Friday, December 23, 2016

fortitude

fortitude
disguised in the heart
a thick bitter reminder
of death’s companion
stalking the pleasures
this old soul takes solace in
during the music

Thank you to Luke for publishing this today on Micropoetry.com! 

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Wife on micropoetry today =:-)

wife
my hand cannot write
when faced with your dark whispers
only touch your skin


http://micropoetry.com/wife.html
page includes some of my other recent work.




Monday, November 28, 2016

VerseWrights

VerseWrights.com is edited by Carl Sharpe, and today he published a group of my poems from my forthcoming book. Thank you Carl!

http://www.versewrights.com/soos-r.html

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

"Judge" can be read on 'in between hangovers' =:-)

Tasha, from in between hangovers, was kind enough to publish my diatribe poem "judge today. Read it at

https://inbetweenhangovers.wordpress.com/2016/11/24/judge-by-r-soos/

Be the first to like it, or tweet it, or whatever else you do with stuff nowadays. Just don't hurt me physically =:-)

Friday, November 18, 2016

music in Micropoetry today =:-)

music

welcomes the dying
returning now to the earth
it all sounds like time

Thank you Luke for publishing 'music' in Micropoetry =:-)
http://micropoetry.com/music-7.html

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Five poems translated by Irsa Ruçi

Five of my poems were translated in to Albanian by Irsa Ruçi and published in International Poetry today. Very cool. I've had my books translated into Spanish, German, and French that I'm aware of. This is the first time I've seen some in Albanian. Thank you, Irsa!

Click here to visit International Poetry magazine





Dimër (winter)
Këto poezi mbajnë ngrohtë
shpirtin që vrapon rastësisht
mes stuhisë së tërbuar.

Dimër
Këto stuhi mbajnë ngrohtë
Shpirtin që vrapon rastësisht
Në poezi të tërbuara.

Dimër
Këto shpirtra do të mbajnë ngrohtë
Me stuhi të tërbuara drejtuar
Në poezi të rastësishme.



Këmba’ karriges (the chair leg)

Lëkundjet kanë pësuar dridhje
për më tepër se një dekadë
dhe ne sërishmi e mbajmë.



Shënim për studentët e mi (note to my students)

Unë rritem në qoftë se ju rriteni
Ndërsa unë ju jap hapësirën të vallëzojnë
Me ndryshimin, shpresën dhe jetën.


Vetmi e trishtë (lonesome wild)

Ai vazhdon të dobësohet ndërsa gruaja e tij
Ia shikon vdekjen në një shënim mbi piano
Në atë kohë përpiqet të shtypë
gjithë peshën e trupit të tij
në një mot të plotfuqishëm
ku akordet i kishin përdorur gjakun për të gdhendur
melodinë dhe vargun


Vizion (vision)
Më kujtohet Perëndia
kur era të shndrijë përmes ajrit
fjalët do të formojnë lutjen
fjalët do të formojnë lutjen
kur era të shndrijë përmes ajrit
unë do kujtoj Perëndinë

© Rich Soos
(Translated from English to Albanian by Irsa Ruçi)

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Scarlet Leaf Review November issue released . . .

Scarlet Leaf Review is based in Toronto, and is based on the theory that "people of the written word...should also spread their thoughts worldwide without the boundaries of conventional frontiers". Editor In Chief Roxana Nastase and her staff have demonstrated this believe since 2012. The latest monthly issue has work by writers from Dubai, Italy, Ireland, Albania, Zimbabwe, Indonesia, Kenya, India, and many other countries on this earth. There are also six poems representing the ancient country of Texas, recently swallowed by the United States included - thank you very much Roxana & staff!

http://www.scarletleafreview.com/poemsnov16/category/r-soos

Six poems published by International Poetry

Irsa Ruçi published six of my poems today in the wonderful magazine from Albania, International Poetry. Thank you Irsa!

Sunday, November 13, 2016

New Poems in Dissident Voice today

Big thanks to Angie, poetry editor of Dissident Voice for publishing Five Small Peeks Inside from my upcoming chapbook, Cell Notebook: http://dissidentvoice.org/2016/11/five-small-peeks-inside/

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Poems published in three magazines today!

A very excellent day for poems from the new book I'm working on =:-) Thanks to Guy for publishing Chess in The Poet Community: http://www.thepoetcommunity.com/9033/chess-a-poem-by-r-soos
Thanks to Tasha for publishing Earth in InBetweenHangovers: https://inbetweenhangovers.wordpress.com/2016/11/02/earth-by-r-soos/ Thanks to Elsie for publishing Chaplain in Elsieisy: http://www.elsieisy.com/chaplain/

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Five new poems published today in Peacock Journal...

