their home.
The removed mask, has no task
It cannot cry , it cannot laugh
The statues stagnation, they cant ask
Disheveled togas, fading fast.
(end)
This poem I wrote about the painting ” The Disquieting Muses” by artist Giorgio Chirico. Just google search “The Disquieting Muses” painting.
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Visceral
Visceral, By Brian James Rational Poet on FB/META and @Brianrrs37 on Twitter)
The caverns intestines, our perceptions
Ancient conceptions, our protections
In anticipation, of Armageddon
Deity clashes in our blood’s bedding
No mitigation of any nation
Conflict exponential from agitation
Confident are all of their false perception
Martyrs lead to earth’s destruction
Their infant’s answers in old correlations
When they could not see the sun’s relations
They filled the gaps with morbid phantasms
Writhing in ignorant day’s orgasms
Stones and rocks , their early rhythms
Mushroom cloud, they will end in
Pride of all, falsehood’s call
Earth on fire, humanity’s fall
Stewing , brewing, craving
Caving into primal urges
Justified pangs wanting purges
Kill the others, they are scourges
What shackles thus bind us
In lore before what has lead us
To persistent gore, I want no more
In peaked logic, their minds frolic
The ravages of the baby’s colic
The narcissists weapons are all tragic
Eve to blame, ate an apple of magic
Scapegoat females, it’s a shame
What of this monster, they all hail
Prostrate in prayer, to no avail
Never will ever, find the holy grail
The voided check is in the mail
Cyclone of fire, is their desire
It is late, down to the wire
Aspirations of world domination
Bias of that selfish conformation
They seek non existent adulation
Fraudulent persistent consolation
Infantile pre mature ejaculation
Nothing more than mental masturbation
What is their evidence, they’ve got nothing
High altitude air , they pull out something
Wanting, yet getting an empty bounty
Cancerous attributes , I will rebuke
(end)
What people call a “gut feeling” is really the false perception of faith. -
Hawking’s View
Hawking’s View, By Brian James Rational Poet on FB/META and @Brianrrs37 on Twitter)
The canvas empty
The slate clean
They feed them lies
They grow up mean
Certain of everything
Of life’s meaning
God will save them
Of heaven they’re dreaming
My rights, intitled fights
Scorched earth day and night
And over what
An invisible being
To this myth
They still cling
The universe
|Is much more grand
Stars outnumber
Our grains of sand
Evolution
They don’t understand
Science has to
Take a stand
Black hole’s power
Takes command
That ancient book
Compared is bland
Antiquity’s ignorance
Holds us back
Reason and skepticism
Keeps us on track
Let go, let go
While there is much
We don’t know
“A God is not required”
Hawking’s view does show.
(end) -
Ladies Lazari
Ladies Lazari By Brian37 (AKA Brian James Rational Poet on FB/META and @Brianrrs37)
Lady, Lady, Lazari
Why did you, did you
Have to die?
Lady, Lady
Her best friend
11 years later
Met your end
Horseback gallop
Into the sun
Repeated attempts
Until you were done
Lady, Lady, Lazeri
Why did you, did you
Have to die?
Under, Under
The starry sky
Her kind a garage
She chose to die
Mirror mirror
Mushroom too
Just once
I’d talk to you
Lady, Lady, Lazari
Why did you, did you
Have to die
Muses ruckus
Tulips in buckets
Poems in caskets
The dead don’t ask this
Darling darning
Sew me a sock
Smash the boat
Against the rocks
Tools tools
Oh what fools
A special language
Disobeys the rules
Silvia, Silva
What did you do
Now I can never talk to you
Anne, Anne
Where did you go
Countless you influenced
You’ll never know
Lady, Lady, Lazari
Why did you, did you
Have to die?
Ladies, ladies
Read to me
Never to die
Your poetry.
(end)
Another ode to my two most favorite poets Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton.
The title is an ode to “Sylvia Plath’s poem “Lady Lazarus”. I took a little license with the name “Lazarus” and made a new word “Lazari” as in plural “Lasarus” .
My poem “Lady Lazari” is in reference to both of their suicides, but in how their poetry survives them. For those who know their bible stories Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. Plath in her poem describes her multiple attempts.
Anne also wrote about this dark topic. Both of them are “Lazari” to me in that their poetry is the Phoenix of their lives that still lives today.
The words in the poems refer to poem titles and or imagery in both of their works. -
Marianas Trench
Marianas Trench, By Brian37(AKA Brian James Rational Poet on FB/META and @Brianrrs37 on Twitter)
Unthinkable, unfathomable
Unimaginable, unreachable
Inconceivable,
Unbelievable
Invisible pain
No one can see
The heavy anchor
That clutches me
Tentacles won’t
Let me be
Pulling me under
The briny sea
Ugly angler
Lures me in
Suicide taps
On my shoulder again
Barracudas
In the water
Friends, ask
“What’s the matter?”
