tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80527318085878370312024-01-19T12:55:13.737-07:00CatnipScintillating fiction, poetry, and commentary...snort it up your snout!Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.comBlogger511125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-31130321263975006052020-08-22T07:39:00.004-07:002020-08-23T06:26:34.174-07:00TIME TO FLY<p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhykd8QgiQld2XZCqt4pZgF4Muvk0d1mNYidvdycvhwGLAErkZ_iyDIQjP56xkB6Y1RRbkCuCbCVtx-N8Puw6S7QUV_iiD7rOx0lvxsV7-aLbgbn_K94LHsyaS_RTuryloZpQzuWNvd_6Ht/s800/GEESE+IN+FLIGHT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="757" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhykd8QgiQld2XZCqt4pZgF4Muvk0d1mNYidvdycvhwGLAErkZ_iyDIQjP56xkB6Y1RRbkCuCbCVtx-N8Puw6S7QUV_iiD7rOx0lvxsV7-aLbgbn_K94LHsyaS_RTuryloZpQzuWNvd_6Ht/s640/GEESE+IN+FLIGHT.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/">https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/</a><b><br /></b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>The matter about this matter</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>is that we created it</b></span></p><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>mind create matter</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>mind over matter</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>and boys and girls</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>we've lost our fukking minds </b></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>don'cha feel it too?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>go the lyrics to the song...</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>don'cha feel it too?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>Well, what's to do?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>Burying myself in the immediacy</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>of the moment</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>I ignore all else that lurks</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>outside my sandcastle walls</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>Ah...I get the feeling</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>the universe is telling me</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>it will soon be time to go</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>(emulating the birds in </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>"Who Knows Where The Time Goes")</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>and it's saying; <i>See, there ain't that much left</i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><i><b>for you to miss out on anymore. </b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><i><b>The world is one by one </b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><i><b>closing up shop on the things you love.</b></i></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>Ah, ya know what I mean</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>just look around </b></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>Pollyanna has left the building</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>And if you think it's going to get better</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>all on its own</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>and magically right itself again </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>after this little cosmic glitch--</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>I'm here to splash some cold water</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>on that stupidly grinning mug</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>We're going to have to <i>think</i> our way</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>out of this one</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>a crisis of the spirit</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>We're going to have to call upon</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>science and religion</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>our best minds</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>on the job</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>(and beyond that...</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>we should ask ourselves is <i>HE</i> </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>the sick comedian</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>we've always suspected?)</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>There's no other way</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>because </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>it poured into my heart</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>there's <i>love</i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>and there's <i>fear</i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>that's it </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>the two dynamics of the universe </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>And so we're going to have to <i>think</i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>our way out of this one</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>We're going to have to scratch</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>and claw our way out of this one</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>We're going to have to</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>kick and spit and cuss</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>We're going to have to go down </b></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span>swinging </span><span>on this one</span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>We're going to have to love ourselves</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><b>out of this one</b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-66608203482039874222020-08-09T00:58:00.000-07:002020-08-09T01:03:27.306-07:00CAN OF CAT FOOD AND A TOMATO<div><font face="arial" size="5"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtfmm3z25SM3tRppKg-IvR0UhLMkjxg_gJDfgQO7uViSrowPLtaFJkseV3zpPzhzmc8pZ5Pp9DGcBfH9skY9OQXD-25EA5GUXqsOAAXePY-Bty3eN90qU-Nxk4fDu5s1NLwqIUwV2OuHZ9/s500/CAT+LAUGHING.png" imageanchor="1" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtfmm3z25SM3tRppKg-IvR0UhLMkjxg_gJDfgQO7uViSrowPLtaFJkseV3zpPzhzmc8pZ5Pp9DGcBfH9skY9OQXD-25EA5GUXqsOAAXePY-Bty3eN90qU-Nxk4fDu5s1NLwqIUwV2OuHZ9/s0/CAT+LAUGHING.png" /></a></div><b><br /></b></font></div><font face="arial" size="5"><b><div><font face="arial" size="5"><b><br /></b></font></div>It's late at night. </b></font><div><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><font size="5">A woman </font><span style="font-size: x-large;">stops into </span></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">the grocery--</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">deserted </span></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">save for her </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">and the cashier--</span></span></b><div><font face="arial" size="5"><b>and plops down a can</b></font></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><font size="5">of cat food </font><span style="font-size: x-large;">and a tomato.