Hidden Fields, Book 4: Selected and Collected Poems from 1981-2007

By Dr. Charles Ford

In Hidden Fields, Book 4, author Charles gets a chance to share his feelings and thoughts in a personal way. He presents themes of Friends, Friendships, Romance, and Love with respects to choices. Charles writes in the spirit of poetry from his heart revealing his experiences one after another in great detail.

He was inspired by his everyday experiences from lessons he had learned and lived, too. Many of these experiences, their lessons, were not always clear and evidential, some were after the fact; nonetheless, he gained a wealth of knowledge about others and himself.

In hindsight, he believes that human beings are all evolving and unfolding in their own uniqueness, genetic make-up, from experience to experience, lesson to lesson, and realization to realization. All human beings are gifted, and blessed to have volition to make better choices in their lives.

Charles believed that soon like himself, that human beings will reach for more insightfulness in their choices; thus, to grasp some sense of wisdom within the best of their choices. For Charles, choices continue to have a profound effect on his life as he faces himself in the light of the unknown and progressive future.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Nov 30, 2012
• ISBN: 9781479728589

Dr. Charles Ford

n.a

Book preview

HIDDEN FIELDS

BOOK 4

Selected and Collected Poems

from

1981-2007

Copyright © 2012 by Dr. Charles Ford.

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.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

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123839

Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgements

With Friends

My Soul Hears: Knows

Neo-Face In Picturesqueness

Kindness Exists

Undid Business

I WitnessYou

From ’Hind

Different Loves

Friendship Is?

Unbounded Love

Past And Present: Friends

Birthday Situation

My Talk: New Girl

A Mystery

Behind A Picture

Love Upon Friendship

To Sue

Becomes Aware

Her Unrealistic Situation

I Take

Ethereal Spirit

Flies . . .

Out Of Accident: Praemonere

Be Friends

Until The Rain Came

We Are Friends

½

Deal With The Present

Enjoy Now

My Moment

Realize A Friend Inside

Lost Decision

Van

This Is Real

A Changed Friend

To Realize

Winning You Back

Power Of Words Sighted: Thoughts Directed

Where Are We?

Lost Control

Enter Into Her Known

Selfish Friend—

Being Honest

Hurt Me?

True Within

Besides The Changes

Who Are You?

A Need: I Question’d

Janet

His Transition: ’Hind

To Learn

Word Insight

New Start

Married Awhile

For Sale

To The End?

Eyes And Hands Know

Through Her Changes

Unwilled

Short Lived

Her Loaded Mouth

A Past Goddess

Friend End?

Only Stars Know

Brown

Womanmade

Your Hug

Red Meanings

From Mouth’s Experience

’Tween A Friend And I

The Let Down

A German/Cuban

Special Places And Times

Much Fruit

Moment: pas à pas

Overhead

Her Revealing Self

Human Ways?

Completion?

Our Freedom

Distance Yet Near

The Smile

State Of Affairs

A Desired Star

A Chance: Friendship

In Spite Of

Friendship

Delightfulness

Red Chance

Golden Moment

A Few Words

Certain Emotions

Unquestionable

Ere Winded Chance?

Golden Pixie

Found Friend

Just Another Chance

A Gassed Night

Passé Partout

Let’s Order

A Trans’ View

Castle Builders

Bird Message

Perfection

Grow Always

Handy Man

Shared Moment

Inquisitiveness

Mirabilia

In Her Conscientiousness: Lamentando

Hidden Friend?

Accepted Feelings

Found In A Cubicle

I Am Helpless Externally?

Irrational Experiences?

Love Not A Ghost

I Wish

Our Love

In The Night

Wishful Insight

Experiential Love

Tarantism: Orgiastic Rite

Primitive Love

Unforgettable

Tricked Fooled

Your Will

Presently Here?

Timely Love?

Destroyed?

Your Words

About You

Listen

A Goddess Will

A Special Part

To Paint From Mind

Free Awhile

Tongued

Safe With You

Hopeful Relationship

Late Night

The Formless Is Process?

Just Before

Lost In His Acts

Love Again

Implied Love

Dealing With Love

Changed Kiss

Beyond Our Present

For Real: Mixed Up

Consumable

Together

Flesh Or Not?

