Poem Word

Words wrung out from the years
Words ripped out from between old ears
Words once made sense so long ago
Mind those words that come with tears

Smiles caressing across the years
Smiles addressing lingering fears
Smiles that no longer make sense
Mind those smiles bracketed in tears

Wine glasses clinking in rhyme
Wine glasses filled in rhythm
Reds and whites up to the brim
The old sot, you can hardly see ‘em

What’s the word? That from you?
That smile? Is it really love full true?
Fill my glass…you choose the vintage
Drain my glass, but don’t leave me blue

Yes, you’re full in my head
And you may certainly lead me to your bed
Smiles with wine promise the very level best—
But you’ll just leave me with tears instead

Keep your eyes open and your heart engarde
Why, oh why must love be so blessed hard

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Me With You

You never knew me
Way back when
Chasing the foxes
And the girly hen
You never knew me
When I looked okay
But these days
It’s all kinda just old and grey

Now all I can do
Is just grow old with you

I never knew you
When you were shiny and bold
Playing in the cotton
Scratching for the gold
I never knew you
Before three times wed
And all those mornings
In an unmade bed

Now all I can do
Is maybe grow old with you

Back in the day
And those summer nights
We were hoping for love
And loving the sights
Of a new love approaching—
Will this be evermore?
Only to find ourselves alone
Behind another unknocked on door

Now comes this time
To share a new scheme, a new rhyme—

Now all we can do
Is grow old together, me with you

On and On

Words are almost here
The sun sets
The moon lingers
The stars breathe
The hurt pales
The hope wilts
And Life stumbles on
20-year-old port wets the crystal
The big game is over
We hope the best team won
And a new dream presents
Invitations float off
Covington demands and calls
Mail and bills must be sorted
Gone the powder we might’ve snorted
Warrior cats claw and leap again
In 20 minutes begins afresh the rain
And Life stumbles on
It’s never what I meant
But you can’t text that
Clever coy advances
Seem always to fall flat
No cat to feed
Nor litter box to empty
But a caterwaul calls my soul
And a wild heart may still tempt me
As Life stumbles on

The Old Belfry

Bartleby Bumblebee
Buzzed The Old Belfry
Hoping to find curds and whey

Bartleby Bumblebee
Descended said belfry
Flying smack into Sally Ann Mumphrey Mae

Sally Ann and Bartleby
Found they enjoyed each other’s company
Buzzing about the other each and every day

Bartleby Bumblebee
Was to take his leave from the belfry
But Sally Ann requested that he might stay

Seems Sally Ann Mumphrey
Had news for dear Mr Bumblebee—
Hurrah, she was in the family way!

Bartleby Bumblebee flipped over his wings
Lost in happy thoughts of a million things
Like the everjoy Love can bring

So next time you peruse an old belfry
Think of Sally Ann and Bartleby
And the joyful buzzing of Spring

Up in the Air

This week won’t freakin’ end,
All the good amaretto’s gone,
Lost the cat on Another Manic Monday—
I know I did something wrong.
Not sure why they shot down my balloon,
So pretty in the clear blue sky—
They say they’ll have information soon,
I just wanna know: goodness sakes, why?
So I see a fair bit of coin has found its way into my bin
Precisely at the time when I dream of seeing you again
So I’ve a modest proposal, nothing up my sleeve;
Thanks for keeping in touch and yes I can breathe.
Perhaps I gotta open a vein,
Gonna really do it this time,
I just can’t go thru this again,
So many clouds at the horizon of elm and pine.
Better try to shift to the minor chord—
An incautious leap into a changed mind:
Love all your thoughts and prayers;
How the masses act so very kind.
But soon Burzek will stroll an aisle;
When once my only friend was Nurse Abby,
But looks like we’re waiting for a while:
What’s the name of your old tabby?
He’s so lost inside this ethyl place
Of his own making
So I seem to be so amazing;
Ain’t anybody here faking.
No answers from an imprudent text,
Who knows what’s coming next.
Chances swarm and the mind reels—
Is this how kismet feels?
Around the bend, around the corner,
Such nights as these I could be a goner.
So here I am at something o’clock,
But that’s not the real time.
It’s just at where in Life’s maze I’m lost
Awaiting a new midnight to fix this rhyme.