</span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>The cashier says </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>is that all there is--</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>and as the woman</b></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">bundles </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">against the night</span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>on the way back</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>to her car, that line</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>from the Peggy Lee song</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>starts playing in her head.</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>And in a way she's glad</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>that it's been reduced to this.</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>With<i> The Sonofabitch</i> long gone,</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>and all the kids grown and </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>moved on as well,</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>it's just the pain</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>(but it's a good one)</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>of sharp claws digging</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>into your skin</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>at 5 o'clock in the morning--</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>a wakeup call more reliable</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>that Sonny and Cher</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>wailing "I Got You Babe."</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>And that's a hurt that,</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>unlike most of the others </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>that came and went</b></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">over the long and the short of it</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">, </span></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">doesn't leave any </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">hidden scars. </span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><font face="arial" size="5"><b><br /></b></font></div><div><font face="arial" size="5"><br /></font></div><div><font size="5"><br /></font></div><div><font size="5"><br /></font></div></div>Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-30865593865967332512020-08-01T11:10:00.001-07:002020-08-01T21:38:45.964-07:00BLUE SUEDE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="1284" data-original-width="1600" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTu_sXA215WrQMThCEB8x2DSrR0IMqP91WYW5qPNceqVwr_ABzVMMhu-0GBRPLo7_1njgU2NqY1IkmUyMsyhTBYTNW4fizC5eIrlzFvB5W9rjiFKBQj8Lc5dYFcrecAj8yRT9fqjBTvDHH/s320/BLUE+SUEDE.jpg" width="320" /><a href="https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/">https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/</a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The polished night</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>obsidian</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>shelters you in its cocoon</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>your perfect spot to stay put</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and ruminate</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>until the dawn</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>You cannot remember</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>what is holding</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>America together--</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>some long lost ideal</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>of ultimate rightness</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and robust potential </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>perhaps</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>as seen (or constructed)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>in Whitman's mind's eye</b></span><br />
<b><br /></b>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The young greeter wearing</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">the mask </span><span style="font-size: large;">at the market</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>says you always wear </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>the coolest shoes when</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>you come in...</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">You look down...</span> </b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Oh, those are my </i></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Blue Suede Shoes!</i></span></b><br />
<br />
<b>
<span style="font-size: large;">You are startled </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">that a </span><span style="font-size: large;">pleasant someone</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>barely on your radar before </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>has taken note of you</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>when most who once bore</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>the heavy burden of </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>significant</i> <i>other</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>surely haven't given you </b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">a thought </span><span style="font-size: large;">in decades</span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> A reason to hold on</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>at least one more day</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>you say</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Just to see what will happen</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>to America</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>caught up in an Agatha Christie</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>whodunit </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>where you think you know</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>who's the bad guy</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>but do you really...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>in a world where all the players</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">are </span><span style="font-size: large;">complicit </span><span style="font-size: large;">in the murder?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-49162032280090156652020-07-25T06:48:00.000-07:002020-07-25T21:01:52.671-07:00AND IT WAS GOOD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrv3N8LoeMAussx9eg6-IMxUyxchtHxULrDo1FblmH9EIl8mR_c2Ezq9ojLQbuGDHNT19RIdlJ3JdDPh86PrnTmD2ifRjfWClyqmq8dEbPcsqLDurT8Xyp8yDdefeSIeUGYVMyVgEeEv2h/s1600/BILLBOARD+BUY+SHIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="545" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrv3N8LoeMAussx9eg6-IMxUyxchtHxULrDo1FblmH9EIl8mR_c2Ezq9ojLQbuGDHNT19RIdlJ3JdDPh86PrnTmD2ifRjfWClyqmq8dEbPcsqLDurT8Xyp8yDdefeSIeUGYVMyVgEeEv2h/s320/BILLBOARD+BUY+SHIT.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Greedy capitalists assault the senses</span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Every minute of the day</span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-9eb5500a-7fff-3bb5-fc28-27c331a8e7b7"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s the American way</span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I only ever tried</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To sell myself</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Often failing miserably</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(but stuck with it)</span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Things that chap your ass</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are easily remedied </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you’ll just get off of it</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">And take care of business</span><br />
