Art Davis' book of poetry

As I've blogged before, I love the off-beat poetry of Art Davis. We have been after him to organize his lifetime trove for publication. His children also pushed so he pulled together over 200 of what he liked best and self-published. If you would like a copy, send $12 to him at his home, 3006 Caring Way, Port Charlotte, FL 33952.

Just to remind you of his quiet wit and wordsmithing, here's one printed on page 169:

GROWING OLD

Chromosomes begin to tarnish,
my neurons start to rust.
The spice of life no more the garnish,
my engine's losing thrust.

Sadly now I've lost my flair,
creativity is lacking.
I've no longer dapper air
and my memory's sans tracking.

What is left to be desired,
where to travel. what remains?
Ambition lags, now I'm retired,
all that's left are pills and pains.

Medicines do miracles,
prolonging day and night.
Health guided by empiricles,
to pharmacist's delight.

If growing old is such a gift,
why carry vials or pills,
to calm us down, or give us lift,
to greet dementia's ills?

Alas, forgetting comes with ease,
and not without chagrin.
"Has anybody seen my keys?"
a daily-facing warp I'm in.

Growing old, a universal plight,
about it, little can we do.
I think someday I'll try and write,
to share these thoughts with you.


Art understands his place in the universe and what poetry is for him. He put the following in the book as his foreword:

An Ogden Nash,
I'm really not,
Nor Maya Angelou
of hallowed spot.

I write poems
one can understand
of people or
events at hand.

When one takes time
to read my works,
they'll not wonder if
some hidden meaning lurks.

True thoughts on printed page
for all to see;
no need delving
introspectively.


He's in our writer's group which meets today here at my house. He is a delightful and humble friend and I hope I have piqued your interest in his poems.

Other Art Davis Posts

It is my privilege to know Art Davis, the "Ogden Nash of Port Charlotte."

Art has given his permission over the last couple years for me to publish some of his poems. Most of the ones I've posted do not demonstrate his gift of turning words into hilarious twists. I hope he succeeds in gathering his body of work into something that can be published and shared far more widely than my little blog.

But Art's gifts also extend to twists of phrases which leave me breathless because of what words he connects to describe what he sees and feels. He does it in all his poems, the humorous ones and the serious ones.

Here is a list of the dates I posted his poems so that you can go back and enjoy/be moved by his work:

May 24, 2007
August 27, 2007
November 4, 2007
July 13, 2008
April 28, 2009