Tom's story: 2004
143 pieces on this page. Click a picture or "See the whole card" to open the card.
2004 — Tom was 25 and 26
143 pieces on this year: 3 dated to this year · 137 from a range of years, shown here in the middle · 2 made this year or later · 1 written by this year at the latest.
DATED TO 2004
1843It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)
February 11, 2004 (age 25) PROVED
ESSAYS AND OTHER WRITINGS (NOT LYRICS)
Tom's typed literary criticism essay on Bob Dylan's IT'S ALRIGHT MA (I'M ONLY BLEEDING) (February 11, 2004), opening with Nietzsche on owning yourself, with the teacher's margin notes and the printed song lyrics attached.
the card says: made at age 25
See the whole card → 15 pictures
picture kept private
1507COLLEGE TRANSCRIPT
May 19, 2004 (age 25) PROVED
SCHOOL AND GROWING-UP KEEPSAKES
Tom's official two-page Salem State College academic record, showing his final GPA of 3.524 and graduation Magna Cum Laude.
the card says: made at age 25
See the whole card → pictures kept private
1866LITERARY CRITICISM
spring 2004 (age 25) LIKELY
ESSAYS AND OTHER WRITINGS (NOT LYRICS)
Tom's small-type printing of his final Literary Criticism essay, headed in his words MY HIGHEST LEVEL UNDERGRADUATE CLASS - I GOT AN A ON THIS ONE, with his quick cheat chart of critical schools.
the card says: spring 2004 (age 25)
See the whole card → 2 pictures
ABOUT 2004: FROM A RANGE OF YEARS, SHOWN HERE IN THE MIDDLE
1765GATOR
about 2001-2007 (age 23 to 28) TOM SAID
OBJECTS AND KEEPSAKES (TICKETS, POSTERS, SIGNS, SHIRTS, A GUITAR)
A black Stratocaster-style electric guitar with a white pickguard in a black hard case, from Tom's own music gear.
Tom's word: bought at about age 23 to 28, probably at a music store on Route 1. Which of his two guitars he meant is not sure.
See the whole card → 4 pictures
36Well I'm... struggling against the tide
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line W34: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten poem that opens "Well I'm... struggling against the tide / Pen and paper by my side," about carrying on while the world keeps turning, on a single loose sheet.
See the whole card → 1 picture
37Just when I thought that the tide had turned
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line F28: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
SONGS - WORDS THAT BECAME SONGS (IN THE SONG LISTS)
Tom's handwritten fourteen-line draft of the song SANDCASTLES (song list 2, track 11), "Just when I thought that the tide had turned / I played with fire and I got burned," on a sheet torn from a spiral notebook with crossouts.
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46She had a reputation for repetition
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line I25: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten rhyming poem "She had a reputation for repetition," on a sheet torn from a spiral notebook, published in Poems By Tom (2007).
See the whole card → 1 picture
49Seems like silver is the color
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line S50: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten eight-line poem "Seems like silver is the color / Given up all hope of grabbing gold," about getting older and settling for second best, written on the back of a printed Dodge Street Bar & Grill March 2002 music schedule.
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51RAINING IN BOSTON
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line R23: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten poem RAINING IN BOSTON, a quiet night scene of a dark television, a little radio and cigarette smoke drifting to the window, on a torn, coffee-stained notebook sheet, published in the Tom Jensen Poem Anthology (2013).
See the whole card → 1 picture
54Hey Bob Dylan I'm comin' chasing you
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line C33: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten poem "Hey Bob Dylan I'm comin' chasing you," a songwriter's challenge to the man everyone calls the best, on a loose-leaf sheet, published in the Tom Jensen Poem Anthology (2013).
See the whole card → 1 picture
55A hymn to Jim or John...
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line H26: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten poem A HYMN TO JIM OR JOHN..., about a voice he cannot stop listening to, on loose-leaf with a hand-drawn title, published in Poems By Tom (2007).
See the whole card → 1 picture
61Disciple of Dirt
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line D29: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten poem DISCIPLE OF DIRT (set list 11, track 4), which asks "What will break the spell?", in black ink on a torn loose-leaf sheet with a red-decorated title, published in Poems By Tom (2007).
See the whole card → 1 picture
94Rain... it makes the flowers grow (working sheet)
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line I22: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten loose-leaf working sheet in purple ink for the Rain/Pain lines ("Rain... it makes the flowers grow"), with syllable counts down the margin and song notes boxed at the top, tied to the song RAIN (set list 1, track 8).
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114CRYSTAL BALL
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line C32: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten poem CRYSTAL BALL (set list 16, track 5), about indecision - "Should I stay, should I go?" - on a loose-leaf sheet with a bubble-letter title, circled numbers and repeat markings.
See the whole card → 1 picture
120TIME WILL TELL
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line T36: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten poem TIME WILL TELL ("Above my head I hear a clap of thunder / I can't escape this cloud I'm under"), under an outlined title on a sheet whose back is a printed Dodge Street Bar & Grill March 2002 music schedule.
