Dreamin'

The Dreams I Dream
By Josh Watkins

Some call me kind, some call me nice,
Some call me crazy, some call me wild.
Some call me sweet,
And many call me Josh,
But I call myself a dreamer.
I have many dreams,
Dreams I dream from morning to dusk,
Dreams I dream in the sunlight,
And dreams that fall on me like rain,
Even dreams of dreams that pounce on me like a tiger in the grass.
My dreams are many, and they are few,
They keep me feeling fresh,
Make me feel alive.
I see sunny days, with the sun at the perfect degree,
I am driving a crimson red 2003 Corvette convertible.
My people whom I call friends are packed in the leather seats,
With the radio blaring out the finest tunes,
The beach and beyond are our only destinations.
Dreams are a reflection of the dreamers,
I dare to dream, dare to believe.
Italy, Australia, Spain, and Japan,
Countries full of rich history,
Full of great food and cultures of awe.
These are places I want to experience, want to see, taste, touch.
The world is huge, and I want to assimilate it all.
There is no place like Rome,
A city of great power.
How I long to enter the Colosseum*,
While devouring an Italian dish,
Picturing myself as a gladiator,
Daring to take challenge after challenge.
Work hard for your dreams and they may come true.
My heart is held by a dream,
That makes me shiver, makes me melt,
Like an enormous scoop of peanut butter ice cream on a hot summer day.
The particular dream is of my wedding day,
Everyone I know is there.
I am standing at the end of the isle,
Nervous and pale as a sheep on the run.
But I am happy,
For I see her coming towards me.
She is wearing a dress so beautiful, No one can take their eyes off her.
I raise her veil; we say “I do,”
And I am hers forever.
With a love so strong, so enduring, and so true.
Remember this, Dreams are for anyone, not just me,
So pull up a fresh patch of grass, a little shade, close your eyes,
and just dream.

I write about things I'm passionate about and sometimes when I don't have these things, I write about them, releasing the excitement contained with hopes of being closer to them. Like I said before these three things will appear frequently in my writings: Travel, Romance, and Dreams.

Notice how in this one I dreamed of driving in a red Corvette whereas in the work titled Summer Dreams I was driving a blue Corvette, and in On the Open Road I was driving a 1970 Chevelle SS. What exactly is my dream car. It's the Chevelle, but she wasn't my first. I grew up loving Vettes and even did a report on them in middle school. As my appreciation for cars grew, I got into classic American muscle and fell in love with the Chevelle. Dreams can change.

Before any of you poke fun at the romantic part because it mentions wedding and guys aren't supposed to dream about that stuff, notice it doesn't describe how the wedding is going to be. It just describes my (expected) feelings and my future spouse (whoever that may be). And no one can tell me that guys don't think about that sort of thing.

*I misspelled Colosseum when I first wrote this and chose not to put the misspelling in there.

Tribe Time

Jacob’s Field

By Josh Watkins

One warm, calm summer night,

I travel to Jacob’s Field where the Indians will put up a fight.

The atmosphere is filled with happy emotion,

The weather is so nice; I don’t need any lotion.

Souvenir shops open and fans fill the walks,

Music fills the stadium and announcers have their talks.

The Jumbo-Tron is awake and filled with happy faces,

Many of them have come from far away places.

The players are on the field and ready to play,

Hoping to bring a victory home by the end of the day.

Fans leave the stores and fill the seats,

With their arms packed full of drinks and ballpark meats.

The players take their positions and the umpire shouts “Play ball!”

Fans cheer loudly, wanting the Indians to take it all.

The first pitch is thrown and is called strike one,

The batter swings, strike two, strike three and he is done.

Two more challengers step to the plate,

Both become hitless as they have met their fate.

The Indians step up and start with two strikes to none,

Then SMASH! A ball is hit over the crowd and lost in the sun.

Fans cheer as the batter makes his way to home plate,

It looks like tonight’s game is going to be great.

I relax in my seat as the sun is about to set,

The Indians are up by five, but it isn’t over yet.

I begin to smile as the fans begin to chant,

“Let’s go Indians!” is their rant.

It’s the top of the seventh and the score is tied,

Strap yourselves in for a wild ride.

CRACK! Is the sound of the bat as the crowd starts to boo,

That ball is out of here and boy, it did flew.

Bottom of the ninth and the Indians are down by three,

The hometown crowd is looking like the raging sea.

Bases are loaded, two outs, two strikes, and it is getting dark,

The swing! The hit! And this ball is out of the park.

The crowd goes wild as a grand slam seals the deal,

The feeling is all too great, all too real.

The Indians have done it; they have won it all,

They are bound for the playoffs in the fall.

The regular season is over, the Indians have won,

What a year! It has been a lot of fun!

Why are you an Indians fan and don't you mean Progressive Field? Shouldn't you be a Phillies fan? Some of you may be thinking this right now. Yes I grew up in southern PA, but I didn't follow baseball until I moved to Cleveland and my first baseball game ever was at the 2004 Mountain Top where they took 1000 people to that game. Then came the first magical run since the 90s in the year of 2007 when the Tribe made it to the AL championship game. I was a die hard after that point. 

