Surely a Dome

By Donald Paul Rice

Surely a Dome is a collection of poems, essays, and short stories depicting what the author feels is a great failing in observing the clear commandments of Jesus Christ, therefore creating the great failings in society of those proclaiming the goodness of Christ. Honoring the commandments of Christ over race, political views, and self is the only salvation for a God-fearing, God-honoring, and God-loving society.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jan 31, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524580797

Donald Paul Rice

Donald Paul Rice, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, was a member of the Eighty-Second Airborne Division from 1961 to 1964. As a registered nurse, his career spanned forty years. A lifelong love of poetry has led him to write his first book. His life’s environments include the projects of Cleveland, Ohio, rural northeast Ohio, and Orlando. He currently lives in Winter Park, Florida, with his wife and vacations in coastal New England.

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Copyright © 2017 by Donald Paul Rice.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2017901752

ISBN:      Hardcover      978-1-5245-8077-3

      Softcover      978-1-5245-8078-0

      eBook         978-1-5245-8079-7

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.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 02/06/2017

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CONTENTS

FRIDAY AT SUNDOWN

UP IS THIS WAY

THE TIGER’S TAIL

A BED MADE

ON THE WALL

Words

Many

So

In

Family

Often

The Hole

Admiration

Simply Put

Creeping Seven

If It Hurts

I Just Won’t ask Anymore

I Can Hear You Saying

Sane To Silly

More or less

I’m the one I don’t like

A valley

There is no lesser

Swap

This way

Mutual

Partly Sunny

Abandon Ship

Could Could Not

Measuring Up

Ocular

Running Down

On And On

All in

Time Ran On And Out

Cave In

Whispering

Being Led

River Roads

Unstable Bridge

Roads And Rivers

River Bed Now A Road

Those That Are Not

Sad Submission

Forever

There for you

Change

Hurt

About You

Cry on

Take Care

Until you

Story Short

Some place else

Outside

Hide and Seek

Worldly Arrogance

The Bus

She said to me

Is is and is is not

The Love I Hated

What we don’t see

What do I know

It’s done

Need

Wanted

Wise like me

The end

Florence

Until we know how

Please Don’t

Winter world

Growing Young

The Clock

You Are Here

As Advertised

I Can’t Say

Saying Goodbye

Holding on

Friends came along

Expected

Love, Hate, or Tolerate

Make believe

Misplaced

Doing It Right

When and What

Someone knew

Why She Prays

No Streetlights

Your Road Your River

Drifting towards

To Live and Die

Reasons

Another Man’s Toil

Defying Comprehension

Fertile Ground

Forever

A Dirty Chain

Self Inflicted

Your Child

About The One You Love

About Me

About You

That You Don’t Say

About

If

A Blind Eye

Allowing

A Sideline

Doing Life

MockingBird

Light Night

Beauty

Just Listen

Casebolt, Whitaker, White and Dinardo

Dirty Water

We all worship

What I Do

Dancing in the dark

Pain of two

Always a way back

The eyes have it

Anticipation

Less is more

Footfall

Fears

Extremes

Guilt

Things

You Be The Judge

I Wish I Had The Time

Let It Go

More Important to Love Me

Dad, Don’t Blame Me

Now And Then

Incomplete

Can’t Take Me With You

Looking For Me

Better Vision

I Heard Someone Say

Looking For Answers

The Drop ins

Least

New Glasses

Shame

Choice

Get To Know Me

Children under fire

The child and the children

Children listen

Children among us

Children at play

Children stricken

A desired eulogy my children

The children’s eyes

Children imagine

The children’s Mother

Trace

Glasses

Bells

Coin

Crosses

Words

Choose

Accept

Song

Statues

Dreams

Buckles

Strength

Storms

Case

Stone

Book

Lamp

Key

Chair

Slap

Chance

Sad

Run

Ring

Destined To Wander

Many faces

Going The distance

I

Belonging

For Crying Out Loud

Running

Mostly Everyone

Fear

Scales

Don’t Be

Always

An initiation

Where is home

Moments

Reasons

Traveling lies

Half

Rationalizing Hypocrisy

Beau, Bubba, Thad and Tony

Which way did they go

Little People

Look The Other Way

A likeness

Much Bigger

What can we say

Look The Other Way

Because Of Me