Beautiful layout & lots of personal touches by the team at Peacock Journal! You really need to visit to appreciate all the work they do!

http://peacockjournal.com/r-soos-five-poems/


Sunday, October 23, 2016

Thank you to Angie at Dissident Voice for publishing "shame" today

Thank you to Angie, poetry editor at DissidentVoice.org for publishing "shame" today. Friends, please 'like' and read the other cool poems that went up today =:-)

http://dissidentvoice.org/2016/10/shame/

Friday, October 14, 2016

together

sometimes we remember the dreams
in the life we rely on for bread and wine
then strive to recall which breath taken
contained the true call for sustenance

"Beyond" appears in Random Poem Tree

random poem tree published my poem 'beyond' today. this video was created to celebrate random poem tree


Thursday, October 13, 2016

Thursday, October 6, 2016

"Center" published by Random Poem Tree today

Thank you to Random Poem Tree for publishing "Center". I am interested in comments on the poem, of course; but also on whether the music enhances or distracts from the poem. Thanks for taking two minutes to watch! - Rich


silence

rules the daylight soul
which only comes out to speak
in the dark of dream

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Sunday, October 2, 2016

youth

there is always one
standing away from the group
not understanding

Saturday, October 1, 2016

think

you have no real choice
the mind never finds quiet
there is nothing else

Thursday, September 29, 2016

place

becoming old folks
was not in our plans my love
and yet here we are

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

wind

brushes dust through air
collecting in piles of life
we can sweep away

Saturday, September 24, 2016

fragments

of the texas sky
dance loud with hot stinging dust
watering my eyes

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

wind

builds new worlds for me
to explore every morning
walking through the yard

Monday, September 19, 2016

watching

through the old mirror
the child likes to pretend
I cannot see her

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Darkness 9-11-01

time capsule 9-11-16

time capsule. I wrote this after the second plane hit on 9-11-01. I was unable to work on it over the next few days - It was simply too raw in my gut to reflect. I put it in a sealed envelope and wrote "open on 9-11-16" My intention was to re-write this into a poem. I find I cannot add or subtract anything. It is still too raw.



darkness (9-11-01)

the sun scatters ash
inches thick on the cool streets

ash climbs to the sun
and darkens the morning sky

I will live on for a long time
in the shadows of the city

two airplanes at right angles
to disappeared towers

past travelers trembling swirling
apparitions with lasting scents

veins humming with distant
voices marking the pavement

there is no looking back
this is truly left waiting for phrases

more remote than the years
on the other side of the earth

blood dries amid wilted brambles
in deserted solitude of wanderers

crushed brick dust explosions build
fragmented grime gardens down alleys

stone pieces float through the thick air
chewed by workers breathing lungfuls

broken glass piles up in entrances
no longer useful for escape

silence is sure yet impossible
as screams form in asphyxiating minds

struggling for breath once the airline bombs
ignored the bodies still present in the city

kneeling in prayer for survival once the moldy
smell of stone wet by firehoses dries

