William Lynn

Member since February 4, 2023

Member for 3 years, 4 months

Premium member new member

138 Poems

473 Comments

14 Followers

Most recent

Memories

Posted Jun 8, 2026 · 32 lines · 1 critiques

They arrive unannounced,

soft-footed as a child,

slipping through the doorway

of a quiet mind.

Some glow like lanterns-

warm and steady,

held in the palms of our hands

as if time itself were something

we could hold and keep.

Others are windblown-

a scent of pine, a porch board creaking,

a voice we almost recognize before it fades

Read the rest of the poem Show less

back into the quiet shadows.

There are the heavy ones, too,

the ones we carry in the deeper pockets-

not to burden us, but to remind us

that we've loved, that we've walked

through storms and kept going.

And there are the rare few

that feel like home. Not a place,

but a moment that still knows our name.

Memories don't ask permission.

They simply return

to show us who we were,

to steady who we are,

and to whisper

who we might become.

William Lynn’s timeline

June 2026
24 Wed

Contest commendation
Neopoet Weekly 01/18/26 to 01/24/26

with "The Box".
08 Mon

Posted a poem
Memories
"They arrive unannounced,"
Open thread 32 lines
06 Sat

Received a critique
on Our Picnic Basket from @Geezer
"about your surgery, hope you are up and about soon, in the meantime keep writing them down and sending them in. Get well soon, ~ Geez."
06 Sat

Critiqued
"The Trials of a Poet" by @Ruby Lord
"Hi Ruby. Your latest poem is a fun one, thanks for sharing. Fortunately, my wife does like my poetry and I use her as a sounding board before I post a poem. She can be a tad "picky", but her suggestions are usually wort…"
06 Sat

Received a critique
on Our Picnic Basket from @Geezer
"the sing-song grace of it, the gentle afternoon. The last lines, really hit home with me: "And when the day is nearly through, it closes up like something new- A treasure chest of crumbs and laughter saving dreams for e…"
06 Sat

Posted a poem
Our Picnic Basket
"A picnic basket waits in the shade,"
Open thread 26 lines
May 2026
31 Sun

Contest commendation
05/26 Carnival Night

with "The Calliope Played".
30 Sat

Critiqued
"On Hold..." by @Candlewitch
"Hi Wallyroo. I appreciate you taking the time to comment. All my best, Will"
30 Sat

Critiqued
"Mistress Library..." by @Geezer
"Our small town of about 900 folks just had a ribbon cutting for our new library. We were previously served by a book-mobile that was seriously lacking, and drove me to Amazon to purchase books instead of borrowing them…"
30 Sat

Critiqued
"Illuminate" by @Lavender
"Beautiful in it's simplicity! Thanks for sharing. -Will"
30 Sat

Contest commendation
Neopoet Weekly 05/24/26 to 05/30/26

with "When My Story Ends".
29 Fri

Received a critique
on When My Story Ends from @Geezer
"Missed. Well, hurry up and get better soon, you don't want to miss out on the fun when the new chatroom really starts taking off in the next couple of months. Now, that that is out of the way, let's talk about what you…"
28 Thu

Received a critique
on When My Story Ends from @Lavender
"So sorry to hear this, but glad to know you are on the mend. I had noticed you did not post in a while...you were missed. Take good care, L"
28 Thu

Received a critique
on When My Story Ends from @Lavender
"Hello, Will, One of the most touching poems I've ever read. I believe your legacy of kindness, hope and cheer is apparent to us even now. Thank you for sharing, My Friend, L"
28 Thu

Posted a poem
When My Story Ends
"When my footsteps fade from earth,"
Open thread 24 lines
24 Sun

Critiqued
"On Hold..." by @Candlewitch
"Glad you enjoyed this poem. I always appreciate your comments. Many thanks for reading and commenting. Will"
22 Fri

Received a critique
on The Calliope Played from @RJ Bear
"This is absolutely stunning. You’ve captured that bittersweet, aching nostalgia of youth so perfectly. The imagery of the carnival lights blinking awake like fireflies and the town shrinking beneath the Ferris wheel fee…"
20 Wed

Received a critique
on The Box from @Summer Days
"This is such a heartwarming poem, beautifully written. I love all the imagery that speaks to anyone who has ever had a box of their own. It's bound to bring back memories and warmer feelings in the hearts of all of us w…"
13 Wed

Critiqued
"On Hold..." by @Candlewitch
"FUNNY INDEED!! - Will"
12 Tue

Critiqued
"On Hold..." by @Candlewitch
"And that damn music! You would think they could synthesize some clear, calming music to help you chill until the next available assistant might be available. But no, that would make too much sense. Keep smiling! - Will"
12 Tue