The ballpark was originally named Jacob's field (a.k.a. The Jake) before Progressive bought the naming rights. I still call it the Jake (stupid advertisements). 

This piece's inspiration came from some fiction, some fact. The part about me being at the ballpark is from how I felt at the MT game. The Tribe claiming the division and making it to the postseason was from that 2007 season. As for the actual game play, I guess that was my dream scenario to see on one of my visits there.

As for critical reading, look at that horrible line "it did flew." I wanted to use the line before it and tried and tried to rhyme it, but that was the best I could come up with. Note: Forced rhyming makes for bad flow and bad writing. Also notice the exclamation points on the swing and hit, but a period for out of the park. I guess the ball clearing the fence wasn't as exciting as the swing and the hit...I don't know what I was thinking.

I hope y'all enjoyed this tribute to the Tribe. Here's looking forward to claiming that World Series in 2014. Go Tribe!

Cream of the Cars

The Open Road

By Josh Watkins

Highways, filled with cars carrying people and

creatures of many different walks of life.

Some are heading for the mall,

Some are out for a drive,

And then there are those who are always

rushing to get where they want to go,

Weaving in and out of helpless motorists,

Who are letting them run their course.

I am traveling the open highway,

Driving a sleek blue 1970 Chevelle ‘SS,

Listening to her purr,

While her radio pumps out a solid beat.

My eyes wander to the left,

Only to find a man on his cell,

Eating a greasy hamburger and driving with his knees.

I immediately shift my lane,

Avoiding sudden disaster as his Ford Focus

collides head-on with an unsuspecting Neon.

A few miles down the road,

I take in the evening horizon.

Just as I fall into a calm place,

I am jostled by a sudden rumble of a revved engine.

Without even glancing over,

I predict the rev came from a 3000 GT.

Turning my head with no great speed,

I am greeted by a smug smile,

On the clownish face of the GT’s driver.

He revs his engine again,

And without even taking my eyes off his ride,

I shift up and smash the gas pedal to the floor.

Five seconds was all it took to smoke that clown,

Leaving him choking on my dust.

Out here on the open road,

I feel at peace, as if a river just washed over me.

Life is good, for I know that wherever the road takes me,

My future lies ahead.

Yet another passion of mine...no not asphalt. Cars. My dream car is mentioned here and described in detail. No not the Focus. The Chevelle. I've always admired that car for its muscle, its power, its American brand. One day I hope to at least drive one. 

If you noticed I tried my hand at starting lines without capitalizing then good for you. Sharp reading skills. Pat yourself on the back. Until next time. 

Patriotism and the Bucket List

On the Wings of an Eagle

By Josh Watkins

He stands firmly on the cliff,

Overlooking his barren land,

Watching and waiting for the time to be right.

The sun beats down and the winds blow fierce,

But he is unmoved and holds his ground.

A glint of strength can be seen in his eye,

As he spreads his mighty wings,

And begins his long journey.

He soars through the skies looking valiant and free,

All below cower in envy and fear,

Wishing they were not bound to the earth.

People stop and stare in awe,

While he glides, wherever the wind carries him.

He breaks his flow into a near fatal dive,

To grasp a most likely victim.

He pulls out of his fall,

Close to a deadly blow,

But in his grasp is a most unfortunate rat,

Who has come to the end of his road.

The sun begins to fall out of sight,

The moon begins to arise, beaming bright.

Then he flies out gracefully above the sea,

Taking control of the skies,

While striking fear into the hearts of many.

The sea roars at him,

But he does not flinch.

All through the night he flies,

Just to get back home.

He lands in his nest for his final rest,

For this old bird’s time has come,

And all remember him as the symbol of FREEDOM.

Bucket List

Marry the girl of my dreams

Visit New York City

Visit Hawaii

Visit all major U.S. cities

Go surfing

Go wind-surfing

Go skydiving

Drive a corvette

Drive a 1970 Chevelle SS 540

See the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade live

Visit Times square during Christmas

See the Grand Canyon

Ride every major roller coaster in the U.S.

Visit every major theme park in the U.S.

Visit Italy

Go to a Super Bowl

Go to a World Series game

Go to a NASCAR race

Go to a Flyers NHL game

Go to a Phillies game

Go to a 76ers game

GO TO AN EAGLES GAME

See all Philly’s teams in their own stadiums

Go deep-sea fishing

Go scuba diving

Go on a cruise

Go to Disneyland

Go to Disney World

Snowboard in Telluride, CO

See the Northern Lights

Ride in a hot-air balloon

Go white water rafting

Meet Carrie Underwood

Visit Europe

Find Buried Treasure

Earn a bachelor’s degree

Snowboard in Europe

Go to Olympics

Go to the World Cup

Play 18 holes of golf

Go on an African Safari

Visit Uganda

Bowl a 200 point game

Bowl a perfect game

Catch a trophy fish

Catch a trophy Largemouth Bass

Play in a Texas Hold ‘Em tournament

Visit all 50 states

Drive a dune buggy in the Las Vegas desert

Drive on the German Autobans

Spend $200+ on fireworks

Go Hunting

Some of you probably expected to see a piece like the first one eventually. For those of you who don't know, I have an insane amount of patriotism. The national bird is the American bald eagle and naturally, my favorite animal (and no it's not because I'm an Eagles fan). My wallet has an eagle, my Zippo has two eagles, I have a giant carved eagle on my dresser, heck even my Frisbee has an eagle on it. So naturally, I had to write about it. 

