Back Pocket Poet

By Lily Steiner

 With a mission of creating poetry works that touch a persons heart, soul and day-to-day life, Tony Haynes is more than expressing his love of people and their creative desires. He is personalizing a special gift for an individual, one that will last forever and can be passed down to future generations. He loves inspiring people to imagine and hope, to dream and believe.

Calling himself the Greatest Poet in the World, Tony has made popular a unique type of poem, the acrostic poem. Used for years as a way to introduce poetry writing to children, he has elevated it to a whole new level. He is also known as The 48 Second Poet because he can pull a special poem, one tailored to the recipient, out of thin air in less then a minute. The person tells Tony what they would like the title to be and he composes the poem on the spot. It is a one-of-a-kind gift, personalized and magical.

For instance, if you would approach Tony and ask for a poem as a gift for John Smith, he could write a poem with 9 lines, each line starting with a different letter of Johns name. It could be about any theme you desire. When giving a special gift like this to your friend or loved one, the reactions upon receipt are often ones of amazement and wonder.

With his unique approach of spontaneous showmanship combined with his artistic abilities of penmanship, Tony is taking the gift market by storm. This is not the only creative thing about Tony, however. He has spent years creating special things for our world as a songwriter, music publisher, record producer and author.

As a songwriter, Tony has written songs for over 200 albums, his first song recorded by the Spinners in 1981, Send A Little Love. With his songs selling more than 70 million copies worldwide, they have earned him sixty gold and multi-platinum awards, as well as several ASCAP Awards. Music publishing includes artists such as Bobby Brown, Jeffrey Osborne, Earth, Wind & Fire, Al Jarreau, Kool & The Gang, The Temptations, the Isley Brothers and many more.

Living and creating in the world of children has been one career highlight for Tony, and in 1993, he began to focus on childrens entertainment. He produced many different audio products, wrote books and created animated characters. Under the Warner Kids label and others he wrote and/or produced famous projects like Looney Tunes Lovables Lullabies, Bugs Bunny in Carrotblanca, and others. For Hanna Barbera and Motown, Tony was executive producer for The Flintstones Motown Christmas. His list of accomplishments is vast and significant.

With a number of books for children also published by Warner Bros.Worldwide Publishing, Landoll and Penguin Books, he entertained our kids with classics such as RazzamaTaz, A Dune Buggy Ride With Baby Taz, Baby Tweetys Flying Machine, Baby Sylvesters Big Day and Baby Bugs Favorite Things.

Now with Tonys new GreetingsBooks, a spiral-bound book with a pocket for envelopes, he is accomplishing his mission with finesse, and creating pleasure for kids and adults alike.

Tony Haynes is putting rhymes where darkness or sadness lurks to touch the lives of all, and make happiness prevail. Its the light of love that shines through.

By Lily Steiner

www.AmericanBusinessGateway.com

Poetry

writing poetry

By Jaci Rae

 As I gaze out the window at my Grandmother walking swiftly up the path in her backyard, I sit in awe and amazement of her. At nearly 90 years old, she is as vital as any of my peers. She has as much energy as anyone I have seen in their 30’s, and she certainly does not look more than 50. She is an amazing woman.

Most of my fondest memories are of time spent with my Grandmother. The trip to her house always seemed so long I could hardly wait to see her. I would ask my mom every few minutes, “How long ’till we get there?” Once there, warm hugs would follow. I would look up at her face and her sparkling eyes, with her hair pulled back in a neat bun and I knew I was home. This was the home of my heart.

The smell of fresh baked bread permeated the air as I would rush to the cookie jar to grab a few of Grandma’s cookies. The mornings were a quiet rush down the hallway into the kitchen, trying not to wake anyone else. The first child at the breakfast table, dressed and with their bed made was given the honor of using the Silver Fish Spoon. It was a time honored tradition that was passed on from her childhood. No other spoon could equal the taste of any food that was eaten from that spoon.

Days were spent watching her do her gardening, playing in the playhouse in the backyard, walking up town, dressing up in period dresses, playing with antique dolls and tea sets (each with a wonderful history that Grandma would tell), and learning to crochet.

Afternoon would find her playing the piano…Beethoven, Chopin, Joplin. I remember climbing onto the piano stool when I was 2 years old and watching her fingers glide across the ivory keys of her baby grand. She never said a word as I would try to mimic her playing on the upper register of that piano. Patiently she would play as I wrecked her masterpieces. I wanted to be just like her.

When I was a little older, I got an old tiny keyboard and I sat on the floor and we played our first duet, “Valley of the Dolls”. I was so proud that I was playing a duet with my grandmother, that I could barely hit the right keys. She bought my first piano for me. An old upright. I played it day and night.