See the whole card → 2 pictures
177Everyone Close To Me I Push Away
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line H24: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten poem 'Everyone close to me I push away', asking whether loneliness is purgatory or punishment for sin, in black ink on a lined notebook sheet.
See the whole card → 1 picture
179Hey rich girl
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line P27: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
SONGS - WORDS THAT BECAME SONGS (IN THE SONG LISTS)
Tom's handwritten half lyric 'Hey rich girl', which became the song PRETTY TOYS (song list 4, track 10 of the 34 albums), on a torn-edge lined notebook sheet.
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190VISIONS
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line V8: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten lyric VISIONS, asking whether he is setting himself up for a letdown, on two lined pages with a bubble-letter title, the second marked VISIONS con't and ending with a nod to Visions of Johanna, published in Poems By Tom (2007).
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192Tomorrow is the Day
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line T35: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten lyric Tomorrow is the Day, tied to the song DYING DAY (set list 20, track 2 of the 34 albums), on a spiral-torn lined sheet with a bubble-letter title, a drawn sun-and-moon face and one blacked-out line.
See the whole card → 1 picture
198Such a waste of time
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line F29: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten short lyric 'Such a waste of time', ten lines on following the blind instead of leading, on a small spiral-torn notepad sheet, published in Poems By Tom (2007).
See the whole card → 1 picture
239PANDORA'S BOX
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line O18: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
A printed page of Tom's poem PANDORA'S BOX, edited in dark green ink and continued in his handwriting from 'On the banks of this shore', with an arrow to a 'secret room'.
See the whole card → 1 picture
362I wake up to a cup of coffee
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line P30: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
SONGS - WORDS THAT BECAME SONGS (IN THE SONG LISTS)
Tom's handwritten lyric I wake up to a cup of coffee, eight lines in black ink on a three-hole lined loose-leaf sheet - the opening verse of the song PRETTY GOLD BRACELET (song list 19, track 1 of his 34 Albums), printed in A Lifetime Of Rhyme (2020) and 34 Albums, Books 1 and 2 (2026).
See the whole card → 1 picture
379Unity... you and me together
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line G22: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
SONGS - WORDS THAT BECAME SONGS (IN THE SONG LISTS)
Tom's handwritten four-line lyric Unity... you and me together, on a worn loose-leaf sheet, which became the song UNITY (song list 7, track 3).
See the whole card → 1 picture
383American Dream
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line A23: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten poem American Dream (I am trying to unlearn what all the teachers taught me), on a lined spiral notebook sheet, published in Poems By Tom (2007) and the 34 albums.
See the whole card → 1 picture
393CLIFF HANGER
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line M31: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten lyric CLIFF HANGER (Alone again...), with a drawn title and his sketch of a mountain cliff on a lined spiral sheet, which became the song CLIFFHANGER (set list 18, track 11).
See the whole card → 1 picture
397The Light of Another Day, a Fresh Page in the Book
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line M36: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten lyric The light of another day, a fresh page in the book, on a torn spiral notebook sheet, published in the 34 albums and 200 Poems Waiting For Music.
See the whole card → 1 picture
399A lesson in politics one on one
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line P25: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten satirical lyric A lesson in politics one on one (every candidate has a rhyme around election time), a full-page draft plus a torn second sheet with the starred short version, published in the 34 albums.
See the whole card → 2 pictures
404So many choices so little time
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line M29: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten sixteen-line bar-room lyric So many choices so little time (hear so many voices, which one's mine?), on a torn lined sheet, published in the 34 albums and Shorter Lyrics (2013).
See the whole card → 1 picture
413TWO SEASONS
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line T37: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
SONGS - WORDS THAT BECAME SONGS (IN THE SONG LISTS)
Tom's handwritten lyric TWO SEASONS (I see black clouds rolling in), written across three small torn spiral-pad pages, which went into the song UNITY (song list 7, track 3).
See the whole card → 4 pictures
414Point of Reference
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line P28: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten poem Point of Reference (you keep waiting for her to walk in and maybe change your life forever), on a small notebook page, published in the 34 albums and The November 2024 Collection.
See the whole card → 1 picture
418A lesson in politics 101
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line P25: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten poem A lesson in politics 101, which became the song PARDON ME (set list 10, track 8), a mocking election-time lyric about candidates' empty promises, on a torn sheet of loose-leaf, published in Poems By Tom.
See the whole card → 1 picture
422Quest for Immortality
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line N23: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten poem Quest for Immortality, with its title drawn in bubble letters, about building a legacy carved in stone, on a sheet of lined notebook paper, published in his poem anthologies.
See the whole card → 1 picture
427Michelle
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line M32: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
SONGS - WORDS THAT BECAME SONGS (IN THE SONG LISTS)
Tom's handwritten blue-ink lyric Michelle, which became the song FRESCO (song list 5, track 5), about repainting the portrait of his life, on white stationery with a printed border of stars.