My inspiration didn't come from my patriotism, but rather from Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem The Eagle. It's short but his words and imagery is phenomenal. I still have it memorized to this day. And another thing...I penned this during a meeting at Vision Week a number of years ago...shhhh.

And as promised, my bucket list. Now I know to the untrained eye that a handful of them seem impossible, but by putting them down and looking at them in my wallet from time to time, it gives me hope that they can happen. Dreams is what you call them. One should never stop dreaming. Plus there's a theme here. The items listed reveal passions, loves, hobbies, etc. I have a broad range. Examples: Travel, Extreme sports, sports, cars, fishing, treasure, and pyrotechnics. Since it's inception I have crossed off two things (not currently on here). My dream is to see it all scratched off, but for now I'll just enjoy life and take things as they come.

Teenage Summer Dreams*

Summer Dreams

By Josh Watkins

When the sun releases its hot, summer beams,

My head begins to fill with many dreams.

First I find some nice, quiet spots,

Where I can release all of my summer thoughts.

I begin to dream about places to travel,

Places where I’ll have fun and new stories will unravel.

I dream of Italy and all of its sights,

From the great city of Rome, to the Leaning Tower of Pisa’s heights.

I can taste the Italian flavor,

Just thinking about the food makes my lips quaver.

Then my dreams turn to the wonderful city of New York,

From roaming the streets all day, to dining at night with a fancy fork.

So many sights to see, pictures to take, people to meet,

O wait! Do I hear the drums of a Hawaiian beat?

How I would love to grab a surfboard and hang-ten,

Just to ride those waves over and over, again and again.

After a day of surfing fun,

I would love to dance the hula under the Hawaiian sun.

But the place I would most like to be,

Is in Walt Disney World with Minnie and Mickey.

I dream of a place where dreams come true,

So I can make more memories of me and you.

Travel is nice, but there are other things to be done,

Like riding roller coasters, for one.

I love strapping in and feeling that adrenaline rush,

Cover your ears because you will hear screaming and no hush.

Theme parks are the place to chill,

For a huge wave of summer thrill.

Once those dreams have passed on by,

The teenage dreams come falling from the sky.

I see myself in a sleek, blue Corvette,

My hair blowing in the wind, this is as good as it is going to get.

Except there is something more,

It is her sitting beside me at the passenger door.

Staring at her smile and gazing at the shine in her eyes,

My heart bursts out of my chest and flies.

I take a deep breath and open my eyes,

Looking one last time at the sunny blue skies.

Dreams are wonderful. I lie here hoping that to one day see,

All of them become a reality.

I apologize posting every other day. I said I would post a new one every day and I will eventually follow through by catching up with bonus pieces and by the time I post my most recently written piece, I should have exactly the number of poems/works to the number of days from November 2-December 31. 

I mentioned before that I had written pieces that give tribute to the seasons, well sorry to disappoint, but this one is not my summer piece. I also mentioned that I was a bit of a romantic and warned that it would appear in future pieces...no further commentary needed here.

This piece is also a little more personal because it reveals dreams I've had for a long time. But as you will find out in later pieces (if you didn't know it already) I'm a dreamer and this is only a snippet of what I have in store. I wrote this around 6-7 years ago and I still have these dreams. Hence a bucket list followed not long afterward. Hey that's and idea! As a bonus I will post my bucket list tomorrow with the next piece of writing! So enjoy this one and be in anticipation for tomorrow's post!

p.s. I realized I made a hefty promise about the raw, unedited forms of my work, but I came to the conclusion that some parts of a handful of pieces are not ready for the public eye yet so they were edited to conceal (for now) those parts but also keep the flow and feel of the piece. From now on if a piece has been edited during the posting, I will place an asterisk in the title. If you really want to know what the piece originally said, message me via text or Facebook MESSAGE or see me in person. Thanks for reading y'all. 

Jr. High Camp Edition

Jr. High Camp 2007

By Josh Watkins

Jr. high camp is the place to be,

Fun in the sun for kids like you and me.

Put a smile on your face,

And join the Jesus race.

From memorizing verses to eating a meal,

Jesus was there and the food was a great deal.

Take 5's and small groups were Jesus time,

This is only the beginning of my rhyme.

The games were fun as most of us can see,

Especially roller skating to the hokey-pokey.

In the big meetings Jesus was there,

To bring His presence and His tender-loving care.

Medic ball was off the wall,

And sometimes you had to take the fall,

So your team could win,

And we all know cheating is a sin.

Capture the flag takes skill,

Running with the flag is a thrill.

Half-way safe and it's looking bad,

O shoot! I just got tagged by a jr. higher named Brad.