Experience You

Endless Experiences

Life ’Til Death

A Special Time

If I Knew

Your Next Self

Found

Lost: Kiss

Plans

Atomized

All’s Game

Between Two Notes

In Love

Treasure

Inside Me

Special Love

Discourse Of Steel

Our Secret Love

Words That Burn

The Source Of My Proof

Non-materialistic Programmed

I Can Feel

Janus-Faced Moments

Situational Love

Hairs: Words

It’s Day

Red Expressions

Love Melts

Behind The Scenes

Stop Speaking

You Are Not . . .

Controlled By Desire?

Her Smile

Night Is Not

My Dearest

There’s A Thought

Love Found

Love: Twisted Business

Unloved Fool

Turn The Corner

Never Been Love

To Love

Passion ’Hind $?

Chance

Fight For Feeling: Canto Three—

Finding Ourselves

Toes—

Got To Complete

Silent Letter

Built Wish

A United Experience

Rememberable News

Our Doves Escape

Our Split Seconds

Gift Of The Gab

Colorful Expressions

Desiring As Much As

Spiritual Situation

Expressive

She And I Wanted

Realized Chance

Step Back: Love

Abashed Love

She Takes Me

Happiness

Another Chance

E ’en Ere

The Stage

Vessels

AI

A Wanted Union

Selected Bibliography

Also By Charles Ford

Hidden Fields: Book 1

Hidden Fields: Book 2

Hidden Fields: Book 3

Thank God for My Family

I Forever Will! Their Fields

Unto the World at Large . . .

Foreword

In Hidden Fields, book 4, I presented a lot of poems about friends/friendships and romance/love. Much has been written about these subject matters over the centuries by many—writers, philosophers, and poets. People from many parts of life, have shown interest about these matters that are, both personal and perhaps academic too. I hope the public at large will receive my version and style of poetry here with open mindedness, and insightfulness, and even inspire or enlighten them in some kind of way.

I will first begin with a definition, for there are hundreds of them. Now, accordingly to Thorndike Barnhart Comprehensive Desk Dictionary, a friend is 1. person who knows and likes another. 2. person who favors and supports. 3. person who belongs to the same side or group. And friendship is 1. state of being friends. 2. the liking between friends. 3. friendly feeling or behavior. The second set of subject matter, romance is 1. a love story. 2. story or poem telling of heroes, love, colorful adventures, or noble deeds . . . 3. romantic character, quality, or spirit. Love is definite as 1. strong or passionate affection for a person of the opposite sex. 2. Instance of such feeling. 3. this feeling as a subject for books, or as a personified influence. I would like to mention that these various definitions are neither all encompassing, nor the definitions are exhaustive here, but do cover a good range of these subject matters.

I feel that friends/friendships and romance/love play a part in people lives; in fact, in an integrated way, they contribute to the psychological and social development of a person or a people. Moreover, that what is seen in society, health relationships and roles at large from individual to family, the civic and organizational roles of everyone, that is, youth to old age.

I turn to a quote by Plato; he states—

The love of man to woman is a thing common and of course, and at first partakes more of instinct and passion than of choice; but true friendship between man and man is infinite and immortal.

I can see clearly the relation between love and friendship. In other words, Plato makes it clear that when a person is in an intimate relation there is ‘instinct and passion’ involved. For a person that entered a relation with a woman or man choice is not involved that is rationality plays a secondary role, while feelings and emotions dominate the relation. However, with ‘true friendship’ appears to be a stronger bond than ‘love’ because there is choice involvement, and reasoning. A person makes a decision to enter the relation, most time it is mutual agreement. Here I ask, are ‘love’ and ‘true friendship’ a mutual exclusive state of affair? Plato, somehow, believes so because reasoning appears to be supreme over feelings and emotions for these are the things mundane, and do not resided in the world of ideas, or spirit. On the other hand, modern man believes that ‘love’ and ‘true friendship’ are not necessary mutual exclusive. A person can be in love, and yet be a true friend to each other in a relation. Now, is this really possible or is there some kind of word game going on? I do know personal that I have had friends that later I did fall in love with, and in the relation our friendship remained intact. Also, after some time we fell out of love, the friendship remained there. Also, like to mention one last thing, I believe that there is some else going on, it appears to be the order that is whether a person is first friend and then falls in love verses falling in love first and becoming friends later. I reason the former appear to remain intact, while latter not so. I guess modern man appears much more complex than ancient man in their roles and world views.

Lastly, a lot of my poems, I deal with these subject matters of friends and love. I hope that the reader can appreciate my various experiences that have included here, and perhaps, gain some insight about the poems, moreover, the philosophies that are behind them, and possibly see what I see, and hear what I hear and so forth. Because many of my experiences, are interwoven with richness, colorfulness, and tunefulness; bathed in my feelings, ideas, and thoughts. I can say that all the good and bad choices that have contribute to my development, were not always clear at first especially, to see the whole picture of things, but was realized after the fact, this instilled within me wisdom to make better choices. Thus, I can say in a sense to write better poems about these experiences and after reflections.

