Formatting and Other Poems

By Alex Andy Phuong

Formatting

Organization
 Transformation
 Formatting to fit
 Upon a page
 And also in real life
 Because of social
 Expectations
 Despite such standards,
 Challenging the status quo
 Helps people know
 How people truly are
 So format oneself
 By being oneself
 Unapologetically

Residential

Residing at home
 Sometimes by the sea
 Any land fairer than thee
 Might help tremendously,
 Yet home is where the hearth
 Combines with the heart
 To remind the mind
 And soothe the soul
 That places do stem
 From deep within
 While people assist
 Their fellow brethren

Elective

Extra classes
 Present extra opportunities
 To grow
 And expand the mind,
 And taking education
 For granted
 Is not the proper way
 To learn,
 So prepare to gain knowledge,
 And acquire the tools
 To impact and improve
 The world,
 And only if students
 Have the heart to go
 Beyond standard curriculums

Directional

Traveling planes
 Geometric figures
 Horizontal and vertical
 Sometimes diagonal.
 Take charge,
 And direct oneself
 As a captain
 And a pilot
 Of the only life,
 For each individual
 Has a narrative to tell
 Without the fear
 Of the unfathomable

Acquire

Inspirational
 Through knowledge acquisition
 Learn forevermore

Defiance

Defy the odds.
 Go beyond
 The call of duty.
 Make the choice
 To share voices
 Collectively
 As united
 Individuals
 To help promote
 Harmony
 Against tyranny.

Glass Figurine

Ice dancer
 Skating on a rink
 No need to fear
 Breaking past the brink.
 Utilize eloquent speech,
 And reach out and reach
 Towards refine refinement
 To maintain pure elegance

Utilize

Until the decision
 Has been made
 To hold oneself
 Accountable,
 Challenges that lie ahead
 Might become
 Insurmountable.
 Accept both reality
 As well as modernity,
 For change happens all the time,
 And now is the time
 To utilize the mind
 To benefit all
 For all time

Map

Circumnavigate the
 Surrounding areas.
 Travel far and wide
 Without the need to hide.
 Enjoy the ride
 And have fun along the way
 Because life itself
 Is an adventure
 If people choose to venture
 Beyond what they know,
 And live life fully
 Using their minds
 To map their own journeys

Forward

In spite of solitude
 And feelings of isolation
 People can still undergo
 Lifelong maturation,
 And have the determination
 To take a stand
 With the power of their own hands,
 And express gratitude
 For all that they have achieved
 And will do
 Until the normal
 And natural end

Mahogany

Crisp brown lumber
 Beds that help with slumber
 Rich and fine wood
 Reminding all that is good
 Chocolaty smooth
 Wardrobes that improve
 The costumes that clothe
 And dress to impress
 So that people could
 Do more than they would

Never Fade Out

Even as time flies,
 Clocks keep ticking
 One second at a time.
 Life itself might feel short,
 But that involves the
 Quality of life.
 Spending time figuratively,
 And also metaphorically,
 Subtracts units from the
 Normal ending,
 But usage of such currency
 Wisely
 Can help people realize
 The precious value
 Of life itself.
 Hopefully people will remove rage,
 And instead, stay calm, like a sage

Alex Andy Phuong earned his Bachelor of Arts in English from California State University-Los Angeles in 2015.  He was a former Statement Magazine editor who currently writes about literature, film, and culture.  He has written film reviews for more than one hundred motion pictures for MovieBoozer, and his writing has appeared both online and in print.  Alex is a writer who dares to support the ones who pursue their dreams.