An Eclectic Collage

By Tom Hodges

An Eclectic Collage is a collection of poems that studies not only the vicissitudes of the natural world but that of humanity, as well. His most challenging subjects are men and women and the interactions between the two, although there is something equally mesmerizing about the changing foliage of fall from green to oranges and reds.
Some poems are abstract, while others speak with clear intent. There is lightheartedness and levity but also serious depth and the occasionally tragic. The words sometimes inspire readers to make their own conclusions, but every word is an impression left behind, meant to be discovered and, if not understood, then at least admired.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Oct 29, 2015
• ISBN: 9781490765327

Tom Hodges

Poet Tommy Hodges grew up in Coppell, Texas, where he eventually became a teacher. Much of his writing sprung from his Texas roots, onward to the American South, and into the rugged mountains of Colorado. Nature left a huge impression on his imagination, which led him to be observant and visionary.

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Copyright 2015 Tom Hodges.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

ISBN:

978-1-4907-6534-1 (sc)

ISBN:

978-1-4907-6533-4 (hc)

ISBN:

978-1-4907-6532-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015915453

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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Table of Contents

1   The Actor

2   Adventurer

3   Alive

4   Annual Parade

5   Apple of My Eye

6   Arrogance

7   An Autumn Symphony

8   AWAKE

9   Awesome

10   The Beauty of a Jewel

11   Beyond the Sensible

12   BIRDS OF A FEATHER

13   Black Lights and Blue Circles

14   Botticelli’s Delight

15   The Box

16   Bryce Canyon

17   Burn the Candle

18   Burning Scarlet

19   Buzzards are Circling

20   Caged

21   Caprice

22   Chasing Shadows

23   The Circle

24   Climax

25   Close to Infidelity

26   Clouds

27   Cold Front

28   Collecting Thoughts

29   Colorado Spring

30   Come Dance

31   Conscious

32   Creative Foliage

33   Dusting Rose Petals

34   Creative Power

35   EL CURANDERO

36   Dance Ballerina

37   A Dandelion Seed

38   Definable Limits

39   Dejected

40   Del Mar

41   DETOUR

42   Dialogue

43   Don’t Cry for Me

44   Dreamer

45   The Drifter

46   DROUGHT

47   Dust to Dust

48   Eastern Capers

49   Endless Search

50   Epitaph

51   Erased

52   Eros

53   Eternal Wound

54   Exposed and Humiliated

55   Extra Dimension

56   Eyes are Windows

57   Fading Flame

58   Feel My Sorrow

59   Flame

60   Flight 2165

61   Foggy with Froggies

62   Forever Autumn

63   Fourth Generation

64   The Gamble

65   The Gift

66   Gone to Glory

67   Grace

68   Graduation

69   Green on Blue

70   Growing Old

71   Half-mast

72   Heat of the Moment

73   Homestead

74   Humanity

75   I’m Sorry

76   Impasse

77   Innocence

78   Inside Nowhere

79   Invisible Choir

80   Involuntary Creations

81   Last Dance

82   Last Taboo

83   The Law

84   Leave a Footprint

85   Life is Fragile

86   A LITTLE DEWDROP

87   Little One

88   Loser

89   Louise

90   Lovers

91   Lover’s Post

92   Magic Bullet

93   Mama Red

94   Man Created God

95   The Mask

96   Mata Ortiz

97   The Matriarch

98   Meaning Lost

99   Mediocrity

100   Memoire

101   Memories

102   Mental Image

103   Milky Way

104   Mobile Gallery

105   The Model

106   MOONSTRUCK

107   Moving On

108   My Valentine

109   New Blood

110   A New Day

111   Oak Trees and Squirrels

112   The Obituary

113   Ode to a Friend

114   AN ODE TO SILENCE

115   Odyssey of Sam Montague

116   Olive Branch

117   Once a Tomcat

118   Optical Illusion

119   Orange Ball

120   Our Milestone

121   Out of Rhythm

122   Papa’s Chromosome

123   Pheromones

124   A Picture of a Dream

125   Poetic Means

126   Point of Aries

127   Point of Nostalgia

128   Primavera

129   Privilege

130   Prodigal Spring

131   Red

132   Reflections in the Window

133   Ritual

134   Romantic Illusion

135   Rose Garden

136   Rufous

137   Scots-Irish

138   Searchlight

139   Separate Designs

140   Signature Footprint

141   Sins of the Fathers

142   Snow Angels

143   Snow in the Sun

144   Spring

145   Stars

146   Status of a King

147   Stone Blossom

148   Sunflower

149   Sunshine

150   Test Case

151   Texas Hill Country

152   Thorny Muse

153   Time

154   Tonight

155   Two Voices

156   Un Tango Peligroso

157   Vernal Bloom

158   Waiting for a Miracle

159   The Web

160   What Good is Eternity?

161   What Is Enough

162   Wild Goose

163   A Wild Red Rose

164   Winter of Our Years

165   Wisteria Bouquet

166   Without Hope

167   Word Painting

168   Yellow Leaf

IN MEMORY

GLADYS PAULINE PATRICK

Mom only had a fourth grade education. Her sentences never had commas or a period or a question mark. Spelling was just the way the word sounded to her, but you could always understand what she meant.

Not long before she passed away, she said, I thought I was going to have to go to Denton and burn that school down just to get you out of there. I grinned and never said a word, for I knew she was right. Yep! A higher education was not my cup of tea. I often think of her over the years. She stuck by me all the way and said, Tommy, never forget where you came from.

Acknowledgments

Being subjective is peculiar to particular individuals. They know what they like – it’s personal, and it’s their judgement.

For that reason, several people read parts of my collection. These ladies spent a lot of time and effort in their selections. I am indebted to Charlsie Hays, Mary Hitch, Diane Pepin and Mary Powell.

Janet Williams an editor from San Marcos, California not only typed, but recommended many insightful changes that were most helpful.

Dr. Frances Weisser is the one who reads my first draft. It is she who has an eye, for the flow and sensibility of each poem.

A special Thanks to Nikki Alexander, who is an artist living in Brooklyn, New York. The picture drawn for this book shows her talent.

Standing upon the shoulders of these fine people, a special Thank You is in order. One never gets anywhere alone.

Preface

In this collection, you will read about the antics of animals or the intricacies of human behavior. Whether you want lightheartedness or levity, you’ll find it in these pages.

Your journey will introduce the captivating, whimsical, and sometimes downright serious poems. This read encompasses the human experience between two of the most challenging to understand creatures on earth – men and women.

Included in this eclectic mix are subjects that are rather abstract. These writings were meant to challenge the reader to search for their own meaning, or to find their own realm of thought.

Some of these poems are impressions. Especially those based upon nature and the creative spirit. Autumn is a good time to write about the colors of fall. A season that gives bold strokes of red and gold.

Throughout this selection, the writer will refer to his roots about growing up in Coppell, Texas. It is here that his interest in history and geography play a role in poetry and his imagination.

The material comes from the author’s experience as a teacher. He has spent a lifetime of observation from the hill country of Texas to the American Southwest, and the rugged mountains of Colorado.

The Actor