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge the many past writers that have written about friends and friendships. There is Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, Democritus, Cicero, Confucius, Thomas Merton, Benjamin Franklin, Jonathan Swift, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thomas Fuller, and Henry David Thoreau. Those writers that have written on romance and love are Hecato of Rhodes, Publius Ovidius Naso Ovid, William Shakespeare, Victor Hugo, John Milton, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Oscar Wilde, Marcel Proust, John Updike, and Langston Hughes.

I am thankful for all my past friends from childhood to adulthood along life’s road. Also, my present friends, that are, near and afar for insight, encouragement, and wisdom. Again, I am very fortunate to have met all, with much gratitude and praises. I pray always for your betterments and blessings that go out unto you.

Last, I would truly like to acknowledge all those animals that were in my childhood while I lived on a farm, for there is where I first saw and watch the many relationships among animals and soon gain a lot of knowledge and insight about their ways.

"He that is thy friend indeed

He will help thee in thy need."

—William Shakespeare (1564-1616),

The Passionate Pilgrim, XXI, 23, 1599

The best way to keep your friends is not to give them away.

—Wilson Mizner (1876-1933)

My friend is one . . . who takes me for what I am.

—Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), Journal, 23 October 1852

A friend is a second self.

—Aristotle (384-322 B.C.), Nicomachean Ethics, 9.4,

tr. J.A.K. Thomson, 1953

Friendships multiply Joy and divide Griefs.

—Thomas Fuller (1654-1734), Comp. Gnomologia:

Adages and Proverbs, 1622, 1732

"Old friends are best: King James used to call

for old shoes, they were easiest to his feet."

—John Selden (1584-1654), Friends, table

Talk, 1689, ed. Frederick Pollock, 1927

FRIENDS / FRIENDSHIPS

A sudden thought strikes me, let us swear an eternal friendship.

—George Canning (1770-1827), The Rovers, I, i

"Winter, spring, summer or fall

All you have to do is call

And I’ll be there,

You’ve got a friend."

—Carole King (1942—), You’re Got a Friend (song), 1971

Similarity of outlook creates friendship.

—Democritus (460-370 B.C.)

"’Tis great Confidence in a Friend to tell him

your Faults, greater to tell him his."

—Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), Poor Richard’s

Almanac, August 1751

Best friend, my wellspring in the wilderness!

—George Eliot (1819-1880), the Spanish Gypsy, bk. 3, 1868

"Greater love hath no man than this, that

A man lay down his life for his friends."

—Saint John 15: 13 (New Testament)

With Friends

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For Rhonda Jones, Molly Higgins, and Christy Anderson

"What became of the friends I had

With whom I was always so close

And loved so dearly?"

—Rutebeuf (c. 1245-1285), La Complainte Rutebeuf

"The flowers withered,

Their color faded away,

While meaninglessly

I spent my days in the world

And the long rains were falling."

—Ono no Komachi (Ninth Century), Kokinshu, 905

Scene): Veronique Charron, "Circle of Words—Friends", 2011

Drama): For the rain it raineth every day.

—William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Twelfth-Night, V.i.407, 1601-02

Movie): Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, Singin’ In The Rain (1952)

Music): Yanni, A Walk In The Rain (If I Could Tell You) (2000),

Robin Spielberg, A Walk Between The Raindrops (A New Kind of Love) (2008),

Michael Brant Demaria, Finding Forever (Ocean) (2009),

Brad Mehldau, When It Rains (Largo) (2001),

Randal Thompson, The Last Invocation chorus (1922),

Modest Mussorgsky, Children’s Games (1860),

Leoš Janáček, Taras Bulba Rhapsody for Orchestra J 6/15 (1915-18),

Leo Sowerby, Violin Concerto In G Major (1913/1924),

Takashi Yoshimatsu, Symphony No. 1 (Kamui-Chikap Symphony Op. 40) (1990),

Robert Simpson, Symphony No. 8 (1981),

& Wilhelm Peterson-Berger, Symphony No. 2 In E Flat Major, Sunnanfard (‘The Journey of Southerly Winds’) (1910)

We had walked under inclement clouds—

My friends were ahead just ere me all

Dressed in their springtime talked colors—

As yellow fields of flowers that appeared

To come to life, chance along with red!

