Selections from Trella Romine's library at Terradise Nature Center
Ray Romine Poems
You are no Dream-Girl, seen by day–
Which sounds, it first, surprising:
The way I see you every night
I !ind you tantalizing.
Please pull that shade–or leave it up!
Entirely I’m stressing,
And leave no 2-inch crack of light
To tease me while you’re dressing.
by Ray Romine Wednesday, May 16, 1945
O heavenly sound–
Just to hear it once more:
In my sink, How the Water
Goes Down At Lodore!
by Ray Romine Thursday, February 8, 1945
Always I have heard the chant:
Go thou, Sluggard, to the Ant.
If I must look on insects, why
I’d rather be a Butterfly.
Butterflies dance in the sun ,
And dancing, have a lot of fun.
As I flutter, I shall pant:
“Who wants to be an Old Maid Ant?”
Perhaps I’ll come to realize
Fun’s no sin in other eyes;
That work as such and ties that bind
Are errors solely of mankind.
by Ray Romine Tuesday, October 19, 1948
Love means so many things to us
By now, that talk of parting
Sounds like the end of life itself,
And bitter tears are smarting.
So if you go, you go, my sweet,
But don’t ring down the curtain-
Don’t kill this rarest living thing-
Until at least you’re certain.
by Ray Romine Wednesday, April 19, 1950
All children play: pups chew on things;
Small insects (with six legs) go hiking;
Bird babies try out feathered wings;
Bear cubs find climbing to their liking.
All children have some kind of fun:
Lion children practice roaring;
And fishworm kids don’t miss the sun–
They spend their spare time cave-exploring.
And now I’ve read this poem, I’LL
Go out and play a little while!
by Ray Romine Thursday, September 17, 1953
Daddy puts his tools away;
Mother says that’s fine!
They are daddy’s toys, she says.
Shall I pick up mine?
by Ray Romine Monday, January 7, 1952
Camel bells and precious stones–
Light the gas, 0 Nathan.
Always get the periods in:
Slow down, you’re a-rathin’.
Send a message to him, kid–
You can do it, Shelah.
Herod, ma’am, is false of heart,
And I mean it, realla.
Tirzah is a nasty-puss,
Likewise also Ruthie;
Fina the guy who hooked the jools–
Be alittle sleuthie.
Jacob’s beard if fulla phuzz,
Comb the thing, Director!
Miriam’s belt is much too tight;
Someone should correct ‘er.
Now this has been a lot of fun,
But what will rhyme with “Miriam”?
How we’ll bore ’em with our play–
We will even WEARY ‘EM!!
by Ray Romine Sunday, December 3, 1944
Said Sandra Jean to Cara Sue:
“What we’ll play is up to you–
Tell me what you’d like to do.”
She answered: ”I don’t Cara Sue.”
by Ray Romine Wednesday, April 14, 1943
It affects us in so many ways
We simply can’t ignore it:
Everything is Free these days,
And we’ re all paying for it.
by Ray Romine Wednesday, July 2, 1952
Shrewd was the man who saw this coming;
Who learned to do, and does , his plumbing!
by Ray Romine Thursday, February 8, 1945