The Poet’s Plight
Current mood: artistic
Category: Writing and Poetry

11:54 PM - 4 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Get the Job Done (The Cliche Song)
Current mood: artistic
Category: Writing and Poetry

4:51 PM - 6 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Support Local Art (My Epiphany)
Current mood: enlightened
Category: Writing and Poetry

     There has been something on my mind for over a month now and I thought I would air it out here and get your opinion on it. A younger man probablly in his mid 20s approached me while I was setting up for my book signing at Hasting's in Enid. We talked for about 15 or 20 minutes and he seemed very enthusiastic about supporting local art and artists and after reading a sample of my book he seemed very interested in what I had to offer. I was excited but to make a long story short he left without buying a copy of my book. As he was leaving I asked him "So you want a copy of my book?" and he just kinda blew me off saying "I'll check you out on MySpace." I was bummed maybe even a little pissed off but it got me thinking.

     I'm no better than this guy!

     I have a lot of friends who are writers and musicians and I try to give them as much support as I can, spreading the word and such but I have also asked almost every one of them to "put me on the list." How can I be upset that this kid didn't buy my book if I am asking my friends to let me into shows for free or give me free copies of books/cds?

     Spreading the word and showing support in that matter is great but as much as we hate to admit it artists need money too. I mean we all have to eat. Right? A $5-$10 cover charge or a $10-$20 book/cd may not seem like much but it adds up. I mean if I went to 10 shows that's $50-$100 I have taken out of that band's pockets. That's like a tank or two of gas. 20 shows would be a pawn shop guitar. So in the light of my recent epiphany I have decided I will pay my own way. I'll put my money where my mouth is and no longer ask for favors and freebies and I'm asking you all to do the same. Not only for myself but for all artists everywhere.

     I mean no true artist wants to think about the money side of things. Art is supposed to be about self expression, education and entertainment (whatever the case may be) not dollars and cents but it is just a fact of life we can't escape. I just feel if I'm going to call my self a supporter of local art I have to give it 100% even if it means breaking open the old wallet now and then. You know? Anyways I'm rambling.

Let me know what do you think.

8:44 AM - 2 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Hey Karma
Current mood: impatient
Category: Writing and Poetry

6:05 AM - 4 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

4:30am on a Wednesday
Current mood: creative
Category: Writing and Poetry

3:39 PM - 4 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Check out this event: Book Signing/Meet & Greet
Current mood: excited
Category: Writing and Poetry

Hosted By: sheldon stout
When: Wednesday Aug 27, 2008
at 12:00 PM
Where: NWOSU Bookstore
Student Union
Alva, Oklahoma|37 73717
United States
Description:
sheldon stout

Click Here To View Event

3:09 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

A Dying Art? (for the poets)
Current mood: awake
Category: Writing and Poetry

6:57 PM - 8 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Heat Waves
Current mood: artistic
Category: Writing and Poetry

Heat waves
Blur my vision
Distorting everything
In sight

But it's alright
There's nothing
To see
Here anyway

Sweat rolls
Down my forehead
Burning my eyes

Blink it away
Blink it away
Blink it all away

"I curse the wind
When it blows dirt
In my face
But I'd give
My left nut
For a breeze
Right now."

"Shut up and keep walking!"

4:21 AM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

If I Had My Way
Current mood: artistic
Category: Writing and Poetry

If I had my way

I'd buy

An old guitar

And play

Bob Dylan

On the street

For change

Tombstone Blues

Lay Lady Lay

Drinking

T-Bird

In the rain

Hoping to

Wash away

The pain

Until the cops

Hauled me away

And threw me

In a cage

I'd make a scene

Just for play

Fight

And probably

Get tazed

And all the people

Walking by

Would look away

And say

 "What a shame"

3:41 PM - 4 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

America II – The Red, White & Blue
Current mood: thankful
Category: Writing and Poetry

I recently got a request of sorts to bring back the "trailer park poetry" as the reader put it. So I decided to dig into my country roots a bit and this is what I pulled out. Its not exactly what Bobby was referring to but I hope you all enjoy it anyways. This is "America II."

I believe

America was built

On the red, white & blue

But I'm not talking about

Old Glory

I'm talking about

The farmers and ranchers

Who live in debt

To put food on our tables

The truckers

Who make the long hauls

All day and through night

The mechanics

Who keeps us

On the road

The roughnecks and roustabouts

Who risk their lives

On site everyday

The factory workers

The dock workers

The construction workers

I'm talking about

The Rednecks

The White Trash

And

The Blue Collar

The men and women

Who get it done

So we don't have to

The real American heroes

And to all of you

Who are out there

Doing the dirty work

Underpaid, overworked

 & underappreciated

Thank You

I salute you

8:56 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Don’t Cry (for me)
Current mood: weird
Category: Writing and Poetry

When I die

Don't cry

For me

Celebrate

My life

Laugh, dance

 And sing

Revel

In my memory

And

Throw my ashes

To the breeze

Raise your glass

Knowing

I am free

Do whatever

It is

You please

Just please

Don't cry

For me

2:55 PM - 10 Comments - 9 Kudos - Add Comment

Alone in the Dark
Current mood: intense
Category: Writing and Poetry

Alone in the dark

A single candle burning

Light flickering

Shadows dancing

On the wall

He contemplates

His life

His death

His legacy

Sipping wine

From a Solo cup

He thinks to himself

How will I be remembered?

Will it be as

The free spirited lad

Of my youth

Or

The bitter, jaded, lonely man

I have become?

Life's been tough

I've seen too much

Too much loss

Too much pain

It makes a man hard

He thought

But there is no excuse

No turning back

The cars passing

On the street below

Send light streaming

Through his window

But the darkness remains

Nothing changes

Life is

What it will be

And he knows it

Standing

He finishes his wine

Lowers his head

And blows the candle out

8:42 PM - 4 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

Rain
Current mood: creative
Category: Writing and Poetry

She only smiles

When it rains

These days

Laying on her back

In the tall grass

Alone

Watching the clouds

Roll in

Her heart races

With every clap of thunder

Every lightening strike

Hoping

Praying

For the downpour

To come

She says

The rain's

The only thing

That can wash

The dirt away

5:01 PM - 6 Comments - 8 Kudos - Add Comment

Mid-Life Crisis?
Current mood: nostalgic
Category: Writing and Poetry

With age

It seems

I'm growing

More and more

Conservative

By the day

And I hate it

Have my carefree summer days

Faded in an autumn haze?

Have my wild oats sprouted

Bloomed and died away?

I was once

So wild and free

Now I'm a slave

To the routine

What happened?

Has my time come

And gone?

My season ended?

I've held tight

With all I have

Only to watch it

Slowly slip away

Where's my youth

My angst

My zeal

Why can't we just stop

Time

4:02 PM - 5 Comments - 8 Kudos - Add Comment

June Bugs
Current mood: artistic
Category: Writing and Poetry

Sitting on my front porch

Watching the June bugs

Beating themselves

To death

On my window

Dying to get in

Reminds me

Of myself

Banging my head

Against the glass

Time and time again

Trying to get in

Dying a little

With every steady blow

5:38 AM - 10 Comments - 11 Kudos - Add Comment