Hofstra University Poem

From Alma Mater Vol. 2: The Northeast
Available Now for only 99 cents!

AlmaMater_Northeast-Final

*Hofstra University*

The red morning sky brings Gold,
White,
&
Blue,
A sky falling with “Dutchmen,”
Bring the wooden shoe;
For this name of the Dutchmen
Flies no more,
It’s with a new Purpose
The Pride Shall Roar.
In a spring fest, Hofstra
Goes Dutch,
Through Italy and Ireland
The senses touch—
Experiences of culture
along New York,
emanating in the air
along Newport.
On deck, we board destinations
of the globe,
And dwell in our Films
& Theatre in
Globe;
Lodging a Greek Life
that like David bares all:
our spirit of Pride
from the gates of fall.

We build floats and bonfires
to lead us Home,
And resist the departure
Of what we’ve known;
But know there’s a world
With red skies of dawn
That we can reach when all
From our muse
Is drawn.

We will leave the misery of defeat
as foreign,
And retain the habits that tour
Occurrence,
Italy, Ireland, all
U.S.A.,
Wherever there is beauty—
We’re on our way;
Hofstra is a world where we all
Take Pride,
And the purpose of world-taking
Takes the steadfast Pride.
The purpose of world-taking takes the steadfast Pride,
The purpose of world-taking takes the steadfast Pride.

Follow ClydeAidoo.com for more poems from the Art of Mind and Alma Mater series shared daily. You can purchase Clyde Aidoo’s latest release, Alma Mater Vol. 3: The West, a poetic celebration of the top universities of the West by clicking the link below.

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St. John’s University Poem

From Alma Mater Vol. 2: The Northeast
Available Now for only 99 cents!

AlmaMater_Northeast-Final

St. John’s University*

“’Tis better to give than to receive.”
In this season of giving, the
white winter flakes dress a sweater of
inner warmth outside St. Augustine Hall
for the viewer. The wind is frosty—but shileding
of the nature of this tradition where the snow
brings bodies together.
Within the parameters of St. John’s University
and indeed out into
Queens, Manhattan, & All New York,
To the patterns of Christmas:
We Give.

We give the Bread of Life to the ailing
and underprivileged through
a food pantry & true goods
Rushed to the immobile.
We make Midnight Runs to
Shelters like St. Nick’s like St. Nick—
With red sacks of bundling that share
our school colors. In the struggle against
community downpouring, we are
The Storm Front
of bountiful outpourings.

We also give on campus:
Freshmen receiving free laptops upon entrance,
Live music & coffee at the DAC—where Johnnies
Can enjoy a cup of Joe.
Inside MSG, with assists from
Mark Jackson, Chris Mullin, and coaches like
Carnesecca & Lapchick—
We have given our school a history to be proud of:
A place on the Top 10 list of college basketball’s
Most winningest teams.

The Red Storm takes
The World’s Greatest Arena then
Plunges the World in a program that
Services places like New Salem, Lourdes, and Panama.
Back home we recognize that for some—this season
is often the loneliest,
so at Ozanam Hall we are always
Giving time back to the elderly.

The Ronald McDonald House of Long Island
helps alleviate the pain of children who
suffer, by lifting some of the struggle from those they love most.
And at Christmastime we sponsor families of hardship by
Providing those whose spirits were low:
The returned gift of hope,
That continues to give without furlough.

Christmas is a time to cherish the
Vincentian values,
and the Christmas wish found in the
Miracle of St. John’s—
Where we Give and we also Receive,
but we
never
Take
for granted.

Follow ClydeAidoo.com for more poems from the Art of Mind and Alma Mater series shared daily. You can purchase Clyde Aidoo’s latest release, Alma Mater Vol. 3: The West, a poetic celebration of the top universities of the West by clicking the link below.

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St. John’s University Poem

From Alma Mater Vol. 2: The Northeast
Available Now for only 99 cents!

AlmaMater_Northeast-Final

St. John’s University*

“’Tis better to give than to receive.”
In this season of giving, the
white winter flakes dress a sweater of
inner warmth outside St. Augustine Hall
for the viewer. The wind is frosty—but shileding
of the nature of this tradition where the snow
brings bodies together.
Within the parameters of St. John’s University
and indeed out into
Queens, Manhattan, & All New York,
To the patterns of Christmas:
We Give.

We give the Bread of Life to the ailing
and underprivileged through
a food pantry & true goods
Rushed to the immobile.
We make Midnight Runs to
Shelters like St. Nick’s like St. Nick—
With red sacks of bundling that share
our school colors. In the struggle against
community downpouring, we are
The Storm Front
of bountiful outpourings.