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now that would make</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A good advertising slogan</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(with a patriotic ring)</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To help boost the economy</span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">O America</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Is there any hope for you now?</span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whitman saw it all folding out</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Into a glorious panorama</span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scaling mountains</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pulling myself cautious</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ly</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> up</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And it was good.</span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hold onto that romantic vision</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">America</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Like the buffalo you decimated</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It may yet make a comeback one day</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When neighbor stops hating neighbor</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And brother stops killing brother</span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oh hey</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Listen to </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">me</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can still hear that</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wide-eyed idealist</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Boarding the bus to the airport</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To board the plane</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And wing his way over the ocean</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To a brand new life</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And all because he took a chance</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And got off his ass </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">And followed his dream</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-37762779460330523102020-07-18T10:34:00.001-07:002020-07-23T20:04:11.197-07:00GET REAL<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiubyGuwZzTf0HnFsP0vzutIk2HxFdtOn7f-6J7JoPk5EzTuaqlFy2lD4jLU-1I4kv7jiiHXyq4U0SIBGXNf6HXkS1kV1XZKcJWbDvrGUbN85WWMjDS9Z_n9JjhKOwyClRYP5k7upYN7TS/s1600/MEN+FRIENDSHIP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="951" data-original-width="634" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiubyGuwZzTf0HnFsP0vzutIk2HxFdtOn7f-6J7JoPk5EzTuaqlFy2lD4jLU-1I4kv7jiiHXyq4U0SIBGXNf6HXkS1kV1XZKcJWbDvrGUbN85WWMjDS9Z_n9JjhKOwyClRYP5k7upYN7TS/s320/MEN+FRIENDSHIP.jpg" width="213" /></a><a href="https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: #66bb33; color: #2758b1; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 14.49px; text-decoration-line: none;">https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/</a> <a href="http://t.co/uVr1Mpx">dVerse Poetry Pub</a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>
All of a sudden</b></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>the sports talk guy</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>on the radio</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>has become a champion</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>of sensitivity</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>to women's issues</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>as if he never spent</b></span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">a night out boozin' </span><span style="font-size: large;">and laughin' </span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>it up with the boys--</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>as if he never sat</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>in a locker room</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and traded those jokes before</b></span></div>
Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-4777548808667437532020-07-11T23:37:00.000-07:002020-07-11T23:44:56.874-07:00UMBRAL SKY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZB4AEtmsR5NurdsGoFHLeAJCLHzq17IYFEv8UlU8VCx1C59pfjOxoRAYSC1dXuwP8ky2FNlQGU2RD7mai5awJxY1sqV4f0xk9mNa6RAc_2ZYlrAOJVL_-QXM8v-BFNjI9uuq4fxdGdGzG/s1600/Back+alley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="410" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZB4AEtmsR5NurdsGoFHLeAJCLHzq17IYFEv8UlU8VCx1C59pfjOxoRAYSC1dXuwP8ky2FNlQGU2RD7mai5awJxY1sqV4f0xk9mNa6RAc_2ZYlrAOJVL_-QXM8v-BFNjI9uuq4fxdGdGzG/s320/Back+alley.jpg" width="213" /></a><a href="https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/">https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/</a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b>
<b>The lonesome moon roams the streets</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">searching for mad love</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">in all its myriad forms--</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">it's image reflected in the gutter splash</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">that peppers my trousers</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">as a fancy horse-drawn carriage blows by.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b><b>A calypso drumbeat seeps</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">from some nearby edifice.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">The crickets sing along.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b><b>I duck behind a shop</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">to drain the snake.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b><b>Memories of sinning in the alley</b></span><br />
<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">thrust</span></b></i><br />
<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">bang</span></b></i><br />
