poems by

Clarence A. Eden, Jr.

Poetry book, 70 pages, cover price $8.95

OUT OF PRINT

ISBN: 978-1-59948-032-9

Release date: 2006

Clarence Eden was born in Gastonia, NC. He graduated from Wake Forest University, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC. He received CLU and ChFC degrees from The American College, Bryn Mawr, PA. He lives in Charlotte, NC with his wife. They have two daughters and four grandchildren. He has published prose in several venues and his poetry has appeared in a number of journals, including Pinesong, Kakalak, Iodine Poetry Journal, Beginnings, Apostrophe, Thrift, Spinning Words Into Gold by Maureen Ryan Griffin (Main Street Rag, 2006), and others.

BEFORE SPRING

Funny, isn’t it, how we’re glad to leave
something old to begin anew,
one girl friend to the next,
old year, new year.
Let’s try
a different way,
not just looking forward
but seeing change is sometimes slow.
Winter is still here, spring is not ready .

BLACKBERRY WINTER

Signs of spring forecast the end of winter
until temperatures quickly sink –
bite of a mongrel cur
on one’s ankle
of hope.
The old folks said,
This is the sign of spring.
It makes the blackberries blossom,
will fill pie pans with the finest cobbler.

FOOTBALL

Thumb of toe on pigskin, back waits to catch,
eleven stout bodies intent
on running all the way,
eleven charge
to stop
the run, and take
the ball, two teams intent
on measured mayhem legalized,
game of fleet feet, passing arms, giant legs.