We also give on campus:
Freshmen receiving free laptops upon entrance,
Live music & coffee at the DAC—where Johnnies
Can enjoy a cup of Joe.
Inside MSG, with assists from
Mark Jackson, Chris Mullin, and coaches like
Carnesecca & Lapchick—
We have given our school a history to be proud of:
A place on the Top 10 list of college basketball’s
Most winningest teams.

The Red Storm takes
The World’s Greatest Arena then
Plunges the World in a program that
Services places like New Salem, Lourdes, and Panama.
Back home we recognize that for some—this season
is often the loneliest,
so at Ozanam Hall we are always
Giving time back to the elderly.

The Ronald McDonald House of Long Island
helps alleviate the pain of children who
suffer, by lifting some of the struggle from those they love most.
And at Christmastime we sponsor families of hardship by
Providing those whose spirits were low:
The returned gift of hope,
That continues to give without furlough.

Christmas is a time to cherish the
Vincentian values,
and the Christmas wish found in the
Miracle of St. John’s—
Where we Give and we also Receive,
but we
never
Take
for granted.

Follow ClydeAidoo.com for more poems from the Art of Mind and Alma Mater series shared daily. You can purchase Clyde Aidoo’s latest release, Alma Mater Vol. 3: The West, a poetic celebration of the top universities of the West by clicking the link below.

Posted in Alma Mater, Uncategorized

Imagine

From Art of Mind II: All-In. Available Now on Amazon.com.

*Imagine*

I see an Iris Blossom,
Instead of a
Venus Flytrap.
I capture a Meteoric Rise,
Instead of
Hanging on a falling star.
I already feel Sunbursts,
Instead of
Solar Winds.
I notice a New Moon,
Instead of
Paralyzing Gravity.
I marvel at a Green Ray,
Instead of Running from
A Thundercloud.
I refresh at First Light,
Instead of remaining with Twilight.
I imagine the South Pacific —
Instead of a
Frozen Lagoon.
I imagine Fair View Mountain,
Instead of another
Continental Slope.
I imagine parachuting Snow Mist,
Instead of a
Tumbling Avalanche.
I imagine casing a Sapphire,
Instead of
Pawning a Pinchbeck Pearl.

Now Imagine how I’d feel if it became a reality.

Don’t listen to the cynics and pessimists,
I’d change quite a bit for you…
I’d get on up off this bed,
And earn a King’s Ransom to lay our heads.
I don’t know what the future holds,
I doubt you’ll even know my full thoughts,
I’m just saying that if you Did have me —
You’d change quite a few of my faults.
These cynics say that women make the mistake —
Of thinking they can change a man…
I’ve made enough mistakes for us both,
So trust me when I say that you can.

If they are referring to thugs and criminals,
And I should ever convert to that type:
I’d soon match your white — and quickly shed old stripes.

They keep on giving that advice,
But think again before you
Take it as True…
These People — They Don’t Know Me,
And they Sure as Hell must not know You.

Follow ClydeAidoo.com for more poems from the Art of Mind and Alma Mater series shared daily. You can purchase Clyde Aidoo’s latest release, Alma Mater Vol. 3: The West, a poetic celebration of the top universities of the West by clicking the link below.

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Letting Go

From Art of Mind II: All-In. Available Now on Amazon.com.

*Letting Go*

Whenever I hugged my mother as a child,
The hardest part was
Letting Go.

And when 10 year reunions are formed
or a spouse returns home from a long day,
or a child, not unlike me, hugs his mother,
They Too must eventually let go.
It’s that “Let Go Moment” when the amount of seconds add up to a magic moment, and once it is felt, it’s ok: you can let go. Even if you want to hold on forever, you force yourself to let go…and sometimes after a few short seconds, the magic returns, and you hug again.

They hold one another by the sleeve,
They stare, and my word
They Smile.
They may hug over and over again, but sooner or later, they must
Let Go.

I always hated to let go.

Mothers, most of all, fear letting go.

As I unloaded our van into my dorm room,
I noticed a proud, yet sorrowful mother…

She held her daughter for 18 years…

And as a tear fell,
She waved
&
Let Go.

Follow ClydeAidoo.com for more poems from the Art of Mind and Alma Mater series shared daily. You can purchase Clyde Aidoo’s latest release, Alma Mater Vol. 3: The West, a poetic celebration of the top universities of the West by clicking the link below.

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Fordham University Poem

From Alma Mater Vol. 2: The Northeast
Available Now for only 99 cents!

AlmaMater_Northeast-Final

*Fordham University*

Excelsior!
March Ever Upward,
Fordham Rams!
We are center stage
in
The World’s Best City,
&
Things can only go up from here.

