R.M. ENGELHARDT

Poet Writer Author Albany NY

recent posts

about

R.M. Engelhardt is an American poet, writer and author who over the last three decades has published over 20 books of poetry including “Nod” “Alchemy” DarkLands, RAW & “The Last Cigarette: The Collected Poems of R.M. Engelhardt. The founder of the Upstate NY organization ALBANY POETS & the Annual Poetry Celebration THE ALBANY WORD FEST he has through his ideas & visions helped to contribute a large amount of advocacy and creativity to the Spoken Word~Poetry Capital District scene and is the former host of the long running readings The School of Night & Vox. He is currently the host of SPEAK THE WORD ALBANY!. An Open Mic for Poetry And The Spoken Word at Ophelias. Over the last thirty years his work has also been published in many journals such as The Rye Whiskey Review, Red Fez, Rusty Truck, Sure! The Charles Bukowski Newsletter, Thunder Sandwich, Black Noise, The Hobo Camp Review, Full of Crow, on the Outlaw Poetry Network & in many many others. Look for his books “WHERE THE PEOPLE’S VISION PERISHES 2020” “DARK LANDS (2019 on LuLu, Amazon & At Barnes and Noble) The Resurrection Waltz, 2012 ( Infinity Press) & “COFFEE ASS BLUES & OTHER POEMS” ( 2018 Alien Buddha Press 2018) ” DarkLands” 2019 & “Where There Is No Vision” 2020, “WE RISE LIKE SMOKE” (2021) & Of Spirit, Ash & Bone (2022) and RAW- Poems ( 2023) all available on Amazon.com He is also the Editor of the small independent poetry press Dead Man’s Press Ink since 1998. Look for his books The Bones of Our Existence A Journal 2046 & his new books THE DYING TIME POEMS BY R.M. Engelhardt 2026 & NO KINGS 2025 available at Barnes & Noble and currently on Amazon. www.gentlemanoutsider.com *All Poems, Writings & Information Contained On This Blog Are The Property & Owned By The Author R.M. Engelhardt. © 2026 www.rmengelhardt.com
  • I Followed The Light, A Poem ~ R.M. Engelhardt

    I Followed The Light, A Poem ~ R.M. Engelhardt

    I FOLLOWED THE LIGHT

    Once upon a time

    I followed the light 

    To all of the places 

    That it shined

    Was young &  inspired by

    All those poets &

    Writers, artists & 

    Musicians

    But then?

    A Revelation

    The death

    The dark

    The reality of

    The real world 

    A cold world

    A brutal world

    Took it all away

    So in these days passing 

    I prefer to take 

    It all in increments

    In small moments

    & dreams and in

    The holy laughter

    Of a God that 

    Doesn’t care

    Doesn’t call

    But a part of me

    Still believes in something

    Called poetry

    And found that

    It’s the only true religion

    Required 

    ~ R.M. Engelhardt ©2023

  • BE You.

    BE You.

    There is no revolution.
    There is no shallow fame.

    There is only being true to
    Yourself & your art.

    To write or create
    You must be a real human being
    Or it’s garbage

    ~R.M. Engelhardt ©2023

  • Is Everything Just Poetry Now?

    Is Everything Just Poetry Now?

    Is EVERYTHING just POETRY NOW?

    (It’s all subjective)

    greeting card
    canned emotion

    dramarama

    nudies !

    shocking!

    where’s the content?

    the majestic beauty of form?