See the whole card → 1 picture
428They told me I was born better
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line T44: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten poem They told me I was born better, questioning being taught to judge people by the color of their skin, in faint pencil and blue ink on lined notebook paper, published in his poem anthologies.
See the whole card → 1 picture
430Dead History
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line D32: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten pencil poem Dead History, a short fighting lyric that opens Unity you and me... together, on a torn loose-leaf sheet, published in Poems By Tom.
See the whole card → 1 picture
431RATED X · on the adults-only pages
434too many buildings, not enough sky
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line S62: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten protest poem too many buildings, not enough sky, on two torn loose-leaf sheets, the second sheet ending in a Believe in Freedom refrain with a nod to Neil Young (that refrain is on the sheet only - not in the books); the poem is published as Status Quo Woes in 200 Poems Waiting For Music.
See the whole card → 1 picture
435Confliction Is My Affliction
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line U9: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten pencil poem Confliction is my affliction (dying from good health), a lovesick lyric about angel eyes, on a torn spiral-pad sheet, published in Poems By Tom.
See the whole card → 1 picture
438The Healing Song
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line W33: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
SONGS - WORDS THAT BECAME SONGS (IN THE SONG LISTS)
Tom's handwritten blue-ink lyric The Healing Song, which became the song WATER FLESH AND BONE (song list 7, track 5), about feeling a soulmate slip away, on a lined notebook sheet with the verses bracketed 1 to 3.
See the whole card → 1 picture
439There's no such thing as wasted time
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line P31: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten red-ink poem There's no such thing as wasted time, written across two small spiral-pad pages, published in Poems By Tom.
See the whole card → 1 picture
440Just like me
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line J7: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten poem Just like me (Happiness is a distant memory), with its title in bubble letters, on a small torn spiral-pad page, published in Poems By Tom.
See the whole card → 1 picture
441I just got a pardon
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line P25: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten eight-line pencil poem I just got a pardon (from the president), on a lined notebook sheet, published in Poems By Tom.
See the whole card → 1 picture
443Walking and Talking
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line K7: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN POEMS BY TOM
Tom's handwritten blue-ink poem Walking and Talking (You know that I write about what I been through), on a spiral-torn lined sheet, published in Poems By Tom.
See the whole card → 1 picture
444FRAMINGHAM BLUES
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line F25: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten blue-ink poem FRAMINGHAM BLUES, a barroom lament that opens There's just so many damn people in this world who just don't have a clue, on two torn lined notebook sheets, published in his poem anthologies.
See the whole card → 2 pictures
446is a lonely place
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line U9: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
SONGS - WORDS THAT BECAME SONGS (IN THE SONG LISTS)
Tom's handwritten lyric fragment is a lonely place (but it's not worth waking up with someone in the morning just to see somebody else's face), which became the song MELODY OF SORROW (song list 6, track 6), in faint pencil on a spiral-pad sheet.
See the whole card → 1 picture
447Cry Me A River
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line C41: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten poem Cry me a river... ten miles wide, in dark ink on a torn spiral-pad sheet, published in Poems By Tom and 200 Poems Waiting For Music.
See the whole card → 1 picture
466SOUL BAY
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line M29: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's poem SOUL BAY on a typed sheet he titled and annotated by hand with circled numbers, together with lined sheets of the handwritten verse When I Was Five (My mother taught me how to lie when I was five), published in his poem anthologies.
See the whole card → 3 pictures
471Point of Reference
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line P28: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten blue-ink lyric Point of Reference (You keep waiting for her to walk in and change your life forever), which became the song POINT OF REFERENCE (set list 17, track 1), with the title in outline letters on a lined sheet.
See the whole card → 1 picture
526Tim's Song
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line T38: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten poem Tim's Song (How much money does it take?), on a three-hole lined sheet, with a related lined sheet of the poem TOTEM POLE (I took my axe to the top of my Totem Pole), published in his poem anthologies.
See the whole card → 3 pictures
529The Light inside your Lamp
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line L23: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
SONGS - WORDS THAT BECAME SONGS (IN THE SONG LISTS)
Tom's handwritten lyric sheets The Light inside your Lamp, titled in bubble letters, and You're my butterfly (I watch you gently glide), with cross-outs, in black ink, the lines that became the song BUTTERFLY (song list 6, track 4).
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531As a kid I thought alot
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line C35: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten comic poem As a kid I thought alot (about how I once choked to death a cough drop) on a legal sheet, with a spiral-pad poem CATS and COWS illustrated with his own drawings of a cat and a cow, published in the 34 albums.
See the whole card → 3 pictures
532I trust bust...
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line T34: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN POEMS BY TOM
Tom's handwritten political lines I trust bust... I don't bust trust / a vote against me is a vote for dead children, in large writing on a legal sheet, with a list poem If I was weather I'd be rain, published in Poems By Tom.