Evenings at her house were special too. She would read the paper in her chair by the wall and I would watch her turn every page. It would soon be my turn to sit in her warm soft lap and watch the pictures go by in the Beatrice Potter book she would read to me. “Benjamin Bunny” or “Peter Cottontail” to name a few. Then it was off to bed and off to sleep with the sound of her piano lulling me into sweet dreams.

She remembers the days when things were simpler. A happy time when there was no such thing as self-service gas stations; milk was delivered to your door in glass milk containers; people smiled and said hello to one another; and you could pick up the phone and order your groceries to be delivered to your home for no extra charge. For her the 50’s are modern day. These must have been great times, if for no other reason then they were graced with her presence.

Things haven’t changed all that much for me. There are still warm hugs and sparkling eyes to look at. The smell of fresh baked bread still permeates the air. The cookie jar is still ever welcoming, although my Grandmother says she has help from Pillsbury now. She is still helping me on the piano, cooking 3 meals a day, and running the house.

The only changes now are, the garden is a plush, beautiful jungle that captures the imagination, and I read “Benjamin Bunny” to myself. But with everything she is, there is still so much more that I am just beginning to discover. Now that I have become an adult, my awe and wonderment of her are only added to as I discover how incredibly intelligent she is. Who needs a library when I have her?

She is truly an amazing woman my Grandmother. I can only hope and strive to be the same kind of woman she is when I reach her years.

Jaci Rae is a #1 Best Selling author of The Indie Guide to Music, Marketing and Money and Winning Points with the Woman in Your Life One Touchdown at a Time. Book Jaci for your next show: and hit contact button for her publicist.

Poetry

poetry

By Richard McNeal

 Planning a funeral service is no easy task, as people are weary and uncertain during such an emotional time. Finding ways in which to express thoughts and feelings is difficult when there are no perfect words to say. A funeral poem is a useful aid, as its words are specifically intended to help mourn and honor a loved one. Appropriate at a funeral, memorial, graveside service, or wake, memorial poetry speaks to the heart.

In the Eulogy

Memorial poetry is a powerful medium of expression and often communicates our thoughts and feelings better than our own words. As such, using poetry in the eulogy can be a most fulfilling and moving experience. While writing a memory poem yourself is always a meaningful endeavor, there are many memory poems available that can accurately and appropriately express the particular message you’re trying to communicate-whether it be one of sorrow, remembrance, or hope. A few examples of appropriate funeral poems include: All Is Well by Henry Scott Holland, Farewell by Emily Dickinson, No Longer Mourn for Me by William Shakespeare, or Psalm 23: The Lord is My Shepherd.

On Acknowledgement Cards

Often the best way to express your deepest gratitude for those close friends and family members who stood by your side during this difficult time is to send acknowledgement cards. While, of course, a personally written message is a meaningful gesture, it’s also common to include a poem. This poem can be a thank you, a memorial poem pertaining to the loss of your loved one, or a general poem about life and death. Whichever you chose, using a poem graciously expresses your sentiments for their love and support. Below is an example of a general poem you might include:

Poem of Life

Life is but a stopping place,

A pause in what’s to be,

A resting place along the road,

To sweet eternity.

We all have different journeys,

Different paths along the way,

We all were meant to learn some things,

But never meant to stay…

Our destination is a place,

Far greater than we know.

For some the journey’s quicker,

For some the journey’s slow.

And when the journey finally ends,

We’ll claim a great reward,

And find an everlasting peace,

Together with the Lord.

–author unknown

Poetry Inscriptions

After someone passes away, friends and family often want a consistent reminder of the wonderful influence and life of their loved one. Since visiting a gravesite or final resting place everyday is improbable, a small token of the deceased’s life is a meaningful and practical solution. This is often achieved through an inscription on a particular keepsake or memento. Whether it’s a custom figurine, plaque, or personal item of the deceased’s, an in memory of poem is a fitting supplement. Since the lengths of inscriptions are contingent upon the size of the object, the in memory of poem you choose should reflect the space available. The most suitable poems likely consist of short phrases and few stanzas. A couplet or quatrain is most common, for instance. The following is an untitled piece by Molly Fumia:

The season of mourning,

will also pass.

Memorial Bookmarks

Often friends, family, and colleagues of the departed also appreciate a small keepsake or memento. A popular and practical item is the memorial bookmark. Consequently, the medium of a bookmark is conducive to longer prose that expresses experience and feeling in wonderful poetic detail. Despite whether your loved one was an avid reader, a memorial bookmark will hold the place of his of her memory for years to come.

Richard McNeal, 2009

Traditional memorial poetry and end of life quotes can be sentimental and heartfelt. Find the right expressive eulogy poem or share one you have written at Poetry Reading online.

Poetry

writing poetry