    Is everything just poetry now?

    there’s an unsolved mystery
    only time shall answer

    ~ Dead Man’s Press Ink ©2023

  • Littera Scripta Manet, R.M. Engelhardt

    Littera Scripta Manet, R.M. Engelhardt

    LITTERA SCRIPTA MANET

    When
    The power goes down
    Electricity goes out

    Words mysteriously
    Disappear
    The voices
    Gone

    Something’s broken

    In this place

    Had a 1000 dreams
    Will have 1000 more

    But these streets are
    Desolate

    Abandoned

    It’s no longer
    The carnival

    No longer
    The temple

    The voices have scattered
    To other worlds & places

    Died or retired

    Forgotten who they are

    Forgotten how to
    Worship the city lights
    The verses the music
    The words at night

    A city without poetry

    Has no soul

    Nothing left

    But memories
    And crime

    Dirt
    And dust

    But one-day soon
    Someone will
    Pick up a book

    And invoke the words

    That annihilate
    All despair

    All desperation
    Misery & indifference

    And will rebuild
    This city again

    Littera Scripta Manet

    The written words endure

    ~ R.M. Engelhardt ©2023

  • Poetry Must Be The Drug. ~ R.M. Engelhardt

    Poetry Must Be The Drug. ~ R.M. Engelhardt

    Humor
    Love
    Commitment
    Alone
    Is not enough
    To bring our souls
    Forward into
    The cosmos

    Poetry Must Be
    The Drug

    ~ R.M. Engelhardt ©2023

  • Yesterday’s SOUL, A Poem By R.M. Engelhardt

    Yesterday’s SOUL, A Poem By R.M. Engelhardt

    YESTERDAY’S SOUL

    Where Poetry
    Is Still Real
    &
    Evolution

    Is an erased
    Concept &
    Theory

    In yesterday’s clothes
    Yesterday’s soul
    Driving through a
    City that once was

    Truth

    Where the homeless
    Man on the corner
    Is a brand new one
    Replacing all the dead ones & all
    The buildings
    Have demolition stickers
    On their front doors

    Where all the old cafes, coffee houses
    Rock N Roll bars & restaurants

    All closed

    And where
    Reality is a porn shop
    That replaced the clothing
    Store, the thrift shop the
    Streets still full of potholes

    And the trees are
    All broken or torn down

    Like in some dystopian novel
    Left behind in a time of
    Prosperity

    For the rich

    And never
    The poor

    Never
    The poor
    (of course)

    So let’s see the pretty flowers
    Still there in the park

    And find a dead body
    While you’re talking
    A walk

    Another ringer
    For Jesus Christ

    Without a cross

    Even the swans
    Won’t come here

    Anymore

    This city, this place now
    An old empty bottle of whiskey
    Thrown in the garbage along
    With all the dog shit by tenants
    Being charged too much rent

    This city

    The place that has lost

    Yesterday’s soul

    Where the mayor &
    The governor don’t
    Care about anyone

    But themselves

    And the sound of cash
    Jingling in their back pockets

    As always

    ~ R.M. Engelhardt ©2023

    Welcome to Albany NY

  • It Is Poetry. Ki no Tsurayuki 905ad

    It Is Poetry. Ki no Tsurayuki 905ad

    It is poetry that effortlessly moves the heavens and the earth, awakens the world of invisible spirits to deep feel, softens the relationship between men and women, and consoles the hearts of fierce warriors.”

    ~ Japanese poet Ki no Tsurayuki
    .AD 905

  • Doc’s Invitation

    Doc’s Invitation

    After a 1000 cigarettes

    The smoke reveals

    A Demi God hiding

    In an X ray

    It’s revelation

    Unsurprising

    Me & Doc Holiday are

    Planning a coffin party

    All are welcome

    Bring cigars !

    ~ R.M. Engelhardt ©2023

  • Find your art. Find your words. Find yourself. ~R.M. Engelhardt

    Find your art. Find your words. Find yourself. ~R.M. Engelhardt

    Like A Poem Perfume
    Instilled Unto That
    One Perfect Dream
    Of Youth Spring
    Eternity, A Song
    Of Beauty Beneath &
    Hidden Between

    Days

    ~ R.M. Engelhardt ©2021

  • Creation=Beauty= DESTRUCTION R.M. Engelhardt

    Creation=Beauty= DESTRUCTION R.M. Engelhardt

    Voice

    Does not =

    Poetry unless

    The words =

    Either true

    Creation or

    Genuine Fucking

    Destruction.

    ~ R.M. Engelhardt

    +CREATION=BEAUTY=DESTRUCTION+