Published Poem "Christmas at Home"

Christmas at Home *

It’s Christmas time – a magical time

On Santa’s knee the children climb
To tell St. Nick their gift wish list
But Mom eavesdrops to get the gist
While the temperature outside is dropping
Dad is busy doing the Christmas shopping
Mom is in an apron.  Just smell her baking
The kids guess the presents just by shaking
Is it baby dolls, video games, or trains?
Mom hands out some candy canes
 

Grandma pours a glass of spiked egg-nog
Grandpa pokes the fire and adds another log
Grown-ups kiss under the mistletoe
While kids build snowmen in the snow
On the door hangs a pretty green wreath
The Christmas tree has presents underneath,
a special star on top, and shiny decorations
Tired children have great expectations
While they drift to sleep they hear jingle bells
Cozy and content with the thought that all is well

Kevin Strong
2008
* First published by The Taylor Trust in 2009

Kevin would like to turn this into an illustrated children's book, so if you know any artists or illustrators that might be interested, please let us know. 

Happy Travels,

Kev

P.S. Here are links to my other social media accounts, in case you want to connect that way:
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Kevin's YouTube (You should check out my YouTube Channel for travel videos)

Published Poem About A Summer Evening Sitting By A Creek "Peguis Creek At Sunset"

The Peguis Creek at Sunset *

I am sitting by the creek at sunset

Soaking in its magnitude and solitude

There is a peace here that is utterly relaxing

A spiritual calm that envelops me

Lining this narrow country stream on both sides are a potpourri of plants

A carpet of beige drooping weeds

Clusters of chocolate and mustard bushes

Towering above all are the glorious trees

Painted lovingly in golden brown, crimson red, and forest green

A fallen tree drinks directly from the creek

The gentle breeze causes the leaves to make a rustling sound

Like a soft, romantic whisper in my ear

I also hear children laughing somewhere to my right

And crickets chirping somewhere in the grass below

I smell a slight hint of pollen and smoke

But the air is clean and refreshing

The sun pokes through the branches and warms me slightly

For it is Autumn

Late September of an Indian Summer

The weather is perfect

A near clear sky, but not too sunny

Warm, but with an offsetting cooling wind

The large dropping sun creates tall evening shadows

On the gravel road and un-manicured grass

And makes the dark, slow-flowing water

Seem illuminated from beneath in certain spots

A stray dog trots past me paying me no notice

Very few birds remain to keep me company

And cheer me from the trees with their lovely songs

Even the friendly mosquitoes are not coming to me

For their dinner tonight

High up above, the geese and ducks fly

in their v-shaped flocks heading south

A goose from somewhere in the left flank

Replaces the tired lead goose at the nose of the "v"

The sky itself is a kaleidoscope of colours

Deep blue overhead

Blending to baby blue

Fading to aqua marine and teal

Which overlaps a pink: with an orange and yellow glow

Finally melting into purple along the horizon

A pale sliver of the grey moon is visible to the left

A jet soars far in the distance painting a streak of white smoke

To blend in with the thin, sparse clouds

The clouds are more condensed and thick on the horizon

Where the sun is setting

Covering the sleepy sun with a fluffy blanket

A motorbike zooms by on the other side of the creek

Kicking up a trail of dust that lingers for a while

I wish I could freeze this moment in time

And stay in this place forever

It is so picturesque and beautiful

The surroundings are so soothing and calming

That I forget all of my worries

Daily minutia and stress melt away

The clouds slowly fade, dissipate, and disappear

The sky becomes ever darker

A new chill in the wind begins to nip at me

Night is upon me

Kevin Strong

1994

* First published by The Taylor Trust in 2009

Happy Travels,

Kev

P.S. Here are links to my other social media accounts, in case you want to connect that way:
Kevin's Instagram
Kevin's LinkedIn
Kevin's Facebook
Kevin's Pinterest
Kevin's YouTube (You should check out my YouTube Channel for related travel videos)

Poem About Relaxing Life At The Cottage "Lake Life"

Lake Life

I love my cottage

I love the lake

Far from the city

Where people are fake

I love unwinding

On the long, relaxed drive

I need this escape

To help me survive

I love my neighbours

I love bonfires

Away from road rage

And screeching tires

I love ghost stories

I love making s'mores

Not thinking ‘bout problems,

Working, or chores

___

I love my cottage

I love the lake

Far from the city

Where everyone takes

I love having a cold one

While sitting on my deck

Breathing the fresh air

Is totally worth the trek

I love my lake house

I love peace and calm

I love spending time

With Kids, Dad, and Mom

I love playing board games

I love holding my pet

And watching old movies

On videocassette

___

I love my cottage

I love the lake

Far from the city

Where I leave my heartache

I love going swimming

I love to suntan

I love to play frisbee

On the beach in the sand

I love a picnic

During a long hike

I love getting around

Mostly using my bike

I love camping

And sleeping in a tent

The lake is my bathtub

and forest my apartment

___

I love my cottage

I love the lake

Far from the city

Where I don’t get a break

I love the sunsets

And playing guitars

Hearing crickets and waves

While gazing at stars

I love to go sailing

On lake Winnipeg

My motorboat’s waiting

You won’t have to beg

I love when a fish

Is on the end of my line

I love playing cards

While enjoying some wine

___

I love my cottage

I love the lake

Far from the city

Where my sanity is at stake

I love cuddling up

With some tea and a book

I love fresh pickerel

For my wife to cook

  

