Poetry and Other Writings

November Lamentation

In Memory of Devin Torralba

The new morn’ is quite gray

A chill settles in my bones

Sorrow speaks with dismay

Reasons become unknowns

A life taken away by self will

Was a Warrior in a war’s battle

Witnessed the enemy’s kill

All his buddy’s bodies lay in addle

O’ misted November day

Thou art weeping from the sky

Enshroud thine tears that stay

For afflicted hearts shall cry

Autumn in its solemn glory

Trees shed their leaves for now

Vibrant colors begin to fly

Off the emptied branches’ bough

A yellow leaf stood alone

And peeked through the darkness

Its peaceful greeting outshone

Through the lamenting bleakness

©Copyright 23 November 2009; MahTame

Cleanse the Toxic Tears

Come calm the salty tide

Waving sobs within a core

Not sure when it’ll subside

Can’t take much anymore

Sea of pernicious teardrops

Drown a whirlpool of emotion

A barricaded feeling flops

Amidst twirling of all motion

Come hither and thither, to

Capture the falling fountain

Cascades of melancholy dew

That’s uncontrollably begun

Years of sorrow and of pain

Built up valiance ‘n fortitude

Time to release the tearful rain

Brace her against all anxietude

Beware of the poisonous flow

It’s been accruing o’er the years

An expelling surge it will go

To cleanse away the toxic tears

©Copyright 15 January 2009

MahTame

Melancholic Music of thy Forlorn

Melancholy glides across prairie tops

Bent and bowed o’er toward the earth

O sad song of mine heart sings softly

Of lamenting tears enumerable dearth

Mournful sounds in harmonious song

Grieving souls wail into the mountains

Weepers float into its streams all along

Outpouring sorrow like water fountains

Melodious embracement of thy forlorn

Absorb the music of nature’s comfort

Cleansing deep of all sadness outworn

As we release the cries for the amort

©Copyright 15 September 2008

MahTame

Comfort her widow forever

Rain plinked upon my window

Droplets trickled down like tears

As if adding to the crying I go

Coolness splashed upon my brow

Mourning intermingled with pain

Of lost loved ones to death now

Jagged shining from street lights

Roadways wet with sadness flee

As sorrows travel into late nights

Come softly, gentle rain, falling

Into thine grieving hearts of now

Missing terribly of Tina’s loving

Embrace the shadow of us all

And comfort her widow forever

As cascading raindrops befall

©Copyright 08 September 2008

MahTame

In Memory of our

Kiowa Baby Girl

~~Kya Ybarra~~

Goodbye for now

O happy child

What happened

To cause your

Last breath ended?

Such a precious

Being, little girl of

Only four months

Death came thereof

A wee Indian baby

Your mom and dad

Mourn heavily, and

Grandpa Buddy’s sad

Goodbye Kiowa kid

We shall meet again

Life will be happier

For all around then!

©Copyright 03/31/2008

MahTame

In Memory

Of

Georgia Botone Dupoint

Another honored elder pass

Such beauteous grandeur lived

Grandmother in Kiowa; now gone

Lessons learned; teaching again

The life’s stories passed down

Stoic and proud she walked then

My Kiowa people are leaving us

Not many are like our elders now

She was from one of the noblesse

Ah-ho, Dah-kee, for giving us her

Ah-ho, for the things she has left

Hey-Gyah Ahm-Boy-Taw; concur

©Copyright 03/04/2008

MahTame

Ah-ho = thank you

Ah-ho Dah-kee = thank you God

Hey-Gyah Ahm-Boy-Taw = until again; I will see you again

an unsteady soul

Strolling down sorrow’s path

Weeping willows swaying

Breezy air circulation hath

Entered my soul with sighing

Ah I cry out into the open sky

Reaching out and upwardly

Reeling in the hurts gone by

My thoughts ache really badly

Is it hopelessness that I fear?

Death comes knocking a lot

Is it life really all that dear?

