dominickrohnpoetry

[dominickrohnpoetry]

The Things That We Leave Behind

I caught myself swimming In my own consciousness today At another weekly appointment For my grandma, or my nanny, I say

Back in December she nearly died, A pain in her stomach and her insides weren't right And though her body has mostly recovered, It seems her mind just hasn't quite

It's akin to that Of a candle and its wick(er) One minute there's a bright flame And the next but a flicker

And some things you just know Are the flint for that spark That no matter how dim That flame will never go dark

And it just so happens there I was Swimming in a sea of questions Wading through the existential Butterfly stroke in full progression

When suddenly I feel a flick That hits me in the shoulder And I see my Nanny smiling So I grin back before I told her

Hey Nan, "who did Joe Morgan play for?" And instantly her eyes resembled that of a moon On the darkest of nights That could light up a whole room

"I know he played for the Reds..." "Yes, that's right, the Big Red Machine! And before that the Astros, too, The Reds were my favorite team."

And on we chatted about baseball Til she was called back by the Doc Getting things in order for major surgery This Friday at 8 o'clock

And in that return to silence I smiled and enjoyed that moment Something I wish I could share But in memories there are no bestowments

And it left me thinking, that, perhaps, The most tragic outcome to be as we come to pass Isn't simply the family we leave But our memories we left in tact

The things we last remembered As real as they may ever be And as existent as ever but Memories no one will ever see

Of our experiences, thoughts, and feelings Knowledge I wish could stay alive And be passed with each generation In a treasured and loved archive

But I understand in it's simplicity That this is not how any of that works Life gives you a limited amount of time But with it an endless amount of worth

To share with those who made you who you are Those that gave you the gift of love and purpose From up close and no matter how far

Perhaps, that's the most tragic and important thing we leave behind...

#poetry #poem #narrative poetry #poets on tumblr #rhyming poetry #thoughts #family #grandmother #love

[dominickrohnpoetry]

My Friend Jacob

The welcomes were warm, the embraces were tender, and smiles were aplenty one Tuesday in the midst of January. A purple carpet awaited the front gate with students and staff applauding and cheering wholeheartedly. School had resumed from Winter Vacation the week prior, and although this was a celebration regarding the return to school, the reasoning behind it was far more pure.

In May of 2022, one of Alpine Vista's very own students was diagnosed with Leukemia. Jacob Mendoza, a Special Ed student of Alpine Vista since Kindergarten, would go on to miss the next 7 months of school battling this illness. Through strength, determination, positivity and lots of support, Jacob was able to return to the school he so loved and cherished.

On Tuesday, January 17th, 2023 Jacob was welcomed back with open arms. As Jacob's long time aide of 6 years, I, perhaps, had the widest arms open to him when he returned. "There aren't enough words to describe what Jacob has meant to me over the past 6 years. We've grown together. Being that I'm a runner I always joke that I showed Jacob how to run. But like the true Eagle that he is, he soars; he showed me how to fly," I penned in an emotional post on social media following his return to school.

For the past 6 years Jacob has had support from me, his morning aide, and McKenna, his afternoon aide. The ‘Dynamic Trio’ I called us because together we could overcome any obstacle, and we did. We did everything together. We played endless games of Duck-Duck-Goose and Hot Wheels. We watched so many Disney movies together. McKenna and I taught him how to write and read, how to do math, and how to become independent. COVID kind of threw a wrench in everything but the foundation was set.

More importantly, however, Jacob taught me about the beauty of being human. I’d say it took a solid year or so before Jacob really got used to me, and about 2 years before Jacob really trusted and befriended me. But this was so important because it taught me the truest form of patience. 6 years have gone by with so many changes to our support team and yet the one constant has always been Jacob and I. My sidekick, my student, my friend.

I’ve seen Jacob grow from a little boy into a thriving adolescent. He’s got the purest of hearts and the biggest of hugs. He’s always willing to share, and he’s so dang stubborn at times. Ha! And yet, through much trial and error, success and setbacks, tears and smiles, Jacob continues to see success and share his joy with everyone who crosses his path. Good day or bad, Jacob always brightens my day.

