Voices: A Collection of Poetry and Short Stories

By Ron Carter

Voices, is a literary collection of poetry and short stories written by Ronald Carter involving some of the unique experiences and observations of Ronald’s life and lives of those around him. In his writings of this book, he has changed the names of his characters and some locations. It must be understood that the events are based on some of the history of his life. There are good times and some bad times expressed in both his poetry and short stories. There are also morals and lessons to be learned from both the stories and poetry.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 4, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664184558

Ron Carter

Ron Carter is Co-Superintendent of Sunday School along with his wife, Mary at First Free Will Baptist Church in the Richmond, Virginia area. He is also chairman of the Board of Trustees for the church. Ron accepted this role after being convinced this was God’s will for him. One of his responsibilities is leading in an opening assembly each week which includes a devotion. Those devotions are what Reflections is all about. During his adult life, Ron has served as deacon at two former churches. In addition, he served on the administrative board for a Christian School, K-12, in one of them. He has served on and chaired other committees as well. Ron has had the honor and privilege, has experienced the responsibility of preparing and delivering messages for worship services on several occasions. This has given him great appreciation and respect for those who responded to God’s call to make this their life’s work. Ron grew up in rural, central Virginia, the only child at home during most of his childhood and youth. It was during a Summer revival at Salem Christian Church in Louisa County that he responded to the Holy Spirit and asked Jesus into his heart and life. About two weeks later, on a bright Sunday afternoon, Ron was the youngest of three generations in his family to be baptized in the South Anna River near his home. Ron is now retired, having sold an HVAC business he founded nearly forty years ago. He and his wife, Mary, also retired, love their church family, church activities and serving God in whatever ways they can. They love to travel and have met people from many parts of the country, many with whom they maintain contact and consider extended family. Some of Ron’s photography is an integral part of Reflections. Ron and Mary have five children, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. They make their home in Glen Allen, Virginia.

Book preview

MISTRESS

I have openly searched for freedom

Seized, postponed, snatched away

Declaration of Independence laughing some

American constitution mocking me each day

I follow my dream freedom friend and lover

Burdened by shackles I’ve journeyed afar

Founding Fathers dwelled in iniquity

Reaching for heaven’s moon and star

Withholding freedom, yes, my destiny

I follow my dream freedom friend and lover

On my back the burden does not cease

As slave owner’s actions, laws and words

Tell a story of my yoke bondage increase

Freedom’s flight like broken wings of birds

I follow my dream freedom friend and lover

The slave owner’s god has forsaken my plea

My soul empty, fallen, withering leaf

I touching ground in flight for all to see

A war on mountain’s cliff, ocean’s reef

I follow my dream freedom friend and lover

I follow my dream freedom friend and lover

I follow my dream freedom friend and lover

I follow my dream freedom friend and lover

Freedom

TERROR

The boogeyman is living

Among us

In the Shadows

Violently telling us

Wrong done to others

Returning many-fold

The eagle a child of war

Oklahoma bombing,

World Trade Center,

Pennsylvania,

The Pentagon,

Johnny-come-lately- Anthrax

Piece’s on a chess board

We are our worst enemies

We are the bully

Among us

A moment’s notice

Cutting our own throats

Yes, my dear Malcolm

The chickens have

Come home to roost

BARAKA

In they came one by one

In they came by multiples of twos, threes, fours

In they came the crowd swelling like overfed puppies

In they came with hunger, thirst, desire

For whom they rejoice Amiri Baraka!

In he came with strength, positive attitude through an open door

His presence inviting our acceptance of him through the aroma

Of coffee, tea, sweet pastries, and bread

His warm welcome of humanity

The people’s declaration Amiri Baraka!

In he came removing his hat and coat that were damp

From the falling rain on South Street

In he came serenading us with poetry, his literature

Cutting the airwaves of Melita Coffee World

With verbal attire that clothed the human mind with the truth he experienced

We his audience we dignify Amiri Baraka!

From melodic, rhythmic, movement of words splashing forth from his throat;

The dynamics dancing back and forth with reverberation;

From the lowest to the highest decibels a crescendo

That matched the focus of the crowd strapped in their seats with silence

Projecting admiration, acknowledgment Amiri Baraka!

With his final episode, his, stories told of a love for his wife engraved his face

With reflections serenading passion, warmth, determination;

Attractions of compassion, honesty with his grand finale awakening

His humanity mobilizing integrity as the audience smiled a warm appreciation!

