Stern and Other Poems

By Alex Andy Phuong

Stern

Serious
Unrelenting
Sometimes using whips.
Offer a new quip,
And practice pleasantry,
And at least try
To try
To live life
Not so seriously,
For even though
Challenges do make life
Challenging,
Remember that
All human beings
Are fundamentally
Being human

Island

Surrounded by sea
Alone is not loneliness
Simply be oneself

Word

A word is a word
Say what needs to be said, and
Speak cautiously, please

Striving for Creativity

Even when under pressure,
Creating compositions is a pleasure,
As well as a coping mechanism.
Rather than feeling trapped in a chasm,
Let the words and the music flow
So that people would learn more
Than what they already know
So that the world will know
That the future is like an open door
In which creativity lets negativity go
To discover the treasure
Of what lies ahead

Anthology

Collective collection
Written variety
Written sometimes via
Spontaneity
Revealing truths
About humanity
Enjoy the words
And experience vernality

Turn and Return

Turning and spinning,
And return to peacefulness.
Never feel dizzy!

Change with Age

People change constantly
And so does the entire world
For that is what happens
As the world keeps turning
Days and years pass
But it is a gift to be alive
For age indicates the length of existence
In days, months, years, decades
No need to fear aging
Consider it a blessing to have lived that long

Chiasmus

Reversal of Rhetoric
Structures that might be systematic,
Yet no need to feel pressure.
Instead, simply experience pleasure
When composing newly written words,
Or maybe even reinvent the classics
As Hollywood has done,
And try to have fun
While developing language skills,
For having that kind of will
Could keep the world rotating
Rather than staying still,
And please do make an attempt
For the opportunity to feel exempt

Sacred Passage

A path towards righteousness
Learning and growing simultaneously
Demonstrating maturity
A rite of passage
While avoiding passiveness.
Remembering to utilize forgiveness
While going along
On the journey of life,
And remembering
To have fun along the way
Each and every day.

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.