Selections from Trella Romine's library at Terradise Nature Center
Ray Romine Poems
The bitter March wind threatens still
To chase a snow-storm down the hill,
To freeze the river, freshly thawed,
And keep us faintly overawed.
But Pooh, March wind! For I have waited
Too long to be intimated,*
So blow your worst. However rough
You are, you fake, I call your bluff;
I eye askance; my eyebrows arch–
For spring is near any day in March!
*intimidated?
by Ray Romine Thursday, December 11, 1952
I used to think Science just doddered about
Cracking up faith and a-stirring up doubt,
‘Til I saw an “experiment” performed by a friend,
By a Scientist neighbor I’d like to commend:
This chap had a neighbor (besides me, I mean)
Who doubted and questioned the “can-not-be-seen”;
Electrcity, radio–didn’t doubt them–
But an all-seeing God, “I should say not, ahem!”
So the Scientist took him (and I trailed along)
To a daisy-strewn field where the brook laughed a song;
We came as the twlight was changing to blue,
And we watched while the stars to their full brilliance grew.
“Five minutes”, our guide said, “Is all that I need,
Just concentrate–giving those stars all your heed–
Then look in my eyes when I give you the nod,
And tell me you doubt for you can’t see, a God?”
Now, the doubter’s convinced there’s a God for us all,
And my doubts about Scientists suffered a fall:
‘Though I went. for the ride, I am still not so sure
That he didn’t TWO doubters with his lecture cure!
by Ray Romine Sunday, November 22, 1942
When the offspring was younger, such questions as she
Managed, were answered quite often by me.
Now we neither recall just whatever was masking
The subtle change-over when I began asking!
by Ray Romine Saturday, May 20, 1950
Beneath a willow by the creek;
Upon a shore the surf is pounding;
Where moonlight plays its hide-and-seek;
Or where cathedral bells are sounding;
In any downtown rendezvous;
Perhaps among familiar faces–
Love, be sure, can come to you
In the most expected places!
by Ray Romine Tuesday, July 3, 1951
Haldeman’s have a cat named Mable
They have to shoo from off the table,
This dear people is no fable:
I’d rather eat in any stable.
by Ray Romine *bad date*, N/A
I don’t mind the loss of time nor dough,
Nor is it the barber’s tools I’m fearing
At haircut time. What gets me, though,
Is do I or do I not need shearing?
by Ray Romine Tuesday, April 28, 1953
While silence may be golden,
Scads of trouble, I’ve a hunch,
Is caused by it when wifey asks,
“What shall I cook for lunch?”
by Ray Romine Thursday, February 21, 1952
Give it to me straight, and feel
Free to talk; don’t spare the horses;
I’ll be penitent, and we’ll
Get back on our normal courses.
by Ray Romine Saturday, August 25, 1951
I never knew
Where rainbows grew ,
Or whether fairies really were;
Not yet aware
Of what bloomed there
On April’s hills, I felt a stir
At your bright smile,
And , afterwhile,
Knew why existence had been flat:
My life lacked love.
One little shove–
And kiss–from you has changed all that!
by Ray Romine Thursday, December 6, 1951
“Your faith alone I envy you”,
(My doubting friend was speaking);
“You’ve found yourself a firmer rock
Than I, for years of seeking.
“I’ve gone these years from this to that,
To try and pin down one thing
To buoy me up and give me strength–
At least, you b’lieve in something!
“You seem to always find some shred
Of hope, when I’m past hoping;
A ray of light to guide and lead,
While I’m in darkness, groping.
“Let’s take this Easter story, now–
For you who can believe it,
It symbolizes what we call
Your faith, as I perceive it:
“Christ’ s suffering, end the ridicule, —
Your anguish, fears and sorrow;
The Resurrection shows you what
Your faith can bring tomorrow;
“His Cross,– the sacrifice you make;
The nails,–the pain of living;
His dying proves that all the joy
You’ll find here lies in giving.
“It must be fine to feel, like you,
That faith will cure our troubles;
That Love alone can make it seem
Our cares are only bubbles.
“Now all of this is swell for you,
But I shall go on seeking
Some other code, some creed that stands
Alone, with logic reeking.”
My friend’s sincere, but what gets me
Is, he’s so inconsistent:
If he can see this faith in me–
Is Truth from him so distant?
And he’s an advertising man:
His every institution
Includes a phrase that he should know:–
“Accept no substitution!”
–written for March (Easter) 1942
“Crusader”
by Ray Romine Sunday, March 1, 1942