Swimming was a great way to cool down,

After a long day out on the town.

Water polo was the game,

Where jr. highers rose to their fame.

After the pool the guys hit the shower,

Right then and there was a fresh sort of power.

Voices rang out, singing in shout,

As songs of Jesus were heard throughout.

Jr. Highers took the floor,

At musical plates to start a score.

The boys fought hard and the girls were tough,

The guys nearly won, but there was a cheater in the rough!

One boy, one girl, who was it going to be?

Each fighting hard for a victory.

The music stopped and there was a loud cheer,

As the girls winning screams shattered my ear.

Best of all was the bondfire,

Many hearts burning with the Lord's desire.

Singing loud for everyone to hear,

So eyes even released a tear.

Because I am losing my voice,

And by choice,

This poem has to stop,

Or I am going to drop!

For those of you who have been to a jr. high camp, you know that there is a talent show at the end. I decided that year I was going to write a poem about the week. To jog the memories of those who went, this was the year we were at Ashland Woods.

Let me explain some of the highlights and events. In verse three, we took the kids out to a roller skating rink

and made all of them use the old fashioned box-pattern wheel skates. To make it more interesting, we all danced to the hokey-pokey. My ankles were killing me after that.

Verse five details or highly anticipated capture the flag game. I remember racing towards the flag, wanting so bad to snatch it and race to safety waving it in victory...those dreams were dashed the moment a got tagged by then jr. higher Brad Sprau.

In verse 7, after we had gone swimming, the jr. high boys were in the showers and suddenly burst into song, multiple in fact, of ones they had enjoyed during the week.

Verse 8 tells the exciting outcome of our musical chairs...er plates game. Every year we have a massive game of musical chairs. But since we were at Ashland Woods, the only area big enough was the nice carpeted meeting room. So instead of chairs, we used paper plates. Once the music stopped, theirs butts had to be on a plate on the floor. When it got down to the final three (two boys and one girl), the music stopped and the three of them hit the floor. The boy erupted in cheers seeing two boys occupying the remaining plates. I however noticed that as they were going to the ground, one of the boys had yanked the plate out from under the girl. He was disqualified and the one boy and one girl literally spun around the remaining plate back to back until the music stopped. You can guess what happened by the last line of that verse.

It was a great year and I had hoped (and still do) that this piece would inspire ones to rise up, answer the Call of Duty, and serve at Jr. High Camp.

The Legend

The Legend

By Josh Watkins

There is a man who is tall,

He is proud, strong, daring, and stands above all.

He has long golden hair that flows down his back,

His feet are firm and planted on track.

His eyes are a deep sea blue,

His face is fair and his heart is true.

He wears a vest of leather hide,

And on his feet sandals of steel ride.

Slung over his back is a mighty sword,

Many a foes’ blood by it has been poured.

On his cheek He bears a glowing star-shaped scar,

That was carved by a rainbow-colored shooting star.

Many a sunset He is found,

Standing on a cliff, overlooking the valley to where he is bound.

He rides a steed all dressed in white,

That gives any nightly creature a fright.

When duty calls, He leaves his cozy lair,

To go strike down foes here, there, and everywhere.

On one dark and stormy night,

He will make his final flight.

He and his men march through the rain, up Inferno Hill,

Where stands a million dark soldiers waiting for their kill.

He draws his sword and points it towards the sky,

And with a shout he says “It’s a good day to die!”

“We fight to the end!” his loyal soldiers cry,

As the dark fire lights up the midnight sky.

The greatest battle of all time is about to be fought,

The glory of victory is what is sought.

He then got the gleam of victory in his eye,

And before he knew it his feet began to fly.

Dark arrows began to whiz by his head,

And some of his brave men hit the ground dead.

He leaps through the air feeling so alive,

One swing from his sword cuts 100 from their collective hive.

He hits his marks blow after blow,

Down underground, more and more dark warriors go.

The dark spirits’ eyes lit up with green fire,

Up from the ground arose flaming funeral pyres.

In the pyres were the ghostly forms of the men who fell,

His heart burned with anger towards this demonic spell.

He charged forward swinging the sword with all of his might,

Thousands of dark soldiers did he smite.

He mows down the demons in a straight course,

Making his way towards their power to destroy the source.

With a swift swing of his magical blade,

He has reached the master shade.

The sky lights up once more,

As a clash of metal and magic could end this long war.

A fiery explosion is heard all around,

As He and the shade are back to back in uneven ground.

The evil shade suddenly bursts into a green ball of smoke,

All that was left was a cloak.

He gave a big smile and a lengthy grin,

Then he lifted his sword high above his chin,

He cried “Freedom reigns throughout this land!”

Then fell face down in the sand.

The dark soldiers vanished without a trace,

Never again to return to this place.

For the man, many soldiers honorably fought,

For by his blood their freedom was bought.

The place where He took his fall,

Is where He is known as the Legend to all.

I have a lot to say about this one and hopefully I can explain it well enough to fit all my thoughts in and intrigue y'all.

