A poem dedicated to Lilane Rausch

Maverick Times

Learned events trouble past enjoyment of timely days
Irrigating senses offer solution of majestic beauty.
Leaping upward cleanses souls to sounds for due sea.
Increased abundance stowed for needed phase.

A breeze gently flowing across cheeks tanned
Needing nothing sustains maverick times once banned
Each cloud hold promise of rare moisture seldom dammed
Revealing heat takes upon shoulders seeking rest on the land.

Asking relief need never be spoken to ears unwilling for sound
Useful tears moisten lips never kissed the ground
Solid visions of dreams held last life’s ragged breath
Chosen dreams seek solitude of each day’s death
Held in place by annual reins forever bound.

Robert Dodson
April 25, 2009

Strangely, I have no dedication for this poem. Go Figure.

Smallness Within

Gaze upon the majesty enclosed in the heart
Releases passion for a beginning again.
Days of future seem a distant part,
Pieces hanging loosely in a gentle rain.

Sensing a path once taken thunders soft
Tense muscles need a strain of safety
Looking backward righting my insensitivity
Spooked into a smallness within my loft.

Phased in moments, singly spaced frees life
Dense in spaced, wide valleys of new hope
Going far to be near eases the strife
So long as I never, slip on the soap.

Robert Dodson
September 23, 2007

This poem was written for my wife Faye. We were married on her birthday, April 23, 1985.

Through Misty Forest

Alone walking through misty forest,
Groping to jerk tears from my eyes
An arduous duty calms wisdom’s test
Tying trails to hearts’ talking of far skies.

Hearing victory excites dull tries
As air embraces me among all fires
Facing challenge is my behest
As one debates full charged chest,

Youthful yearning for bravery dear
Energy drains as Sol dips to low sky
Donning thickly skinned events fly
Over often pondering learned final fear.

Dreams of future haunt my soul
Saying nothing is not the crest
Over which I journey toward rest
Neat nesting leaves life a filled bowl.

Robert Dodson
January 14, 2007

This poem was written for Ron Jenkins

Nothing Chanced

Raising voices of trusted safety
Opened my mind to glaring holes
Noted once, then used as souls
Justice opened a raked bee.

Enhanced by age volume peaked
Nesting on past deeds, acts freaked
Kites billowed lazily in spring clouds
Insects crested my tiny soles aloud.

Nothing chanced a dream is lost
Scorning is my hesitant cost
Rising above a small vacant lot
Jerking free I become the moth.

Robert Dodson
March 12, 2007

This poem was written for Josieinthecity from Twitter

Standing Dream

Journey deep into realms of strong silence
Opened to a voice of long standing dream
Searching evermore for future bubbling stream
Echoes of trips unmade closed by wooden fence.

Lurching forward upon the chasm of penance
Yearning always for peace of substance.
Normal visions face cloudy marred hope
Jabbed into startled fortitude of the slope.

Over majestic vistas of untouched chance
Seared upon brains reaching clouds’ gate
Emitting soundless cries of terrors cruel slate
Looming into view abreast problems dense.

Yokes held tightly upon shoulders weak
Nodding upon a gaze desperately sought.
Justice leaps forward above hearts’ reach,
Mission stands finished as work not bought.

Robert Dodson
April 9, 2009

This poem was inspired by DebsSweet of Twitter.

Struggle

Dreams evoke bare open reigns attached hearts
Argue upon simplistic tomorrow’s inner necessity
Daring to climb solitude for enduring torts
Each day brings past creep toward missed sea.

Braced moonlight quivers through barren limbs,
Opportunity fails hope riding dense forest
Rankled under pillars of gloried taught hymns
As breath returns haltingly begs nights’ rest.

Hope leaps through throats long reach
Alone fighting struggles of faded misery
Using unknown wisdom beaches eerie
Sounds of danger closer to forsaken breach.

Time stands solid upon eons of moments
Inside chests moving ragged for lost cheer
Nestled within spans of misshapen ascents
Altered ugly stains tumble inside nature.

Robert Dodson
April 7, 2009

This is a poem inspired by Twitter user @deltavogue.

A Sleepless Heart

Misty dawn awakens a sleepless heart
Open to care trods gently upward
Numbers dance deep blessing parts
Inside a soul chanced with bent hope.

Craving desire to aid a venture risky
Alive within the confines of memory
Loping faster to reach unseen cart;
Richer to be born alive in the sun.

Of dreams forever scalded on vision
Withheld beneath a beating start to
Labor diligently for the days of fun;
Amid a careless spoken silent word.

Neighbors sense purpose of known threat
Delight brims upon a minds’ surface
Mirroring a birth that never ceases,
Remaining true now until stars fade.

Robert Dodson

April 4, 2009

Roads of Time

This poem was written for a poetry contest. A couple of weeks earlier, my dad passed away. I was still grieving and still hadn't shed any tears from his passing. When I began the poem, it was to be about something else. But this was the first and only draft, it seems God directed my heart and my pen (fingers typing). So with 12 lines of poetry, I remembered my life with my dad. The result of the poetry contest you ask? It was selected as one of about fifty others for third place. The poem is the namesake of my blog.