Going Home

I Believe We’ve Met

Feel Mine Feel Yours

Nation Or Never

Nothing Else To Say

Spewing Fire

When It’s Over

The Legacy Way

Influenced And Influencing

It’s So Easy

Taken Over

Going The Other Way

You And Me

To Take Us On a Guided tour

And Already Judged

On NewComers

Call Back

Bad Good

Nothing Something

Unexpectedly

The Shots

From A Distance

The children of all

Children of the water

A walk below, a short event

Foolish

Your Friends And Mine

Coming Down

Much Better Now

Bully

Blessed Burden

Where Is God

A Senseless Trek

One life preserver

We Are, We Were

A brother

Taking it with you

Dominion

Evicted

Untended seeds

Failure

Needs

My Daily Bread

That mouth

Corruption

How Long

How Can I Help You

Theater closing

Directions

No Fear

Sometimes Blind

A Feud Within

False face

Intruders

Lofty

Demure

Itch

Propriety

Craving

Munificent

Immoderate

Constraint

Indolent

Sedulous

Birse

Suffer

Ill will

Boon

Surely A Dome

Promise

Series Five

The Truth Be Told

Bully

Walking

Whiplash

Since I Last Saw Home

The - Y

A Long Time Coming

Preface

Things we control and things we often understand

Many times are shut off, muted or tossed to the side

In many instances we unknowingly let things go

But frequently we choose not to measure outcomes

Caught up in moments or emotions we stop defending

And move ahead to a desired goal, backs unguarded

Nothing should be unexpected, only unprepared for

For every choice made there are consequences

No personal choice moves in a vacuum in this life

Undesired effects are felt somewhere down its line

Maybe not personally, or even knowingly aware of

But its price is always paid by those unprepared

Preparations may take a minute or generations

But they must be made by examinations of

Consequences of choices made in our lives

Ones we make, made for us, or even against us

Choices encompassing only a moment or a lifetime

That is what life pays dividends on, in red or black

When looking out we most surely must look within

Foreword

A Wink And A Nod

Deception, easement, and clannish ways have long been afoot

From calling a half a whole to denying others being of humankind

Long shall they reign and control every battlefield of change

Their general, his captains and soldiers have warred before we began

Those that follow curse him in public - but worship in private

They, the mighty they, the secretors of the world point and guide

Leading so many astray by accusatory innuendos, and pure lies

What they say is - is not, and what they say will be - will surely not

The males of the coven proclaim truth and freedom for all people

While in secrecy they abide by a wink and a nod to ways of perdition

Females of the coven wallow in the indulgences provided by the males

While the meek survive on the waste left in the wake of the coven

The meek shall inherit what is the true world of matter, it’s a heritage

A task at hand it to not be charmed by wink or nod, that, equals joining

Even the most venomous and deadly snake can be publicly charmed

The burden of the meek is to look around and within while navigating

Living in this world the meek shall encounter charmers and snakes

We must know the snake by its concealment of intentions to its prey

The charmer shall be known by its unfulfilled promises of the truth

And the meek shall be known by humble and compassionate ways

Look around and lookout is the warning for the meek

Our greatest predator is the most beautiful and sleek

In all we do let Heaven be our shining loving guide

Unlike the coven - by Heaven we shall always abide

FRIDAY AT SUNDOWN

Sunday morning was an exercise in navigating through a mind’s fog at this dawn.

Out of the front window you can see the car parked on the pavement and the lawn.

Headlights on and starting to dim, a shoe on the lawn where someone tripped on a limb.

A wine bottle on the table, a glass filled to the brim, one sleeping on the sofa, is it him?

Ask one’s self if it’s him, one must first clarify which him do you really happen to mean.

The one on the dance floor, the one at the bar, or the one playing the pinball machine.

You won’t know until he’s up, and what will be said while drinking coffee from a cup.

An act is done with no chance to back up, and looking about, you’re as mixed up as a pup.

