Greater Than Sum: A 7 Section Series of Poems Using 21 Words or Less

By Donald Alan Straub III and David Scott Tapie

Greater Than Sum, the second book in the Lake Parking Trilogy, is a series of poems using 21 words or less. Stylistically, the poetry was shaped through use of language, a curious exploration of vocabulary, board games & cards, a poetic musicality, and in response to wanting to take an alternate road from the first book in the Trilogy. While it’s a darker journey, splendor is not overlooked in surveying the wide assortment of themes and issues fostered within this book. We’re confronted with both the rational and unreasonable. It’s a puzzle of art and life seen through a looking glass.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 5, 2008
• ISBN: 9781465331335

Donald Alan Straub III

Donald Alan Straub III, born in Lakewood, California, was raised in Long Beach, California. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Film/Radio/Television from CSU Long Beach. While attending film school and since graduation, he has directed, produced, written, and edited a number of films. Don has pursued other various interests in recent years. Currently working in Commercial Real Estate. Now he’s chosen to broaden his scope and attempt a trilogy of books titled the Lake Parking Trilogy. This is the third book in the trilogy and his fourth book published. Don married his beautiful wife Karrie in 2011 and considers himself blessed to have an immensely smart stepson in Ryan.  Francisca Shannon Bouchée-Flores was born in Seattle, Washington, and raised in Redmond, where she lived through her first year at the University of Washington. After meeting her now husband on a road trip to San Diego, California, Francisca transferred and graduated from California State University, Long Beach, with a Bachelor of Arts in Film/Radio/Television from CSU Long Beach in 1996. Francisca has continued to capture life's smiles and memories through her work in the school picture industry since 1998. She enjoys spending time with her husband Matthew and their three children—Mahlia, Liahna, and Maverick—in their hometown of Huntington Beach, California.  

Book preview

Copyright © 2008 by Donald Alan Straub III.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Rev. date: 05/27/2021

Xlibris

844-714-8691

www.Xlibris.com

580117

I

dedicate this book to my

Mother,

Barbara Ann

Contents

The Lake Parking Trilogy

The Collaborations

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Section I:

VASTELAND

MOONLIGHT PERSUADE

FLAT UNIVERSE

THOU STRIKEN RAPTURE

PAIN-EMBEDDED

EMBLAZONED SPARROW

VERSE FROM A RAINMAKER

THE BATTLE OF MAN & PEACE

THE FINEST VESSEL

WHAT COMES TO MIND

MORE

AGING

NATURE’S LUMINOUS DANCE

FACADE

GETTING IN TOUCH

CREATION

ABSTRUSE

OBSERVATIONS FROM THE PRISTINE EVERGREEN

DEMISE

SECURITY RISK

COMMON THREADS

GHOSTLY BENEDICTIONS

SELF-PROGRESS

ANSWER ME, WHY?

PREPOSTEROUS

SOLAR EMERGENCE

ACCIDENTAL FROLIC

IN MOVING BEYOND THE PAST …

THE MEDIA EYE

COGNITIVE DECLINE

WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT

SPHERE OF CANDLES

WITH

SOBER

BAD VIBES

AN ARABIAN QUIET

SAFE OR SHATTERED?

INDIGENOUS

WHOLE WE DIG

CIRCLES

THE ARTIST: Defiance Against Imposing Suppression

CORSET

CROWN OF THORNS

THE MASSES HAVE SPOKEN

HALF-HEARTED

STUFFED

GLISTEN

EX

A KINK IN THE ARMOR

OVERMATCHED

ARDUOUS ASSEMBLY

DRAWER OF LOST AND UNFORGOTTEN

BENEATH ONESELF

LIBERATION & CONSERVATION

REUNIFICATION

EVEN VULTURES NEED TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES

THE GENRE OF HORROR

INTERTWINED

HARK

AN ELECTION … Too Close To Call

OF BLANKETED SHEETS

TALK WITH ME

THE HIERARCHY OF THE SAPPHIRE

THE DAWN OF DUSK

A ROBIN’S HOOD

ISMS

CARPOOL

TIANANMEN 2

THE EVOLUTION OF PROCESS

ARACHNID AND ITS EPIC SCOPE

COMPLICITORS

BATH OF FIRE

TOOL TO INGRAIN

LEFT BLINKER IS ON IN ORDER TO

CHANGE LANES AND MERGE

PIONEERING THE SACRED LANDS

CARBON COPY

… OR ELSE THEY WILL DIE!