<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">bite</span></b></i><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">come flooding back.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b><b>I'm so uncouth</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">I laugh</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">slurring my words</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">it's only life</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">I'll just go back again</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">and take it on the chin.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b><b>Drifting along</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">weaving this way and that</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">muttering curses</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">into the dying night.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b><b>I am the master of my fate</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">but where are my subjects?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b><b>The moon climbs rapidly</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">in its umbral sky.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b><b>A poem swirls round</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">in my head</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">edgy and cryptic</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">teetering right on the brink</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">of beginning to stink.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b>
<b>I've walked right up to the abyss</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">and peered over.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Backed away</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">to fight another day.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Yes</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">I believe in mad love</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">in all its myriad forms</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">one's only leverage</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">in a broken world.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">The cock crows.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">A new day begins.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b>
<b>The will to survive </b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">is all we have.</span></b>Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-14192119477130170172020-07-04T09:11:00.000-07:002020-07-05T06:04:29.683-07:00STATUS REPORT<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jrGQSSnptKaky9M1Ca_kcqhHYlOxRByJH_vAgNi04cLIFJDCpLmqUE_dzOxgPSpc7uUAeVp4Hm8pEO6FGWq4E9hW7YJu7U-jZv7Oz07gQ-4bIlUf13pHcqnMvkwxQ8gATaADxY_9D2_d/s1600/TOWER.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="100" data-original-width="100" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jrGQSSnptKaky9M1Ca_kcqhHYlOxRByJH_vAgNi04cLIFJDCpLmqUE_dzOxgPSpc7uUAeVp4Hm8pEO6FGWq4E9hW7YJu7U-jZv7Oz07gQ-4bIlUf13pHcqnMvkwxQ8gATaADxY_9D2_d/s320/TOWER.png" width="320" /></a><a href="https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/">https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tucked away </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>in my tower</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">safely hidden</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>from the past</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">keepin' busy</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>as always</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I have my books</i></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>and my poetry</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>to protect me</i>...</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm only sad </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">when </span><span style="font-size: large;">I hear </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>those songs again</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-12262628490603420012020-06-28T08:22:00.000-07:002020-07-19T06:13:46.955-07:00THE STRAIGHT POOP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirlxVUYUclAFQcmrLEav1Y3-Ds84tRND_Vldy2j4IjooQnBnDphSwvA_SfXxyMw5tU4c1VK1aOjtCimA3yw0ZhMn4xRMuiJS5cB2kIPCuWa578DOlbfe_PpUJqG8SxtUThZM_M1Y6iWb-N/s1600/DOG+POOP-STEPPING+IN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1600" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirlxVUYUclAFQcmrLEav1Y3-Ds84tRND_Vldy2j4IjooQnBnDphSwvA_SfXxyMw5tU4c1VK1aOjtCimA3yw0ZhMn4xRMuiJS5cB2kIPCuWa578DOlbfe_PpUJqG8SxtUThZM_M1Y6iWb-N/s320/DOG+POOP-STEPPING+IN.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>I enjoy going back through some of my older poems and finding ones that seem to fit the present situation, perhaps better than when they were originally published. This is one such poem.</i></span>
</b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>If you got outta bed</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>this morning</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>you're an optimist</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>plain and simple</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>otherwise why would you?</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I mean really</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>you're getting ready</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>to do your thing</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>goin' to work</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>goin' to play</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>goin' to get drunk </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and the sun is shining</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and the birds are tweeting</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>( many of them have Twitter accounts)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and you just don't think about</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>how it can all turn to</b></span><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>shit</b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>without a moment's notice</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>like the snap of your fingers</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We live in denial</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>about the true nature of life</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and the turning to shit factor</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>we just get up every day</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and figure that everything</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>is gonna be fine</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>but then circumstances</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>beyond your control</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and that's really the key</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>beyond your control</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>kick in </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and you stand there</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>shell-shocked</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>reassessing everything </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>you poor pathetic </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>a-hole</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">What did I do wrong?