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533Here's something those with two jobs
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line B32: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten poem Here's something those with two jobs already know (health care's gone), tied to the song BUILDING A CASTLE (set list 18, track 10), on lined pad pages in ink and pencil, with a sheet headed I AM The Rules and a strip glued on white paper.
See the whole card → 12 pictures
536Last Thoughts on life...
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line O16: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten poem Last Thoughts on life... (See-Saw, swing, swing - up then down, rights and wrongs, then poems then songs), on a torn ruled sheet, published in his poem anthologies.
See the whole card → 1 picture
538I've come along, long way the last couple
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line W42: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten black-ink poem I've come along, long way the last couple of years (I've fought my share of demons until they finally disappeared), on a spiral-pad sheet, published in the 34 albums and Shorter Lyrics.
See the whole card → 2 pictures
551Such a crying shame
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line F28: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
SONGS - WORDS THAT BECAME SONGS (IN THE SONG LISTS)
Tom's handwritten blue-ink lyric Such a crying shame, playing this waiting game, which went into the song FRESCO (song list 5, track 5), on a spiral-torn lined sheet.
See the whole card → 2 pictures
572MY OWN LITTLE WORLD
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line M31: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN POEMS BY TOM
Tom's handwritten poem MY OWN LITTLE WORLD, in pencil and black ink on a worn spiral-notebook sheet with a bubble-letter title and 'Tom's Theme Song' noted in the margin, published in Poems By Tom (2007).
See the whole card → 2 pictures
662I know you wish you were here
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line R27: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten poem I KNOW YOU WISH YOU WERE HERE, in blue ink on a torn-edged sheet of lined loose-leaf, about someone who suddenly disappeared and what was stolen when they left, published in the Tom Jensen Poem Anthology (2013).
See the whole card → 2 pictures
666The laws we have obeyed
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line M36: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten fifteen-line list poem THE LAWS WE HAVE OBEYED, in dark ink on a single sheet of lined loose-leaf, about the crosses made and lessons learned, part of the song MESSY ROOM (set list 15, track 8) in his 34 albums.
See the whole card → 2 pictures
680I've been searching for myself
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line F28: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN POEMS BY TOM
Tom's handwritten poem I'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR MYSELF, begun in pencil and finished in blue pen on a spiral-notebook sheet, about the things that cannot be left to someone else, published in Poems By Tom (2007).
See the whole card → 2 pictures
681There's a brand new picture frame hanging on my shelf
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line S60: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten short lyric THERE'S A BRAND NEW PICTURE FRAME HANGING ON MY SHELF, in black ink on a torn spiral-edged sheet of lined notebook paper, about a perfectly posed family photo that may not even be his own, published in Shorter Lyrics (2013).
See the whole card → 2 pictures
690I KNEW HER TOO WELL
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line C34: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten lyric I KNEW HER TOO WELL, in black ink on a small torn notepad sheet with one line blacked out and notes in the margin, a rhyming portrait of a woman crazy as hell, published in the Tom Jensen Poem Anthology (2013).
See the whole card → 2 pictures
747Blank Page so I must fill it
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line S59: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten full poem BLANK PAGE SO I MUST FILL IT ("The truth, some one must spill it"), in dark ink on lined notebook paper with crossings-out and a line inserted in the margin, published in the Tom Jensen Poem Anthology (2013).
See the whole card → 2 pictures
754No Rhyme or Reason
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line M36: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten full lyric NO RHYME OR REASON ("It could happen to anyone"), on lined loose-leaf paper with punched holes, with crossed-out lines and a folded corner, the words that became the song MESSY ROOM (set list 15, track 8, in the 34 Albums).
See the whole card → 2 pictures
780The smoke from the fire soon disapaited, with the love and desire I anticipated
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line O16: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten five-line poem THE SMOKE FROM THE FIRE SOON DISSIPATED, WITH THE LOVE AND DESIRE I ANTICIPATED, in black ink on three-hole lined notebook paper, published in the Tom Jensen Poem Anthology (2013).
See the whole card → 2 pictures
911Never be afraid when your opinion is based on fact
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line N24: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
LOOSE LYRICS, ONE-LINERS AND RHYME WORD BANKS
Tom's handwritten short poem "Never be afraid when your opinion is based on fact," about growing stronger every day, written on the back of page 2 of his own typed college essay on the Black Sox baseball scandal; published in the Tom Jensen Poem Anthology (2013) and Shorter Lyrics (2013).
See the whole card → 3 pictures
912There's just so many damn people
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line N23: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten poem "There's just so many damn people / In this world who just don't have a clue," about a girl who moved on, with rhyme letters down the margin, in pencil on a worn, stained sheet of lined notebook paper with a folded corner; published in Shorter Lyrics (2013) and Brian Rainstorm: Poetry Not Dead (2014).
