Wait; What Just Happened?

By Ryan Miller

These words are a collection of emotions and cerebral thoughts to document both victories and failures of an average guy living in the 21st century. The poems document reflections on past relationships, feelings on current ones, and positive outlooks on what the future might hold. Observations on current societal practices and norms are shared as well. The point of these pages are to allow the reader to grasp relatable concepts and also to interpret the words using their own experiences as the filter for comparison.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 20, 2024
• ISBN: 9798369418185

Book preview

Copyright © 2024 by Ryan Miller. 859068

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.

Xlibris

844-714-8691

www.Xlibris.com

Rev. date: 03/14/2024

CONTENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

INTRODUCTION

RAW

SPRING FORWARD

RESURRECT

STARS (HAIKU I)

UNTITLED

HANG ON

FLUTTER FLUTTER

UNJADED

SHARDS

MAD HATTER (HAIKU II)

FAINT LIGHT

VISIONS OF VISIONS

PASSING SMILES

MATES IN THE ROOM

LOADING

360

ME + YOU (HAIKU III)

RE-ROUTING THE TRIP

SPLIT DECISIONS

IS IT ME?

2023

DRIVING BY (HAIKU IV)

GETTING SHARPER

TWO SONS

BOOK OF BOURBON

VERSUS YESTERDAY

PILLOW STREAMS

YIPPEE (HAIKU V)

BUT, WHY?

GIVE IT TO ME

988

DISTURBING NIGHTS

TURN YOUR FROWN UPSIDE DOWN (HAIKU VI)

PEACEFUL DAYS

BURNING ALIVE

STOP AND SMELL THE FLOWERS

BLOOM (HAIKU VII)

THE COMING LIGHT

CONSUMED

PLANTED

THIS AND THAT

CHURNING (HAIKU VIII)

GHOSTED

MINDING YOUR OWN

WANTED

MEMENTO MORI

HEART

HEART STOPPER (HAIKU IX)

THAT 2023 LOVE

MIND FULL

ROLLERCOASTER

SWIPE (HAIKU X)

BLENDED

CALL ME WHAT YOU WANT

TRUE STORY

NOT FORGOTTEN

FORMING YOU

STICKIE NOTES (HAIKU XI)

ARTISTIC EXPRESSION

TIME TRAVELS AND TRAVELS AND TRAVELS

ROSES ARE RED

RED ROSE AROSE (HAIKU XII)

CHOOSING TO BELIEVE

SMALL TALK

WISHING SWELL

FADED NO

TITLE IT

INDEPENDENCE (HAIKU XIII)

POPS

MOM

READER

EVERYBODY SCATTER

COME TO

VAULT

STYLED (HAIKU XIV)

NON FICTION

IT’S MORE

RABBIT HOLE

BENDING WITH THE WIND

LET IT COME

PAINTING (HAIKU XV)

UNANTICIPATED SWELLS

THUNDEROUS BLUE SKIES

GOOD NEWS

PEACE (HAIKU XVI)

FORGET WHAT I TOLD YOU

LOCKED

NOTHING LESS

LEARNING

UNWANTED PROFESSORS

FOREVER BOND (HAIKU XVII)

HELLO COULD’VE BEEN ENOUGH

TO MY BRIDE TO BE

WARRIORS

UNITED (HAIKU XVIII)

KING ME

PURGATORY STORY

WHO

EVOLVING

FUTURISTIC (HAIKU XIX)

2024

DESTINED

FULL SAIL & WILL NOT FAIL

YOUR TURN

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hi, I’m Ryan! I was born in Germany to humble and loving parents from the Midwestern United States. My dad was an Air Force Lt. Colonel, which provided him and my mom a lot of travel and a variety of cultural experiences, which they shared with me. I grew up loving sports and excelling in academics as a scholar athlete who graduated High School with Honors. In school, I gravitated toward the arts such as drama and English versus math and science. Although I hold a Masters Degree in Business Administration, a Bachelors Degree in University Studies, and a Minor in Business Management, I pride myself most on being human and being able to relate to people from a wide variety of lifestyle backgrounds and demographics. In many ways, I place more value in my life experiences than in my formal education. My kids Luke (16) and Gunnar (7) are my pride and joys and we call Las Vegas, Nevada our home.

INTRODUCTION

My goal with these poems is to provide a glimpse into my life in 2023 and to be thought provoking and relatable. Although some writings may seem to point to something in particular, there’s a lot that I’ve