I wrote the following poems as a senior in high school.
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Der Sommer von ‘42 (1973)
(English translation)

O Mutti, dein Stern! Dein Stern ist so schön!
Darf ich einen haben? O, danke so viel!
Er ist so fein und so golden und hat
Sechs Spitzen—aber Mutti—warum weinst du so?

O Mutti, wohin geht Vati? In Stadt?
Geht er mit dem Zug? Ich will mit ihm sein!
O, geh’n wir mit Zug um Vati zu seh’n!
O, Züge! Nun, Mutti, warum weinst du so?

O Mutti, die Tür! Jemand schlägt an Tür—
Hör mal! Warum verbergst du jetzt dich?
Ich öffene die Tür—ich komm’ nicht mit dir.
Komm jetzt aus dem Schrank—warum weinst du so?

O Mutti, ein Mann! Ein Mann ist jetzt hier!
Bitte einkommen, Mann—nun, möchten Sie Milch?
Ooh, Mutti! Der Mann sagt, er will uns mitnehmen!
Vielleicht mit dem Zug! Warum weinst du so?

O Mutti, der Zug ist gar nicht bequem!
D’rausser bin ich hungrig—doch halten wir bald.
Warum hat jedermann goldenen Stern?
Wohin gehen wir? Warum weinst du so?

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Two Haiku (1974)

Haiku is quite strict.
Just seventeen syllables.
But this one has eighteen.



One nice thing about
Haiku is that it’s just long
Enough to say what

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Limerick (1974)

There once was a lassie named Mary
Who expired, having had dysentery.
To amoebae be wise:
They’re strong for their size.
Too bad that our lass wasn’t wary.

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Sonnet (1974)

Tonight I sit alone; and by my side
She sits and whispers softly in my ear.
I kiss the gentle count’nance of my bride.
The air that greets my lips is cold and drear.

Tonight I lie alone; I touch her hand.
It draws not back but tenderly responds.
Her fingers trickle ‘twixt mine like the sand.
But day doth break; I wake and break our bonds.

I am alone; and so cannot endure.
If life is such, then life I do not need.
The world has lost its one possession pure,
Yet I’ll recapture it with utmost speed.

No longer need I weep—Come, joyful Pain—
Tonight in Heaven shall we meet again.

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And some limericks of more recent vintage
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There once was a lady from Mexico
Who dreamed of becoming a lexico-
grapher. Yet all could tell,
After quite a bad spell,
She’d be better off working for Texaco.
(2000)

*

A young virtuoso from Cuba
Performed Meistersinger on tuba.
Boasted he: “Nothing to it!”
Said the critic: “You blew it!
Take your tuba and move to Aruba!”
(2000)

*

A lassie from old Caledonia
Kissed Sir Malcolm and told Mal, "I'll phone ya!"
Lassie skipped off to Italy,
And, alas, he heard diddly.
Grumbled Mal: "That gal's full of Bologna."
(2002)

*

George Washington's singular aim:
That the rose garden bearing his name
Be known as a place
Of beauty and grace.
Thus George W.'s bush rose to fame!
(2019)