See the whole card → 2 pictures
920Here I am alone with my thoughts
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line G22: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
SONGS - WORDS THAT BECAME SONGS (IN THE SONG LISTS)
Tom's handwritten opening lines "Here I am alone with my thoughts / Sitting, staring, watching the clock," on page 2 of a three-hole-punched sheet of lined loose-leaf, tied to his song UNITY (song list 7, track 3) in the 34 Albums.
See the whole card → 2 pictures
985I don't even know why I called you today
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line D26: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten opening couplet I don't even know why I called you today / I knew I'd be hurt by all the words you would say - two lines at the top of an otherwise blank sheet of lined paper.
See the whole card → 2 pictures
1050Woke up half dead
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line O16: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten short poem WOKE UP HALF DEAD, written on a torn-edged sheet of lined notebook paper, asking for a sign of better days ahead; published in the Tom Jensen Poem Anthology (2013).
See the whole card → 2 pictures
1847Biography of Tom Jensen
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line P24: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) BEST GUESS
ESSAYS AND OTHER WRITINGS (NOT LYRICS)
Tom's typed BIOGRAPHY OF TOM JENSEN, a free-form life story (This book is dedicated to me) mixing memories of his family, his hobbies and his lyrics such as A PERFECT WORLD, on white sheets.
See the whole card → 6 pictures
1500Graduation Cap With 2004 Charm
about 2003-2005 (age 25 to 26) BEST GUESS
SCHOOL AND GROWING-UP KEEPSAKES
Tom's black graduation cap with a cream and gold tassel and a 2004 charm.
the card says: made at age 25 or 26
See the whole card → 1 picture
40KING KONG BONG
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line V9: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) NOT SURE
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten drafts of the poem KING KONG BONG ("I watch the smoke rising up from the flames"), on two torn and stained sheets - a first draft with a column of rhymes (Dong, Fong, gong) and a cleaner second version - published in Poems By Tom (2007).
See the whole card → 2 pictures
826I Got Some Money
about 2001-2008 (age 23 to 29) - yellow binder line E9: late in its letter (the cut at the 481-poem count is a share-out, not a mark on the page) NOT SURE
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten short lyric I GOT SOME MONEY ("Maybe I'll SPEND IT on you / I still got some love left"), in ink on a small top-spiral notepad sheet, published in Brian Rainstorm: Poetry Not Dead (2014).
See the whole card → 1 picture
449I've been busy burning bridges
about 2002-2006 (age 23 to 28) NOT SURE
POEMS IN THE 34 ALBUMS
Tom's handwritten ten-line poem, its first five lines in grey and its last five in blue ink, opening I've been busy burning bridges, counting up my losses, on a torn lined sheet, published in the 34 albums.
Its title is on line B40 of Tom's early yellow binder index. Dated from this piece's own words, the dated books and the pieces around it; this date is not sure.
See the whole card → 1 picture
A WIDE GUESS: MORE THAN 10 YEARS, SHOWN HERE IN THE MIDDLE
picture kept private
1555San Francisco Visitor Map And SFO Bag Tag (October 2014)
about 1993-2015 (age 15 to 36) - a wide guess BEST GUESS
SCHOOL AND GROWING-UP KEEPSAKES
Tom's airline bag tag from a San Francisco to Boston flight (1 October 2014) and a folded San Francisco visitor map.
the card says: made at age 36
See the whole card → 1 picture
271Strings break Voices crack
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten short poem 'Strings break / Voices crack / Smooth skin wrinkles', five lines on growing older, on a lined sheet.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 1 picture
293NO CONVICTION
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's previously unpublished handwritten poem NO CONVICTION, on page one of a lined sheet with a bubble-letter title, about paper cuts that never heal and people who lack the conviction to choose.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 1 picture
295I'm loading up the wagon full of TREASURES I have gathered
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten black-ink lyric I'm loading up the wagon full of TREASURES I have gathered, published in the 34 albums, on a loose-leaf sheet with crossed-out lines and circled revisions.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 1 picture
308Brain washing
about 1996-2013 (age 18 to 34) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's previously unpublished three-line note Brain washing / Little kids / Disney corporate hypnotist, in green marker on a small torn scrap of paper.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 34 - an estimate
See the whole card → 1 picture
326I like to smoke alot of weed
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's previously unpublished three-line pencil verse I like to smoke alot of weed / And listen to a little Lou Reed, at the top of a loose-leaf sheet.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 1 picture
544I need a curtain
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten comic pencil lyric I need a curtain so my neighbors won't know what I'm doing (Cover your windows), on a heavily worn and creased lined sheet, published in the 34 albums.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
562Beautiful Girl
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's previously unpublished handwritten short lyric BEAUTIFUL GIRL, written in cursive on lined notebook paper and marked for a female vocalist, about beauty still ruling the world.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
563And maybe... it's true
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten cursive lyric draft AND MAYBE... IT'S TRUE, on paper-clipped white sheets of paper, a song from his 34 albums about problems that are not love related and channeling the energy all around him.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 3 pictures
564You gotta trust in what you know
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten song lyric YOU GOTTA TRUST IN WHAT YOU KNOW, in black ink with crossed-out lines on a sheet torn from a spiral notebook, a defiant call to stop hiding from fear, from his 34 albums.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
569MAJOR BLUES...
