Category: Poems

Ray Romine Poems

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New Car

All chrome and glitter, here I go,
Like some knight high up on his charger.
Proud and happy, well-pleased? No–
Wishing this car one size larger.

by Ray Romine Monday, January 26, 1953

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Nervous

There was a young preacher from Cadiz
Who was forever starting at shadiz.
He said, “My acumen
Sees me worse than a woman,
And if I ‘m not worse, I’m as badiz.”

by Ray Romine Wednesday, June 29, 1949

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Nemesis

Man may well rejoice;
He may point with aplomb
If he succeeds dodging
His own atom bomb;
Yet it’s well to recall,
If too quickly we grow smug,
The swimmer and bathtub,
The wrestler and throw-rug.

by Ray Romine Thursday, April 24, 1952

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Neighbors

This attitude I’m taking,
As they sing or shout or fuss:
With all the noise they’re making,
It’s a cinch they can’t hear US!

by Ray Romine Sunday, June 29, 1952

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Neighbors

I thought it was MY garden,
But the ants and wasps and bees
And birds said “Beg your pardon,
We will share it, if you please.”

And since I’ve learned to know them,
I greet them with a grin
So that I’ll maybe show them
I’m glad they’re moving in!

by Ray Romine Thursday, January 10, 1952

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Necessity Was The Father Of The Bicycle

Sez the guy on the(*1)
Ration-board to me:
“It’s bike or hike–
You want the bike?”
Naturally, I answered “Yessir”.
I’m no sage, but claim
That I always aim
Of two evils to grab me the lesser.

But after two weeks(*2)
My anatomy(*3) speaks:
“I wonder,
By thunder!”

(*1) I well remember an argument between another kid and myself when I was in the first grade: his teacher’d told him this word was pronounced “thee”–my teacher pronounced it “thuh”. Of course, I still think I’m right, but for the purpose of this epic, I lean temporarily toward the opposition–pronounce it “thee”. This is known as poet’s license. Which makes me a licensed poet, but I have no Union Card.

(*2) Some people catch on much more quickly than others, but the amount of upholstering the rider has largely determines this period.

(*3) This word, while a bit vague, will clarify itself to a
remarkable degree of definitiveness to any individual
with a dictionary AND a bicycle.

by Ray Romine Wednesday, August 11, 1943

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Neat Finish

You were a little insincere
In many things you’ve said and done;
That you lied, too, is crystal-clear,
In calling me the only one.

What I saw once, I see no more
In you: your kind is not for me.
But this I do admire you for:
You brushed me off so gracefully!

by Ray Romine Friday, August 30, 1946