Whether you see him tap dancing on campus with Mrs. Frediani, greeting students and staff with hugs and high-fives throughout the day, eating his favorite chips, Hot Cheetos, or just sitting and hanging out, Jacob is a continual beacon of joy and hope on campus. We are all incredibly thankful that he is back. Welcome back, Jacob. 💜

#student #special ed #special education #teacher

[dominickrohnpoetry]

A poem for Jacob

A morning drive across town Is certainly not new to me I've done this for 6 years And, for the most part, happily

Down West Street to Cross Avenue All the way down I go 'til I hit Mooney Boulevard And then I know

I'm in the ball park of our school Oh, the fun I'll have at work I'll be waiting at the front gate And you'll arrive late like clockwork

You're dancing to the sound of Can't Stop the Feeling Singing, walking, and tripping And I'm laughing, giggling, and squealing

You're such a goofball, I always called you a goofy goober But you'd point at me and call me A Cooper Cooper

I smile and hold on to this So deeply inside my heart It feels like I'm living this All over again from the start

But as I hear a car horn honk And I snap out of my happy thoughts A knot appears in my stomach Arriving with the sadness it brought

To work I'm still beckoned And so onto Alpine I turn left Arriving with out someone Whose absence has left me bereft

Jacob, it's been 4 months since Our paths last crossed It's been difficult without you And at times I feel lost

It feels like I'm chasing shadows Not knowing if and when you'll return Not hearing anything about your condition Sitting absent minded with nothing to learn

Feeling left in the dark That's the hardest part of grieving Seeing you suffer and being angry At cancer for thieving

When for the better part of 6 years You've been a staple of my life We did everything together Through many tears and lots of strife

I showed you how to run But you showed me how to fly You gave me so much purpose To say otherwise would be such a lie

From teaching you how to write And even how to read Doing basic addition My expectations you'd always exceed

All those times you'd be silly Running from me and hiding In the wrong classroom With another teacher presiding

Or when you'd eat my snacks When I wasn't aware I lost endless bananas and figs But learned to bring some spares

All those memories just bottled up Hidden treasures deep inside Too hard to think about at times Because pain set them aside

I miss you Jacob And all your goofy little quirks, The things that make you tick And your big hugs and little smirks

I miss seeing you flourish In all that you attacked Your potential is limitless The surface you're beginning to scratch

The truth is, I just miss you I think about you all the time I didn't cherish the memories enough And to me that's such a crime

But I know now to hold on And make the most of today And we'll continue this journey again Not too soon but not too far away

#student #special education #special ed #teacher #poem #poetry #sadness #Reminiscent #reminiscing #poets of tumblr #poets on tumblr #Thoughts #rhyming poem #rhyming poetry #mental health

[dominickrohnpoetry]

But where?

Where do those little pieces go? When, you know, The smallest treasured memories Are taken from us The sound of a voice The caress of a hug The look of a smile The warmth of our love Things that Make up who we are Lost in the process of grieving But also over time Because Death It doesn't just deal In grand larceny But also in petty theft The smallest parts of you You wish it would have left Pieces important to hold That could forever be cherished With all of your soul Once remembered Yet forgotten now Gone as time moved along Pieces unseen by others Now blind to you And you're left wondering Where did those little pieces go?

#Love #loss #death #life #reminiscing #Reminiscent #wonder #poem #poets on tumblr #poets of tumblr #rhyming poem #rhyming poetry #Thoughts #mental health

[dominickrohnpoetry]

Anxiety

I've been thinking a lot lately Perhaps too much in time Spent pondering these thoughts Within the confines of my own mind

There's always two truths For every question I pose Two outcomes to exist In a world of unknowns

Not quite some philosophical Or productive train of thoughts It's that innate fight or flight Arriving with the suddenness it brought

Wait, what's going on? Why is my heart pounding? The blood pumping in my ears That's not normal sounding

Is that person staring at me? Do I look unwell? My brain is going haywire But maybe no one can tell

It'll be okay, just take a breath Maybe I'll figure out what it was And that'll help sometimes But not always, and that's because

Anxiety - It's that feeling you get When something is wrong You can't pinpoint what it is But it's been hiding there all along

It's an icky feeling that creeps And crawls all over your skin With a sudden coldness That hits deep from within

Your breathing getting heavier While your chest grips tighter Your thoughts telling you bad things That you're a quitter, and not a fighter

As panic turns to chaos And chaos turns to fright Afraid of what's ahead When there's nothing ahead in sight

That feeling, it's absolute dread It stays hidden but always there And I know I'm not a hypochondriac But I'm just hyper aware

Of how I always feel normally And so I know when that's off My brain goes into overdrive Like a rocket going blastoff

Into orbit, spiraling viciously Clouds of thoughts continuing to grow Sometimes I can reel it in And other times I just don't know.