I am the grill-master

I love barbeque

Steaks and drumsticks

With a nice cold brew

I love long morning walks

With a family of deer

My playlist is birdcalls

The wildlife is here

___

I love my cottage

I love the lake

Far from the city

Where I am semi-awake

I love Arnes Market

And cruising Gimli

Shopping and eating

And leaving happy

I love the boardwalk

I love the arcade

Fun times with kiddies

While getting some shade

I love the trees

And nice scenery

I love lake life

It’s the life for me

Kevin Strong

2019

Happy Travels,

Kev

P.S. Here are links to my other social media accounts, in case you want to connect that way:
Kevin's Instagram
Kevin's LinkedIn
Kevin's Facebook
Kevin's Pinterest
Kevin's YouTube (You should check out my YouTube Channel for related travel videos)

Published Poem about adventure gone wrong "Thrill Ride"

Thrill Ride *

The thrill of a lifetime

Go for it!

Catapult launch
Moment of zero-g, then negative-g at the summit
Airtime
First drop
Thrown forward as gravity takes over
Look down the track as the ground rapidly approaches
Scream
Hold your head back as the g-force intensifies
Inversion
Double Loop-de-loop
Corkscrew
Throw your hands up in the air
Barrel roll
Helix
Thrown sideways from lateral-g’s
Elevated curve
Banked turn
Camel back speed run
Brake
Cheer
Exit the ride

A big adrenaline rush

Not satisfied
Thirsty for more thrills
Bigger, Stronger, Faster, Harder

Log flume

Space shot drop tower
Pendulum ride
Alpine coaster
Extreme swing ride
Sling shot reverse bungee
Sky coaster
Zip line
Scuba-dive
Parasail

Pure exhilaration

NO FEAR
Step it up, bro
Higher, More Extreme

Ride your motorcycle from Chicago to Los Angeles on Route 66 without a helmet

Drag race on the Autobahn through hairpin turns
Ride the Class 5 raging river rapids on a raft through the Grand Canyon
Bungee jump from a derelict bridge in Mexico
Freedive to a depth of 100 meters off the coast of Greece
Tandem parachute jump through the clouds and in the rain
Run the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in frozen Alaska
Hang glide and paraglide high above Rio De Janeiro

You’re invincible

An adrenaline junkie
“Danger” is your middle name
Wilder, Crazier, More Unique

Surfing the big one on the deadly Banzai Pipeline on the North Shore of Oahu

Cliff diving into the strong winds and shallow water of Acapulco
Base jumping off world’s highest waterfall, Angel Falls in Venezuela
Leaping from a helicopter in a wingsuit and flying through Tianmen Cave
Rock climbing without a harness up the treacherous Trango Towers in Pakistan
Off-trail heli-skiing in a remote avalanche zone in British Columbia’s Rocky Mountains
Speed-climbing Mount Everest without oxygen or a Sherpa

Each one better than the last

Live every day like it is your last
Living the fast life

Smoking and binge drinking in Cancun until blacking out

Designer drugs from an unknown lab at a trendy club in Los Angeles
Unprotected casual sex in your apartment with strangers from Craigslist

YOLO

Pushing your limits
Living life to the fullest

Laughing at death

Tempting fate
Secretly wishing to die

Kevin Strong

2014

* First published by Kind of a Hurricane Press (Life is a Roller Coaster Anthology) in September 2014

P.S. Here are links to my other social media accounts, in case you want to connect that way:
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Kevin's YouTube (You should check out my YouTube Channel for related travel videos)

Poem about Las Vegas "What Happens in Vegas"

What Happens in Vegas

The mythical city of “Lost Wages”

They say “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas”
But, you’ll probably end up like Katy Perry in “Waking up in Vegas”
Or like Clark W. Griswold in “Vegas Vacation”
Or like that nerdy guy from the movie “The Hangover”

Vegas, baby

The city that never sleeps (or is that New York?)
I experienced this city of light (or is that Paris?)
And it took a little cat nap (with one eye open) early one morning
Like the lonely old lady mindlessly playing the slot machine at 3 AM
(there are no clocks or windows so I’m sure she didn’t even realize the time)

The gambling capital of the world

Penny slots lead to dollar slots then to table games and then to card games and sports betting
Why not?
Everyone else seems to be winning, so it’s got to be your turn
Each new gamble has to be the one to get your losses back

More hotel rooms than any other city in the USA

Scale models of New York and Paris (who needs the real ones?)
Wear your sneakers and go explore ancient Greece or modern Venice (without the jetlag)
Stay in a Pyramid or a medieval castle
The most expensive building & resort ever built in North America
Three of the top 10 most expensive buildings in the world
The world’s largest glass sculpture, sign, and atrium
The planet’s most powerful light beam (1 of 3 man-made things that can be seen from space)

Entertainment capital of the world (or is that Los Angeles?)