Roads of Time

Walking the lonely roads of time, I face myself.
The puffs of dust gently follow the slight air,
As the grains fall slowly, they echo my despair.
Raising my eyes, misery lies on the shelf.

The pounding in my chest never ceases, ever drumming
hopes of newness unknown, wilting my joy forever.
Creasing brow tangles the web of larger endeavor.
Cautious moments bloom again into smiles of humming.

Stalking the days of glory on sun-drenched youth,
Seas foaming, calling back to visions once held.
Last images always haunt minds gazing truth,
Praising battles fought in life alone and felled.

Robert Dodson
May 1995

Adapt or Change – Life with a Disability

It all began on a balmy fall evening. With siren wailing, the ambulance slid to a stop at the emergency room. Rapidly, people were bustling about the stretcher occupied by a very pregnant lady. The attendants wheeled her into the closest available labor room. Sometime later, upon proper dilation, she was taken into the delivery room. About twenty minutes later, a healthy green eyed baby boy was born. Starting to fill out the birth certificate, the nurse glanced at her wrist watch. The time was one twenty A.M., October 31, 1951. Three days later the new mother was released from the hospital. The weather had changed drastically. It was now very wintry and cold in Houston, Texas. As the child grew, that weather change was a peek into the change coming in the infants’ life.

At seven months the child was christened in the Lutheran church. By this time, he was pulling himself up on furniture and doing other things in preparation for walking. Two weeks later, the child became ill. At first, the young mother thought he had the flu. A day or two later, while resting in his crib, the attractive young mother noticed he wasn’t making the effort to standup holding onto the rail. Knowing there was the beginning of a polio outbreak in Houston, she rushed her child to the doctor.

She was promptly called back to visit the doctor. Examining the child, the pediatrician confirmed the hopeful mother’s fears. Robert had polio. The doctor began preparations to treat the child. At the time, the only hospital with adequate facilities to treat polio was the VA hospital in Houston. The doctor arranged everything. Two hours later the child was admitted as the youngest patient to ever be hospitalized in that VA hospital. During his stay, Robert spent time in an iron lung and received massage therapy. A few weeks later, Robert was scheduled for release.

Dorothy, Robert’s mother, was called in for a final consultation with the attending physician. She was told that the polio had started in Robert’s right arm, spread through his entire, tiny body and settled back into his right arm. She was told his arm would never grow to be normal and the bone would always be brittle. From that day forward, she vowed to protect her son as only a mother can. She was told he would always have to wear an arm brace to straighten his bent wrist and protect his arm.

Till he was eight, Robert lived a fairly normal child’s life. He was taught the things most mothers’ teach their children, respect, manners and the difference between right and wrong. He entered first grade at five years old in Louisiana, because he would be six before the end of the calendar year. His first teacher pitied him and didn’t teach him anything. Fortunately, for Robert and the rest of the people he would touch; the family moved to a new home in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Wisdom Borne

May the journey of your being, liven those you touch.
As hope gives meaning to life’s confusion,
Results are seldom seen as desired,
Inspiration is gratefully kept open near a heart,
Elation at travel’s end gives growing solace.

Heroes are rarely known to themselves,
Expectations favor those giving to the bottom.
Nurture the lapping waves of calm seas.
Reaching heights of wisdom borne trees,
Yearning the dreams of futures forgotten.

Steadfast love shoulders debts’ illusion,
Threads of faith exist within the required,
Eluding those who never give a single part
Involving a quiet disparate place
Evokes a thrill sought through much
Remorse of events unable to shelve.

May all rejoice in emotion seek those endless in emitting radiance,
Helping everyone needful resolve young stoicism tales ever including elastic respect.




Copyright © Robert Dodson, 2006 All Rights Reserved.

Remembering

Just a quick little post today. The 5th of May is the 11th anniversary of my dad’s passing into that alternate realm of existence known as death. If you believe in a Higher Power, then it’s not difficult to believe a loved one exists in an unknown realm. How are we to know one way or the other? To my knowledge, there’s only one sure way to find out. Die! But then, I wouldn’t be able to let you know that ‘Heaven’ exists. Such a Catch-22. Similarly, can one truly believe the reported experiences from a near death experience? Given careful consideration, what would be the motive to lie about that adventure?

Have you ever wondered why colored leather products are so expensive? I have and I have the answer. It is very difficult to get the cows to stand motionless, while you dye them various colors.

This may be bizarre, but I will share my opinion. It seems quite a number of people, including members of Congress, Big Business, Scholars and educators are bemoaning the level of poverty in the good ‘Ol USofA’. I have a solution. It’s far out into right field, but if you think about it, it could be done. Of course, Big Business won’t like my idea, but they would get over it eventually. Everyone would like to see poverty eliminated in the United States. Here’s my proposal. Have our government force the companies with huge profits to give to every citizen of the US an even million dollars annually. The profit size should be anything $5 Billion or more. Naturally, if this did happen the companies would try to keep their profits under the benchmark. I’ll let Congress decide on all the details. One thing about the yearly million bucks, once the money is gone its wait until next year.

