O, Men!
O, singers of songs
O, strummers of strings
O, penniless artists
O, bearers of rings
O, givers of gifts
O, takers of souls
O, promising poets
in watering holes
O, hot high school boys
we pined for in lunchlines
O, struggling comics
who later were punchlines
O, lovers of mirrors
O, football fanatics
O, sexy-ass hippies
O, hunky mechanics
O, what would we do
without mem’ries of men
as we nestle in Now
…remembering When
© Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
For the Sunday Scribblings prompt, Omen, with certain liberties taken!
Also at my poetic Magnetic North, Poets United.
Sharp Little Pencil 
Mike Patrick
Amy, I haven’t had time to visit for a while and I come in to an homage of men. You made my day.
I borrowed a little from you the other day. At least you were on my mind as I wrote a poem called Trademark Blue. I don’t think you will mind my tapping into some of your darker days: http://thepoetsquill.wordpress.com/2011/11/03/trademark-blue/
Sharp Little Pencil
Mike, I’m so glad you found the poem pleasing. I love men in all their incarnations, even the “dawgs.” All serve their purpose to women (as well as men) in the form of life lessons, of sorting what one wants in their life from what one doesn’t…
I can’t speak to the borrowing until I read it, so I’ll comment over there, but I’m already quite flattered! Peace, Amy
MiskMask
I *really* quite like this one. Charming and bouncy and full of fun. Just the thing that I needed this morning. Thanks, Amy!
Sharp Little Pencil
Glad I could brighten your day, Marilyn – you do the same for me so often! Amy
Debbie
O Amy! Love the liberties you took with that prompt!
Sharp Little Pencil
Ha, I knew you’d enjoy the word play, Debbie! Blessings, Amy
Altonian
Very cleverly done Amy – I like this. It’s a case of great minds thinking alike. My first thoughts were to write a political satire type speech, beginning: “O Men!”
I’m glad I didn’t – it would look a little like plagiarism by one or other of us,
depending on who posted second. Thanks for looking at my limerick.
Sharp Little Pencil
Leigh, first off – loved the limerick. Your poetic voice is boundless!
As to “O Men,” I am quite sure there are others who had the same idea for the title, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all. I wouldn’t think of it as plagiarism unless the form followed with the same idea in mind. And believe me, I’m sure your thoughts would be QUITE different from mine, hee hee. It’s like song titles: There are many songs called “The Man I Love” but only one Ira Gershwin version! Thanks for leaving your full blog address, too – saves me time for visiting you! Take care, Amy
Daydreamertoo
LOL Fun take on that prompt!
Sharp Little Pencil
It was a bit of whimsy, the title – then it poured out practically on its own… Thanks! Amy
Poetry & Icecream
An enjoyable read. Loved it 🙂
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Norma! Amy
Mary
Excellent, Amy! I know you are a song writer. This cries out to be set to music.
Sharp Little Pencil
Yeah, maybe a blues tune, wink!!! Especially the dawgs mentioned, ha ha. Thanks, Mary! Amy
coalblack
i love it.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks so much, Shay! Amy
Richard Cody
Remember me!
Sharp Little Pencil
Hah, Rick, like I could forget! Hope I didn’t offend, but then again, I know you are NOT a dawg! Amy
claudia
haha – so cool amy..they are all that and much more…how could we ever live without them..? smiles
Sharp Little Pencil
The Forrester Sisters, a country group, used to sing, “You can’t live with ’em and you just can’t shoot ’em/Men… mere mortal men”!!
I truly am one of those feminists who is a true fan of all genders – male, female, transgender… and have always been, as my friend Tandy would say, “hopelessly straight.” Ha ha, Amy
Old Egg
I loved the rhythm of this piece and that touch of sadness in the words. And I applaud your use of the prompt in “O, Men!”
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Rob… always nice to hear from the “opposite side of the aisle” that I got it right! Peace, Amy
Nanka
O it takes all kinds to make up “men” and O how quickly those school boys from lunchlines become “men”!! 🙂
Sharp Little Pencil
True enough, Nanka. I wasn’t thinking about that, but even Lex once stood in a lunchline…! And he’s a keeper, for sure… peace, Amy
Jannie Funster
I LOVE men!!!!!!!!!! So many, so wonderful so many of them.
lunchlines / punchlines. Brilliant and dazzlingly unexpected rhyme and imagery, Amy! I hope the comics are getting the last laugh.
You’d love Austin for all our sexy-ass hippies, oh yah!! 🙂
xo
Sharp Little Pencil
Baby, I live in Madison and have sexy-ass hippies in our PRAISE band! My hubby used to live in Austin and love, love, loved it… so glad you are there to keep ’em honest!
Glad you liked the lunchlines and punchlines, because I know a lot of comedians, and they love lives are often quite sad, so I thought they needed a mention! Peace, Amy
Inside the Mind of Isadora
You’ve pretty much covered it all … like the way it rhymed at the end.
Nice, Amer …
Hugs,
Izzy xoxo
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks so much, especially the part about the rhyming, since you know it isn’t my strong suit!! Amer
ms pie
wonderfully timeless…
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Pie. I guess over the ages, the suits and outwear and attitudes may change, but the guys, they are there. Love ’em! Amy
Shail Raghuvanshi
I loved this Amy. Just lovely…….
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks so much, Shail, and glad to see you on the blogline! Peace, Amy
On Paper Wings
Love the way you used the ‘O, men’ phrase; almost like an classic epic poem. When you segued into using words like ‘hot’ and ‘hunky’, I thought it was an interesting contrast. Enjoyed your piece!
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks for visiting and for this comment; I was certain at first that there was too much mixing of eras in the poem – but that was what you liked about it! So there you go… I guess making my way to the more modern phrases gradually allowed for this. I have to check your blog now! Thanks, Amy
Jae Rose
What would we do without men indeed! this really was a song and a half..Jae 😉
Sharp Little Pencil
Winks back to you, honey! I told someone else that the Forrester Sisters sing, “Men… You can’t live with ’em and you just can’t shoot ’em…” But I love the guys! Ha ha, Amy
brenda w
OMG AMY! This is superb! I’d love to hear you speak it. The rhythm, the pacing, the be still my heart.
Sharp Little Pencil
I will record it for virtualpoetryreading.com and you can hear it online! Buddah Moskowitz started the project and it’s his baby! Thanks so much, Amy
Mary
Oh, Amy, this really made me smile!
Sharp Little Pencil
So glad, sweetie. I just love ’em!! A
thefisherlady
your pencil was very sharp for this one! you didn’t miss one sweet beat!
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks – this was a “crowd favorite”! The men had especially nice things to say, even some disclosing “what numbers” they were!! A