‘Tis another lesson I’ve got

Oh unsteady soul within me

Shaking off a troubled mind

Make this dark depression flee

For I am in a weakened bind

©Copyright 03/01/2008

MahTame

I’ve made a sad decision

I’ve come to this conclusion

Sad, maybe so, but necessary

In giving my heart freedom in

Putting forth more love for thee

I’ve realized my worth is more

Than what little or nothing sent

From insensitive excuses for

What was your reasons’ intent

I’ve been told personal things

Of life before the ‘Nam war and

Events, included other happenings

Wonderments no longer withstand

I’ve traveled a similar road a lot

And hurt deeply from what I give

Whatever your excuses you’ve got

Are just that; I stop pain and live

I’ve tried in different ways for you

Only one occasion you’ve opened

Up and let me in your world too

A brief, shiny moment glistened

I’ve decided it’s time to just go on

Without those feelings I’ve kept

Waiting and hoping, now I’m done

Wishing for you is what I’ve wept

©Copyright 02/22/2008 MahTame

sorrow for naught

weeping willows sing melancholic tunes

down by the rivers of no return in my mind

lonesome singing from red-throated loons

remembering of endearing times of agone

floating along driftwood in winding streams

grasping long felt dreams of times forgone

sorrow for naught lingers ever so closely

bringing feelings and emotions of sadness

forlorn atmospheres shadow what is free

dangling teardrops caught on moonbeams

catching wisps of windy gales through trees

somber prairies blowing away sad dreams

pondering unanswered questions of why

sincerity thrown about to dry, barren land

capturing one’s heart then leaving it to die

abandoned love, abandoned souls, I cry

sailing into the yonder, misty, gray sky

this is sorrow for naught, from you I sigh

© 12/08/2007 MahTame

Precious Memories of Thee

Somewhere over the rainbow

Played at a cousin’s funeral

Displays of pictures of her

Flashing on a screen for all

Such memories replayed over

A gasp or an aww exclaimed

From many in the audience

When a grandma was viewed

Words were said for all to know

Of all she had done for many

Lessons learned and held tight

For those that loved her dearly

A brother and a sister left behind

A dad, son, daughter, 'n family too

Friends gave their condolences

Many came to support and view

Such Kiowa strength and pride

Songs sung in native language

Bonding closer with each person

Never allowing anyone to clearage

Goodbye for now, my dear cousin

Hope to see you when life is new

Where sadness and death is no more

And all will live in happiness too

Our precious memories will pass

With each day and night as we go

On living in this crazy time period

Never discarding these, although

Copyright © 09/08/2007

MahTame

For those who are in Mourning

Sorrow has come for a long visit

Mourning has taken up lodging too

Death continues to trouble in-transit

To all of mankind; like me and you

Tragedies enter our lives a lot more

Leaving behind questions of why?

Including those who die in the war

Not having the chance to say goodbye

Families gather together at funerals

Making bittersweet reunions of all

Paying last respects to those individuals

With sadness and tears that shall befall

Copyright © 08/31/2007

MahTame

Glooms Ville of my Soul

Time seems so far away from me

They say things get better in time

When will that really happen?

Tragedies, death, its all a crime

Hopefully-- that is a big word too

When the feelings inside are lost

And no sense of directive rightness

Taking any goodness for all its cost

Gloomy days ‘n gloomy nights linger

Apathetic desires rule within my heart

Sunshiny days are taken for granted

Not accepting them as life’s happy part

Wells of mourning closed off again

Spiritless pride sets in and controls

This wary, weary person I’ve become

Robbing all love and care in mine souls

Copyright © 08/31/2007

MahTame

Crying Silent Tears

I cry silent tears from within my soul

Sorrow will not leave me nor abate

Sunshiny day looks bleak with its goal

Of keeping me trapped in this fate

Tired of fighting with self to stay happy

Brow beating conquers many a time

Always wishing for something deadly

To rid these fears and lonelies’ crime

How long can I hold on to life’s light

When I feel like stuck in this darkness?

Why, I plead, do I have to live this plight

When I’m tired of cruelty’s heartlessness?

Come weep with me and set me free

To the world of hope and true light

Rid my worries and my heavy anxiety

And comfort me always with might

Capture my hurting tears and release them

To the rivers of good life forever and ever

Never to return into mine heart and mind

For this would be my greatest endeavor

Copyright © 08/04/2007

MahTame

What Song Shalt Thou Sing For Me?

