If a man could live a thousand years,
When half his life had passed,
He might, by strict economy,
A fortune have amassed.
Then having gained some common-sense,
And knowledge, too, of life,
He could select the woman who
Would make him a true wife.
But as it is, man hasn’t time
To even pay his debts,
And weds to be acquainted with
The woman whom he gets.
by H.C. DODGE (1865-1915)
Public Domain Poetry
you squeeze the hand of fate
knuckles white in the skull of night
time to choose between fight or kite
will we ever feel ready today
the price of going away
won’t be as high as if you stayed
how on god’s weaned earth has it come to this
another plated community
can you smell the sulphur in the air
mind the inevitable siren blare
more bodies filling moats of fear
the price of going away
won’t be as high as if you stayed
but first i must tell what you mean to me
let’s never forget, woman of my dreams
as i trace your shoulders, broad & free
would you flex those biceps, strong for me
then crushing thighs & disarming sighs
the price of going away
won’t be as high as if you stayed
i’ll miss you but we can no longer believe
the eastern border has disgorged
war, the insatiable hurricane
it swirls & pukes our discarded aims
bulimic in its vile intentions
the price of going away
won’t be as high as if you stayed
& fate always seems to begin like this
by TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2026
Twin stars, aloft in ether clear,
Around each other roll alway,
Within one common atmosphere
Of their own mutual light and day.
And myriad happy eyes are bent
Upon their changeless love alway;
As, strengthened by their one intent,
They pour the flood of life and day.
So we through this world’s waning night
May, hand in hand, pursue our way;
Shed round us order, love, and light,
And shine unto the perfect day.
by CHARLES KINGSLEY (1819–1875)
Public Domain Poetry
do you think of me
walking past that ferris wheel
in the desert dark
long after the meadowlark
has left for songs yonder rue
do you think of me
standing on that worn jetty
a faraway face
framed within lost time & space
on abstracted rueful sands
do you think of me
hearing the song of the sea
near that ferris wheel
in a desert shell to heal
from rue the day we parted
by TETIANA ALEKSINA & TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2024
don’t cry
we’ve a full life, don’t we
with full bellies
& you are here by my side
with love aplenty to fill our sail
own nothing & be happy
is what they’re bound to say
yet we’re happy anyway
are we not
you are mine & i am yours
too many fish in this world
are fighting to be upstream
near the lighthouse seen
no such thing as water in nets
only good days & some regrets
so, let’s be mindful, love
time is a loose spool
& the river winds on
by TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2025
unbolt me 