My inspiration here came from when I was in a phase of watching war movies and going through Greek Mythology. I wanted to create my own hero with relevance to the movie Troy, mythology, Braveheart, and yes, the Bible. 

The Troy reference is the flowing hair, the funeral pyres, and the battle. Braveheart is semi-referenced when the hero says his freedom line before he dies. And the Bible reference (even though this hero is nowhere close to Jesus) is this hero's death for the freedom of his people.

For you critical readers, you will once again notice A) Inconsistent capitalization and B) Present tense and Past tense intermingled (again with the inconsistency). Be warned, these things will most likely appear in later released pieces. 

Oh and in the beginning when his features are described, I find it strange that the shooting star that gave him his scar was rainbow colored...it kinda takes away some manliness and fearsome aspects from him. O well, the pen shall have its way soon enough.

Friends and Cures

What a Friend Means to Me

By Josh Watkins

A friend to me,

Is like a wildfire blazing free.

Keeps on growing, spreading, releasing heat,

From person to person, me to you, to everyone we meet.

A friend to me, is like a fountain of grace,

They are there to pick you up and wipe the tears from your face.

A friend is one, who will guard your secrets well,

Even when death rings its final bell.

A friend is the ticket to all the world has to hold,

One who will protect you from the blazing heat and the freezing cold.

A friend will be there for you in your time of need,

And will show you the path and will take the lead.

A friend will catch you when you are falling,

And will come running when you are calling.

A friend will give you a smile to make your day,

That smile will chase all the anguish away.

A friend is a friend,

Who will be there from beginning to end.

Treasure him or her and you will be free,

Because that is what a friend means to me.

The Cure for Writer’s Block

By Josh Watkins

I have no inspiration, my mind has nothing,

I am not crazy, nor am I bluffing.

My pen is ready to write,

But my mind has taken flight.

I need ideas, thoughts, something to say,

I can’t take this, this is dumb and really, really gay.

I need something to write, it is in my blood,

People will be annoyed if I only produce mud.

I have written many poems about love, life, and war,

But why am I not producing something more?

I hate writer’s block, I hate it with a passion,

I must have something with style, something with fashion.

I am thinking very hard with all my might,

O my gosh! I might be here all night.

Wait! The thoughts are creeping back steadily,

I have my trusty pen and paper ready.

Ideas are flying to me in a flock,

I’ll believe I will write about writer’s block.

As promised, here are two poems in one post. The first was inspired when I realized how dear the Cleveland bros and sisters were to me. Granted I had realized this well before, but never thought of putting it on paper until then. It's a cheery piece that can warm your heart or remind you how precious are those close to you.

The second one was written A) during english class (but not for a project). B) When I really did have a bad case of writer's block. C) Still during the time of my amateur writing stages. Now I know I will hear about my throwing in the word "gay" as a replacement for stupid. I wrote this went I was ignorant to such things and didn't realize how hurtful and offensive my use of that word in this context would be. I left this piece in its original form not to start an argument, but to point out how my writing was back then and how I see the fault in it now. Plus, even if it wasn't offensive, it's still bad writing. 

On that note, this piece literally came to me in a matter of five minutes and was written in another five. It helps when you read it if you imagine yourself stressed, and jittery. 

I hope y'all are enjoying these so far. If you want your own copies of these in their original or edited versions, let me know and I will gladly get them to you. Happy reading!

In Celebration of Autumn

The Beauty of Autumn

By Josh Watkins

Sitting on the beach,

Staring off into the sunset filled sky,

Watching the last bit of summer,

Hop, skip, and dance on by.

My head floods with emotions,

How the summer has made me see,

A new perspective on life and friendship,

And how the summer has changed me.

Now the sun has set and Autumn has begun,

Bringing in football, Thanksgiving, and the school year.

The North wind releases a mighty roar,

My eyes give way and shed a tear.

The trees shake off their summer coats,

And flash their Autumn colors with pride,

They wave hello as the wind embraces them,

While the leaves challenge the wind for a wild ride.

Birds whistle good-bye,

Furry critters store food and refurbish their homes,

The leaves crunch beneath my feet,

On the city streets I now wander and roam.

Hoodies, sweat pants, and knit hats are back in style,

Guys are looking sharp and the ladies are a sight to behold,

Behind the hoods, scarfs, and cunning smiles,

Lie hearts of love and gold.

As night falls, the savory, hot chocolate soothes my throat,

I am kept warm wrapped up in a quilt by a fireplace,

I lay there dreaming, wishing, and hoping

As the heat kisses my face.

Football season has begun,

Thanksgiving is on its way,

So much delicious food to eat,

So many bone-crushing games to play.

The Philadelphia Eagles are my team of choice,

"Fly Eagles fly!" is what we die-hard fans say,

When they dominate the game,

Winning in each and every way.

Thanksgiving is a memorable occasion in my life,

Family, food, and football all hold their own,

Football is a blast, family is loving,

And the food is picked clean to the very last bone.

The Macy's parade brings joy to my eyes,

To see the floats, bands, and balloons glide across the screen,

Warming peoples' hearts and surprising their faces,

On every single child and teen.