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
ESSAYS AND OTHER WRITINGS (NOT LYRICS)
Tom's handwritten college journal entry MAJOR BLUES, a before-class entry dated 3/27 on lined notebook paper, joking that Hemingway, Conrad and a stack of reading are taking over his time.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
573QUITTING
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's previously unpublished handwritten poem QUITTING, on lined notebook paper under a starred title, with his own consonant-and-vowel alphabet note written across the top of the page.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
580Well my days of drugs are over
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's previously unpublished handwritten poem WELL MY DAYS OF DRUGS ARE OVER, in black ink on a plain white sheet, a Saint Patrick's Day look back at getting lucky and the stories that never go away.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
583As I stand before the judge and see he licks his lips
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's previously unpublished handwritten poem AS I STAND BEFORE THE JUDGE AND SEE HE LICKS HIS LIPS, in black ink on a single plain white sheet with faint circular stains, a darkly comic courtroom monologue.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 1 picture
584RATED X · on the adults-only pages
674I'm just a young kid who's goin to school
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's previously unpublished handwritten lyric I'M JUST A YOUNG KID WHO'S GOIN TO SCHOOL, in neat cursive on lined loose-leaf, written at twenty as a working-class kid who has made his mistakes.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
676I was so busy being mad at you
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's previously unpublished handwritten short lyric I WAS SO BUSY BEING MAD AT YOU, on a creased plain sheet with brown stains, about forgetting to look in the mirror and finally seeing the truth.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
677RATED R · on the adults-only pages
678Kick it up a notch
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's previously unpublished handwritten short lyric KICK IT UP A NOTCH, in large black marker on a torn sheet of paper, a pep talk to pick up the pace because in this race there's no quit.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
714My boss here and me
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten, never-published poem MY BOSS HERE AND ME, about getting along with his boss, written in blue ink on a creased paper plate.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
715The fire and its fury
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten, never-published poem THE FIRE AND ITS FURY ("They say what a price we pay"), written in blue ink on a creased paper plate.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 3 pictures
726I, I dont want to lie to you
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten, never-published lyric I, I DON'T WANT TO LIE TO YOU, written in black marker on a torn piece of brown cardboard with a damaged white back.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 3 pictures
728I found an escape for every problem in the world
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten, never-published short poem I FOUND AN ESCAPE FOR EVERY PROBLEM IN THE WORLD ("Only six feet away at all times"), a dark meditation in black cursive on lined notebook paper with a doodle in the left margin.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
740Three thirty four
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten, never-published poem THREE THIRTY FOUR, written on lined notebook paper with an arrow and margin edits showing him at work on the lines.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 1 picture
758I just got laid off and now I'm pretty pissed off
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten, never-published lyric I JUST GOT LAID OFF AND NOW I'M PRETTY PISSED OFF, in faint blue ink with scribbles on a worn, lightly stained sheet of lined notebook paper.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 3 pictures
807RATED R · on the adults-only pages
818Come and see me some time
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten, never-published short poem COME AND SEE ME SOME TIME ("We've been playin' it by the books for so long"), on a small sheet of lined cream-colored notepad paper.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
827every body's been talking about
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten, never-published short poem EVERYBODY'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT ("The way that I've been walking about... That crooked mile"), written in pen on a torn piece of brown corrugated cardboard with printing on the back.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
829I've got a new method
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten, never-published short poem I'VE GOT A NEW METHOD ("to my madness"), on a small stained scrap of side-spiral notepad paper.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 1 picture
835A man wearing a yellow
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten short poem beginning "A man wearing a yellow shirt," about a concert-goer arrested and beaten by police, in black ink on a torn sheet of lined notebook paper; previously unpublished.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
836HALF WAY HOME
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten short poem HALF WAY HOME, with its outlined title and the line "Standing all alone," in ink on a torn piece of rough, textured tan paper; previously unpublished.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
838If you're ignorant you're right
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten one-line poem "If you're ignorant you're right," on a torn, stained strip of lined notebook paper.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
878I spy a coast line with no houses...
