Author: Ray Romine

Posted on by

Wings

A Postman pauses,
Soul in eyes,
watching airplanes
Loop the skies.

A caterpillar,
Travel-wise,
So regards
The butterflies.

by Ray Romine Wednesday, September 25, 1946

Posted on by

Window Scene

Observe the jaybird’s startling blue
Etched on new-down snow;
And watch the cardinal’s bold splash
Eclipse the sunset show.

It’s Nature in the role of
A frantic landscape-tinter.
Painting hard to compensate
For lack of leaves in winter.

by Ray Romine Saturday, November 5, 1949

Posted on by

Why Take Ten Easy Lessons?

“But mother, why should I go on?–
I’ve really learned to play!”
(And this on Sandre’s VERY FIRST
Piano-lesson-day.)

Some quaint and startling things are found
Upon this earth, forsooth;
But nothing strange can quite exceed
The CONFIDENCE of YOUTH!

“Inspired” by a remark of S’s, after her very first lesson
on piano, as indicated …..

by Ray Romine Sunday, November 14, 1943

Posted on by

Why Sing of Sixpence?

Sing a song of Sylvia–
A genius in most eyes;
She still can tease, in times like these,
A pocketful of guys.

Or praise the proud Priscilla,
Who knows her cuts and joints,
No simple feat. It’s really meet
To say she has her points.

And gander good at Gertrude,
Who has this, them, and those;
But, better still, scan, if you will,
Her scarcer shoes and hose!

And take, too, tiny Tillie–
The girl no-one forgets.
Though others lack, she’s sure to pack
Some brand of cigarettes.

So, sing a song of Amazons–
What are we waiting for?
It’s plain to see, at leest to me,
No male can win this war!

by Ray Romine Thursday, April 26, 1945

Posted on by

Why Go to the Aunt?

I must confess my dear Aunt Emma
Initiated my dilemma
By shouting my complex inferior
Down with “Nephew, be superior!”

And two years later my Aunt Kate
Did just as scathingly berate
And call annoying and immense
My boyish overconfidence.

And so my Aunts both shout today,
“He’s so complex, is Nephew Rayl”

by Ray Romine Sunday, September 24, 1950

Posted on by

Why Don’t They Make Up My Mind?

I see where in Washington town
They’re having their squabbles.
For some are out gunning tor Brown,
Whose supremacy wobbles.

Vice-President Wallace, and Jones
Each other would smother;
Unless they sott-pedal those tones.
They’ll catch up each other.

The Press and our friend, F.D.R.
Just can’t get together.
I think they should argument bar,
And stick to the weather.

There’s nothing quite like a good fight,
But it’s driving me wacky:
This fuss that’s concerning the fright
About fathers in khaki!

The paper tonight says I shall
Be a soldier tomorrow;
But the one in the morning says, “Pal,
Why grief do you borrow?

“The Army won’t get get you til fall–“
(Some rosy-hued tinter)
“–It may never catch you at all”,
(Or not before winter).

I kiss all the family goodbye as
To Hershey we listen;
As Senator Wheeler stands by us,
I do some unkissin’.

They’ve inteviewed chaps for my Job,
And broken them in, too–
Next day, and I up again bob:
Once more, we continue.

I’ve wound up my several affairs
Thirteen times, already.
I see I’ve acquired some gray hairs,
And my nerves aren’t steady.

I’m wishing with all of my might with
The facts they’d acquaint me–
It’s not that I’m itching to fight. but
IS we or AIN’T we?

If they don’t make their minds up soon, by Heck,
They’ll get, when they DO take, a Nervous Wreck!

by Ray Romine Sunday, July 25, 1943