Four Poems by John Westbrook
IDENTIFICATION
I am a lonely wanderer
In a world of many people.
I am an unseen blade of grass among the marshes;
I am a flagship proud – without a flag.
I am a bullet fired – without a target;
I am a speck of dust upon a mountain.
(But this I know:
A mountain is a great hulk of rock
Made of billions of “specks” like me.)
Sometimes I wish I could be a branch or even a twig
On a giant oak tree –
A living part of a strong and growing thing.
But I often feel I am just a period at the end of a sentence:
A word in a paragraph;
A thought on a page of Life.
Yet I must remain steadfast,
For, surely, God has need of me –
As I am.
Baylor
Baylor!
You are people, many people – my people now!
Students, faculty, administrators;
Janitors, grounds-keepers, maids,cooks;
Coaches and alumni.
You are men of the past, present, and future:
Burleson,Brooks,Neff, White, and McCall;
Baylor, Tryon, and Huckins;
Armstrong, Harrington, Tidwell;
Morrison, Hankamer, Martin, Penland;
Kokernot;
Sid Richardson and Marrs McLean …
Me?
B- eing to IBM cards you bring.
A-lways a smile – “Hello. How are you?”
Y-esterday remembered, today hurried, tomorrow hoped for.
L- ove you began with; will you keep it?
O-ne and only one like you in the world.
R-eligion your sustenance. (Pray God the loaves and fishes last!)
A Question
A mighty oak soars strong and tall above me;
A cricket loudly chirps his tedious song at my feet;
And I am caught somewhere between them.
Where do I belong? I do not know …
Above the restless, chirping groundling, yes;
Yet under that Heaven-reaching tower of strength …
Just under, let me dare to pray.
Victory
Did you hear? We won!
Listen, man, the war is over!
Four thousand of the enemy killed today?
–
Isn’t that great? Gosh, man!
And we had only – one – guy to die!
God must love us …
We are blessed.
Why are you looking sad?
Didn’t you hear? – We won!
That war is over – let’s celebrate!
Come, come now – speak up!
Don’t you have anything to say?
……
“That was my son.”