#poets of tumblr #poets on tumblr #poetry #poem #rhyming poem #rhyming poetry #mental health #anxiety #panic #Thoughts

[dominickrohnpoetry]

A Rose

A rose Can be said To be The most beautiful flower Its petals An entrancing red A kiss from Love itself But why is it That roses Are always trimmed And pruned Gone are its thorns Pieces that Added to its quality Hidden Like scars We wear A culmination Of our experiences That shape Who we are

#poem #poetry #writers of tumblr #love #wonder #beauty #poets of tumblr

[dominickrohnpoetry]

A Reflection

A broken Timex clock Rests along the corner of my wall Its ticking long forgotten to my ears And yet I stare at it after all

I should probably change that battery So that ole thing has a purpose Breathe new life into something That may have been worthless

It's been stuck at twelve thirty seven And forty three seconds for quite some time I wonder when it ticked its last tick And if I heard that last chime

I probably missed that instance I should have paid better attention As life continued to continue on Something I feel important to mention

Just this past week Two family members passed away One from a preventable sickness And the other from old age and decay

It's been difficult to see my family Have to suffer and mourn But perhaps the truest tragedy Is now only having memories to adorn

I've been trying to process this long week but So many thoughts are compounding in my head I'm trying my hardest to compartmentalize But I'm sitting here overwhelmed instead

I've been struggling to recall The last memories I had with those two It's been a long time since I had seen Some family that I barely knew

But hearing stories from my Mom Teary eyed, her voice trembling and such She loved her Grandma and cousin Oh I can see just how much

From important events in her life To random things along the way That's the beauty of having an impact With you the smallest moments can stay

Those in-betweens I call them Daily happenings, fragments of our lives Beautiful and happy and sad Stored in our brain's archives

Of moments captured in the mind And forever in the soul Things noticed looking back And that the heart will always hold

I'm reminded of all of this As my dog curls up next to me on my bed Her presence gives me pause As I soak up this moment in my head

She looks so peaceful Her breathing calm and composed I can feel her warmth radiating And all of her love enclosed

I wish I could live in this moment And never have to let it go But I know I need to sleep To rest my mind you know

So goodnight to these thoughts I'm glad they were described I'll leave you with one last idea I forgot to transcribe

Perhaps that's the crux of life Not losing sight of what's in front of you Cherishing it all while you can And fondly remembering it through

#late night thoughts #poetry #Narrative Poem #narrative poetry #poets of tumblr #writer

[dominickrohnpoetry]

1992 in 2021

I was raised In the smallest of small towns In California’s Central Valley Where farming, religion, and conservative politics were all around

I never really understood race Or culture as a complex issue I didn’t know what a melting pot was Because it was dismissed too

These things just weren’t taught Instead we learned about calculus and welding Not to undersell those subjects But to avoid sociocultural issues that were dwelling

It took some time in college, A privilege not everyone will be able to know Through sociology and native american classes Where classism, racism, and bigotry they were able to show

This really opened my eyes To back at home where I'll clarify Take a look at the East and West divide And tell me that doesn’t scream gentrify?

Minimal real estate development And nothing but gas station liquour stores With latinos, gangs, homeless on the West side but Rich white folks on the East side with everything and more

And, NO, not all here are bigoted - But this area isn’t particularly progressive There are some open minded people here But it’s so hard to be self-expressive

With right wingers calling you snowflake Christians damning you to hell For identifying as LGBTQ And all the derogatory things people yell (daily)

Social media is even worse with Gun-touting, anti mask, and anti-vax Crying about the current President When the last one didn't even pay taxes

And as much I'd like to say These thoughts don't cause an outburst People just don't respect my differing beliefs So how can I even respect theirs first?