The idea is that if poverty is to be ended, one has to start somewhere. I can see a time when money of and by itself will be meaningless, like on Star Trek. The Federation outgrew the need for a currency. The same could happen here in the next few years, if Congress were to act. After all, it is an election year. ( My idea stems from the fact of those that have share with those that do not.) Well that’s my idea. It will have opponents, but I bet not a one would be in the poverty category. Didn’t I tell you it was a very different idea on ending poverty? Besides, it could end a whole host of other problems as well. Hunger, medical inequality and inflation could be ended. Well maybe inflation would slow to a slow snail pace. Anyway, the idea is out in the open now. Let’s end poverty now.

Get Better Tech Support

I think if all tech support personnel spoke English as a second language, the overall tech support incident would be resolved faster and more efficiently. This is only true if the tech is fully and ably qualified to respond on your problem. Why you ask? If I have a hard time understanding the tech, then I MUST listen more closely to what is being said to comply with and respond to their questions or solution tips.

How to Clean Your Toilet - The Fun Way

Instructions on how to clean your toilet:

1. Put both lids of the toilet up and add 1/8 cup of pet shampoo to the water in the bowl.


2. Pick up the cat and soothe him while you carry him towards the bathroom.


3. In one smooth movement, put the cat in the toilet and close both lids. You may need to stand on the lid.


4. The cat will self agitate and make ample suds. Never mind the noises that come from the toilet, the cat is actually enjoying this.


5. Flush the toilet three or four times. This provides a 'power-wash' and 'rinse'.


6. Have someone open the front door of your home. Be sure that there are no people between the bathroom and the front door.


7. Stand behind the toilet as far as you can, and quickly lift both lids.


8. The cat will rocket out of the toilet, streak through the bathroom, and run outside where he will dry himself off.

Follow these tips and both your toilet and the cat will be sparkling clean.

Sincerely,
The Dog

Contributed by: Thom Goodrich

This struck me

This struck me a bit ago. Why does one have to un-install the Blogger for Word® addin and then re-install it to fix a faulty new user account install? It’s just plain odd. Or maybe Google® is trying to emulate Microsoft® in all areas. Then maybe not. If anyone has the answer please post as everyone, I think, would like to know.

Here's a Thought

During the 1800’s, the American Indian tribes were badly mistreated, abused and nearly decimated. They were tricked, lied to and had numerous treaties broken by US citizens. Part of the reason most Indian tribes succumbed to the US Government were lack of manpower and technology. Now fast forward to the last part of the Twentieth Century.

It was during the latter part of the 20th Century when various surviving tribes won legal battles against the United States. The Indians couldn’t defeat the “White Man” on the hallowed battlefield of the American West. Yet they won in court; as it should have been so long ago. These victories began a series of enterprises by the American Indian. Most of the ventures seem to involve gambling in one form or another. The one that strikes me as ironic is the Native American tobacco ventures. They couldn’t kill all the “White-Eyes” so they began to make tobacco products, mostly cigarettes. Now they provide a method to let the White man kill themselves using a product the Indians produce with some funds provided by the U.S. government. Your opinion may vary. You are entitled to it and that is one of the reasons this is such a great country to live in.

The day after

It’s the day after my test attempt. I was cheered by an email I received from Microsoft®. Even though I didn’t pass the exam, they gave me my MCP id number. Isn’t that just peachy? I thought that was cool. It may not be to anyone else, but who is doing the writing? :) Tomorrow I begin in ernest to study for this exam. I’ll begin at the beginning: Microsoft Learning.

Below are two horrible examples of icons I designed using MS Paint.

Now you can see why I am trying to pass the MCP exam. I certainly am not a graphic artist.

Exam 70-282 Results

I just returned from Marshall, Texas. For those un-interested, I took the Microsoft® MCP Exam 70-282 in that wonderful metropolis. I have some bad news and some bad news. Which do you want first? The bad or the badder? My grade was an astronomic 411. I needed 700 to pass. Considering everything, I was deficient in 3 areas and strong in three. I need bunches of improvement in Analyzing the Existing Network, Installing and Configuring Windows Small Business Server 2003 and Designing a Business Technology Solution for a small or medium sized business. More later.

MCP Exam 70-282

Tomorrow is the big day. I take the MCP Exam #70-282. This exam will help me earn the Microsoft® Small Business Specialist™ credential. I firmly believe I will pass, even though my practical experience is limited. In ’97, I passed the Texas Insurance Board Exam with 5 days of company sponsored training. If, by some twist of fate, I don’t pass; there’s always the free retake. Hope I don’t need it. (

Anyway, I’ll post my results once I learn what they are. Cross your fingers and pray for me. We are only limited by what we can achieve by what our mind tells us we can not.