They danced a pleasant uproar, they spoke a praise

Singing a resounding psalm Imamu! Imamu! Amiri Baraka!

Alias Leroi-Leroy Jones

FROM THE COLD WAR TO THE DRUG WAR

A PROJECTION

Remember when fun was simple

Remember when Elvis was king

Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Michael Jackson

Timeless setting the trend

James Cagney, actor, singer, dancer,

Gangster want-to-be

Record shops spinning 78s

Musical oasis of an enclosed

Listening booth capturing

Musical memories

From the good-old days

COLD CRADLE-Cocaine, Missiles, Pop-culture & Peanuts

FROM THE COLD WAR TO THE DRUG WAR

A PROJECTION

Remember when fun was simple

Remember when Elvis was king

Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Michael Jackson

Timeless setting the trend

James Cagney, actor, singer, dancer,

Gangster want-to-be

Record shops spinning 78s

Musical oasis of an enclosed

Listening booth capturing

Musical memories

From the good-old days

COLD CRADLE-Cocaine, Missiles, Pop-culture & Peanuts

FROM THE COLD WAR TO THE DRUG WAR

A PRESENTATION

Wood Stoves, coal furnaces

Wash buckets, scrub boards

Bomb shelters and air raids

Bomb shelters and air raids

Bomb shelters and air raids

Bomb shelters and air raids

Reminisce- Fond flash backs-short memories

Captain Video and the Video Rangers’,

Tokyo Rose’s, Billy Graham’s, Oreo Cookies,

And refrigerated Cheese Cake’s debut

Truman’s inauguration

Eisenhower’s heart attack

Ed Sullivan an Elvis hater,

Hey Ed! Don’t hate the player - hate the game

Brooklyn Dodgers first in the national league

Cab Calloway-Minnie the Moocher,

Duke Ellington’s gifted creations

James Dean dies in auto crash

Summer fairs, carnivals, cotton candy, candy apple

Ferris wheels, bumper cars, fireworks,

Roller coaster and carousel rides

Mickey Mantle replacing Joe DiMaggio

Green stamps’ S&H saver book, Huntley and Brinkley report

Rocky Marciano, Joe Luis, Jackie Robinson;

Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier’s victims

Of Cassius Clay-Muhammad Ali’s

Floating like a butterfly stinging like a bee

Sanford and Son, Jefferson’s, and Good Times

Dynamite-moving on up

Rocky and Bullwinkle timeless Saturday Morning cartoons

Water-Gate, Nixon’s heroine-monster-epidemic

War on drugs nineteen seventies’ Fantasy Island morning cartoons

Bush’s drive by-crack-cocaine-epidemic

War on drugs nineteen nineties’ comedy-Looney Tunes, cartoons and Looney Tunes

Cartoons and Looney Tunes-COLD CRADLE-Cocaine, Missiles, Pop-culture & Peanuts

FROM THE COLD WAR TO THE DRUG WAR

EPISODE

Do you remember

That I remember

Only to forget

Winston Churchill’s

Public conversations

Of the iron curtain

Descending across

Eastern Europe?

COLD CRADLE-Cocaine, Missiles, Pop-culture & Peanuts

FROM THE COLD WAR TO THE DRUG WAR

REVISITED

B52 Bombers

Nuclear H bombs

That were the political rage

Soviet’s blockade undermining

The Berlin airlift

America’s induction into NATO

Arms race continues strong and well

As Soviets explode H bomb

Struggle between communism

And the free world

COLD CRADLE-Cocaine, Missiles, Pop-culture & Peanuts

TOOK AND GAVE

She gave me sex on the first date

First date

She gave me sex on the first date

First date

She gave me sex on the first date

First date

She gave him sex on the first date

First date

She kissed me on the first date

Kissed me

We kissed on the first date

She kissed him on the first date

Kissed him

They kissed on the first date

PROBLEM

I got a taste for a blunt

I got a taste for a blunt

To ease my pain

To forget the memories

In front of my children reefer, I smoke

In front of my children reefer I smoke

To ease my pain

To forget the memories

In front of the world cannabis sativa, I smoke

In front of the world cannabis sativa I smoke

To ease the pain

To forget your memories

SPARK

Today the rain is falling

An old, timeless pal of mine melancholy

Is paying me a visit

along with another friend

Opening the back door

For an old lover tranquility

Creating a balance in my life

This fine wet morning;

Rainy days are not always bad days

They hold promises, reflections;

Now that the moon is in view

The stars are plain to see

Not a cloud