Category: Poems

Ray Romine Poems

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I Am Flattered

The tulip’s warm flirtatious blaze
Is fashioned to attract my praise;

The pansy begs, behind her hand,
“I’m for you, you understand.”

The iris, in her velvet gown
Lives, sure I’ll never turn her down.

The peony, for all she’s worth,
Is striving to improve her girth.

The annuals are at sharp dissension,
Competing hard for my attention.

Then, last, as sure as autumn comes,
Appear my over-coated ‘mums.

They’re true to me from spring to fall;
But–fickle me–I love them all!

by Ray Romine Monday, January 15, 1945

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I Am A King

I am a King, and quite, quite rich,
For in my six-room palace small
There lives a Queen–and that’s not all:
We have a Princess, –winsome witch!

Though just a little low in pitch,
And I lack plenty on the ball,
I am a King.

I’ve friends who’d give me their last stitch,
If need should be, and I should call.
No, I will never see the Hall
Of Fame; and yet in this, my niche,
I am a King.

(This form taken from “A Squirrel’s Realm, by Mary O’Connor,
in The Notebook, and taken from Ohio State Journal

by Ray Romine Wednesday, January 26, 1944

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Hypocrite

“My boy, how are you faring?”
He asks, not really caring.
Often I’m a liar too,
When I say “I’m fine, thank you.”

by Ray Romine Thursday, August 11, 1949

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Husbands Are The Rapidest People

He ‘s a shot from a cannon;
A bolt from the blue;
He even moves quickly
When there’s work to do.

At fixing a faucet
Or building a shelf
He’s a thirty-day wonder;
He’s lightning itself.

Who is always on time
To board busses with ease?
If he’s catching a plane,
Who is on schedule? He’s.

And he is consistent
With his speed and punch:
He slows down so swiftly
When I announce lunch.

by Ray Romine Sunday, February 10, 1952