Kenneth R. Jenkins poet

The Soul of the Poet 8

Bus Stop

Gathered together in one place,

Each in own space,

Waiting on the iron horse

To sweep us off our feet of course

But first we have to pay a fee,

Then ride and then see,

And look at our location.

Waiting as time ticks away

As if stay.

Here long enough will the iron horse come.

To that desired destination

Where I must go in all this accusation

Rushing here and there

Just as my far

May go long distance and short it gets there of sorts,

In order to be where I have to be.

Closer I see it coming to pick us all up,

And so, I grab my silver cup,

And ride that iron horse,

Away, away I go!

To where I need to go,

On the wings of my iron horse you know,

No matter how far or near

My mind is settled, and I cheer,

That I will be where I need to be

To look out of the window

And see the beauty of the city,

Riding along the way.

17 January 2023

***

Flight

Follow your dreams,

May it soar under eagle’s wings.

Follow your dreams!

May it take flight?

And all your wishes and dreams

Will soar higher heights.

As you dream sweet dreams.

Don’t let anyone pull you down!

But you be in encouraged and be lifted up

As you dream dreams like never before

And take flight in everything you do.

June 2004

*********

Long Lonesome Road

To every traveling soul that wonders

Here I travel

This long lonesome road.

I don’t know where it’ll lead me

But I will be a travelin’ with this heavy load

No matter where I travel

This road will lead me there

As I travel this long lonesome road.

Here I travel

This long lonesome road.

Not many travelers to travel with me,

Just a lonely poet with a suitcase filled with words to fill

No matter where I travel

I am goin’ to be free

As I travel this long lonesome road.

Here I travel

This long lonesome road.

Where I’ll roam alone,

But yet I am not alone you see,

I have a guitar packed with a million songs,

No matter where I travel

I will be surely free,

As I travel this long lonesome road.

As I travel this long lonesome road,

Traveling here and there to parts unknown.

I am just a stranger travelin’ along with my load,

Spreadin’ a little joy where Christian love is bound to be shown.

Yes, I travel this long lonesome road,

As I travel this long lonesome road.

Travel on!

Travel on that long lonesome road.

Travel on!

Travelin’ on that lonesome road.

Yes, travel on!

Travel on I say, travel on!

Travel on that long lonesome road.

No matter where I travel

I will be surely free

As I travel this long lonesome road,

Yes, I travel that long lonesome road.

Travel on!

Yes, I will be travelin’ that long lonesome road.

April 2004

{SOUL OF THE POET 8}

The Prayer

Make me over Lord,

Make my life new

Even in times I am going through.

Make me over Lord,

Mend this broken heart

Make me over Lord.

*************

The Sweetness of You

You’re like candy

Chocolate my passionate treat,

My one and only sweetness

From your head to your feet.

A wonderful sweet tooth to behold,

Just another excuse to taste

You on my tongue my dear

A memory that won’t be erased.

And if the truth be told

I find myself craving you

A taste that never gets old

Strangely enough all of this is true.

With just one touch of your hand

And that look in your eyes,

In hopes you’ll understand

That it’s this loves you must realize.

The sweetness that is of you

Like a special taste so,

And like candy it’s all true

And you know this is true.

It’s the sweetness of you

The sweetness of you so…

Lots of agony of defeats

Mixed in with angry words

At angry thoughts

From an angry poet

****

Hello and Goodbye

In memory of Aubrina Fussell with love.

Gone too soon

And soon seems like too late,

And too late is too late,

Even when I didn’t say goodbye to you

Or whisper, “I love you” in your ear

In order you may hear me.

Born too late?

Or gone too soon I ask

But I wonder too

Why taken now but now I wonder.

Your baby barely knows you

And your family is left behind.

I said, hello to you

Wondering if you were fine.

Just a friendly jester with a smile

As I see your happy face glow from your dark skin shines.

Hello to you was the beginning of a conversation

And later before just that to both of us.

After all of that,

You turned and went away----forever!

Lost, gone from me

Like a flower plucked

Soon gone away

And that’s when I say

Good-bye this time around to you

A hard and harsh word

Especially when you’ve gone too soon.

*****

Pen

So, tell me what’s on your heart?

What’s going on my brother?

Jobs are getting hard to find

Money stretching but seems like it’s going nowhere

Disappearing fast

All like in the clear blue air.

I don’t know you, but I feel peace

I know how it is to struggle

It makes you want to holler and insane

And when it’s all said and done

The fire is out

And the battle finally won

You still have that cloud hanging.

I pen these words to everyone

Everyone that is in this troubled life

The arena of battles fought

With the misery and strife

And all of everything around it

I pen those words to their souls.

I pen these words to the young souls.

Those who I pray for our time

The lost ones we need to hold down

The lost ones we need to bury 6 feet underground.

Crucified, cut down, drugged up like another

Body or anybody’s body used and abused

Another young cat like another brother

Out here in the struggle of things

I pen these words for you.

I pen these words to our sisters

Who are out here struggling living

Just enough for the city ain’t doing no giving

Just another ass to kiss or house to clean

Or another baby in the belly

Or another 3-letter disease to put you away you see

Or just another about nothing to nobody

I pen these words for you.

I pen these words to the soldiers of the old school

The back in the day brothers and sisters who were down for us

Struggling to get from the back of that damn bus

To the front of the bus

Better yet to run the state house

Running the whole country

But running something is better than nothing

I pen these words to you.

I pen these words to every poetic socialist who pens the words to defend

Themselves from what was wrong to what or right for the cause,

I pen these words for them and for this I stop and pause

Bowing my head in respect to them of those and for what all they have done

By the strike of the pen

For that is because freedom is won.

I pen these very words to my fellow poets

Until I lay my pen down once more

I will pen words of conquest

For its for that I pen these words. Feb. 07

Untitled

For every smile given,

For life and love worth living,

For a time well spent with you,

The times we went through

The laughter and the pain,

The lasting friendship gain,

The paradise lost then found,

For just even sticking around,

For the kisses and love galore,

For the love we made and more.

The priceless love forever and ever

For love regardless and whatever.

These things and a lot more to list,

And even the things I may miss

I just want to say I love you!

Three words that in everyway

Need not explanation of rhyme or reason....