All good things eventually must come to an end,

I am so sad to see it go.

The trees will shed their Autumn attire,

As mother nature sends the chilled air and the snow.

Next time you feel the leaves beneath your feet,

Or the wind kiss your face,

Just stop and look around,

At Autumn's beauty and grace.

I attempted to branch out from my normal rhyming scheme and try the abcb style. I know that I have published this piece before, but it was in an edited form. I re-added a verse I originally omitted. I felt down the road that the verse doesn't fit and I still don't think it does, but the point of these posts is to look back at the original thoughts and see the changes in writing and imagination throughout time. The offending verse (in case you were wondering) is nine. It's cheesy, awkward, ruins the flow, and comes from a passionate fan who one put pride over flow. 

The ultimate reason for this piece was to portray my love for the Fall. It was the beginning of more seasonal pieces which will come later. 

I know I missed yesterday, life was busy and I apologize. I will create a double post in the future. Until then, enjoy this wonderful season!

Private Paradise

Private Paradise

By Josh Watkins

Utopia. A word that means nowhere. A place that cannot exist in today’s society. Yet there are many dreams of a Utopia, and there are dreamers. I happen to be one of them. My Utopia is called the Land of Memories.

    

The Land of Memories has an undisclosed location. However, I will be glad to share with you the landscape, government, customs, etc. The land is wide open plains full of thick and luscious grass with forests and mountains looming in the background. If you look just beyond the horizon, you will notice that there are miles of beach that with the passing of everyday looks as though it has remained untouched. There are many rivers, waterfalls, and hidden jungles filled with the most amazing creatures ever to roam the earth and also some that have never been introduced to the real world. The water is pure, clean, and replenishes from an unknown source every night. The weather is set so that if you want a certain climate or weather type, you must go to that region of the land.

            

Many places need rulers, laws, codes, or other sorts of things that involve people, power, and money. In the Land of Memories, the only ruler is you and yourself. There aren't any weapons here or anything involving technology. No work is done except to keep the Land of Memories the way it has always been, peaceful. Only a select few are able to live here. These very lucky people have been through too much to describe and have the mindset of only to keep the land of memories safe.

            

There are no customs other than festivals and celebrations that happen when the time feels right. There is only one language, called Paradisian, which can be spoken orally or telekinetically. There is no money, no wealth, because the land provides what we need and is rich in itself.

            

The Land of Memories was named by the power and magic that sweeps through the land. Whenever you need to, you can relive any memory you want. How is all of this possible?? The Land of Memories lies on the inside of whoever it chooses too. That is why the location is not known. Only the dreamers and the people who love life enough to care will ever experience The Land of Memories.

Your in for a treat because this is not a poem. This was one of the first projects I did for my junior year of high school. We were discussing Utopias and were asked to in either prose or poetic form to create our own. I'm a dreamer, so it was fitting to create this Utopia in a section of my mind. I hope to find a place like this in real life one day that has been hardly touched or even untouched by man. One can only dream.