Who should I appreciate here? I thought

Neither of them said a word,—perhaps—

A word; why? But for me, I then stood

Up ready to say, to speak, to mutter a song

Of acknowledgement, that was,—heard.

In the process,—I thought a little further.

I needed to get back quickly to my work,

Homework . . . just a little play, some fun

And laughter among us to change . . . next!

Moment in the aftermath of our joy bells!

Time moves its arms a little further, yet

Our steps appeared unfalse like the truth

Of eternity,—had read, had fallen asleep

Again; meanwhile, one of ’em enters her

B-day, seen in celebration of unlit candles!

DQ appears in mind as bubble thoughts,

For we all will find adventure somewhere

In delightfulness, food! I guess,—life is

Fulfilled not in words only, but within my

Friends like this setting sun! Let’s dance!

Later, near dust hours, we see others talk

About our short comings,—and possible

—Our enriched future: in realms of what,

Who, and when? The dancing queen arrives

Dances as Siva ’til fire appears to touch us!

O we wished a lot, even wanted to touch—

The boundary of two countries! Moreover,

The war in our souls continue to cry out,

Utter unlikeable things about our bodies,

Yet love still rule; I asked, why did it end?

We continue on as day approached within

Our closed eyes after dreams;—I see wet

—Yellow popcorn attempting heaven by

Unknown hands, and I fall back into my

Dark eyes for a while . . . then run and hide!

The scene changes, birth into my presence

One of my beautiful friends: contemplating!

She sits by the room’s window like a soul

That sees from it body, while the rest of us

Attempted to do our homework like crows!

Within this girl, I sensed fearfulness; why?

Is echoed . . . her mirrored image keeps her focus

Got to be fearless like an Indian! But her real

Problem is being very scared of a boy that

—She knows little about,—even not at all.

This boy has wondered, yet he shows kindness,

And understands . . . This quiet girl does not know

How to be friendly, or maybe she is trying

To fool him, nonetheless, her personality is

Absolute Zero and unkind!—He sees little!

What is, and is seen the boy continues to think

About her and the rest of her girlfriends, Why?

My Soul Hears: Knows

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For XXX

Liberty of thought is the life of the soul.

—Voltaire (François Marie Arouet) (1674-1778), Essay on Epic Poetry, 1727

"He who knows others is wise;

He who knows himself is enlightened."

—Lao-tzu (c. 604-c. 531 B. C.), The Way of Lao-tzu, 33,

No one can draw more out of things, books, included, than he already knows. A man has no ears for that to which experience has given him no access.

—Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900), Ecce Homo, 1888

"The soul that knows it not, knows no release

From little things".

—Amelia Earhart (Putnam) (1898-1937), Courage, 1937

Scene): Titian (Tiziano Vecelli), Prometheus, 1547-1548,

and Sir James Thornhill, Prometheus Stealing Fire from the Gods, n.d.

Drama): "Make me a willow cabin at your gate,

And call upon my soul within the house."

—William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Twelfth-Night, I.v.289, 1601-1602

Movie): Terence Malick, Days of Heaven (1978)

Music): Peter Kater, Heaven’s Gate (Elements Series: Air) (2005),

Eric Mccarl, All This Wonder (Seeking The Light Within) (2003),

Sergei Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto In G Minor Op. 40 (1926/1928/1941),

Leoš Janáček, Violin Concerto Pilgrimage Of The Soul JW 9/10 (1926),

Gabriel Fauré, Prométhée Op. 82 Act (1900),

Alexander Scriabin, Prometheus: The Poem of Fire, Op. 60 (1910),

Ludwig van Beethoven, Creatures Of Prometheus, Act I, Overture and Ballet, Op. 34 (1801),

Valentin Silvestrov, Symphony No. 7 (2002-03),

& Jānis Ivanovs, Symphony No. 8 In B Minor (1956)

She read my poems to know me, to enter my ways.

Why? Because I am of my world, a soul enliven

In friendship; yes, we are alike in many ways, and

Yet like different sides of a coin. Soul happened,

Experienced life in some manner, I experienced life

By my senses, for the body is for soul, soul is for

Flesh and more life even death. Now, I know that

She is my soul, sweet close friend that enables me

To animate self near & far as Prometheus had done.

Neo-Face In Picturesqueness

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For Dyamond

. . . those who look at it and those who work at it, may see a totally different picture too later.

—Edward Roscoe Murrow (1908-1965), Speech at the Radio Speech at the Radio and Television New

The magic of a face.

