An Older Poet

I'm just an older poet
Crafting words from what I’ve seen.
No Shakespearean sonnet,
I type exactly what I mean.

My life is one big escapade,
Where I pinch myself to see
Is it true or am I being played
By a mind that’s running free?

I travel roads of interest
Knowing life is so complex.
Yet, I’m always feeling blessed,
Seeing things I don’t expect.

I take a lot of pictures,
Looking for the one that’s great.
It’s funny how each captures,
The essence of my fate.

I search for beauty and wisdom,
In places both great and small.
I hear a thousand students hum,
Some song I can’t recall.

I type of things that shouldn’t be
And are really very bad.
I wish that everyone could see,
The beauty and not the sad.

I write the words that come to mind,
While I sit in silence deep.
Relaxing and reflecting to unwind;
Just before I fall asleep.

New Semester Starts

Emei Rain

Is it rain
or just mist?
Asked again
can’t resist.

Water flows
Spirits fall
Mold grows
On drywall

Where’s the sun
Dark five days
Ain’t no fun
No good phrase

Mountain tears
For the insane
Been two years
Won't complain

Welcome back for another semester at Southwest Jiaotong University - Emei Branch. We returned a week or so early and found the starting date would be the 23rd of February. About a week after we returned, Sunee had to return to Thailand as her brother-in-law suddenly passed away. He was a year or two older than me. Kinda makes one think.

Sunee is still in Thailand and is expected back on the 14th of March. In the meantime classes are now in full swing for the semester.

I currently have two courses with five sections total. I teach the second semester Freshman Writing and the continuation of the Newspaper and Journal Reading course. Both are well on their way. I will blog some events that happen during the course of the semester.

Veiled In Her Mist

She’s lovely, Emei, veiled in her mist
How fair the trees and her temples are
Can one in reality of this resist
But to gaze on her beauty, a vision far

Serene and calm we call her this
She is, of course, but much more
The birds sing of her morning mist
Her breeze blows into my open door

I watch the clouds as they float on by
Drinking her tea as I sit on her side
Puffy white cotton against the blue sky
The tea, Snow Bud green, Emei’s pride

I sense the green of her rich emerald gown
Bedecked with her pagoda and temple jewels
No beauty exceeds with her Jinding crown
Of bronze bright light shining on jade pools

Emei Poetry

Another Emei Dawn

I rise to see another Emei dawn
The cold night air is gone
Sunrise invisible in the mist
Rays of light in the fog resist
Breaking through the forest green
As the peak on Emei comes clean

Avenues among the misty white
Bring visions of a beautiful site
Dwarfed by clouds floating on high
The gold temple in beauty to defy
The peaks, the clouds and things unseen
Across the emerald forests green

The sites and sounds all come to show
The glory of the winds that blow
Across the peaks and bamboo trees
As pilgrims climbing up to seize
The awesome glory with their eyes
And behold beauty in the skies

I stand in awe of Emei’s glance
Her streams of clouds in misty trance
Dance and tumble down her side
As a silken veil on a smiling bride
This sight long lingers as in a dream
Light and mist in beauty supreme

And so it is now as in the past
A mountain refuge in living contrast
To the toil and work we often maligned
In a world of hate and pain combined
Where beams of light through mist so fine
Inspire the soul to drink in beauty’s wine

Christmas Poetry

Somewhere In The Night

Somewhere in the night
A lovely vision flies
Christmas won’t make it right
But each year it really tries

We all sing songs of hope
As Christmas comes around
Doesn’t make one a dope
To wish for things not found

As Christmas comes and goes
We hope it’s better than the last
Since this is poetry not prose
I have to rhyme this really fast

This is a Christmas greeting
Bet you had that figured out
We hope this gives a meaning
To what Christmas is all about

Although we’re not close by
In fact, we’re far away
This doesn’t mean to imply
We don’t wish you a happy day

So I’ll say it in this line
Merry Christmas again this year
And hope you all are fine
From the ones who aren’t so near

My Christmas Wish

My Christmas wish for all of you
Is simple with a complex view
I wish you hope and joy that’s true
In everything you think and do

I hope the new year brings you cheer
With lots of laughter and fun
To fill your world with things so dear
And make your heart sing in the sun


I wish you love and friendship too

Throughout the coming year
May all your dreams come true
And may you keep your family near

May you make all high scores
When you study in my courses
And learn the stuff that opens doors
To be a success in all your choices

I wish you all of this and more
As we celebrate this time of year
I hope you have great fun galore
Even after the new year is here

More Christmas Poetry

I wrote this poem for the English Corner party Sunee and I was supposed to go to Christmas Eve. It was supposed to be a Christmas party about love and cherishing the one you love. I was to read this to Sunee at the end of the party. Unfortunately we ended up missing the party because of a previous commitment to attend a dinner given by Dean Jiang.

Twas the Night Before Christmas...Emei Style

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the dorm
All the students were listening, to this my Christmas poem
The weather was cloudy, as always is Emei
While these words of greatness, I was trying to say

My wife was staring as I recited the lines
Of a poem I had written just for these times
The verses came quickly and I spoke with a shrug
Twas another Christmas I read, so give me a hug

Her eyes followed my movements, as I stepped to her side
Thinking of these years she had been my bride
I held out my hand so gentle and warm
Hoping her stare would quickly transform

She thought I was stupid, and this a big joke
To ask for a hug in front of these folk
I begged her forgiveness and asked once more
A hug for old times sake from the one I adore


I wrote this next poem to recite to my writing and listening classes Christmas week. I was told that they would not have to have a final exam so I gave them an exam during the regular classes. A week before Christmas week, I was informed that these two courses required a final exam by the administration. No problem but I did have to apologize to my classes for this mistake:

Here I Stand

Here I stand
On this holiday
Was this planned?
What can I say?

I have some news
It’s pretty bad
Please don’t refuse
And make me sad

You have a test
A final exam
Don’t be depressed
No need to cram

I see your eyes!
Don’t look at me
Its Christmas guys
Don’t make me flee!

The Christmas sound
Floats high and low
And all around
With words aglow

Yet here I stand
At Christmas time
A simple man
Who’s out of rhyme

Christmas Comes To Emei Mountain

Christmas comes to Emei Shan.
What a great idea and fun so dear!
It’s now for sure! We must get it on
To celebrate the best day of the year!

Christmas comes to Emei Shan.
There ain’t no turkey and no ham?
We’ll just spend some Jungguo yuan’
Buy shredded meat and pineapple jam.

Christmas comes to Emei Shan.
I think we’ll have a Christmas tree.
We could get one before the dawn
Up on the mountain where it’s free?

Christmas comes to Emei Shan.
Time to make the joyful sound,
While hoping for a loud ovation,
For the words that are so profound

Christmas comes to Emei Shan.
Really it’s right here in our room,
So let’s all sing and get it on.
Let a thousand voices bloom!