Especially when they're shamefully outdated Equal pay, affordable housing and livable wages College tuition - these are absolutely doable Let women police their own bodies, this isn't the dark ages

Fuck. Living here is truly rough When you want to feel like you're being heard Or even feel like you're making a difference When sometimes that can feel absurd

But now is that time; it's long overdue When it absolutely is about right vs wrong And not playing peace maker or avoiding because We are not all meant to get along

And as I’ve always publicly stated If you want to make a change Then you’ll do all that you can So your children can live better in exchange

And so, I grew up in California, In Tulare to be exact, I was born into Mexican culture And I’m fucking proud of that

Hold your head up and stand up tall Because I'll glady embrace and walk with you all We're all unique and brilliant through and through And we all have something to add to the melting pot stew.

#poem #poetry #Narrative Poem #narrative poetry #culture #cultural #sociopolitical #sociocultural #california #reflective #introspective

[dominickrohnpoetry]

With Certain Uncertainty

Lately I’ve been struggling to find The right words to express, These thoughts which cross my mind At times it seems in excess.

So please excuse my thoughts In the ensuing lines of text, Im trying to gather these ideas To organize this jumbled up mess.

We’ve spent weeks in isolation As things are beginning to unfold, With no visible end in sight Our lives are currently on hold.

Gone are the days of routine And whatever that meant for you, For me it meant everything I’m starting to realize just how true.

At the 6:30 a.m. on the daily Tossing my phone across the room, I hate that I’m so groggy And have too much coffee by noon.

But soon 2 o'clock rolls around And out of the classroom I’m headed, Time to get ready for practice For a workout that’ll leave me shredded.

This was my life three weeks ago But now I’m starting to adjust, Isolation is the new the norm As safety is now a must.

And yet I find myself reminiscing So often throughout the day, It’s hard to keep myself busy When my mind has so much to say.

I miss my SPED kiddos And their goofy little quirks, The things that made them tick And their hugs and little smirks.

I’m sad I can’t see my seniors flourish In their final season of track, Their potential was limitless The surface they were beginning to scratch.

But I’m so grateful for all of the moments That life always happens to make, Not only the big things that occur But the little things for granted we take.

Those ‘in betweens,’ I call them Are what really get to me the most, Those moments overlooked everyday That life always seems to host.

Like driving kids home after practice Or seeing a coworker smile, Talking sports with a kiddo And not knowing that would be it for a while.

Right now uncertainty plagues us all In the midst of a certain unknown, And even though we’re all so connected Some of you might feel so alone -

Maybe not simply a loneliness That you just can’t seem to shake, Maybe you’ve created negative thoughts And bad habits you need to break.

Despite the fact that we have to separate And company we now have to spare, We’re all suffering together And for each other we should certainly be there.

In any case, whatever your situation is Please don’t hesitate to speak, No matter how bad things may look The situation is never too bleak.

Stay safe friends, And keep your heads up. ♥️

#Poem #Poetry #Narrative Poetry #Story #Reminiscing #Isolation #Friends

[dominickrohnpoetry]

The Fable

As news recently came to light Of a fool’s romantic plight

That ‘twas engaged in a lover’s tryst And that tale goes a little like this

A tireless soul carelessly running amuck Trading love for lust in bad fortune with luck

And those young ladies who couldn’t see What this fellows intentions in fact may be

There was quite the issue one fateful day When mischief confronted honesty or so they say

And this lead disbelief to turn into rage While happiness looked on the situation it was trying to gauge

But no shortage of emotions could stop This free for all from happening which should’ve been a co-op

And so pride stepped up to join the bout With jealousy joining in, and trust exiting out

Onward looked love crying in the stands Heartbreak emerging slowly, carefully holding hands

With remorse and grief, probably anger, too I wasn’t there but loathing saw the view

Of pain that won in all of the commotion The saddest of battles with all of the emotions

With shame and contempt biding their time Fleeing the scene and leaving their crime

Emptiness comes out to clean up the mess Confusion assessing the details and trying to guess

In the aftermath of all of this trouble And within the ugliness all of the rubble

We’re left with a fable that neglects such joy Telling us of the importance of integrity which we shouldn’t destroy

But perhaps in hope we shall always carry The love and truth, happiness shall always marry

#Love #friendship #relationship #honesty #lying #dishonesty #anger #happiness #emotions #emotional #poem #poetry #writer #writing #narrative poem #narrative poetry