Received a critique
on On The Porch from @Geezer
"you will figure it out. ~ Geez."
12 Tue

Critiqued
"On Hold..." by @Candlewitch
"Hello Ray. Thanks for reading and commenting on my poem, it's much appreciated. All my best, Will"
11 Mon

Posted a poem
On The Porch
"It wraps around us"
Open thread 26 lines
09 Sat

Posted a poem
The Calliope Played
"It comes back in pieces-"
Open thread 28 lines
07 Thu

Posted a poem
Customer Service?
"I've been placed on hold,"
Open thread 18 lines
06 Wed

Posted a poem
A Heart Kept Open
"There is no storm so loud, so wild,"
Open thread 29 lines
05 Tue

New follower
@Karriss Carey-ivory
05 Tue

Posted a poem
It Came Softly
"My first time"
Open thread 26 lines
02 Sat

Posted a poem
Love Never Goes To Sleep
"She was laughter in the kitchen,"
Open thread 28 lines
01 Fri

Posted a poem
Why is A Lantern
"If you understand the why,"
Open thread 29 lines
April 2026
30 Thu

Contest commendation
04/26 Hidden Charges

with "A Quiet Ambush".
30 Thu

Contest commendation
04/26 Something Sweet

with "Sweet Moments".
30 Thu

Contest commendation
04/26 Earliest Childhood Memory

with "When The World Was Small".
25 Sat

Posted a poem
April Fooled, Again
"April came grinning"
Open thread 23 lines
23 Thu

Posted a poem
When The World Was Small
"It comes back in pieces-"
Open thread 20 lines
15 Wed

Highest posting month
April 2026 — 10 poems
March 2026
31 Tue

Contest commendation
03/26 Groundhog Day

with "Groundhog Day Shuffle".
28 Sat

Contest commendation
Neopoet Weekly 03/22/26 to 03/28/26

with "Hello My Friend".
27 Fri

New follower
@Lavender
February 2026
28 Sat

New follower
@Valentin Hușman
28 Sat

Contest commendation
02/26 Sunset Romance

with "Shadows At Sunset".
28 Sat

Contest commendation
02/26 What I Carried Quietly

with "The Letter Never Written".
25 Wed

New follower
@Shantie Moyo
January 2026
31 Sat

Contest commendation
01/26 A Life Changing Moment

with "The Moment It Happened".
17 Sat

Posting milestone
100 poems posted
December 2025
27 Sat

Contest commendation
Neopoet Weekly 12/21/25 to 12/27/25

with "Winter's Song".
20 Sat

Contest commendation
Neopoet Weekly 12/14/25 to 12/20/25

with "What About Tomorrow?".
October 2025
31 Fri

Contest commendation
10/25 Ode To an Everyday Object

with "Beyond The Mirror".
27 Mon

Most-discussed work
Welcome Home

18 critiques to date.
September 2025
30 Tue

Contest commendation
09/25 Bad Connection

with "The Weight of Silence".
27 Sat

Contest commendation
Neopoet Weekly 09/21/25 to 09/27/25

with "Sawtooth Serenity".
12 Fri

Contest commendation
Neopoet Weekly 09/7/25 to 09/12/25

with "On Rapid Creek".
May 2024
18 Sat

Contest commendation
Neopoet Weekly 05/12/24 to 05/18/24

with "Mosquitos Suck!".
March 2024
25 Mon

Contest commendation
Neopoet Weekly 02/25/24 to 03/02/24

with "Three Forks".
16 Sat

Contest commendation
Neopoet Weekly 03/010/24 to 03/16/24

with "Dancing In The Dark".
February 2024
04 Sun

Anniversary
One year of membership
January 2024
31 Wed

Contest commendation
Neopoet Around The Globe Anthology

with "Our Neopoet Family".
31 Wed

First anthology inclusion
Neopoet Around The Globe Anthology

with the poem "Our Neopoet Family".
December 2023
16 Sat

Contest commendation
Neopoem Weekly 12/11/23 to 12/16/23

with "A MIGHTY SNAKE".
November 2023
18 Sat

Contest commendation
Neopoem Of The Week November 12th to November 18th 2023

with "DREAMS BEYOND TOMORROW".
04 Sat

Contest commendation
Neopoem Of The Week October 29th to November 4th 2023.

