Adger Jackson Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Now aged 75 years, Adger Jackson has been writing since his early youth. The last 15 years he has concentrated on poetry. An active churchman, he is chairman of the Mens' fellowship and the head usher at his church. Since his retirement he has devoted full time to watercolor painting and is a professional portrait artist. He also teaches cartooning to youngsters at a youth center. He spent many years as a cartoonist for several local newspapers. His poetry has been published by the National Library of Poetry and here locally. He says, "Poetry helps me to see things that would otherwise go unnoticed."

The Inner City The old house sagged like an empty sack, a stark testimony to its slow decay, but it was still peopled front to back, swarming like bees as they say. God, the place was alive with kids, such as ghetto housing is today, in noisy glee they all made their bids, each screaming to have their say. Idle menfolk lounged on the stoops, doors framed women and girls alike, others ranged outside in groups, as kids on the sidewalks rode bikes. Unemployment had pervaded the ranks, like a deadly plague would do, no one here had a need for banks, for privation was nothing new. Noah's ark could not have been more packed, with its animals two by two, the only thing that the ark lacked, was the tumult and wild ado. Lord, let someone come forth with a plan-- someone who perceptively sees, someone with a forced, firm hand, to raise the poor up from their knees!

Memories Would that I could reclaim the sunshine, my early youth brings to mind, the days spent in ecstasy's bosom, the days now left far behind. The joys that came with the springtime, heralded a peace so sublime, the gay, bright flower and fauna, a sign of youth's carefree times. These memories now lost in twilight, days now receded to night, are time's haunting ghosts in the gloaming, long since faded from sight.

Momma's Boy A child always looks to its mother, to champion its causes through life, she stands ready to pamper and smother, him with kisses at the first sign of strife. He is never in peril or trouble, whenever mom is around, she is there to burst his enemies bubble, and dismiss each foe with a frown. So it's full speed ahead for our hero, as he sets out to conquer the world, but his bold efforts amount to a zero, on the day that he meets his first girl.

All poems Copyright © 1996 Adger Jackson. All rights reserved.