Out of the trench
I climb the ladder
Broken rungs
It doesn’t matter
My dark thoughts
Aways gather
Need a distraction
I would rather
Surface and rise
Avoid my demise
Marians Trench
My hopes bely
(end)
I am NOT suicidal right now. But I do know that dark tone, and I have had it in my life. This poem comes from reading Anne Sexton today. She is a dark poet.
If you are feeling suicidal, call a trusted friend or family member, call online support or 911. You are not alone.
Unknown quote, “Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.” I cannot begin to think of all the things I wouldn’t have done, or time I spent with family and friends, and all the poems that I would not have written if I had given up. I do know what that dark place is, but it doesn’t stay that way. -
Kellykins
Kellykins, By Brian37 (AKA Brian James Rational Poet on FB/META and @Brianrrs37 on Twitter)
Pelicans, Pelicans
A bird she is not
Not a mouse
Has she yet caught
Kellykins, Kellykins
She’s my cat
Looking so cute
She’s great at that
Kitty cat, kitty cat
Meow, meow, meow
Kitty cat, kitty cat
Wow, wow, wow
Chasing the string
Across the floor
If I stop
She wants some more
Pelicans, Pelicans
A bird she is not
She’s the prettiest
In the entire lot
Kitty cat, kitty cat
Meow, meow, meow
Kitty cat, kitty cat
Wow, wow, wow
Kellykins, Kellykins
Look at her go
Pouncing, pouncing
To and fro
Now it’s late
And time for sleep
My foot her pillow
For nighttime keeps
Pelicans, Pelicans
A bird she is not
Kellykins, Kellykins
She sure means a lot.
(end)
Silly nonsense poem about my cat Kelly. I’ve been calling her Kellykins, like pronounced pelicans. So made up this silly poem for her. I love her. And her brother Anneplath too. But his name is unique too.
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6 Years Out
6 Years Out, ByBrian37 (AKA Brian James Rational Poet on FB/META and @Brianrrs37 on Twitter.
These are not milestones
I look forward to
The wanting the longing
To be with you
The smiles of of others
Their wishes too
The wanting, the longing
To be with you
Flowers and dinners
The day planned too
The wanting the longing
To be with you
Forever, forever
Mom I love you
The wanting, the longing
To be with you
Your absence, no presence
Time took you away
The wanting, the longing
I miss you this day
Like all other days
But this is Mother’s Day
The vacuum is heightened
When I can’t say
I love you Mom, Happy Mother’s Day.
(end)
My Mom passed away in 2017. Not on Mother’s Day, but it still is a dark milestone like her Birthday and Holidays. I miss her enormously. If you have a Mom you love, like I did, and she is still around, spend time with her and tell her you love her, with hugs and kisses and smiles and spend time with her. Time is fleeting. -
Why We Don’t Stand
Why We Don’t Stand, By Brian37 (AKA Brian James Rational Poet on FB/META and @Brianrrs37 on Twitter)
The field of stars
On the bottom
Is a symbol of distress
That of forced patriotism
The Nazis did their best
You could be beat
Knocked off your feet
You could be fined
Pulled off of the street
And jailed and tortured
For not saluting the swastika
For not saluting the Fuhrer
With that in mind
Lets talk a little further
Why should I take fervor
When other have to hide
Coddle the bigots pride
Expect them to live in silence
Vilify them, scapegoat them
Marginalize them, out of what?
Some sense of archaic theism?
A lack of understanding
That they are not taking from you
Merely by asking to treated like a human too
And who are you, to talk for
A deity that you cant prove
This isn’t about protecting society for you
This is about protecting your power
Your fear of change, your ignorance
Your insecurities
You want to know why
Why we don’t stand
Because you only stand
For yourself, your selfishness
You’re proud of bullying others
Telling them they are less than
And that somehow
Somehow you are the victim
Because others exist
You want to know why
Why we don’t stand
Because females lost their rights
Because you equate
Innocent migrants
To an armed military invasion
Because you refuse
To understand
That black lives don’t matter more
But matter as well
Yet you condemn the innocent
To your fictional hell
You want to know why
Why we don’t stand
Because you demand
That transgender
Hide who they are
And make up lies
About what they are
And you fail to recognize
Our long history
Of marginalizing minorities
Blacks, Native Americans
But also the Irish of Hell’s Kitchen
The Chinese that built
Our railway system
That connected east coast
To west coast
Yet your still insisting
You’re being persecuted
Because you don’t want to share
I’ll stand when we get back
To the words in that pledge
Mean something to you
Beyond how you can manipulate
Them in bias hate filled fashion
I’ll stand when it truly means
“With liberty and justice for all.”
(end)