What Time Have You

So here I am at seven o’clock
Umm, that’s not the real time
Its where in my maze I’m lost at
Is really 9:20am to fix the rime
Lost inside this place
Of my own making
So I am amazing
Ain’t anybody here faking
Two glasses gone
A merlot for moi
What’ll you have—
Muscadine for toi?
Truelove went to Maine
Chances favor the Bentley
But we‘ll go home alone
Just saying truth, incidentally
No answers from my imprudent text
Who knows what’s coming next,
Chances swarm and the mind reels,
I wonder is that how kismet feels.
Around the bend and around the corner
Such nights as these I could be a goner
But the parade comes thither and anon
Beads, doubloons, and lingering glances and I’m so gone
Over my head for the goddess up ahead
Only to return solo to my Lysol-kissed unmade bed
Cat gets his insulin in the morning
Nine units to keep him alive
You think live isn’t fair
Well, I can’t disagree Clive
So here I am at nine o’clock
Umm, that’s not the real time
It’s just where in my maze I’m lost at
Is really midnight to fix the rime

And

I haven’t words
Let alone verses,
Lost inside these memories
And all those unshouted curses
Over undelivered king cake
And distant disdaining lovers.
It’s terribly alone and cold,
Kibitzing with the cat under covers.
All I want to do
Is laugh, dance, and sing:
Without tissues
Or stirring issues
That don’t mean a thing.
I haven’t time
Nor seconds to spare
To at last convince you
That I just might really care:
Over unfulfilled promises,
My remonstrating old lover.
Might we picnic again
In Audubon Park’s clover?
All I need do
Is having married you instead:
Without pale issues
Needing nearby tissues
Next to the unmade bed.
I lack the K, S, and A’s
Let alone the brains
To make good this sad lyric
Who’s refrain sorely strains
Over past years and lies—
A poor shattered kite
That no longer flies,
As I savor the dreams
Of the joy twixt your crossed thighs.
All I want to do
Is laugh, dance, and sing:
Without issues
Reaching for tissues
Badabop Badabing.

Poor Little Sweet Tooth

What? No petit fours?
Tres triste tous les jours!
And no fruit cake?
For goodness sake!
And nary a praline…
How absurdly obscene!
Poor, poor little sweet tooth
Not a thing to satisfy your craving—
It’s just enough to drive a little kid
To squander that Snickers he was saving.
How about some sufganiyot?
Anything sweet have you got?
Or perhaps a coffee attending a beignet?
Please, please, something sweet for us today!
Poor, poor little sweet tooth
Such sufferings for you, forsooth!
For you such a paltry slog—
Not even a single Yule log!
So when comest these holidays,
And tastes edge toward the saccharine,
Better be good and don’t even pout—
They’ll be no sugar dusting for your chagrin!
So poor dear little sweet tooth
When sweets seem rare without reason
Best bend your little craving thoughts
Towards why deeply sweet in this December season.
Peace and Shalom!

In the Dark We Know

At times, at night,
Oft after midnight,
My mind won’t let loose the words,
For fear lest I might let fly,
Spiced brocaded prose one cannot call back—
All those burning bridges
Built to serve and to smolder.
What must you think of me?
We’re all getting quite older.
Truths unsaid,
Curses not cast,
Happily ever after—
Will this wrinkled love ever last?
Give you space,
I take the time,
Lost in the meaning
Inside this sorry rhyme.
I desire to once occupy your keen eye
While I hide behind a sordid old lie.
Turning 50,
Turning 60,
70 and 80 come now too soon—
Can we teenagers ever see past the besotting Moon?

Yes, Bedtime

Go to bed, go to bed
You’re up much too late
Oh, go to bed—
Or tomorrow you won’t feel so great
It’s time for dreams
Time to lay you down
Now don’t give me such a fuss
Now don’t bust me with that frown
Peter Pan, Whirling Dervish,
Horton with his Hoo
Roll over under your covers
You know what you have to do
Snuggle up to your pillow
You’ve said all your prayers
Sling away you fears
Drop away all those cares
Sandman says to breathe
As Momma strokes your brow
Might as well go to sleep
There’s nothing new brewing anyhow
Then in the fresh morning
Breakfast will be awaiting
With a new day to fly on high
Oh such adventures anticipating!
Sleep baby sleep
Dream sweetest dreams
Sleep baby sleep
All is as well as it seems