John Overman 

Sacramento, California, USA 

  
 
 

My name is John Overman. I am a talented writer, I grew up in Sacramento, attended Mira Loma High School, Graduated in January of 1976. I started writing poetry in 1993, I wanted do something special for the person that I was dating, after looking through all of the Valentines days cards I could not find one that I really liked so I went back home and shortly there after I had written something that fit her to a tee. I entered my first poetry contest in 93, after my sister Mary Jayne sent me a copy of an article from the Los Angeles Times about a poetry contest sponsored by The National Library of Poetry, so I entered my first contest with a poem titled True Friends, which earned an Editors Choice Award, then the rest is history...
 

Sunsets

They are a great ending to a warm sunny day, it is fun to go and watch 
from sunlight, twilight, and then dusk. 
Those of us who enjoy this time of evening like this to let our minds wander as we watch the sun go through its stages. 
Sometimes when we are trying too hard to finish a poem in progress, 
when the words will not come, we decide to stop 
and take a walk to go watch the sunset, 
when you return the words started flowing again. 
Sunsets are also beautiful paintings across the sky, 
they make you think of things, 
they can also inspire you to keep writing by their sheer beauty.

One Day At A Time

It was a few 24 hrs. ago I met a group of people that accepted me for who I am a human being no less or greater than. 
For those people showed me how to live a life on a simple way 
showing me how to control my volcano pressure valve 
I use to call anger on a 5 minute at a time scale. 
For if I knew when I met this group of people how much they would enrich 
my life and love me unconditionly until I could love myself the way 
this special group of people could. They cross my path on a regular basis, for I chose to spend more time with them today 
for we can say excatly what we think or feel and not have to worry 
about stepping on anybodies toes today.

Open Arms

There comes a time ina persons life, when they have to make a decision 
to face their responsibilities head on like a real man or woman does 
on a one day at a time basis. 
The person who has made this decision did so after a painstaking process 
of real long and hard thinking of what would be the best solution for all 
of the parties considered hoping that he would not cause the parent too 
much sadness or sorrow, for she is a very important part of his life, 
right now he hopes, that she can hold him close with open arms. 
It is not the fact that she has lost a son, she has gained a 
granddaughter, and a possible daughter-in-law in the future. 
Having open arms does not mean that you care or love this person any less, 
it means that you have accepted the fact that it is time for them to 
leave the nest and stretch out their own wings and soar high on their own.

Lonesome Whistle

Some of us have a bit of a gypsy wander lust deep down in our soul, everytime we hear a whistle off in the distance we attempt to identify a freight from a passenger train. 
Then we can't help wonder if there might be room for one more, then for one brief moment we flirt with the temptation to drop everything and just go for it. 
Even now every once in a while I will hear a whistle off in the distance and once again have to wrestle with the gypsey deep down in my soul, the one that still has the lust to go hop a freight.

Being Santa

There are a lot of us out and about that look forward to the beginning of the holiday season, and really hate to see this time of the year leave, because we have found a job that has become more a hobby, also a time of enjoyment when the inner child gets to come out for a while 
For being a good santa is something that comes from deep inside your heart and soul this is also something that cannot be phoney. The jolly traveler must come from deep down inside of you, for kids from all ages can spot the difference between a person who is merely playing a part, or a person who believes he/she really is santa. Deep down in their heart and soul, so if when you go to take all of your children (The big ones and little too); if the santa takes a little more time with everyone, you can surely bet this person believes that he or she really is santa in their heart.

Sobriety

Is not something that is given away freely to people who need it, yet it 
is given to people that want it and are willing to work real hard one day 
at a time. 
One of the choices you make now after your life has gone through 
a 180 degree turn around, and you now choose to spend time with 
people that have made the same choices that you have made in your 
life today. 
These people that you have met around the tables of the fellowship, 
don't judge you they just love and accept you for the person that you 
are today.
All poems Copyright © 1997 John Overman. All rights reserved.