See a free pirate or volcano show from the sidewalk on the strip
Watch the Bellagio fountain show from the observation deck on top of the mini Eifel Tower
See a singing frog on Wynn’s lake of dreams
Buy your “discount” tickets on the strip near M&M world (not much of a discount, really)
Every resort with a “unique” Cirque du Soleil show (not so unique, actually)
Donnie & Marie, Blue Man Group, David Copperfield, Criss Angel, Celine and Britney are there
As are discounted variety shows with up and coming magicians, jugglers and acrobats
And celebrity impersonators and tributes galore
The highest observation wheel in the world
Arcades, zip lines, roller coasters and an indoor amusement park
The world’s longest decelerator sky jump (sort of a combination of rappelling and a reverse bungee jump)
The world’s highest thrill rides on top of the Stratosphere (where did the roller-coaster go?)
The world’s largest video display and gold nugget on Fremont

Sin City (or is that a Frank Miller graphic novel? Or is that Bangkok?)

The ultimate stag party at the world’s largest gentlemen’s club (or is that a drunk, obnoxious pervert’s club?)
Hispanic immigrants clicking the hooker business cards (trying to get you to look at them)
Every cab adorned with the picture and phone number of some vixen
You can see naked, dancing vampires and zombies (seriously?)
Burlesque shows lead to strip clubs then to lap dances and then to prostitutes
It’s the natural progression
Bad decisions memorialized at a drive-through wedding chapel (Elvis officiating)
Or a visit to the doctor for the rash you got from the masseuse who came to your hotel room

Completely over-the-top

Ever-expanding and re-developing
Demolishing classic buildings and moral standards alike (“Boom” goes the dynamite!)
Out with the old and in with the new (like the trophy brides at the Vegas wedding chapels)
The flavour of the month is already past its expiration date
The world’s most convention and meeting space keeps growing most-er

No self-control or restraint here

Dance all night and catch up on your sleep by the pool
One plate is not enough (your eyes are bigger than your stomach)
After you grab a foot-long hot dog and shrimp cocktail,
Stuff your face at countless all-you-can-eat buffets with endless delicious, decadent choices (don’t bite off more than you can chew)
One restaurant even gives free, greasy, fatty food to morbidly obese people after they sign a waiver (please save us from ourselves)
They loosen you up with free cocktails while you gamble (don’t forget to tip the waitress so they’ll come back)
Next thing you know, college kids are cradling alcohol in cups that are half as tall as they are
And waking up and not knowing where they are or how they got there (or who they are sleeping beside)
Bars and liquor stores in every resort and on every street corner (you’ll never be parched)
The rat pack and mobsters used to rub shoulders here

Artificial oasis in a vast desert (or is it simply a Mirage?)

Do our grand dreams evaporate in the sun
And our Money get pumped from our wallets
Like the water in Lake Mead?
It can’t go on forever, can it?

What happens in Vegas

can’t be contained in Vegas
It shines like a beacon (or is that lighthouse warning of danger? Or is that a bright red light in a red light district?)
Challenging other cities to try to outdo her in a race to the bottom
A siren on Treasure Island tempting us to give ourselves to her (and crash into the rocks)
Vegas changes us

Kevin Strong

2014

P.S. Here are links to my other social media accounts, in case you want to connect that way:
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Kevin's Facebook
Kevin's YouTube (You should check out my YouTube Channel for related travel videos)

Published Poem about going to DisneyWorld in Orlando "Happiest Place on Earth"

Happiest Place on Earth *

Coughing and hacking

Planning and packing
Popped ears and page-marking
Drive miles and miles for parking
Visit the mouse with big round black ears
Take a deep breath and face your fears
Waiting in a very, very long line
Just paying the happiness fine

Small world it is, after all

Having a ball in free fall
Laughing and flip-flopping
Spinning and dropping
Voice rough from all the screaming
It almost feels like you are dreaming
What? Wait in a longer line?
The pleasure is all mine

Ascend the mountain in space

Cool sports cars to race
Thunder and Splash Mountain
Drink from a dirty fountain
Eat ice cones and cotton candy
A little rest would be just dandy
Waiting in line to join a line
Meet the mouse and worship at the shrine

Pay for everything through the nose

Grab the camera and strike a pose
Something to bring to show and tell
Try to take in each sight and smell
The whole clan together for a change
The best time money could arrange
Great family time is waiting in line
No thanks to those tips we got online

The party is over, so no one cheers

We say our farewells through hugs and tears
Why come all the way here for us all to bond?
The fairy godmother waved her magic wand
Her magical memories - some toys and a shirt
Empty pockets, a tan, and back to work
Back at home there are no lines
That is where our true love shines

Kevin Strong

2008

* First published by The Taylor Trust in 2009

P.S. Here are links to my other social media accounts, in case you want to connect that way:
Kevin's Instagram
Kevin's LinkedIn
Kevin's Facebook

Kevin's YouTube (You should check out my YouTube Channel for related travel videos)