Random Acts of Poetry - Act 6:
Another Lot to Add to the Mix
Available at amazon.com (ETA late Jan 2026)
In this book, there are eleven categories of poems:
dreams, etymology, gaming, haiku, history, humor, mental health, movies, nature, travel, and assortment.
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Some titles are the following:
​Dream Stone
Hello There Mr. Shadow
Bite the Bullet
Katy Bar the Door
The House Always Wins
Degrees of Confusion
Fondue
Cats and Vacuums Just Don't Mix
Gray Hazy Days
The 27 Club
Bourne Again
Cold Moon
Where Do the Butterflies Go
I Miss the Caboose
An Ode to Musicals
Cheer for Ole Notre Dame
Sweet Refreshing Drink
Toast and Jam
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Hello There Mr. Shadow
By Brett A. Starr on June 14, 2025
Hello there Mr. Shadow, sir –
It’s good to see you here
My walk with you is welcome, friend –
The sunlight keeps you near
We’ve seen some pleasant rivers, and –
Some paths along the lakes
Observed so many sunsets, oh –
What scenes the colors make
Sometimes I walk the evenings where –
You hide – I cannot see
But when the moon comes out to play –
I share your company
What place I go you come along –
Whate’er I choose to do
I thank you Mr. Shadow – there’s
A lot of me in you
Degrees of Confusion
By Brett A. Starr on May 9, 2025
Our climate’s temperature and global navigation
Geometric angles and murder classification
Burns on one’s skin and Scottish Freemasonry
All are measured simply with units of degrees
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It’s no wonder that we all – get a little confused
On each of these topics when degrees are mainly used
Fahrenheit is the temperature scale in the United States
Those are the units of which most of us relate
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The rest of the world uses – the scale of Celsius
Those are values that tend – to really confuse us
There’s a quick approximation that all of us can do
Take 30 away from Fahrenheit and then divide by two
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Did you know a little rhyme can help us all along?
To better relate to Celsius – and put into a song
30 degrees is warm or hot and 20 is very nice
10 degrees is a little cold and 0’s as cold as ice
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The global navigation realm – now there’s a different game
Degrees are the units used – but just not quite the same
Longitude and latitude locate one’s position
Degrees, minutes, and seconds are used for their division
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Geometric angles are measured in degrees
Half of a circle is equal to 180 you see
A whole circle’s traverse – just shooting from the hip
Has 360 degrees – now that is quite a trip
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A quarter of a circle – well that is 90 degrees
I’d like a slice of pumpkin pie – that size if you please
One angle of a right triangle is also 90 degrees
The other two angles are 45 when two sides measure equally
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For murder classification, the worst is the first degree
Often includes premeditation, or the commission of a felony
The second degree of murder – involves malicious intent
A third degree is a depraved mind – a good lawyer will represent
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First, second, and third degrees define the burns on skin
I hope you don’t experience the third, or any of your Kin
A 33rd degree is awarded to – one in the “Scottish Rite”
Who’s shown outstanding service to – “The Rite,” or in public life
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There’s higher education terminology
Four years of study one can acquire a bachelor’s degree
After that a master’s can be quite achieved
And a tad more for a doctor of philosophy
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Well, that’s as much information that I can quickly find
Maybe you can find a little more in a reasonable amount of time
I wish you lots of luck, but as far as I can see
I’ve taken this topic as far as I can – to the nth degree
The 27 Club
By Brett A. Starr on March 17, 2025
A group known as “The 27 Club”
Unfortunate, that their time was up.
The age of seven and twenty years –
Their lives passed on and brought many tears
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Janis Joplin, and Brian Jones –
The founder of the Rolling Stones,
Jim Morrison, and Kurt Cobain –
Who gave grunge rock a place in fame
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Amy Winehouse, and Jimi Hendrix –
Known for his many cool guitar riffs
When Ron McKernan’s name was said
‘Twas “Pigpen” and founder of the Grateful Dead
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Roger Lee Durham – a horse ride overthrown –
Was the singer and percussionist of Bloodstone.
Pete Ham was a songwriter, and singer,
Keyboardist, guitarist, and leader of Badfinger.
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The list of names is so many more –
I’ve never heard of some of them before.
It’s sad to hear of their struggle and strife.
Memories remain of their shortened lives.
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