the engines ceased roaring and no one noticed

Sunday, August 28, 2016

stars

yield their light to me
with no true obligation
yet I love them back

Monday, August 15, 2016

canvas

she paints her own self
without the need for mirrors
her brush reaching deep

Sunday, August 14, 2016

Saturday, August 13, 2016

dawn

celebrate our life
for everything exists here
in the morning light

Friday, August 12, 2016

song

to see the words dance
with the notes on staves above
is a secret joy

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

present

so hard to live there
till everything is taken
then there is no choice

bees

shape a wide cradle
to rock the fruit of flowers
from their little legs

Monday, August 8, 2016

rain

despite its absence
fruit rises from the desert
laughing at this man

Thursday, July 21, 2016

eyes

constant pain bravely
reflects in hearts of strangers
passing on the street

Saturday, July 16, 2016

holes

in bagels and socks
used to have a good strong name
now long forgotten

Sunday, July 3, 2016

Sunday, June 26, 2016

Saturday, June 25, 2016

solitude

the sky sweeps treetops
memory anchors in grief
as birds praise morning

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

The Anxiety Quintet

+

anxious

my thoughts are obscure
I ignore my own advice
I don't want to be

+

fear

afraid all the time
every breath and step is scared
I don’t trust myself

+

anxious

thoughts are still running
through my dreams and my daylight
not letting me in

+

sleepless

alone in my bed
restless sadness deep inside
and the dark remains

+

anxious

I see myself stand
shouting at my thoughts to stop
but they can't sit still

+

Saturday, June 4, 2016

bluebonnets

bowed slightly from rain
seem deep in prayer for sunlight
early this morning

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

alone

this song won't talk back
so easy to sing along
headstrong harmony

Monday, May 23, 2016

Saturday, May 21, 2016

music

the sound of the sea
will constantly be changing
with vibrant noises

Sunday, May 8, 2016

pensive

burdens fall off dreams
allowing us to fly blind
through the storm filled sky

Friday, April 29, 2016

anger


anxious and empty
murmuring words to myself
as in the desert

myself murmuring
anxious and empty dry words
blowing with the sand

as in the desert
murmuring words to myself
anxious and empty

Sunday, April 17, 2016

photograph

I am younger there
the door has been painted since
my hands tremble now

Thursday, April 14, 2016

dust-devils


light swirls from within
past scrub grass burnt by the sun
majestic whirling

Monday, April 11, 2016

Friday, April 8, 2016

poetry

words flat on a page
are like a six string guitar
waiting to be strummed

Thursday, April 7, 2016

bee

my honey is made
of words dropped onto the page
in my own language

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

lice


just saying the word
causes an itch all over
some words have power

Saturday, April 2, 2016

treasure


work pays with fatigue
the pure wages of the poor
in need of rich sleep

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

stranger


he walked on ahead
said nothing of importance
and danced with the wind

he danced with the wind
said nothing of importance
and walked on ahead

he walked on nothing
stayed ahead of importance
and whirled with the dance

Friday, March 25, 2016

shape


symbols contain words
that are lost to all mankind
and beautiful still

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

pebbles


small stones form shadows
on the road beneath the sun
cooling the ant's path

Monday, March 21, 2016

rains

rains

unleashed with thunder
flood my yard with a new sea
of brilliant green grass

+

thunder

echoes at night and
attacks from all directions
I am still standing

Sunday, March 20, 2016

two

writing

it's all for my fun
to see if these old squiggles
turn into new worlds

+

listening

when you see inside
the beauty of the whole world
shines forth from the depths

Sunday, March 13, 2016

haiku


poems are problems
because they're gathered in books
and read as a whole

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Monday, March 7, 2016

lamp


I've turned pages here
in this chair with this great light
to many new worlds

Friday, March 4, 2016

alphabet

alphabet

the letters gather
like holy eagles nesting
in a raging storm

+

alphabet

the letters gather
like holy angels hidden
in a storming rage

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

conflict


mouths move when hearts won't
constant babble rules our tongue
silence rules our blood

Monday, February 29, 2016

obstacles


layers of self rise
in a cloud like mist hiding
the clearly laid path

Thursday, February 25, 2016

alone


sitting in the yard
under ten thousand new stars
hidden from cities

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

birth

a fire river
yells through her shadow's body
till tears fill her breasts

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

adrift


my heart is hiding
from the noises of the world
and still hears birds sing

Monday, February 22, 2016

Thursday, February 18, 2016

trees


praying arms upraised
decorated with new clothes
each year at this time

Friday, February 12, 2016

Saturday, February 6, 2016

singing


prayers for my soul
dancing on the face of earth
washing one more dish

Friday, February 5, 2016

Monday, February 1, 2016

Friday, January 29, 2016

grace


forgets my desires
and wanderings through the world
then draws me back home

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

happy


sifting the flour
baking the bread with great thanks
loving splendid smell

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

dawn


unreasonable
sunlight breaks through the slumber
wounding my great joy

voice


I play on my flute
mute words hidden my soul
revealing my dreams

Monday, January 18, 2016

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

prayer


calms the inward breath
shifting the weight of my voice
toward the root of love

Sunday, January 10, 2016

Saturday, January 9, 2016

camping series

ranger cabin

showing history
in panoramic movies
while nature awaits

+

camping

we call it boonies
the paved road ends abruptly
we hike in a mile

+

tea

of eucalyptis
and cut pine needles over
our own campfire

+


hiking

ridges on the cliffs
have lizards sunning themselves
as we walk nearby

+

peak

my heart feels at one
with the thousand mile view
as my son sings loud

+

descending

the worn path downward
writhes beneath our sliding feet
steep sloped wilderness

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

windowpane


day shines through dust streams
lifting the morning through stars
my son laughs aloud

Sunday, January 3, 2016

poetry

covers deepest pain
with spiritual reason
drawn beyond darkness

Friday, January 1, 2016

books


looking down on words
puts me into a prayful
position for life