Cliff,

Wow! I get me very own post again! Sorry brother, but you seem to have tracked down a poem by another Richard Okelberry. I don’t and haven’t ever written poetry, unless you include creative writing classes where it was forced upon me. I Therefore, I am asking that you make a retraction and separate in a writen statement the above poem from your collage where you purposely take my statements out of context. You certainly wouldn’t want UtahOne to become know as a site that knowly allows statements to be wrongfully attributed. I mean this is the second time I’ve seen it Cliff.

Was this collage an attempt to tell the truth about me? Or are you trying to give people an erroneous image of me?

I feel kind of like Sarah Palin right now. I see now what it’s like to be such a threat ideologically to someone that rather than present their own ideas and argument, they will go to any ends to destroy you. BTW: has the OneUtah “hammer” just fallen on me. Funny, I thought it would be bigger.

Again, Cliff you bring me to a place where I must forgive you. I forgive you Cliff. (BIG HUG!) Please go in peace.

There was a man named Cliff
Whose politics had unsavory whiff
one say that he was having trouble
of retaining integrity, of his bubble
lo, 8 years has come and gone
the open lies upon which fawn
the left and right, and our poor nation
there are few left, to man truth’s station

seems they all fell under a spell
try as some might, move on, oh well
to somehow bring the facts to bear
it became too clear, that no one care
what is wanted instead is hurrah my team
pound the chest, to gloat and beam
over what is thought to be a progress
is a little more government, with the whore in a dress.

Cliff you know that, I know, that you know, what having Rahm as CIS means. Figure he has the nuclear codes memorized in his head? What a hoot!

Cliff,

Will the real Rich Okelberry please stand up, please stand up, please stand up?

As agreed, I am about to illustrate that I am far from a poet. Because I don’t have time now for a new composition, and because I have no idea what I would write about, I am including an excerpt from a children’s book that I wrote for my daughters. While definitely is NOT a poem, I did make it rhyme as best I could because as most children do, my daughter absolutely loves Dr. Seuss. The story is called, “The Monster in My House.” It is a about a young girl who won’t go back into her home because she insists that a monster lives under her bed. So she enlists the help of a new neighbor boy to assist her in vacating the monster. While it’s kind of creepy for a little kid at first, in the end they discover that the monster is kind and made of dust bunnies and is only trying to keep from being swept away on cleaning day. The page I am including here comes from the point where the kids have to run across the room and jump onto the bed to keep the monster from grabbing their legs.

Now if everyone can momentarily dim the lights, put on their black cloths, light a smoke and gently snap their fingers rhythmically.

“The Monster in My House” excerpt, by the “real” Richard Okelberry
With just a stumble or two they never did stall
till safely they reached the end of the hall.
“Now quick we should be when I open the door.
Run and jump on the bed without touching the floor.”

“This monster,” She said in an advisory tone.
“will grab at you feet unless you have flown,
through the air like a bird with wings out wide spread.
Come follow me now and please don’t miss my bed.”

Before Timmy could speak the door flew wide with a crash.
Their feet began pounding the floor as they started to dash.
To take off like a bird Timmy knew he must try
to gather up enough speed so his body could fly.

The dark void down below drew closer and fast.
So with a loud thump they took off with a blast.
Timmy peered down below as they crossed over the void.
Looking for arms or long tentacles that might be deployed.

The bed shuttered and bumped as it pressed hard to the wall
while the pillows and bedding gently cradled their fall.
“Soft landings are nice,” Lily said with relief.
“It’s not so easy at night when low light causes grief.”

Well, well, well…there is value in persistence.
There will be value in resistance,
for as sure the last 8 years have disaster borne
I will stand solid, to the Oath I have sworn
We all hope for change, of a positive ilk
yet it rarely comes, in words flowing as silk

viewing the new found politics militant
I cast an eye forward, fixed and vigilant
for if the man is not what he appear
it lay to opposition, to reveal that fear
and not lay down, as a frightful lot
to weary in whining, in blame besot

This will remain the USA
Our Constitution, it here to stay
no manner of new found politics
will change the nature of what need fix
the solution lie, in where we have been
no diminishing the stride of forward lean
of freedom and the rights inalienable
in the resistance to change, unsustainable

the obligation of opposition
is not to lie duped, in the prone position
hoping for their turn at the wheel
while lives of people, in wind twist, and feel
helpless in the lack of vision
that leaders selfish, the people riven.