El poema “La Escalera” fué publicado originalmente el 14 de febrero de 2003 en el periódico ‘El Heraldo de Brownsville.’ Para ver la versión original en inglés, haga click aquí.

La Escalera

La escalera se encamina hacia el cielo
Y descanso brevemente en los peldaños
Pero no puedo esperar mucho
necesito llegar al final.
Pero mis pies se cansan,
y me resbalo y caigo.
Siento heridas y dolor en mis tobillos
y el sonido de los metálicos anillos
de las correas de cuero,
retumban en mis oídos,
a cada paso que doy.
No puedo regresar aún cuando lo deseo
porque cada peldaño conquistador
se desvanece en mi memoria
cuando mi ultimo paso deje en el avión.
Permanezco suspendido en la luz
con la opción de triunfar
o caer en la obscuridad del abismo,
con los demás que han fracas ado.
 Los escucho llamándome,
sus voces se hacen cada vez mas fuertes
Casi tan fuertes como el sonido de mis pesados pasos
Sería tan fácil soltarme del barandal
Y la siguente caída sería la final. 

The Lady is a Liar

The lady is a liar,
And the bitch knows that.
She can’t know the truth,
and that, my friend, is a fact.

She said he wasn’t her lover,
and that she never had his son.
To look, he looks familiar to her,
and I know she’s the one.

The lady is a liar,
And the bitch knows that.
She can’t know the truth,
and that, my friend, is a fact.
 
She said it was an accident,
and that it wasn’t her fault.
No one was supposed to get hurt,
but for once, she got caught.

The lady is a liar,
And the bitch knows that.
She can’t know the truth,
and that, my friend, is a fact.
She wants to change, she says,
but she will always be the same.
She is used to abusing people,
and that’s the game she plays.

The lady is a liar,
And the bitch knows that.
She can’t know the truth,
and that, my friend, is a fact.

We used to get along well,
and were pretty good friends.
Then she had to take my lover.
Our friendship had to end.
 
The lady is a liar,
And the bitch knows that.
She can’t know the truth,
and that, my friend, is a fact.

She may tell a man she is in love,
but she only loves herself.,
She is the one who counts,
and eliminates everybody else.

The lady is a liar,
And the bitch knows that.
She can’t know the truth,
and that, my friend, is a fact.

The lady is a liar;
And the bitch knows that.
he can’t know the truth,
and that, my friend, is a fact.

 Courtesy photo

Name of the Game

I need to have an alibi.
Would you like to be my lover?
It all has to be a show
since I’m working under cover.

I’m employed by a company,
But I can’t say which one it is.
I don’t really exist on paper,
All I do is classified secretive.

Finding facts around the world
Is the name of the game.
Nothing is as it seems to be,
and no body can be blamed.

Don’t be caught is the only rule.
In training, everything is a test
so we can think on our feet
and survive with the best.

Wearing a mask, I become
someone else for my country.
All the deception and violence
is for the nation’s security.

I need to have an alibi.
Just say I was with you.
There’s no harm in telling a lie.
It is very easy to do.

Mi Corazón Herido

El poema “Mi Corazón Herido” fué publicado originalmente el 22 de noviembre de 2002 en el periódico ‘El Heraldo de Brownsville.’ Para ver la versión original en inglés, haga click aquí.

Necesito alivio para mi corazón herido
mi vendaje se desprendió en un río de lágrimas
desde que decidiste abandonarme en el olvido.
Pero los recuerdos me destrozan,
necesito alivio para mi corazón herido. 

Dicen que el tiempo todo lo cura,
pero tengo una opinion en conflicto
mi vida se ha desecho en pedazos,
desde que mi amor se fué contigo.

Necesito alivio para mi corazón herido,
mi vendaje se desprendió en un río de lágrimas,
desde que decidiste abandonarme en el olvido.
Pero los recuerdos me destrozan,
necesito alivio para mi corazón herido.

He tratado todos los remedios que vienen,
empacados en el botiquín de alivio,
pero pedazos de mi vida han desaparecido
y las partes del rompecabezas no encajan.

Necesito alivio para mi corazón herido,
mi vendaje se desprendió en un río de lágrimas,
desde que decidiste abandonarme en el olvido.
Pero los recuerdos me destrozan,
necesito alivio para mi corazón herido.

Newsletter for the World of Words by Elias Tobias 

World of Words by Elias Tobias celebrates a decade on the Internet 

During the last decade, the poetry web site, The World of Words by Elias Tobias, has created a small, but loyal international fan base.  September 2008 marks the 10th anniversary of the founding of the poetry web site by Michael D. Hall in Brownsville, Texas. The writer has used Elias Tobias as his pen name since 1991.

