Author Archives: Roy W. Backes

Floating Dreams The next time you are Sitting in a theater And the house goes to half, Just before the lights Fade to black, Please soften your gaze, Maybe even squint a little So you can see all of the dreams Of all of the hopefuls Floating in the air. Sometimes they are thick asContinue reading “Words of Art – Day 94 – Floating Dreams”

Conversations on the Floor Now that she is gone He finds himself surrounded by Empty conversations left laying Scattered on the floor. Conversations he could have had Conversations he should have had …. with her. Instead, He just knocked them off the table And kicked them under his feet. He tried to hide them, ButContinue reading “Words of Art – Day 93 – Conversations on the Floor”

Don’t You See? They love, they laugh, They cry, they lie. Just like you and me. Don’t you see? Why, in your eye Must they die? Is it their hair? Their skin? The shape of their chin? You love, you laugh, You cry, you lie. Just like me. Don’t you see? Why, in your eyeContinue reading “Words of Art – Day 92 – Don’t You See?”

Prayer Do prayers work? If so, how often? What is the average? If one hundred prayers get prayed, How many get answered? One out of a hundred? Ten? I think of all the prayers being prayed In Darfur or Iraq. How often do they stop the death squads? How often do they stop the bullet?Continue reading “Words of Art – Day 91 – Prayer”

Shotgun We Are heading west. The sun, glaring in our eyes, Is slowly beating us to the horizon. You Riding shotgun, Paper map in your lap, Wind blowing in your hair, Bowie playing on the radio. You smile, look over at me I smile back. I Am thrilled to have you On this journey RidingContinue reading “Words of Art – Day 90 – Shotgun”

Ball and Chain The choker is fastened tightly Around his neck. The chain, hanging down his back, Is constantly jingling and jangling As he drags the chipped and discolored Ball through the dirt. He leans into the wind of life His legs pumping, driving. The muscles in his neck Strain against the weight, As theContinue reading “Words of Art – Day 89 – Ball and Chain”

Hit the Road Jane Hit the road, Jane. That’s right, You heard me. That is what I said. Not what I suggested, Not what I hinted at, But what I said, What I want. I want you, Jane To hit the road. You really didn’t expect Me to forgive you For treating me so mean,Continue reading “Words of Art – Day 88 – Hit the Road Jane”

The Hunting Cabin We called it “The Hunting Cabin”. We’d go there once a year, In late autumn. Hunting season. Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Grandparents, The whole nine yards. At sunrise my four uncles, my dad And my grandpap would all march Off into the woods carrying rifles and Shotguns and wearing camouflage coats And brightContinue reading “Words of Art – Day 87 – The Hunting Cabin”

My Voice I joined the protest on a whim. Unplanned, I just left work, Walked down and joined the crowd. I joined many thousands Exercising our right to raise our voices Against what we felt was wrong. As I entered the crowd I became surrounded by signs and slogans, Some handwritten, some professionally printed. IContinue reading “Words of Art – Day 86 – My Voice”

Last Visit Lying on a bed With a sheet over its face The body of someone I knew Lays lifeless. I pull down the sheet, Uncover the face And look at how death Leaves us all. Still. Cold. Eyes, open, still blue and beautiful, Staring but not seeing. Mouth, open, frozen in a perfect zero,Continue reading “Words of Art – Day 85 – Last Visit”