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten short poem "I spy a coast line with no houses... only trees / I've found a town seventy-five percent underground," in cursive on a torn sheet of lined notebook paper; previously unpublished.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 1 picture
913Some people's presence is not a gift
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten one-line poem "Some people's presence is not a gift," on a torn-edged sheet of lined spiral notebook paper.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
937Punching the clock is like getting punched in
about 1996-2013 (age 18 to 34) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten short poem "Punching the clock is like getting punched in the face," about wasting a day at work, in blue ink on a lined legal sheet; previously unpublished.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 34 - an estimate
See the whole card → 1 picture
944MY SOUL DISAGREES
about 1996-2013 (age 18 to 34) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten line "MY SOUL DISAGREES" with a squiggle drawing, on a torn sheet of yellow lined legal paper.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 34 - an estimate
See the whole card → 1 picture
960It's open mic night down at Dodge
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten short poem "It's open mic night down at Dodge / Someone's playing but there's no one listening," in black ink written across a sheet of lined notebook paper, with computer page-setup notes on the back; previously unpublished.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 3 pictures
963Something or Something
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten two-line piece "Something or Something / either making love to her husband or plain getting paid," on a sheet of lined paper; previously unpublished.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
968You already know the reason why
about 1996-2013 (age 18 to 34) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten kiss-off poem "You already know the reason why / Why I left you high and dry," ending "someone whom I wish I never met," in cursive on a sheet of lined notebook paper; previously unpublished.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 34 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
972ANOTHER SONG
about 1996-2013 (age 18 to 34) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten lyric ANOTHER SONG, "I want to introduce you to the left side of my brain - the part that is controlling every time that I go strolling down memory lane," in black ink on a plain white sheet; previously unpublished.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 34 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
974Who is to say
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten short poem WHO IS TO SAY, never before published, on a sheet of lined notebook paper with a long bracket line drawn down the margin - a warning not to point the blame his way, since roses have thorns and you should have planted a tree.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
976I knew I must be someone special
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's short poem I KNEW I MUST BE SOMEONE SPECIAL, handwritten in blue ink in curving lines on a round paper plate - a poem about the night he started writing poems on plates.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
988our fore fathers believed in three things
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten short poem OUR FORE FATHERS BELIEVED IN THREE THINGS in black ink on a torn-top sheet of lined notebook paper, a joke about sex, drugs and rock and roll and his dad saying one out of three ain't bad, with a small dated box note at the bottom; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 1 picture
989And I say:
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's never-before-published short poem AND I SAY:, handwritten in blue and black ink on lined notebook paper with corrections and a long bracket down the margin, pairing cold lonely nights with a verse about sleeping in late in Denmark in December.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
990There is no use in pretending
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten four-line poem THERE IS NO USE IN PRETENDING on a single sheet of lined notebook paper, about a relationship ending once two people stopped listening to each other; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
991They won once
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's pencil working draft of the poem THEY WON ONCE on a half sheet of lined paper, heavy with crossings-out and a sideways FLY doodle in the margin, about beating them twice, nearly drowning himself, and still believing he can fly; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 1 picture
1000Screaming Like a Demon
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten short poem SCREAMING LIKE A DEMON in black ink on a plain white sheet, with scribbled-out words; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
1001Whenever I get lonely, whenever my mind starts
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten love poem WHENEVER I GET LONELY, WHENEVER MY MIND STARTS TO ROAM on aged three-hole lined paper, about missing someone during a week apart, together with a sheet bearing his pen drawing of a big-nosed figure with teeth and arms; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 3 pictures
1007Perhaps If this world expands and contracts
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten four-line poem PERHAPS IF THIS WORLD EXPANDS AND CONTRACTS on lined notebook paper, musing on reincarnation and a next life; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
1008The only coke I keep is in the fridge
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten two-line poem THE ONLY COKE I KEEP IS IN THE FRIDGE on a yellowed sheet of lined notebook paper with a torn spiral edge; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
1009You came in the door
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten short poem YOU CAME IN THE DOOR on a worn, creased and stained sheet of lined paper with folded corners - a darkly comic threat to a man who is going out the window; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
1010If it's half as good as
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's short poem IF IT'S HALF AS GOOD AS, handwritten in blue ink on a creased white paper plate; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
1012Stand by my side
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten poem STAND BY MY SIDE on a full sheet of lined notebook paper, about facing the inevitable and being sure of the future; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 3 pictures
1013I suppose i've found out why
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten short poems on two sheets of lined notebook paper - I SUPPOSE I'VE FOUND OUT WHY, on trusting material things over people, and WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO KNOW, on the things we don't know; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 4 pictures
