September Rain

The patent ambiguity of time,
September rain to January snow, 

the meanings hidden deep within a rhyme
for hearts alone, that minds will never know,

are miracles alive beyond the ken
of common man or woman, 

out of touch realities where reason’s never been,
a paradise for dreamers. Out of such

I know a place where wrong is never right,
where all the many miseries of man 

are vanished or are vanishing from sight,
like pirates in the Neverland of Pan,

below the far horizon, yet above—
the world of our extraordinary love.









~ Dean Neighbors ~

I have witnessed a lot of history in my life

I have witnessed a lot of history in my life.

January 31, 1968, 50 years ago today I was a 19 year old Radioman/Seaman serving as one of the 3000 plus crewmen aboard the Aircraft Carrier USS Oriskany (CVA-34). The Oriskany was returning from a 7 ½ month deployment to the western Pacific Ocean.


During this deployment we visited Hong Kong, two different ports in Japan (Sasebo and Yokosuka), Subic Bay in the Philippines and Pearl Harbor in Hawaii (twice). We spent much of the deployment operating in the Tonkin gulf, off the coast of North Vietnam on what we called "Yankee station".


During this deployment we were witness to the tragic fire aboard USS Forrestal that cost the lives of 134 Forrestal crewman. We, along with many other ships on Yankee Station, gave what assistance we could to the Forrestal, during and after the fire.

During this deployment the late Senator John McCain (then Lieutenant commander John McCain) launched his A4 Skyhawk aircraft from one of the catapults on our ship and was shot down over Hanoi. He was captured and began his long imprisonment in North Vietnam. He had been a pilot aboard the USS Forrestal and was involved in the fire there. After the fire he transferred to a squadron on our ship.

During this deployment the USS Pueblo (AGER-2) was attacked and captured by North Korean forces along with her crew. 83 members of the Pueblo crew spent 11 months as prisoners in North Korea. At the time of the capture i was the operator on the ship’s primary Teletype communications channel. I was chatting with the operator on Guam when we told me he had just relayed a flash message to Washington regarding the capture. Thus, I was one of the first people in the world to hear of the incident. I mentioned the Pueblo news to some of my fellow Radiomen as I passed through “Radio Central” on the way to lunch a few minutes later. Before I had finished my lunch, down on the Oriskany mess decks, the rumor mill was already passing around the news.

In some ways these events from 50 years ago seem like they happened just a few months ago….. In other ways they seem like, well, 50 years ago, ...a lifetime ago.

Early on the morning of Jan 31, 1968, we steamed under the Golden Gate bridge and the Bay Bridge and tied up at the pier at Naval Air Station Alameda, CA. The same pier, I might add, where Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle loaded his B25 bombers aboard USS Hornet (CV-8) for the famous WWII “30 seconds over Tokyo” raid.



A commercial frequently seen on TV in those days claimed that serving in the U.S. Navy was “not just a job...it’s an adventure”.   I couldn’t agree more.









Frijole Horses

So, awkwardly, astraddle of
the brown horse on the end
I follow smelly asses where
the river seems to bend

then, down among some spotted trees
a camp without a floor;
a place of fleas and noisy frogs
along the river shore. 

I lay out clean pajamas as they
romp where they may choose…

I’m startled by the clanking noise

as they remove their shoes.

I man the tool that opens cans,

I am a cook of means.

The horses, (frowns with puzzled looks),

at last eat all their beans.

They have to drink their coffee cold,

the guide, he plumb forgot

to tell me where to find an AC

outlet for the pot.

I loose my belt and scratch the critters
hidden out of sight;
all over in my under wear
amazing how they bite!

Against the sky stand ancient hills
in ghostly silhouette;
the massive guards of nature’s camp
eternal, posted yet

to house the seeds of what’s to be,
to cause the stream to bend…
to echo with the constant sound
of horses breaking wind.

Owed To Me

I am a lowly throw rug that
is lying on your floor.
You often wipe your feet on me,
you think that’s what I’m for.

I am a full-length mirror down
the hallway by the shelf.
You look only at my surface
for reflections of yourself.

You cover me with garbage, I'm
the bottom of your sink.
I am at your disposal--
or so you seem to think.

Like the electric blanket that
you use while counting sheep,
you turn me on to warm you up
and then go right to sleep.

I am the picture window where
you watch the falling rain.
To you I am transparent, you
will never see my pane.

But, I'm a rusty wind chime that
you cannot just ignore,
when you knock me from my pedestal,
I'll tinkle on your floor.

And I'm a winter snow storm that
has covered up your lawn,
and like those fragile snowflakes, by
the springtime I’ll be gone.

~ Dean Neighbors ~

Ambiguity in Rhyme

We cannot see for certain,

though eyes are open wide,

but, there behind the curtain,

Infinity abides.

The spectrum of creation

The imagery of time

Is void of inspiration,

ambiguity in rhyme.

What seems to one man, heaven,

appears to others, hell

refracted time, in pieces?

One can’t exactly tell

~ Dean Neighbors ~

Little

Little hands are making messes.
Little voices making noise.
Dirty shirts and dirty dresses.
Little fingers breaking toys.

Papa pay us some attention.
Little patience from the start.
Papa, don't forget to mention,
Little hands that hold your heart.

~ © Copyright 2001 By: W.D.Neighbors ~

For Me Alone

For me alone

Why is it yours to pray for me,
precisely choose the course I set,
to tune the scope that I might see
your plan for me? My friend, I’ve yet
to fathom your intolerance
for those who sow and reap their fate
without your forced benevolence,
advice that won’t abide debate.

The scriptures of the universe
appear before our mortal eyes,
we stretch our minds to read the verse,
to comprehend, to realize,

the words are etched on every stone,
for you, my friend-- for me alone.



~Dean Neighbors ~


“I render infinite thanks to God for being so kind as to make me alone the first observer of marvels kept hidden in obscurity for all previous centuries.”

~Galileo Galilei

Just the One

A single step in time’s immortal height,
I paused to smell the roses, wet with dew,
to watch the moon ascend majestic night
and, in that moment, fell in love with you.

And all our moments grew from just the one,
a solitary portion of an hour--
but, oh my love, that moment was the sun
that gave its light to grow this lovely flower.

In such a moment miracles occur --
when love’s a rose whose fragrance fills the air,
when past recalls how beautiful you were
and present how beloved. Then and there

I chose to give my heart, to stop pretending--
to live within this moment, never ending.

~ Dean Neighbors ~