He starts to stir there on the couch, just naked as the day that his mother gave birth.

Standing across the room, you are naked too, just how much was last night worth.

Wanting to run from the room, rather than look him in the face and feel the gloom.

Not too long ago he was your best friend’s groom, and now shame does clearly loom.

Both looking awkward, what can you say, "Care for more wine? from lips so tight.

The offer of more wine was accepted, but started a replay of the previous night.

Night gone and you think, What did I do., now comes the real shame long overdue.

Is anything in you that is true, would you ever have considered that this was in you?

The two of you try to make small talk, but it was a totally blatant futile attempt.

Two of you looking sheepishly at each other, and both appearing quite unkempt.

Both of you thinking but not know how to say it best, I think we had better dress.

Still the two of you thinking more or less, how you might enjoy just one more caress.

Uneasily saying as he heads to the door, "This is quite awkward Don, am I right?

Yet still you hear yourself say" Would you like to see me again next friday night?

You had never been so bold, and the way this went you could never have told.

For your heart the fee had been tolled, and your heart fluttering like a sixteen year old.

You have lived a reckless night with reckless results, but you’re not sure of any regret.

The morning after had been a little uncomfortable, but neither of you seemed to fret.

He held you and kissed you and you didn’t balk, then he opened the door to walk.

Outlining him in your mind like on a sidewalk with chalk, wanting again soon to talk.

Hours had passed, the clutter had been addressed, and all was in place as you sang.

You must have been distracted, because you didn’t realize the doorbell had rang.

The door opened facing your mate and his kiss bid, behind him your children hid.

He said I thought your chores slid, while I was away for the weekend with each kid.

There was more truth in his words than he knew, and you hoped he’d never know.

What you sought and carried out would have been such a bending, terrible blow.

Your contentment had hit the skids, so you suggested he go camping with the kids.

He left friday with his kiss bids, and you accepted with closed closed eyelids.

On the couch in the now empty room, discontent spews from your very inside out.

Restlessly running your hand over your head, wondering what your life is all about.

You were always attractive and full of joys, usually popular with just about all the boys.

He filled your life with expensive toys, all you had to do was work your many ploys.

It was important for you to look pretty and happy while hanging onto his guiding arm.

When among friends you had to be the woman with the utmost socializing charm.

In public you knew your place, you were the owner of sophistication and social grace.

At home being a homemaker was your place, and getting little attention in any case.

If he invites friends you’re the maitre de, chef and server, and the vibrant life of the party.

He wants to be more than his income allows, it’s really a good thing that you’re so hardy.

Your looks usually got what you needed, now you wish suspicions had been heeded.

Now you are feeling somewhat cheated, and so very often you’re openly ill treated.

Feeling mostly like a receptacle for his pent up lust, at certain times of his choosing.

It’s most revolting when he’s been out with friends and feels passion after boozing.

How much more can you take, what happens when you reach the point of your break?

The children you can’t forsake, but how much happiness can you continue to fake?

It makes you wonder if he ever loved you or just needed, an attractive social showpiece.

He lets you spend beyond family means, but financial criticism doesn’t seem to cease.

You starve yourself for days at a time, to gain one pound, to him would be a crime.

Playful kids can’t be covered in grime, a neat family is his personal mission’s prime.

Most everything seems to be meant for his satisfaction, and little aimed at your content.

Looking at the life you are leading now, it’s truly labeled as anything but Heaven sent.

You feel that you have seeds to be sown, you have nothing that you alone have grown.

When getting his attention it seems to be on loan, or a few bits your way being thrown.

Thinking that maybe he never really loved you, but needed you as his personal cure.

Even if he didn’t love you, can’t he see that your dedication is and has been clearly pure.

You see the sun has gone down and here you sit, much more and your wrists you’ll slit.

You decide to go out and explore a little bit, hoping to find a place where you’ll truly fit.

In the city’s night life area you do notice all the different type people that are there.

If riding with your mate the focus is always on him, even down to him combing his hair.

Seeing other women with no apparent strife, and actually have a say in their daily life.

His words will cut like a knife, if you do or say anything not approved by him as his wife.