1014Rolling hills don't pay my bills
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten two-line poem ROLLING HILLS DON'T PAY MY BILLS in black ink on a yellowed, torn sheet of spiral notebook paper; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
1020Nine o'clock at night is the time
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten single line NINE O'CLOCK AT NIGHT IS THE TIME on a torn-edged sheet of lined notebook paper.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 1 picture
1021Quantity vs. Quality
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's short poem QUANTITY VS. QUALITY, handwritten in purple ink on a plain three-hole sheet, a cheeky couplet about perfect plumage and spreading genes; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
1028I used to be just like you
about 1996-2013 (age 18 to 34) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's three-line poem I USED TO BE JUST LIKE YOU, handwritten in pencil on a torn, yellowed sheet of lined notebook paper - angry and loud with something to prove; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 34 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
1031This neverending state of chaos reigns
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten four-line poem THIS NEVERENDING STATE OF CHAOS REIGNS in cursive on lined notebook paper, a protest that we fan the flames at home while sending billions overseas; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
1034I've been looking around for some inspiration
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten couplet I'VE BEEN LOOKING AROUND FOR SOME INSPIRATION, written on the back of a stained, folded printed sheet of stereo wiring instructions that also carries a penciled guitar-shop note; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 3 pictures
1036Lately I've been getting paranoid
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten unfinished poem LATELY I'VE BEEN GETTING PARANOID on lined notebook paper, about being out of work with no money coming in; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
1046Just like a rubber
about 1996-2013 (age 18 to 34) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten poem JUST LIKE A RUBBER on a torn-edged sheet of lined notebook paper, a darkly funny breakup poem that turns STD into Self-Triggered Depression; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 34 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
1047I called up Caca Achiever
about 1996-2013 (age 18 to 34) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten comic poem I CALLED UP CACA ACHIEVER in ink on lined notebook paper, a plea to Captain Coffee Break for a large coffee, fast; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 34 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
1057I gauge lost time through cigarette butts
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's three-line poem I GAUGE LOST TIME THROUGH CIGARETTE BUTTS, handwritten in black cursive on three-hole lined notebook paper - the more I find myself, the more I think I'm going nuts; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
1060When I was a kid
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten short poem WHEN I WAS A KID on lined notebook paper, remembering being a sullen, sulky child, with a second verse in blue ink - I've got good ones, bad ones, happy ones, sad ones; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 2 pictures
no picture on the card yet
1081HANDWRITTEN LYRICS - 'START DIGGING A HOLE'
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
Tom's handwritten lyric START DIGGING A HOLE in pencil on a sheet of lined loose-leaf, a word-play verse on grave situations, gold digging and knowing what you're digging for; never before published.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
1923GOOD POEMS FOR SONGS
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
SET LISTS, SONG LISTS, TITLE LISTS AND INDEXES
Two lined notebook sheets, one pink and one white, where Tom listed which of his poems would make good songs - It's Your Turn, Heart Strings, Silhouette of a Stranger and more - with a second IN list beginning Let Me Live the Dream.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 3 pictures
1961Best scene ever:
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
ESSAYS AND OTHER WRITINGS (NOT LYRICS)
Three small lined notebook sheets on which Tom wrote out, in ink, his idea for the best scene ever - a man buys a scratch ticket, asks the cashier to dinner if he wins, and pulls off the bet with a hidden hundred-dollar bill.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 4 pictures
1962A POEM A DAY
about 1996-2012 (age 18 to 33) - an estimate - a wide guess NOT PROVED
NOTES, PLANS AND BUSINESS PAPERS
Six sheets and scraps of lined notebook paper in different colored inks where Tom planned his A POEM A DAY project and his future as a writer - a checklist (finish binder, correct the 365 book, number the category pages) and notes on finding a backer so he could open all his lyrics to free use.
the card says: written at about age 18 to 33 - an estimate
See the whole card → 6 pictures
MADE IN 2004 OR LATER
These carry a first possible date (a print date, a date on the paper). They may be later.
324YouTube - Broadcast Yourself
2004 or later (age 26 or older) BEST GUESS
LETTERS, FLYERS, PRINTOUTS AND RECORDS
A computer-printed fan message sent to Tom through YouTube, in which a listener tells him about their life and asks him to write a poem from it, signed goodnight tom.
the card says: made at age 26 or later
See the whole card → 1 picture
1542BOSTON RED SOX 2004 WORLD CHAMPIONS
2004 or later (age 26 or older) BEST GUESS
OBJECTS AND KEEPSAKES (TICKETS, POSTERS, SIGNS, SHIRTS, A GUITAR)
A printed BOSTON RED SOX 2004 WORLD CHAMPIONS poster with player photos and the names of the championship team, from Curt Schilling and Johnny Damon to Pedro Martinez and manager Terry Francona, written in by hand.
the card says: made at age 26 or later
See the whole card → 1 picture
WRITTEN BY 2004 AT THE LATEST
A book dated 2004 holds these words, so they were written by then. They may be much older.
1871Team effort boosts Mallett in Social Club Race
written by 2004 at the latest (age 25) - book day not found, the later year is used - it may be older BEST GUESS
ESSAYS AND OTHER WRITINGS (NOT LYRICS)
Tom's typed manuscript of his newspaper story Team effort boosts Mallett in Social Club Race, by Tom Jensen, four pages.
the card says: made at age 25
See the whole card → 4 pictures
MEMORABILIA FROM THIS STORY
Every card on this page is a real piece — 143 pieces.
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What the words mean: PROVED a date or a dated book proves it. BEST GUESS our best reading, not yet proved. TOM SAID Tom's own word. LIKELY strong clues, not yet proved. NOT PROVED an estimate from the pieces around it. NOT SURE the sources disagree. No word: the card gives none yet. "About 1996-2002" means somewhere in those years; the piece is shown once, in the middle year.