The Summer of 2007

My Awesome Summer
By Josh Watkins

My summer was such a blast,
Much better than the ones in the past.
The sun shone bright and it shone long,
Which inspired me to write this summer song.
The freedom bell of school set me free,
From all the books, teachers, and calamity.
School ended and out came the sun,
It was time for boatloads of fun.
I called up my friends and gave them a shout,
"Hey guys, summer is here, let's hang out."
First, I hit the park to play some disc,
Playing in the dead heat against big guys was a risk.
ONE, TWO, THREE, ULTIMATE! was the call,
Of the game where I always have a ball.
Each goal was marked by a tree,
Oh look! a goal scored by me!
Now off to the pool to cool down,
And hang out with friends from all over town.
Out to the cabin on the lake I go,
Where me and the boys put on a show.
With the waters clear and the sky blue,
We knew just what to do.
Out onto the water the jetski went,
The inner tube along with it was sent.
Life vests strapped, engine started, and shades on,
before you could say "Let's Rock", we were gone.
Hard on the throttle, the speedometer read,
Thirty, Forty, Fifty, Extreme thrill ahead!
We were want to be rebels that afternoon,
To see who could ride the tube longest, without bailing so soon.
Taking a break and chilling in the A/C air,
With plenty of pop and snacks to share.
Playing poker with the music volume up all the way,
Do you check, fold, or stay?
Now hanging out on the beach as the sun falls into the sea,
It was time for an amazing beach party!
The fire was lit, shirts off, and the sand is cool,
Bags filled with homework, to be destroyed, all from school.
Flamming algebra planes, and english torches of fire,
A relaxing, fun, Christ-filled summer was my desire.
Next, the Jr. High camp came,
And for those who weren't there, it wasn't lame.
Music, Activities, fun, and Jesus for all.
Not one head was to great, nor any heart too small.
Along came the Cleveland getaway,
And thankfully the Lord kept the rain away.
The younger and older ones came together as one,
And believe me, it was a heck of a lot of fun.
Cornhole and canoes,
Apples to Apples and BBQs.
A week later, Mountain Top came,
Voices rang out, hearts lifted up, and the devil was put to shame.
So many friends I haven't seen in ages,
It's almost like I am filling an unwritten book's pages.
New games and activities came along,
Some could last all day long.
The siege was a game of great battle,
It jarred your teeth and made your bones rattle.
Siege was composed of three games in one,
Dodge ball, basketball, and paintball, without a gun.
Blue and red warriors met face to face,
Each side hoping to put the other to disgrace.
The whistle blew and the battle had begun,
It was a good day to die under the blood red sun.
The siege had ended and the sun was going down,
On to the power session, to turn some weary hearts around.
Mountain Top was enjoyable and sweet,
Every time it comes, it's another tasty treat.
From a relaxing Mountain Top to a hard core College Training,
From the words of Tim Chai, the rain kept raining.
Brother Titus was there to share the Word of Jesus,
It was wonderful,enjoyable, and it sure did please us.
I was happy to see so many hearts filled with love,
I felt so released, so free like a dove.
Even at night we had plenty to do,
From sharing stories, eating Ramen, and some lemonade pong too.
The training was nice, but also tough,
I however couldn't get enough.
Now the real test was here,
Which was preaching the gospel to an unbeliever's ear.
Gospel Odyssey was the game,
Of the group of people that spread Jesus's name.
With hearts open and hands full of invites,
We went far and long into the nights.
Even when the rain fell,
We were out saving the unsaved from hell.
When G.O. ended, that wasn't all,
We even got a Cedar Point trip before the fall.
Half the day spent waiting in lines was a pill,
But it was worth it to ride the Top Thrill!
The Magnum, Gemini, and Mean Streak tried to give me a shake,
But all they did was give me a better view of the lake.
The Mantis and Raptor tried to tear me to shredds,
They only succeeded in turning my cheeks red.
The came the Maverick, the one too tough to tame,
A fresh, new, coaster rising to fame.
i had to wait an hour and a half,
Just to get in one final laugh.
We got into the cars and strapped ourselves in tight.
Ready to take one final flight.
Off the coaster roared into the night,
It felt insane, amazing, and just right.
Cedar point is an outstanding amusement park.
Finally, before the summer diminished,
We had one last task to finish.
It was to spend time in the older saints' house,
To talk with them and their spouse.
Those were some really sweet times I had,
They made me feel loved, happy, and glad.
That was the tale of my best summer ever,
And I hope they keep happening like this forever.

I applaud you if you were able to make it through this monstrosity. I am not proud of this piece in the sense of writing. Too many typos, inconsistent and lack of capitalization, weird rhymes, cheesy lines, and run-on sentence after run-on sentence after run-on sentence (see what I did there).

However, the was a summer that was full of firsts and one I'll never forget because I had a blast. In case you didn't make it through the whole thing, here is a summary of this epic summer.

I played a lot of ultimate frisbee that year and that is a game that I love and will strive to be the best at. I'm that passionate about it. The next stage was jet-skiing out on Lake Erie. Being out there on the open water flying at 3-50 mph with the wind in your hair and water spraying in your face is incredible. Then came all the young people summer events which were Jr. High Camp, Mountain Top, Vision Week, and Gospel Odyssey. In between those was a church retreat to Ashland Woods. We also managed a Cedar Point trip as well. We also wanted to be a blessing to the saints in Cleveland, so we went over to a number of their houses for dinner and listened to their salvation and marriage stories. And I tried to cram it all into a two and a half page poem.

Highlights: The bags of homework was actually my sleeping bag case filled with nearly every piece of homework/project/tests I despised as well as 300+ Yugioh cards. We lit a fire on the beach and burned it all, some by folding them into paper airplanes and throwing them at each other while on fire. At Vision week, a couple guys made lemonade the first night and I decided to do it the next night. Now there was a dear brother by the name of Jerome Espiritu, who I had not met formally until that point, asked if I had made the lemonade the next night. I told him I had and he gave me a high five and called me his legend. That meant a lot to a 16 year-old. Also some of had a ping-pong ball from downstairs and were bouncing it off the isles into the empty lemonade pitcher. As more and more people trickled in, it quickly became a competition. Within 20 minutes, the entire house of brothers was involved. The coolest thing was that once someone sunk one, the entire room erupted in cheers.

The line "From the words of Tim Chai, the rain kept raining," was taken from a rap him Dan Johnson, and Johnny Pro, did on their way to Montreal for an earlier college training. See for yourself: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=515047518605&set=vb.12428006&type=3&theater

Remember how I said it was a summer of firsts? Well this summer was the first time I went Jet-skiing and Jeremiah Johnson, Mark Greenwood, and I made the first of our now annual cabin trip, the first Vision Week, and the first of our annual Cedar Point trips. Those three things have been going for 6 and a half years and I was there from the beginning. All this and more is why my 16 year-old self decided to try to immortalize that summer into a poem.

A Poem About the Country

The Country
By Josh Watkins

Have you ever been to the country?
I have; it's where I was born and raised.
It's so peaceful and clean,
The water is so clear you can see the rocks at the bottom.