Driving slow with the windows down, the breeze feels so comforting on your face.

The only thing that is missing is to be with an admirer, with you dressed in lace.

Seems you still have the looks as you drive by, you have caught many a man’s eye.

Not wanting them to think that you’re shy, you give them a smile and look real sly.

It’s comes back to you now, you remember with men you could always take your pick.

You knew how to handle them, even the ones that thought they were a little slick.

Most of them couldn’t pay your way, at night they’re fine but what about the day.

The one you picked was selfish all day, and at night in bed everything was his way.

Wondering how much more of this your sanity can take, so tonight you say No more

Tonight’s the night you want to make memories, holding them secretly and you store.

Tonight you’re going to make a splash, and leaving this night as a burnt cinder ash.

You know that you don’t need cash, but to do what you want you have to be trash.

Your car parked and you walk into the bar, may men step aside with mouths so gape.

Like a black, brown, white, yellow, or a red, stunned bewildered head scratching ape.

Showing them all a little smile, and stop in your tracks to let their eyes feast a while.

Walking toward the bar you reek with style, all the time casting your feminine wile.

At the bar men offer you their seat, but never choosing to get too far away from you.

To get too far from you would mean losing you from their mesmerized drooling view.

Smiling back at the man that gives you a wink, and then the man offers you a drink.

Offers come from many and you drink, and soon finding yourself on a drunken brink.

Alcohol relieves anxiety, and now dancing seems be a good thing for you to do.

Leaving your barstool you bump into a handsome man and he wants to dance with you.

The wild dancing gets quite risque, but your alcohol consumed say everything is okay.

Slow dancing he hold you close trying to play, at this point there’s nothing for you to say.

Going to the pinball machine by the backdoor, because you feel a little air will help a lot.

A voice with a hint of laughter, it’s your friend’s husband saying Put a coin in the slot.

Your girlfriend’s husband ask you to play the game, you said okay, you’re cool not lame.

Playing pinball and drinking is not the same, for him you always carried a little flame.

To the bar, on the dance floor, playing pinball, truly having the time of your life tonight.

No one to examine your actions or words, no one saying to you what is wrong or right.

The attention pours over you, the times that you have felt like this recently are very few.

Things were wrong but this you knew, and everything that was old in life is now new.

This night reminded you of the days before you had made up your mind to pick a mate.

Now you just wanted to get a few more moments of excitement before it got too late.

Drinks coming until you could stand no more, and dancing with the moves of a whore.

Smiles and rear end patting were galore, and even kissing some guy by the back door.

The good looking guy at the bar suggested that you sit down and give it a little rest.

He suggested that you had given the crowd so much, now it’s time to give them less.

He said to sit next to him and let your head clear, and you’ll be okay because he is near.

He a stranger and you had no fear, you liked the feeling of him whispering in your ear.

Looking in his eyes as he sipped his beer, and your interest grew in this confident man.

His words were flattering and smile soft, then you realized he was holding your hand.

The moment was right not just so so, you held his hand tight not wanting him to let go.

His hand was on your knee but you let it be so, and not wanting any resistance to show.

His intentions were now clear, and you didn’t mind at all the advances coming from him.

As far as you were concerned, he was a gardener and you were a bush needing a trim.

His warm words met with your smile, allowing his wandering hands to linger a while.

You knew his actions were putting you on trial, to see if your passion he should soon file.

The conversation became more intimate, both of you revealed a few secret fantasies.

At one point both of you even shared your personal and preferred intimate activities.

You’re on a road and you know where it’s going, and your anticipation is now showing.

The mood shared is clearly flowing, and your need for his touch is clearly growing.

Words need not be used to express where this encounter will end up this eventful night.

You threw caution to the wind, and now you really don’t care what is wrong or right.

When he expressed care for your need, in you he planted a very passionate seed.

So in return on him you’ll feed, and at this moment there is no reason to stop or heed.

Wobbly as you start to stand, he takes your arm gently and leads you towards the door.

While in the parking lot he tells you that he lives in the next complex on the second floor.

Tonight was okay in coming to this bar, for tonight was your night to be the shining star.