With the old Web site, made with Tripod with its free option, a variety of advertisements were attached to the site, but the new one has no endorsements flashing. The old Web site had from 600 to 800 page hits a month with limited promotion or regular maintenance, except for a home page redesign several year ago and the poem of the month, a feature which will be retained in the new Web site.

In February 2008, The World of Words by Elias Tobias celebrated a year with its new host. The poetry Web blob was officially launched Feb. 12, 2007. The new Web site was designed by Alejandro Quetzeri of Star IT Experts LCC with the consulting of WSI Internet & Education.

Quetzeri said the emphasis in the creation of the site is to allow the company or author of the content to be in total control of the content. The programming allows an individual to easily update the content as often as necessary, without knowing technical computer codes once the Web site is established.

“It’s easy to work with,” Tobias said about maintaining the Web site. “It just takes time to get the main content set up and work with it on a regular basis. It needs to be fresh to maintain reader interest.”

Many of the goals of the new poetry blog have been accomplished.  Audio was started for the Love Notes collection, and more poem books have been added.  More pages were added including Poetry First-Aid along with more biographical information about Elias Tobias and the use of photographs and graphics.  Several videos promoting the web blog are available through YouTube.

Spanish Poems are latest addition
A new book or category, Words of Inspiration or “Palabras de Inspiración,” is being created on the World of Word by Elias Tobias poetry web blog and one poem by Elias Tobias will be featured each week on the site.

“After living on the border of Texas for 16 years, I know that a world of Hispanic culture includes creative writing, and that in my mind, means poetry,” Tobias said. “”Hispanics have a very colorful and imaginative literature tradition.”

The poems for the new book were previously published in the Spanish-language newspaper section of The Brownsville Herald in Brownsville, Texas.  Each poem on the poetry weblog will be linked to its English cousin, for those who want to switch back and forth.

Armed with 30 or so poems by Elias Tobias already translated, the shift to help meet poetic needs the Hispanics world wide will be accomplished with the new book or category, “Palabras de Inspiración,” on the World of Word by Elias Tobias poetry weblog.

Much of the credit of the new book goes to Santos Garcia, the news editor of the Spanish publication of the Brownsville Herald, who initially translated and published the poems. Sandra Toledo, a Spanish instructor has been preparing the Spanish-language pages for publication in the poetry blog.

For more information, go to contact(at)eliastobias.net.

For full PDF version, click here.

 Courtesy Photo 

School’s Starting: The Assignment

The pools are closing after Labor Day, and the last splash will quickly become a memory as the new school year starts for new students to college students finishing their degrees.  Education with be the theme for September at the World of Words by Elias Tobias, and like any good teacher, I have an assignment for my readers. Write a poem and sent it to the Free Open Poetry Forum for other to read. It can even be a poem written for class. It’s a two for one deal.

If you need some help to get started, a good teacher would not make an assignment without something to read. I won’t be the exception. I have four lessons under Poetry Writing Tips in the categories part of this web site.  So get started. 

Download the “Save the earth” poster

The environmental movement that began in the 1960s is still alive and growing into the 21st century. You can express your support the movement by downloading this poster image taken by Mike Hall, and use it to express your concern for the environment.  To get the full image, click here or click on the thumbnail photo.  Go to “Save the Trees” poem  post on this blog  that initally published the poster offer.

Spanish – language poems being prepared

The new book or category, Words of Inspiration or Palabras de Inspiración, is being created and pages are being set for publication. One poem by Elias Tobias will be featured each week.  The poems were previously published in the Spanish-language newspaper section of The Brownsville Herald, in Brownsville, TX.  Each poem will be linked to its English cousin, for those who want to switch back and forth.  For PDf of full release, click here.

Mental Grafitti: Words on the Wall

The World of Words by Elias Tobias will continue poems for a new book or poetry category, Mental Grafitti: Words on the Wall.  This will be a collection of thoughts that at first may be random, however the common theme will be poems that are similar to the artwork of those who paint their thoughts with spray cans on walls and train cars. They are saying this is who I am, and this is where I am at this time in my life.  Its the art of the common people.

 Poem of the Month

Childhood

We were children when life was a living play.
We were learning new things everyday.
There wasn’t anything we couldn’t do or say.
There was a chance we could get our way.
Hopes of tomorrows became memories of yesterday.
Our models were transformed from colored clay.

With each sacred sunrise of each day,
my hope is the feelings of my youth will stay
in my heart and in my mind. I can only pray
I won’t be smothered by responsibility today.
There seems to be a mountain of bills to pay.
I will be free of my obligations someday.