EARS BECOMING ECLECTIC

Section II:

A SOULER CLEANSING

MOZART’S GROOVE

SLIPPERY WHEN WET

ELIXIR

SAUNTERING THROUGH A SUN-LIT HURRAH

BENT

QUICKSAND

INTERMINGLE

EXPLETIVE

A GANDER IN THE MIST

A SHOE-IN TO WIN MONTGOMERY WARS

THIS, THE, & THESE

GIVETH AND TAKETH

MIND FULL

HAMMER

DECIDED

INTERSECTION OF DISCRETION

THE SPY GAME

TRANSLUCENT CARGO

TAMING OF THE SHREWD

DEAD TO THE WORLD: Yesterday’s News

DOT CALM

REASON

REMEMBERING THE GOLDEN SPECTERS HARVESTED

THE STORIED NIGHT FISHING

THE COMPLETE SEASON

FIVE GENERATIONS FOR PART OF ONE DAY

A TRUE RECORD

RESERECT HER FROM THE FEEDING CREVASSE

SENSORY OVERLOAD

502

THE FLOWERING OF YOUTH

IVY TURNSTILES

NO KNOW PELLUCID

BAR CODE STEPPING

BATTERING RAM PART

INVADE THE SHELL PARADE

THE CITY

THE VOWELS OF ANONYMITY

A TENSION SPAN

THE BOY DOUBTS OF AMERICA

TRANSISTOR RIOTS

RETIRE FROM WHAT’S GOING ON IN

THE WORLD AND YOU LOSE

NOAH, DUH!

BE YOURSELF

FRAIL PORCELAIN PYRAMID

BRILLIANT DEDUCTION

STAR STRUCK

REVEAL THE CONCEALED

MAY DAY MAYHEM

FULL MOON DELIGHT

VALUE IN ONE’S TAPESTRY UNEARTHED

NRG FX

SUMMIT

VILE

OUTWEIGHING THE COST

INTEGRITY OF THE GAME

HOP, SCOTCH, & SLAB

SOME INDULGE GENTS

TENETS I JEST

TEASE

JUST THE FAX MA’AM

SELL-OUT

BEIGE RIPENED ORANGE

PHASED

CAN’T HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER

4-WAY STOP

BEYOND MY YEARS

PANTOMIME

VERBAL FUSELAGE

VIGIL

RED, WHITE, AND BLUE

PROLIFERATE THE PROVOCATIVE: Laughter Can Generate Much Needed Discussion When Taken Seriously

THE INVALIDS

ROOSEVELT MODELS HAVE PAST

SPARK

THE ENCHANTED

REIGN

Section III:

THE MESSOTERIC

PATH A MELTED SUN

THE VESTED INTERESTS WE OWE INFORMANTS

HEALTH CARE?

CASE STUDY

THE UNCROWNING OF THE COVETED LIMELIGHT

MID-AIR COLLISION

NINE ONE ONE

THE MOURNING AFTER

SHALL NOT LIVE UNDER THE VEIL OF EVIL

LET’S NOT FORGET!

ALLAHBUDDHAGOD

TOMORROW’S YESTERDAY

ALL ENCOMPASS PLANET

THE DRUMMING OF A JELLYFISH

THE PARADOX BOX

VANQUISHED

WINE & DINE

DIS FUNK, SHUN ALL

DRAMA QUEEN

BELIEVE & OVERCOME SELF

SLANT

PARKING LOT SYNDROME

PALINDROME IN PAL

I CHALLENGE YOU

WHAT’S NEXT?

THE LONG SLEEP

DEMEANING DEMEANOR

MAILTHRAX

THE POGO STICK AND A HANDFUL OF CHAMELEONS

STUBBORN AS HELL

AFGHAN SWEATER

DOUSE THE FLAMES

21st CENTURY CAVEMEN

I IN INK

EVERY NEVER

OVER INTELLECTUALIZED GIMMICK?

MISSION STATEMENT

PRISONER OR TARGET OF TORTURE?

ADDITIONAL FOUND RESPECT

UNDER THE WEATHER

THE MISADVENTURES IN COMMERCIAL SLUMLORDING

BEARING ON DIRECTIVE

THE ART OF REJECTION

FEINTING

COMMUTER SURGE

R U 486?

DEVIL’S FOOD

UP FROM HERE

DECEMBER 7, 2001

WHISK OF HOUNDS

THE PENUMBRA SURROUNDING THE UMBRA

FEAR THE LESS

THE COUNTER FITS

A TREE-A-THEE FOR WE

REVISED

GENSANITY

THE WATERCOOLER

ESPECIALLY HOME AFTER TIME AWAY …

PIGGYBACK AND ITS VARIANCE

EXASPERATING INDEED

RESOLUTIONS

TREADING UPON A CRACKING DOME

WORDS FROM A FORMER GUNSLINGER

ENWRONG

A SIGN OF THE SANITIZED

CLUSTER

ESSENTIALLY PERTINENT BEFORE THE FACT

WHEN THE HERDS HEAR

CONDUIT

MANIFESTO DUET

GRANT WHAT’S RIGHT

SHAKE-UP

MATCH POINT & SERVICE ACE

KICK YOU IN THE MEZZANINE

POWER SWITCH

MIND YOUR P’s, Q’s, and CLICHES

UNFINISHED MASTERPIECE

Section IV:

FLUX

SOLE MATES

SUSTENANCE

SPRINGBOARD

COMMANDEER

FIVE RINGS UNITED

EXPOUNDING ON HUMANITY

EXPONENTIAL GROWTH

VERY SPECIAL