
RAP3
Random Acts of Poetry - Act 3
(Under Construction)
While I'm writing these, I'll post a few as a bonus to my readers prior to the book release. I am up to 29 poems as of June 21. If you have any ideas for a sub-title, please send them to bastarrpublishing@hotmail.com.
Some poem titles include the following:
Summer Solstice Sonnet
Remembering Jerry
Letting the Cat out of the Bag
Sonnet of the Fruit of the Spirit
Prayin' Myself to Sleep
Tiki Torches
Hangman
The Score
The Birds and the Bees
Odysseus Return
Rotten in Denmark
April Fools
To Sweat Like a Pig
Japanese Crackers
Doing Things Once
A Welcome Change
Dissected Maps
DNA
Frankenmuth
Paperwhites

Rotten in Denmark
By Brett A. Starr on April 11, 2022
Have you ever heard the phrase?
“There is something rotten in Denmark?”
I have heard it on certain days
Few may know the origin of the remark
The meaning in hearing this thought
Is seldom misunderstood
It’s when things seem a bit odd
An evil plot seems afoot
Near 1600 William Shakespeare
Created a mighty play
About a King of Denmark
Who was murdered and betrayed
The King was Hamlet’s father
Hamlet’s uncle -- the successor
Claudius, was an evil man
A power greedy aggressor
Hamlet sees his father’s ghost
Who beckons his attention
Horatio and Marcellus
Plead for Hamlet’s abstention
The famous phrase in question
Is not fully “in-the-park”
The phrase begins, “There is something rotten
In the State of Denmark.”
This refers to Claudius’s rule
And the corruption that would seem
To come to surface as time went on
Revealing a rotten scheme
Alas, the next line is left behind
Important and neglected
A picture of faith, that truth will come out
“Heaven will direct it!”
Footnote: Here’s another one of those phrases many use, but don’t question the origin. Did you know that it came from Hamlet, one of the best works from William Shakespeare over 400 years ago? Do you know of anything rotten going on now? Reference the website: https://www.patrickkphillips.com/grammar/the-story-behind-the-phrase-something-rotten-in-denmark/

April Fools
By Brett A. Starr on April 1, 2022
What can be said about April Fools
Where pranks are played in many schools
And other stories appeared in news
To catch the gullible who missed the clues
Origins of this day has history
The reasons are a bit of a mystery
For instance, in France in 1582
The calendar changed from Julian and Hindu
To Gregorian which started on January 1
Instead of in the Spring as historically done
The Council of Trent in 1563
Dictated this change that came to be
Some were slow to change this way
April first -- the old New Year’s Day
A clever piece of influence
To promote the date of difference
Signs were placed on backs quite devilish
With words “poisson d’avril” or April fish
Who were easily caught or gullible
This made the change more willable
Another piece of the mystery
From ancient Rome the cult of Cybele
Hilaria -- a festival that demonstrates
With disguises mocking magistrates
Or could the explanation bring
Credence to the first day of Spring
With Mother Nature’s spectacle
Of weather that is unpredictable
In the 18th century in the land of Scot’s
A two-day event of “Hunting the gowk”
Where people were sent on phony chores
A prank that only a fool explores
I’ll bet you’ll find many other things
Explain what April Fool’s Day brings
A little nonsense makes life more fun
A game that’s played by everyone
A Welcome Change
By Brett A. Starr on March 9, 2022
Spring. My welcome friend.
Winter's time to end. Yellow
Daffodils, please send.
Footnote: goodreads.com online poetry contest topic "Daffodils". I struggled with this one for quite a few days, then all of a sudden, it hit me in a matter of minutes. A simple Haiku seemed appropriate to capture my feelings at the time.

Frankenmuth
By Brett Starr on November 14, 2021
In Michigan, just east of Saginaw,
There’s a Bavarian town – a vacation draw
Named Frankenmuth, and it’s well known
Each day is Christmas – as stores have shown.
You can hear the bells for miles, each hour
From the Bavarian Inn Glockenspiel Tower.
A magnificent 35-bell carillon
Plays German hymns as well as American.
Old-fashioned hand-carved figurines
Display the pied piper’s legendary scenes.
The restaurants serve you family style
With comfort food that makes you smile.
So, if you’re bored or feeling low
There’s a happy place that you can go
It’s in the thumb of Michigan
With plenty of fun for everyone.

Paperwhites
By Brett Starr on January 8, 2022
Don’t let the winter blues get you down
Just get in your car and go to town
Acquire some bulbs of paperwhites
To add some décor with floral delights
Just grab a pot without a hole
For best results, use a clear bowl
Add some gravel or decorative stones
Then place the bulbs per the instructions shown
Now add some water to the bowl like so
To touch the base of the bulbs, you know
Keep them in a place that is cool and bright
Their roots will sprout after a few nights
Along with that, the stems will sprout
In two or three weeks, white blossoms will come out
The narcissus fragrance with paperwhite bloom
Will add a little joy to any room
Paperwhites will help you on your way
They brighten even the darkest day
Growing these plants is a great thing to do
Just a little tip from me to you

Link to DNA Page
DNA by Brett A. Starr - 12-22-21
One of my best poems, not published yet, but for you to enjoy.