On a crisp, cool, summer night,
I like to lie on my back,
And let the cool blades of grass sweep across my face,
Then I shift my gaze to the thousands of twinkling stars,
High above my head.

I feel peace, love, and comfort flow through me,
I feel calm and content.
I start to think about the past, and then the future,
Emotions of desire for a love down the road flood my thoughts.

Out in the country, I feel so free,
No loud noises, no constant crime, just peace.
Sometimes, if you are really quiet,
You can see a group of deer going about their way.

The sounds of the country are so sweet,
The birds sing very purely, and the crickets chirp cheerfully.
Every night the songs of the animals, lull me to sleep,
And dreams of the next day fill my head.

Out in the country, the sky is bright blue,
With not a cloud to be seen.
The sun shines very brightly,
And I can feel its friendly rays of warmth kiss my cheeks.

When the clouds do come,
The rivers and oceans fall from the sky.
Not to destroy, but to nourish,
To bring forth life and to strengthen nature.

Many do not realize,
The the country produces many great singers and song writers.
Songs are sung of love, life, and people,
Not murder, violence, or rape.
Just songs that sooth my heart.


The country is where I was born,
And where I was raised.
To me, it is my home.
Even though I live in the city,
I'll always have that country inside of me.

I was born in Wisconsin and grew up in southern PA. The country was my home for my entire childhood. It was fitting that I put how I saw it into vast and eloquent detail. This one was for fun, but I let my teacher see it and here comment was "I can feel this place!" Mission accomplished.

The fourth line in verse one was taken from a 1990s Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen movie called How the West Was Fun. I saw that movie many times as a kid...among others. There was a reason, but that's classified for internet eyes.

Verse two I put in right away because I live in the city and you don't get to see this often because of light pollution. In the summer, you can lie on your back and try to find black space in the sky, but that task proves difficult because of the hundreds, upon thousands, upon tens of thousands of stars in the the sky. I could stare at the sky and God's outer creation all night long.

For those of you that read carefully and remember when I said I'd submit all of these in their current state/unedited form? Well, this one will hopefully be my only exception. I completely change a line in verse three because of personal reasons. I apologize for breaking my rule, but doing it saved me embarrassment.

Verse 8 was me trying to spread the love of country music and trying to deter people from rap which I strongly disliked then.

I may have grown to love this city and now call it home, but I still hold the country close.

Deep Emotions

On the Edge

By Josh Watkins

Here I am, standing on the edge of a canyon,

A canyon which overlooks a beautiful horizon.

I used to come here many summer nights,

Just to clear my mind and slow down.

However, that is not what I am here for.

Who am I? What have I become?

Does anyone care? Does anyone know how I feel?

One step to the left and I end my miserable life.

One step to the right and life will continue on.

These loose rocks here at my feet,

They are insignificant to most people.

But to me, they mean something.

They were once part of this great canyon,

And for a human, every part of us matters.

A rock is like a sign of endurance,

They cannot be burned, nor will they break easily.

The more of them that are together, the stronger they are.

I do not feel strong. I feel sorry that I was ever born.

All the people I have hurt, all the damage I have caused;

Is it worth it for me to go on?

I could end all my pain and sorrows right now.

Just one step and it’s all over.

When I came here, I thought about many things.

I thought about things like oceans and rivers.

I am like an ocean.

I am calm and quiet until a storm comes along,

And turns me into a violent mass of rage and fury.

I go mad and cause pain and anger than no man deserves.

This canyon here also has something to be proud of.

It would not be here nor would this spectacular view,

If it wasn't for the diligence of a river.

A river spent hundreds of years creating this beautiful masterpiece;

Through droughts and floods, it pushed on,

Until it finally created this marvelous canyon.

I used to be this way; so strong and willing.

I am on the edge of life and of death.

I should just jump right now.

This is the only way to end the pain.

No one will miss me, no one will care.

Just one final step!

I cannot do it.

I was given this life and I have no right to take it.

Now I see, my eyes have been opened, it is not my time.

Someone will care, someone will cry, someone does love me.

To this canyon I will return, to clear my mind.

I shall live on. I shall right the wrongs I have done.

What was I thinking? What was I going to do?

I shall never know.

Here I am, on the edge.

I thought I had written this one later than I did, but going back through my facebook notes, I discovered that this was yet another English project and it was actually my first free verse. This was because we had to write a poem with a Walt Whitman-esque style.

Now if you're reading this and are concerned, don't be. I wrote this at a time when I was going through a lot and it was also to reflect upon my past. I did have dark thoughts at times, but nothing lasting and most of it was out of anger rather than sorrow. I was never suicidal, but would wonder (when I got enraged) if people other than my family would miss me. I was honing my new found love for writing and slowly putting my thoughts, emotions, and memories into words. 

This is also the first piece to have a dark side, but it was also written to remind people that no matter how bad life may be, how empty and pointless it may seem, that people still care about you and love you. That there's hope unseen. That this life has a greater meaning and purpose far beyond man's comprehension. And that salvation is near. 

Like my other earlier works, this piece needs some editing, but I am still proud of it and it is one of my favorites still. Life is good...no scratch that. This is the Great Life.