[dominickrohnpoetry]

Jacob Garavito

I’m trying to wrap my head around The fact that you are no longer here Many people come and go But in my heart you were so very dear

You weren’t just my gaming buddy You were such a genuine friend It’s heartbreaking your time has come And that this is now the end

I’ll reminisce in the past Endless days that we had spent Staying up late playing Xbox That which I now lament

We had some serious convos About life, women and sports We talked shit, laughed and cried And I’m gonna miss that of course

I even remember telling you The steps that I’d recommend You saw counseling for your mind Oh how which I commend

I even recall talking with you Just a few days prior You seemed to be doing okay But I guess the situation was dire

And I’m struggling to accept if there Was more that I could have done You didn’t deserve this fate But your demons got to you and won

And it hurts knowing your presence Will no longer be there No more pushing carts at Target A thought that I can’t bear

I’ll never hear your voice again And that fills with me so much dread You saying, “Wassuppp Dom!” I’ll now only hear in my head

You had so much going for you In your last few weeks on Earth You had your whole life ahead You had an endless amount of worth

But some things you can’t overcome Some battles you just can’t win You take the hurt and the pain And find there’s no more space left to bottle within

And yet, I can’t quite find solace In knowing you’ve found your peace You had to die to find it To gain that sense of release

But I want to say thank you For stumbling into my way We made some kick ass memories That I’ll cherish each and every day

You made a true impact on me A thought I will never neglect Until our paths cross once again That time I’ll have to deflect

Rest easy, Tubalent.

I love you my friend.

#Loss #friend #death #losing someone #pain #suffering #mental health #love #poetry #rhyming poetry

[dominickrohnpoetry]

My First

The Second of June, Twenty Ten It’s been 8 years or so And quite a few thoughts since then

I know you’re not reading this And to you I no longer exist But I never apologized For all my faults I fully dismissed

I’m sorry how I acted In our waning days of end I didn’t mean those words I said But I’ve fully changed since then

Life has come full circle And I’ve learned quite a bit Through many losses and struggles I’ll have to admit

But I just wanted to reach out To get this off of my chest, To put these thoughts in a coffin And fully lay them to rest

I never appreciated all we were And that’d be a lie if otherwise I’d say You were my first for so many things In a myriad of ways

You were the first girl To passionately give me a kiss Our lips pressed tightly together And that I seem to miss

You were the first person I ever made love to It was more than just sex And I’m thankful I experienced that with you

You were the first girl I ever gave away my heart for I haven’t done that since But I’d like to once more

You were the first person I think I meant I’d die for Obviously not so much now But back then I swore

You were the first girl That ever understood who I was You appreciated my strengths And even my flaws just because

And yet, you were the first girl Who ever made me cry You broke my heart And made me want to die

You were the first To take everything I gave And say goodbye with out even a wave

You were my first true heartbreak And my first true love You were once my first thought And now the last thing I want to think of

Thank you for all of that.

#Poetry #Love Poem #Nostalgia #Reminiscent #Heartbreak #First Love #Rhyming Poetry

[dominickrohnpoetry]

A Whiff

The smell of nostalgia Isn’t particularly pure It’s different for everyone But it’s recognizable I am sure

It’s in a whiff of laundry detergent As I run by some house And how your mom used to always Wear that pink blouse -

Whenever I was over At that corner house on Wilson and M We made endless memories there And I’m forever grateful for them

And yet, nostalgia doesn’t end It’s a scent that largely looms As someone passes by and I catch your perfume

It was a spray on your neck And then on your wrist It was a diamond shaped bottle And I’m lost in its mist

Nostalgia sits along the trimmings Of freshly cut grass You kissed me passionately And then threw me on my ass

As we wrestled In your front lawn We lived life together In a past long gone

I’m reminded of this In a breath of the cleanest air It was a day in March And it was filled with despair

And the scent reeked Just like it does today When I caught a whiff of heartbreak And we went our separate ways

#Poetry #poem #Rhyming Poetry #Rhyming Poem #love #love poem #love poetry #nostalgia #heartbreak #reminiscent #reminiscing #love lost

[dominickrohnpoetry]

Yearbook

Dust gathers ‘round A blanket of sorts Along the brim Of a bookshelf In a room of course. A collection of words Given by many Seen by too few Encased in a line Or paragraph or two. Pictures shape the stories Of a long forgotten past Words optimistically chosen From someone’s thoughts Long believed to last. This stamp in time Significant of the latter A shell of oneself In every sense That could matter. And yet As the words read “Please, never change” A look of despair Crosses my face As I come to realize I’ve only stayed the same.

