My dough’s being taken,
And it hurts awfully
To have it shaken
From me lawfully.
by Ray Romine Monday, September 26, 1949
Category: Poems
Ray Romine Poems
Leftovers
Ah March! The greening grass is spelling
Winter’s end. A robin’s telling
Of his recent southern trip;
Buds are straining at the tip;
March winds hum a merry tune:
“April, May–hurray for June!”
Yet just north of our garage
Lies some of last week’s wild barrage-Reminding
us, those snowy traces,
That winter hangs around in places.
by Ray Romine Sunday, March 2, 1952
Leave-taking
Fasten the windows, and place
The key in the box for good.
Tomorrow I leave this place,
Just as I knew I would.
The bunny she used to hug;
Her bed, and the little pink comb;
The threadbare place in the rug–
To her, at least, it was home.
God, as you carefully scan
Our efforts which total up nil,
Forgive me the tear, if you can,
Which I leave in the dust on the sill.
by Ray Romine Wednesday, March 25, 1953
Leave Us Be Accurate
When from caution’s path I swerve,
Someone says “He has a nerve.”
But whose reactions are less tardy
Says “The man is foolhardy.”
by Ray Romine Thursday, February 1, 1951
Leave Me Out
Leaves that clutter up the fall
Lay a heavy-handed pall
Upon who, for his own sake,
Has an eye upon the rake.
by Ray Romine Friday, September 14, 1951
Leave Me My Ounce of Pride
Your dog may bite, or growl and yipe
Which is okay; but kindly warn me
If he’s the diagnostic type
Which, when I try to pet ’em, scorn me.
by Ray Romine Thursday, June 15, 1950
Least Resistance
The Road to Success is long and hard;
It’ s steep and rough and stormy.
I find that I’m averse to climb–
So save the short cut for me.
by Ray Romine Saturday, September 16, 1950
Least of Several Evils
I for one would not trade places
With former times nor other races.
The climate where I spent my youth
Was, in winter-time, uncouth;
Now I’m older I solve that
By turning up the thermostat.
And I prefer the modern way
To working fourteen hours a day.
And as for other countries, why
They wouldn’t do at all, for I
Could not survive the messy mayhem,
Since when I’ve things to say, I say ’em.
When all things are considered, I’m
Well-satisfied in space and time.
by Ray Romine Friday, September 22, 1950
Leaf Raker
He raked the leaves into a tumbled heap,
And stood with rake in hand to watch them burn;
And he was thinking just how hard it was
That he must soon unclasp his hold on life
And tumble back to earth like any leaf,
When one came whirling from its branch above
To fall upon his fire and be consumed.
He shivered, though the fire and day were warm,
And put his rake away and went inside
To take down from its shelf the Holy Writ
And, blowing off the dust, he opened it.
by Ray Romine Monday, October 14, 1946
Layman’s Observation:
I believe we HAVE shot down more planes
Than the Japs can stand to part with;
But the total of what we’ve CLAIMED to bag
Is twice they had to start with!
by Ray Romine Monday, November 1, 1943