Whether ice-skating at Central Park—cachinnating through awkward turns & slips—not giddy because strangers didn’t see your stumble, but because someone you love did…
or
In McGinley, at ease in the Living Room, away from sunbeams while social growth buds in you a morning glory of a heavenly blue.

Enjoying a slice of Italy in restaurants on Arthur Ave,
or
a New York-style sausage from the Millennium Grille,
At each
Dabbling in brilliance like Da Vinci during the Last Supper, a touch of cheese on the face like Mona.

Taking that special someone to Yankee Stadium, thrilled because you’re in the same stands as the babe,
or
Playing catch with friends on the great lawn of Eddie’s, watching cannons start up the air
like a corvid hurrying to its leader.

Sinking in the immensity of the Hudson River, a haunt for the enlisted who resist the mundane,
or
Surrendering to the boundless at Martyrs’ Lawn,
Saying wordlessly,
Remember me as today.

Whether discovering new delights in the Botanical Garden,
or
Rediscovering the hidden beauty of the Bronx—right here on Rose Hill,
It’s all a part of this complete experience,
In a home with quarters exceeding life’s course.

We have arrived in the Urban Escape,
Excelsior!
Ever Upward into the Beyond:
New York is Our Campus.
Fordham is Our School.

Follow ClydeAidoo.com for more poems from the Art of Mind and Alma Mater series shared daily. You can purchase Clyde Aidoo’s latest release, Alma Mater Vol. 3: The West, a poetic celebration of the top universities of the West by clicking the link below.

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She Can Grow

From Art of Mind II: All-In. Available Now on Amazon.com.

*She Can Grow*

It will not always be like this.
Believe it or not.
Yes, that nestling daisy will blossom into a bird’s-foot violet.
The whole world will want to pick at her, hold her,
And gaze at her beauty.
Something so delicate must be tendered…
Nurtured and cared for with the investment of a provider and the
Medicine of a Caregiver.
Yes, she needs you to be raised.
But She Can Grow.

She can manage her own Garden…
With Only the Nourishment of Nature — She Can Bloom,
She Can Grow.

What could result may be callous and harsh,
Or might remain untarnished as larch,
Whatever produces is in the roots of Her Nature…

You will not give her away to the world:
The World Will Take Her.
What She Gives Them is Up to Her.

Your flower may get ruined and damaged,
Or may remain up-kept and managed,
What’s in her Nature:
Only She Knows…
She Will Live.
She Will Grow.

Follow ClydeAidoo.com for more poems from the Art of Mind and Alma Mater series shared daily. You can purchase Clyde Aidoo’s latest release, Alma Mater Vol. 3: The West, a poetic celebration of the top universities of the West by clicking the link below.

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Waitlist

From Art of Mind II: All-In. Available Now on Amazon.com.

 *Waitlist*

She’s got so much damn class that everybody Wants In.
But she’s closed off now, closed off to the world —
She ain’t takin’ Clothes Off — she’s a Gym Class Hero.
She runs laps with those thighs over skidding eyes…
She’s not ready to play with others,
So I’m stuck as her Mascot,
Now while she’s playing Games —
I’m here holding my Shuttlecock.

When she’s ready though, man, please, count me in!
I mean when you’re ready though, woman, please, let me in!
Pick me, Pick Me! I feel you more than them all!
Now while I’m picking foes off,
She’s still dodging my balls.
Seems no one else can hit her either,
They keep crossing that line,
Or maybe throwing too hard or so damn soft that she laughs.

She’s got the brains to keep her bastion,
Many want to be this Beauty’s Beast —
They’ve spent weeks exhausting their playbooks —
But can’t get a Pass even with a Cheat-Sheet.

I do believe I am at an advantage:
It isn’t instant gratification that I am after,
So while these inspectors try to grill her,
I have the discipline of a friar.

She’s more than worth waiting for…
So while they can’t even wait one year,
I could easily go another four.

Maybe it’s best that she drops me,
Because I don’t want to take anyone else…
And while I wait for her slot to open,
I may put my whole life on her shelf.

But the more people she turns away,
The more my odds enhance,
They run when she says, “Wait a year.”
I respond, “So you’re saying there’s a chance?”

And if she is unexpectedly snatched up,
And extends my stay upon this Waitlist,
As long as there are stars in the sky:
She’ll remain Alone atop my Wish List.

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Fordham University Tribute Poem

From Alma Mater Vol. 2: The Northeast
Available Now for only 99 cents!

AlmaMater_Northeast-Final

*Fordham University*

Excelsior!
March Ever Upward,
Fordham Rams!
We are center stage
in
The World’s Best City,
&
Things can only go up from here.