He told you that it wasn’t too far, and you could follow him to his place in your own car.

Colors on the numbers on the clock tells you that you are not home in your own bed. Pounding inside your skull tells you that you need to sit up and grab hold to your head.

Last night you slept with the good looking man, a night to your liking Give him a hand.

A night so gentle thanks to each secreting gland, and his performance was so grand.

As you reach for him you feel him reaching for you, so it’s again it’s around the block.

The morning’s session gave you a smile of pleasure, and thinking he’s from good stock.

His confidence remained the same, you wondered if you had bothered to ask his name.

Thinking what’s done is done and who’s to blame, after all you’re just happy you came.

The two of you sit on the side of the bed and you ask if he has anything cold in here.

He replied that he didn’t have anything hard, but he does have some ice cold beer.

Not really sure if you should, but the thought of a real cold beer did sound really good.

Reliving this again you know you could, if given the chance you know you surely would.

Through the morning and most of the afternoon the two of you wildly continue to play.

First it’s your turn, then it’s his, because each of you have their own pleasurable way.

You ask yourself if this is real, because this is the best that you could ever feel.

You look in his eyes and give a kiss of approval seal, for making your world truly reel.

The two of you run out of words so he says let’s go back to the bar, asking if it’s okay.

We can celebrate last night you replied, of what truly started for us only yesterday.

The cold beer put you in a warm mood, but back to the bar instead of getting food?

It’s okay since he has seen you in the nude, there’s no reason for you to seem rude.

Feeling a little uneasy going back to the bar wearing the same clothes you did before.

Many dressed the same as last night, you observed as you walked through the door.

The greetings you received were many, the drinks offered to you again were plenty.

Holding on to you last twenty, having the time of your life without spending a penny.

It was almost like picking up where you left off as the star of this, your own new crowd.

All the attention made you feel more important than the other women and very proud.

The one that gets your attention tonight, you hope to be with at next morning’s light.

The one you dance with now feels right, it’s your friend’s husband holding you tight.

You tell him that you like his company and you are alone for the rest of the weekend.

He tells you that he doesn’t want to go home, because there he’ll find your friend.

You both have the need, and you both have developed some kind of passionate greed.

Something inside you has been freed, now with the new appetite you must feed.

Saturday night is now Sunday morn, you’re wondering with whom you spent the night.

Much of the previous evening now seems blurred, but you don’t even care if it was right.

Knowing the two previous nights were wrong, but still you want to break out in song.

Feeling so alive you want to bang a gong, to proclaim the new life is where you belong.

Friday at sundown to Sunday at sundown is the secret that you really hope to keep.

Your mate and kids home, but while they were gone did something into your life creep?

You manage the family as you always do, thoughts of the weekend not in mind are few.

Family task performed like a robot on cue, respect for your mate is becoming overdue.

You transport the kids to their activities with the thoughts of the weekend in your head.

Spending each evening with your mate now fills your mind with a resentful type dread.

The one that calls all the shots, treats you as thought your were just a lust catching pot.

Never acknowledges that you ever look hot, but come this Friday you’ll be hot to trot.

Thinking that you should start a getaway plan for Friday at sundown to go to the bar.

Though your mate may not say you’re attractive, in this new crowd you are a true star.

You tell him that you’ll visit your mom friday, and maybe take in a movie along the way.

Maybe a musical you say, because you know how my mom likes a lively musical play.

It’s a good idea he said to you, and I’ll take the kids to visit with my parents for a while.

Great you thought to yourself, that way I can step out and into my newly found lifestyle.

Don’t give your mate any reason to mistrust you, so be careful and he won’t have a clue

It’s a deceitful deed that you brew, but you ignore the sleazy bad seen in this review.

Surprised at how easy things came about in your getaway plan that’s coming soon.

The best you can figure is that he and the kids should be on their way Friday at noon.

The week goes and is now the past, Friday at sundown memories will be made to last.

You wonder if the bar will have the same cast, either way it should be a real blast.

Desiring so much to return to the place, it leaves you as a sheep needing to be shorn.

The one good thing that