Comments:

"Fate" is an attempt at some sort of inspirational verse. I'm still not sure why I wrote it, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.

Before the 2000 Ohio State-Michigan football game, a friend asked me to write a poem about the game. So, I wrote "OSU vs. UM". Ohio State still lost. Perhaps if I'd come up with a a better title...

"Snowy Walk" is a poem about regret. I think I was a little depressed when I wrote it.

 Some say that numbers rule our fates,
With birthdays, names and added sums,
Reduced to threes and fours and eights,
Elevens, twenty-twos and ones.

Some say our future's in the stars,
And those may tell us many things,
When Venus is conjunct with Mars,
Biquintile Saturn with its rings.

The future lies not in such stuff,
Not even if it proved correct.
Our fates are plain and clear enough:
Its path is one that we elect.

Each passing moment's vote is how,
We choose our Later's with our Now's.

The sting of whipping, wintry winds,
The sun now nestled 'hind the clouds.
With this the tilt once more begins,
Amidst the raucous, cheering crowds.

Fight wolverine on earth and sky!
Unleash a deluge on the foe!
The stands will swell with Buckeye pride,
As blue is battered blow 'pon blow!

Ohio's boys will swarm the field,
Like demons from infernal gorge.
Let them be iron men annealed,
Within Hephaestus' fi'ry forge.

Oh, may our scarlet and our gray,
Attain green laurels Saturday!

My footsteps dent the pillowed snow.
As flakes descend to earth below.
On winter's walk my way will go,
Amid the dark of night.

My memories begin to flow,
Toward a past so long ago.
Those happy times when life bestowed,
A path set well alight.

But fertile gardens cannot grow,
When seeds of risk are left unsowed.
Instead of reaping fruitful rows,
My doubt transformed to blight.

I look back now and now I know,
I lost those paths I did forego,
For footprints under falling snow,
Will disappear from sight.