Whether ice-skating at Central Park—cachinnating through awkward turns & slips—not giddy because strangers didn’t see your stumble, but because someone you love did…
or
In McGinley, at ease in the Living Room, away from sunbeams while social growth buds in you a morning glory of a heavenly blue.

Enjoying a slice of Italy in restaurants on Arthur Ave,
or
a New York-style sausage from the Millennium Grille,
At each
Dabbling in brilliance like Da Vinci during the Last Supper, a touch of cheese on the face like Mona.

Taking that special someone to Yankee Stadium, thrilled because you’re in the same stands as the babe,
or
Playing catch with friends on the great lawn of Eddie’s, watching cannons start up the air
like a corvid hurrying to its leader.

Sinking in the immensity of the Hudson River, a haunt for the enlisted who resist the mundane,
or
Surrendering to the boundless at Martyrs’ Lawn,
Saying wordlessly,
Remember me as today.

Whether discovering new delights in the Botanical Garden,
or
Rediscovering the hidden beauty of the Bronx—right here on Rose Hill,
It’s all a part of this complete experience,
In a home with quarters exceeding life’s course.

We have arrived in the Urban Escape,
Excelsior!
Ever Upward into the Beyond:
New York is Our Campus.
Fordham is Our School.

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Posted in Alma Mater, Uncategorized

Syracuse Tribute

From Alma Mater Vol. 2: The Northeast
Available Now for only 99 cents!

AlmaMater_Northeast-Final

*Syracuse*

Northwest of Orangetown, New York,
Traveling east of a town called Orangeville,
You will come upon
Syracuse, New York:

Welcome to Orange Nation.

***

There’s an Orange progressive spill
That’s Radioactive.
The contagion is the Syracuse thrill
Going Retroactive.
History’s reshaped
inside
Orange Nation;
In Syracuse, New York,
Where we claim
This Nation.

Breaking down the Times of New York,
That’s News,
Discussions in these top-level buildings,
That’s Views,
The D.O. print is Syracuse
World News,
The North Campus Quad is where
The Orange runs through.
Said
The North Campus Quad is where
The Orange runs through,
In the House of Orange
only
Orange Comes Through,
In Syracuse,
Orange is all we see,
Orange channels through our campus—
CitrusTV.

The Place of Remembrance:
The Orange lives in it,
This Orange Nation,
Yeah,
We in it,
At the Carrier Dome—
The Orange gets in it,
Now we goin’ off…

Code Orange.

Carrier is goin’ off…
Code Orange,
Blow the roof off the dome, blow it off,
Go Orange;
We got 35 thou’ goin’ off,
Code Orange.

This Orange Nation,
Yeah,
We in it,
At the Carrier Dome—
The Orange gets in it,
A debate of better Northeast teams:
We end it.

Lacrosse Champions Eleven Times:
Count ’em up,
Led by #Deuce-Deuce
that’s right,
Double Up,
On field it’s 44s that’s another
Double Up:
Davis, Little, Brown,
Knuckle up.

In hoops we got the ’03 Champs,
Go ‘Melo,
When Orange takes the court
Ya’ll streak
Goes yellow,
While our streak of 43
winning seasons
Goes, “Hello.”

43 teams in a row—
That’s the record,
35 thou’ in one house,
That’s a record,
We got the best fans in college hoops,
That’s on record.

Otto’s Army stands and claps till we score,
And when the thunder slams,
The louder we roar,
The best college stadium’s
The House of Orange,
We blow the Dome off like nukes:

That’s Code Orange.

This Orange Nation,
Yeah,
We in it,
An M-Street Bar?
The Orange comes in it,
The best state parties?
Syracuse wins it.

Syra-Syracuse Parties—
Get into it,
Syra-Serious Parties—
Get into it,
Name the Frat Row House—
Bet we all went to it.

Join the Comstock parties
and drink in jest,
This row leads to the blast of the year—
Mayfest.

Here’s to a great year,
Let’s drink to Mayfest,
This is the Showcase of Drinking,
Let’s drink through Mayfest,
Here’s to next year,
Let’s drink till next fest!

Drinking in front of cops
without an arrest?
Only in April—
At Mayfest!
Like our Army these shots go
Straight to the Dome,
And the best part?
The cops leave us alone!

Let’s go to the Row every week,
Go Orange,
Parties ’round the clock,
Talkin’
Clockwork Orange,
This a nation’s tribute
Call this piece
Ode Orange,
Get in the party,
Say the code,

#CodeOrange

Follow ClydeAidoo.com for more poems from the Art of Mind and Alma Mater series shared daily. You can purchase Clyde Aidoo’s latest release, Alma Mater Vol. 3: The West, a poetic celebration of the top universities of the West by clicking the link below.

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Posted in Alma Mater, Uncategorized