1) Charlene's Song - America (From Songs From The Women Of The L.O.M.) (Poetry / Bio) Poem by Otradom Pelogo

Charlene's Song
Tethered to Life by Virtue

To go back to the beginning seems similar to piecing together
the phylogeny of our speciation

Then even more enlightened knowing that we met juxtaposed another predestined quest, desegregation

But the collage begins to appear as it did before from the vat of life's
Large gratuitous phylactery

And still as euphoric and soothing, and like the craft of Faberge', still
somewhat of a romantic mystery

I was glad to hear that the other day, you were pushed by a heart empathetic
And compassionate as well as zealous

And I realized I still had part of it, which ranged from botanical
To political to religious

When I think back to the days of swings at Alice Keith, sitting by the waters at
Sabine Pass, it can seem facetious

But watching the stars in their serious but frolicsome nature, I realize it wasn't really at all that capricious

Even now when I close my eyes, I can hear the ballads you sang from 'Silent Night' to the many whys of martyrdom

And realize that those whys are answered
With a most efficacious persistence
Which is why I call you an Otradom

I hear the guttural hymns of the winds after having benevolently fostered the sun back into the morning skies

Birds sing out the order of ascent,
Canines beckon their neighbors,
Kids sit abreast; one laughs, one cries

At the beginning of the season, you fashioned my heart, the greatest gift of the virtuous knight

And by the end of the summer, those wounds had formed a crest, and created a greater sight

The day I heard that the throes of life was a simple appendix, I rejoiced with hallelujah

And after touring with Motley Crew,
Luther Vandrose and the Guys only widened my panorama

There are really 'no good guys or bad guys'
as the song so eloquently says

I only wished I had written this years ago, and wished you happier days

Like the prayer Otradom PeloGo, the love you shared helped me through the days my mind was in a martial disposition

And I now realize that its only more venerated with judicial interposition

It wasn't until the time we spent in San Diego, that I realized
that my heart was not only wanton but obstinate

And that when the other half was joined to it, it became complete as well as immaculate

As we sailed the waters to Sapporo, and danced with the children from igloo to ice castle

The fact that I'm glad that half of my hearts is still in Misawa is regaling as well as veritable

Its sometimes takes more than words to express the love between me and you

Therefore it's the last wish on the list, one that means the constituents are
not only coupled with love, but also tethered with virtue

Even after the semester ends, traveling around the world seems to only extend the trek, not allay

Then is embraced with affection while playing scrabble with Joe and Alta Mae

Then walking through an extravaganza of memories books toys and clothes, so fastidiously keen

While sorting out the favorite pictures of
Charles, Jay and Arlene

While sitting with Joshua, Solomon, and Desiree, I realized life can be so enigmatic as well as eleemosynary

So I only advise applying prudence as well as virtue when deciding
which hand delivered the one called Billy

The advise I've gotten from friends and family has only made me wise as I brood and roam

And although there is only one place we can call ours, there are a million we can call home

There are times I wonder how things will turn out, how we're going to make it

Then there are times that I can easily
overcome when just thinking about
walking through the Big Thicket

Even now I feel that because we can overcome the past makes life as simple as walking on black ice

And although it my never be perfect,
It's the effort, which I've seen, which makes it a worthy price

As we ran like children from the Aqua
Festival, Lake Travis, and even to the top of the Austin dam

Only to become more exhilarated as we raced through the streets of Korea as guests of Uncle Sam

I still set things on fire, and promise to keep such an expensive point of view

And after the fourteen years of going through it all, I still promise to keep such an expensive I love you

After flying the ferrous wings of wisdom from here to the heart of the Oakland and San Francisco Bay
I've learned to love all things, respect all things, and call all things except you and me

Go Pe (God's People)

Most of the time I would like to be pragmatic, rational, but I desire
for you that part of my heart remain contumacious

And desire for us, that it remains open, loyal, virtuous, and yet ostentatious