The Maple Tree
Brother Levi Jacobs deals with death everyday. It is his business, but here he describes a different kind of passing.
The Maple Tree
My dreams died yesterday
when they cut the big maple tree down.
It was there memories were born
as a child in my tree house.
It was a place to hide when I hurt.
It was a place I called my own.
Friends spent the night with me there
on weekends so I wouldn’t be alone.
It was a safe place to play.
It wasn’t too high or too low.
I was a place to dream and scream.
I told the tree secrets only the leaves
would ever know.
I’d try to save the tree if I could,
but someone bought the property
and turned the tree into firewood.
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The Poetry Corner - Lost in your Heart
If you can’t see the video, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hymelq-A2DE.
The written poem for this video can be found on The World of Words by clicking here.
Who is Elias Tobias? Go to his biography that is also in Spanish.
Save Pull Tabs For Ronald McDonald’s House
I believe in recycling things like paper from the copier at work (in secure shred of course), taking newspapers to the church or school collection box, and pull tabs from cans.
The World of Words by Elias Tobias officially endorses this last effort. Over a year ago, when I was teaching college part-time, there was a collection box for pull tabs for the Ronald McDonald house on a table in the snack room next to the soda machine. I began putting soft drink tabs in an old glass Ball jar and eventually when it got full, I took the tabs in a plastic bag to work for the collection box. Other jobs have come and gone since then, but I still collect the tabs. Kids can collect them on string or large key rings. This can a fun activity for everyone, and simple, too.
Unlike the urban legend states, pop tabs do not support medical treatment of any kind including chemotherapy or dialysis; however, pop tabs do support the operations of Ronald McDonald Houses across the country. This popular fundraiser benefits seriously ill children by helping provide a place for them and their families to stay while they are out of town for medical treatment.
Recycling the tabs generates proceeds to donate to a local Ronald McDonald House. The tabs do not pay for treatment or night stays - only house operations. One house that collected enough pop tabs in a year to put $8,000 toward operational costs.
Pop tabs are small and convenient to collect. Hundreds of thousands of pop tabs have been collected to benefit Ronald McDonald Houses. Did you know that:
1 pop tab is approximately 1 inch long
1,267 pop tabs make 1 pound
1 pound of aluminum can be sold for approximately 40¢
For more information about how you can help, click here.
There are many posters which can be downloaded for free, and you can find them here.
Frozen Art
(Photo by Mike Hall)
Evidence of green grass is exposed as the temperature in Richmond rose to over freezing on Jan. 26, and the differences in temperature ranges have also resulted in icicles nearly touching the ground from this overhang near the Weir Dam.
Learn 10 ways how you can harness the Power of Words with modern technology.
Half a Poem
I have a feeling
or two,
or three,
but I don’t know what
it is…
Something inside hurts
When I’m happy.
When I figure
It out, I’ll tell you.
I’ll write is down, and
then this poem
will be done.
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The Poetry Corner - The Beauty of Life
If you can’t see the video, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggpedduD-xc.
The written poem for this video can be found on The World of Words by clicking here.
Do you have a start of a poem, but the words just aren’t right? Go for help at the Poetry First Aid.
Dog Tracks
(Photo by Mike Hall)
Dog tracks are the only sign of visitors to the banks of the lake at Glen Miller Park in Richmond. The temperature rose slightly over freezing on Jan. 26, allowing the ice to break enough to show tracks of the visitors.
Videos on You Tube from the World of Words by Elias Tobias tap into the many faces of the poetry blog.
Shadow Manager
Shadows have their values,
their length depends on the light.
As manager of this factory,
I make sure everything has shadows
behind them until the night.
Even then I really don’t
have much of a break because
the street lights, house lights
and car lights illuminate the
world when the day gets late.
When you think about it,
I have a tough job to do.
Shadows are custom—made
with light and they change
as quickly as something moves.
It’s hard to make a shadow.
You need the right ingredients.
You need particles of light,
an object to form a void,
and a large supply of darkness.
I use an ancient formula to
make the shadows black.
Hundreds of employees cut
the material to fit any shape.
I swear that is a fact.
All of this may seem a story
From a bum on a park bench,
but as shadow manager I can
tell you what was in the bag
the men exchanged by the fence.
Do you have a start of a poem, but the words just aren’t right? Go for help at the Poetry First Aid.
The Poetry Corner-Mustang Heart
If you can’t see the video, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buY2863az.
The written poem for this video can be found on The World of Words by clicking here.
Elias Tobias has a fan club web site, and you can get information by clicking here.
Stay Connected
Have something to say about the World of Words by Elias Tobias or to Elias Tobias?
As an alternative to the the comments link under each post. the poetry blog has another source to connect with the World of Words.
Yahoo! has two ways to plug into the web blog.
First go to another e-mail, eliastobias2002@yahoo.com, and leave a message
or you can go to Yahoo! Messenger to send an instant message.
It’s just that easy.