#poem #poetry #poets of tumblr #narrative #narrative poem #narrative poetry #rhyme #rhyming poem #rhyming poetry #writer #writing #yearbook #memories #reminiscent

[dominickrohnpoetry]

I stay alone

Friday nights used to be Memoirs in motion, Pages from a book I was writing As life paved forth The path I traveled down. Bubbles of thought From the bongs I toked; Ideas that carried me Toward something. I think? Now I sit Aged and aging, Infected by another Booze infested binge On another weeknight Circling back and back, Not just the room spinning But my priorities as well. One more and I’m done. I promise.  I have to be up early tomorrow To grow up. I’m trying, though. It’s just fucking hard sometimes.

#poetry #poem #writing #writer #thoughts #late night thoughts #growing up #Narrative Poem #narrative poetry #writers of tumblr #thinking #reminiscing #memory #memoir #friday #friday night #life #life is hard #adulting

[dominickrohnpoetry]

Closely Far Away

I’m ever searching for The right words to share To enlighten and to showcase Something I normally wouldn’t dare

It’s not in the essence of Being perfect or whatever that means But I don’t want to put forth Something that isn’t ready to be seen

It’s like when I’m writing a poem Or jotting some thoughts down Everything is very specific It can’t just be any verb or noun

Or perhaps something as simple As finding a running shoe People settle for Nike and Adidas But I search endlessly through

So when I say I’m searching It’s because of what you deserve I need you to visualize The things about you that I observe

I see a person with a smile As pure as one may ever see It radiates such happiness And leaves me full of glee

I see beauty personified Not simply because you’re attractive It’s the manor in which you exist - Not to sound stupid or abstractive

I see stars and feel light headed Whenever you pass on by It’s not that I’m holding my breath You’re just making my ‘heart sigh’

There’s so much I wish you could know: Things I wish I had the courage to say I need you to know that I normally don’t feel this way

I need you to know that My heart races when you’re around That’s not something jaw dropping But to me it’s profound

I need you to hear that I saw you smile at me yesterday My stomach was in my throat And I quickly looked away

And I’m sorry if that action Came across as maybe rude I may be having a rough day But your smile always brightens my mood

In fact, I recall holding the door for you One afternoon on our way out You smiled and thanked me quietly And that was all I could think about

Not just for the day But probably for a week Since then I’ve struggled to think My thoughts endlessly I seek

To perhaps put into words and Spare myself the disaster Of telling you how I feel I don’t need to be a forecaster

But that’s okay because I wouldn’t imagine I’d have a chance To tell you these things would be hard When I can barely stomach a glance

I’m not the greatest with words I’ve studied and written but still I yearn To find the right thoughts to create That you’ll probably never learn

#poem #poetry #poets on tumblr #rhyme #rhyming #rhyming poetry #rhyming poem #narrative #narrative poetry #narrative poem #love #love poetry #love poem

[dominickrohnpoetry]

Zero to Twenty-five

I once was a selfish boy Who sought material things Through the value of presents And what they would bring

Until I aged into a curious teen I grew a little bit more From the lessons I had seen

And so I continued to grow Into a young man, And I learned to always love And cherish while I still can

But shortly thereafter I lost family members, too, Aunt, Uncle and Grandma, To name a few

And that affected me greatly, As I continued to grow I learned that life is Only as long as we know

Meaning it can be taken In an instant - gone in a flash - Yours for a minute before Tumbling down in a crash

So here I am now at twenty-five Using the hardships I've faced As motivation to strive

For the goals they would have Loved to see me achieve The memory of my family Carries me always I believe

And now I've come to value, The priority of family as my first Whatever comes afterward Can be evenly dispersed

Life isn't guaranteed In any sense of the phrase To live and to love for That's what I live for these days.

#Poet #poetry #Poets of Tumblr #narrative #narrative poetry #rhyming #love #loss #family #reflection