Singing for sorrow’s naught

Through windy breezes on high

Was the lovely song bird of ‘Ot

While Lavender’s sweetness fly

Melancholy melodies sung softly

Resonating larghetto tunes of life

Echoing up and down the valley

Rising above the low plains of strife

‘What song shalt thou sing for me

As I travel down this very hard road?

Will you sing the tunes from Lombardy

And whistle away this heavy load?’

Copyright © 08/02/2007

MahTame

Sometimes

Sometimes I wonder why I bother to keep fighting

For what is good and right and all the other stuff

Wish I could run far away and start over with living

Forgetting all this shmuck that haunts me with a huff

Sometimes I wish I lived in a different world and place

Full of solitude, peace, tranquility and calmness too

How long can one keep struggling to be in this rat-race

They call life, when I feel like absorbing into the dew?

Sometimes I ask why I could not follow grandfather

When he was put into the ground and all was gone

Why was I pulled away and led to the awaiting car

When I wanted to jump in and stay with him till dawn

Sometimes I hope for the wrong things and feel bad

Wanting something that even I cannot understand what

Only to be disappointed many times and that is very sad

Then it would be time to cry what was buried in my gut

Copyright © 08/01/2007

MahTame

I Cried for You

I cry my last tear for you

I leave you behind and go

I must not think of thee

Nor keep you in mine heart

I go far away in my mind

I do not look into the past

I cannot stay like this

Please understand my hurt

I hurt inside for thy soul

I turn my head and look away

I need to stop for I break a lot

Sorrow for naught sustained

Leave me, from my thinking

Leave me, from my soul

Leave me and don’t look back

I cried for you and it’s over

Copyright © 07/23/2007

MahTame

Weeping for thee

Weeping for thee

From the depths

Of my inner soul

Such disheartened

Cries overflowing

Into rivers of life

Such pain, such hurt

Something must

Be felt ‘n released

To go on living

To let go of loving

To release completely

Do not kiss away

These salty tears

Do not console me

I must turn and look

Away from you,

From you, I must

With tear stained

Cheeks, marking

What was there

Afraid to look upon

Your face again

To be in your presence

I must turn away…

Resonating sighs...

I yearn for the time

When this was a

Fleeting moment

And was left and

Buried in my past

Forever stored in

A rusted box and

Never to be opened

Copyright © 07/10/2007

MahTame

Holding Back my Tears

Crying inside, no way to get out

Fountains of tears bottled up

Can’t hear the drips or drops

Nor feel them trickling down

Shall I weep for nothing’s naught?

Shall I shed these tears of pain?

Some say it aint worth it, to cry

Others tell you yes it’s being healthy

Mourning within, falsettos of cheer

Recognizing what is false ‘n hopeless

Should be an awakening for truth

Sprinkles of watery downpours

Touches the sad heart within

Unanswered questions of why

Not understanding of anything at all…

Copyright © 06/06/2007 MahTame

Sorrow

What sorrows lie about in the air

Lurking about with melancholy

Tunes rhythmically swaying like

Driftwood floating lazily on the sea

What sadness lingers around a bod

Hanging droopily like the willows

Weeping at the banks of the water

Moving to and fro with the breeze

What mournful howling of the land

Echoing through deep, dark canyons

The lone wolf delivering his cry

To the weary warrior seeking peace

What solitude will the serenity bring

Providing a lamenting stillness

Barely moving through the shadows

Of the grieving and remorseful soul

© 05/24/2007 MahTame aka Melanie C. Campos

My Soul Weeps

My tears are welling up deep within

How much longer will they runneth over

Before they fall out

Into an endless river of sadness

My crying inside try to seep

Through the dams and barriers

Of heavy metals of fortitude

Trying to float away from mourning

My dispiritedness searches through

Many years of entrapment

Under the chains and bars

Seeking for true happiness

As far as the abyss of my inner self

The anguish and heartache

Lives through and through

Wishing to be dispelled into the sea

How long I yearn to release these teary waters!

How long I ache for the forged blockades

To set my anguished, bereaved spirit

Alive with freedom, love, and peace!

©Copyright Melanie C. Campos 04/22/20007

author's note: this poem was written after the beginning of losing many family members to death. it was quite a trialsome time