with "No Complaints".
October 2023
21 Sat

Contest commendation
Neopoem Of The Week October 15th To October 21st 2023

with "A Starlit Night".
August 2023
25 Fri

Contest commendation
Neopoem Of The Week August 20th To August 25th 2023

with "A WORLD OF INDIFFERENCE".
July 2023
31 Mon

Contest commendation
July 2023 Challenge Where were you last night?

with "Where Did They Sleep Last Night?".
15 Sat

Contest commendation
Neopoem Of The Week July 9th to July 15th 2023

with "A Long Goodbye".
April 2023
08 Sat

Contest commendation
Neopoem Of The Week April 2nd to April 8th 2023

with "NOT SO LONG AGO".
08 Sat

First contest commendation
Neopoem Of The Week April 2nd to April 8th 2023

with the poem "NOT SO LONG AGO".
March 2023
27 Mon

First critique offered
on "WHEN I LEFT YOU" by @Ruby Lord
February 2023
04 Sat

First publication
Through The Lens Of Life
04 Sat

Joined Neopoet
Membership begins

First poem published 1 days later.

About Me

About me

I am a retired law enforcement officer. After retiring as the elected sheriff of our county, I was hired as the Executive Director of the Idaho Sheriffs Association until my second retirement ten years later.

Now fully retired I enjoy travelling and showing our classic cars throughout the northwest in addition to writing poetry for family and friends.

The main inspiration for my poetry are both the mountain trails I hike and the people I meet along the way.

Location: ID, USA

Favorite Poets

Rod McKuen

T.S. Elliot

Ezra Pound

Walt Whitman

>> View all work

Contest Wins

Winning Submission	Contest	Contest Date
When My Story Ends	Neopoet Weekly 05/24/26 to 05/30/26	24 May, 2026 – 30 May, 2026
The Calliope Played	05/26 Carnival Night	1 May, 2026 – 31 May, 2026
A Quiet Ambush	04/26 Hidden Charges	1 April, 2026 – 30 April, 2026
Sweet Moments	04/26 Something Sweet	1 April, 2026 – 30 April, 2026
When The World Was Small	04/26 Earliest Childhood Memory	1 April, 2026 – 30 April, 2026
Hello My Friend	Neopoet Weekly 03/22/26 to 03/28/26	20 March, 2026 – 28 March, 2026
Groundhog Day Shuffle	03/26 Groundhog Day	1 March, 2026 – 31 March, 2026
Shadows At Sunset	02/26 Sunset Romance	1 February, 2026 – 28 February, 2026
The Letter Never Written	02/26 What I Carried Quietly	1 February, 2026 – 28 February, 2026
The Box	Neopoet Weekly 01/18/26 to 01/24/26	18 January, 2026 – 24 June, 2026
The Moment It Happened	01/26 A Life Changing Moment	1 January, 2026 – 31 January, 2026
Winter's Song	Neopoet Weekly 12/21/25 to 12/27/25	21 December, 2025 – 27 December, 2025
What About Tomorrow?	Neopoet Weekly 12/14/25 to 12/20/25	14 December, 2025 – 20 December, 2025
Beyond The Mirror	10/25 Ode To an Everyday Object	1 October, 2025 – 31 October, 2025
Sawtooth Serenity	Neopoet Weekly 09/21/25 to 09/27/25	21 September, 2025 – 27 September, 2025
On Rapid Creek	Neopoet Weekly 09/7/25 to 09/12/25	7 September, 2025 – 12 September, 2025
The Weight of Silence	09/25 Bad Connection	1 September, 2025 – 30 September, 2025
Mosquitos Suck!	Neopoet Weekly 05/12/24 to 05/18/24	12 May, 2024 – 18 May, 2024
Dancing In The Dark	Neopoet Weekly 03/010/24 to 03/16/24	9 March, 2024 – 16 March, 2024
Three Forks	Neopoet Weekly 02/25/24 to 03/02/24	24 February, 2024 – 25 March, 2024
A MIGHTY SNAKE	Neopoem Weekly 12/11/23 to 12/16/23	11 December, 2023 – 16 December, 2023
DREAMS BEYOND TOMORROW	Neopoem Of The Week November 12th to November 18th 2023	12 November, 2023 – 18 November, 2023
Our Neopoet Family	Neopoet Around The Globe Anthology	1 November, 2023 – 31 January, 2024
No Complaints	Neopoem Of The Week October 29th to November 4th 2023.	29 October, 2023 – 4 November, 2023
A Starlit Night	Neopoem Of The Week October 15th To October 21st 2023	15 October, 2023 – 21 October, 2023