—Thomas Carew (c. 1595-c. 1639), Poems; Epitaph on the Lady S—, 1640

Scene): John French, "Tania Mallet in a Madame Paulette Stiffened Net Picture Hat", 1963,

and René Magritte, Le Double Secret, c. 1927

Drama): Give me a look, give me a face . . .

—Ben Jonson (c. 1573-1637), Epicene; or, The Silent Woman, Act I, sc. I, 1609

Movie): Jerry Zucker, Ghost (1990)

Music): Tom Barabas, Kaleidoscope (Journey) (1995),

Brian Cherney, Doppelgänger, version for flute solo (1992),

Robert Schumann, Novelette In F Sharp Minor for Piano, Op. 21, No. 8 (1838),

Modest Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition (1874),

Linda Catlin Smith, Zart for piano (1989),

Henri Dutilleux, Symphony No. 2 Le double (1959),

& Hermann Bischoff, Symphony No. 1 In E Major (1906)

I encountered her between noon and evening

Flashback has quickly taken hold of my being,

That unique face has been seen in the past—

—Only to say a "doppelgänger" exists for her.

I perceived a passive spirit in her heart at work,

One that is both artful and cunning with life,

—Pragmatic emotions are latent to its nature

While clandestine ideas are found in her eye.

—Pandemonium comes from this perfunctory

Typewriter, sympathetic emotions effervesce

From her heart: letter by letter, word by word,

Is the realistic embodiment of true enthusiasm!

What is sine qua non in sub rosa in futuristic

Reality, for fate subterfuge a look-see into Deus

Ex machina; sir, "Please turn the ‘Weltansicht’

Light on; so, I may apprehend the detail source."

Kindness Exists

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For ♦

"That best portion of a good man’s life,

His little, nameless, unremembered acts

Of kindness and of love."

—William Wordsworth (1770-1850), These lines were

Composed a few miles above Tintern Abbey, l. 33, 1798

For kindness begets kindness evermore.

—Sophocles (c. 495-406 B. C.), Ajax, l. 522,

"If a man can take any pleasure in recalling

the thoughts of kindness done."

—Gaius Valerius Catullus (87-c. 54 B.C.) Carmina, poem LXXVI, l. 1, c. 54 B.C.

I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again

—Anonymous, Proverbial saying

Scene): Flavia Weedn, Spirit of Kindness, 2010

Drama): "Kindness in women, not their beauteous looks,

Shall win my love."

—William Shakespeare (1564-1616), The Taming of the Shrew, IV.ii.41, 1593-1594

Movie): Peter Greenaway, The Pillow Book (1996)

Music): Matthew Labarge, Sunrise (October) (2009),

Anton Arensky, Intermezzo In G Minor, Op. 13 (1882),

Peter Tchaikovsky, Valse-Scherzo In A Major Op. 7 (1970),

Franz Clement, Violin Concerto In D Major (1805),

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Piano Sonata In C Major, K. 279 (1774),

Robert Irving, Birthday Offering (after Glazunov) (1956 ),

Eduard Tubin, Symphony No. 6 (1953-54),

& Ferdinand Ries, Symphony No. 6 In D Major, Op. 146 (1822)

I give her a birthday card with a hidden—

Compartment, next she reads and thanks

Me twice,—yet, I insist she finds this place

After some help she finds it, and thanks

Me once again for the keepsake I gave her.

Is she thinking about the situation, I—had

Thought? For the past and what she was

Supposed to do, is mannerism. God knows

What the future will hold? That is return

Of my kindness from her, or just another

Cold turned shoulder, or whatsoever? I

Hope history cycle back in—a bright way.

Undid Business

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For DC

"True friendship’s laws are by this rule express’d,

Welcome the coming, speed the parting guest."

—Alexander Pope (1688-1744), Translation of the Odyssey, XV, l. 83, 1725-1756

The endearing elegance of female friendship.

—Samuel Johnson(1709-1784), Rasselas, 46, 1759

Collaborating in the very private way of love or the highest kind of friendship . . . is the way for gifted, energetic wives of writers to a sort of composition of their own, this peculiar illusion of collaboration.

—Elizabeth Hardwick (1916—), Seduction and Betrayal: Women in Literature; Amateurs, 1974

. . . wanted friendship and got friendliness.

—Bernard Malamud (1914-1986), A New Life, 1961

Scene): Timothy Wampler, Friends, Florence, 2010

Drama): "Friendship is constant in all other things

Save in the office and