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_ikCkc7lWE

If 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 .

 

 

Beholder Of Platform, By Brian37 (AKA Brian James Rational Poet on FB/META and @Brianrrs37 on Twitter)

Does he need what he needs
Facts are an offense
He’ll silence you
Over any corrections

Does he smear
What they smear
Norms are shattered thus
Limit the sane, expanding conspiracy nuts

Do I feel what you feel
Under his duress
He decides
What you express

Do you say what I say
Challenge absurdity
It doesn’t matter one bit
What he may do to me

Doesn’t matter what they read
Elon promotes conspiracy
He’ll do it his own way
Facts won’t get in the way

He’s a dependent narcissist
You need to tell him he’s the best
If you say otherwise
He’ll get upset

Freedom of speech
To him my friend
Silence you if you tend
To speak your mind against his whims

Puppet master
Pulling your strings
Elon’s the king
Of conspiracy things.
(end)

Ode poem to the Metallica song “Eye Of The Beholder” criticizing Elon.

Fishbowl, By Brian37 (AKA Brian James Rational Poet on FB/META and @Brianrrs37 on Twitter)

If it be my name
Fall off many a tongue
To become a life
No longer my own

I would wish this
To be after my death
Emily is spot on
To be nobody

My preference
Of frogs in bogs
Goldfish too
Scrutinized

All the day through
Shadows everywhere
Following you
It will not do

Emily Dickinson
I’m with you
Banish me too
From the fishbowl’s stew.
(end)

An ode poem to Emily Dickinson’s “I’m Nobody, Who Are You?”

Impotent, By Brian37 (AKA Brian James Rational Poet on FB/META and @Brianrrs37 on Twitter)

The dewdrop
Slides from
The reluctant petal
The bumblebee
Hovers over
The anther
In anticipation
The stamen
Relinquishes
It’s prize
Enjoy
The bounty now
For winter comes
Everything dies.

(end)

Good Tidings, By Brian37 (AKA Brian James Rational Poet on FB/META and @Brianrrs37 on Twitter)

You didn’t
Put enough
Tinsel
On the branches

You didn’t
Set up
The creche set
Correctly

You didn’t
Check
All the bulbs
In the string

Of lights
You never do
Anything
Right

The reindeer
Goes there
Not there
THERE

Where
Do I hang
The socks
I hung them wrong

My favorite day
Of the year
The 26th of December
Couldn’t get here faster.
(end)

I do not have fond memories of my childhood for the holidays. My late mom was a perfectionist and an authoritarian growing up. I will say to her credit in her old age that melted away. But it was not fun growing up.

I still do not like the holidays, but my reasons are different now. I don’t like how “IN YOUR FACE” they are with ads on your TV, your laptop, and even when you go out shopping. I do not need every minute of my life invaded by this.

I get that people like it, and in a free society they are intitled to celebrate. But I do hate it when people look at you like you are evil if you say you do not celebrate.

Darting, By Brian37 (AKA Brian James Rational Poet on Twitter and @briranrrs37 on Twitter)

Tv, laptop, cell
Kittens make me
Dwell

Darting, darting
Darting, thoughts
Everywhere

Football game
Poetry reading
Cats scattering

Darting, darting
Darting, thoughts
Everywhere

Passively watching
I don’t care who is wining
My team isn’t playing

Kittens running, hiding
Hidden behind something
I cannot find them

Laptop has no mic
Twitter Spaces I cannot find
Nobody seems to be on line

Darting, darting
Darting, thoughts
Everywhere

Tv, laptop, cell
Kittens make me dwell
Words absent in my well.

Britney Griner has been released from Russian prison and is now on her way home! THANK YOU PRESIDENT BIDEN!

I Don’t Care, Do You? By Brian37 (AKA Brian James Rational Poet on FB/META and @brianrrs37 on Twitter)

Heinz can’t keep up
With his painting needs
Golf resort with bed bugs and fleas

Ray Charles is pleased
It’s bringing him to his knees
And tax fraud Cheeto sneeze

I could bet if I could see
He’s crying and drowning
His sorrows in KFC grease

Woe is he
Am I sorry?
I don’t care, do you?
(end)