</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Well it was nothing</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>try to understand that it was</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>nothing</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>it's just your turn</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>in the barrel</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and everybody gets his turn</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>cuz we're all here to learn</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And that's really when </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>it hits you</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>that you gotta be brave</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>that you gotta find meaning</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>when all the evidence points to</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>a universe as cold</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>as a witch's left (or is it right?) tit </b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And so you wrack your brain </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>with the question...</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">What da fuk </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>what da fuk</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>what da fuk</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>should I do?</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Don't worry Bunky...</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>you'll </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>think </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>of </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>something</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Being brave enough to climb</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>out of bed is the first step</b></span>Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-32184085669712804212020-06-19T14:06:00.001-07:002020-06-20T22:07:08.412-07:00HEY NINETEEN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_ZmKq_n5IWfKk78EhmEIlyONbAIl1eIWmWANcHtQ_-OF-F_3KHeyaT2Ty_PJr6QgQldg1KVtsQj_oG6Ccr7m8hkJDY4TM3qIAjvTxKI4NgI7fZCnjdmp5EcyDG0jshXIYWHEnobh0E8g/s1600/EARTH+IN+HAIRY+GRIP.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="381" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_ZmKq_n5IWfKk78EhmEIlyONbAIl1eIWmWANcHtQ_-OF-F_3KHeyaT2Ty_PJr6QgQldg1KVtsQj_oG6Ccr7m8hkJDY4TM3qIAjvTxKI4NgI7fZCnjdmp5EcyDG0jshXIYWHEnobh0E8g/s320/EARTH+IN+HAIRY+GRIP.png" width="243" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>You're plastering those numbers</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>up on the screen again--</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>every night it's the same goddamn</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>thing, over and over--</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>be afraid</i>...<i>be very afraid</i>....</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">You think you've seized upon </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>the only thing that matters</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>or should matter</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>at this moment in time</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>because it's about</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>survival. And yet man </b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">does not live by survival </span><span style="font-size: large;">alone. </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cave man, maybe.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>But not modern </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>technologically advanced</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and culturally refined man.</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We've gone so far past </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>the instinct to merely survive.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>We've built a world out of </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>inspired visions of what's possible</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and learned that it's <i>anything</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and <i>everything</i> we can imagine!</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And I can assure you </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>that on a personal</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>level it's about quality.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Not quantity.</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It's not good enough</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>to merely survive anymore.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>And all your white--knuckled</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>fear mongering-- </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>your constant </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>sound the alarm</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>sound the alarm</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>like somebody's car being broken</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>into down in the alley</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>late at night...</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Shut that goddamn thing off already!</i></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We get it.</span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Because I can assure you</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>that on a personal level--</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and I know I speak not</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>only for myself--there have </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>to be millions of a like mind</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>thinking this very same thing</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>right now...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>that if <i>this</i> is the way</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>it's going to be</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>from this day forward...</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">if </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">this</i><span style="font-size: large;"> is the world we're bequeathing</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>to our children</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and grandchildren</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>then who needs it?</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Who fucking needs it?</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Really.</b></span><br />
<b><br /></b>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/">https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/</a></span>
Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-6538904800589237852020-06-14T05:33:00.001-07:002020-06-14T05:33:57.733-07:00ABLUTION<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3Ku7I-f2n-1htI1eG1IFd7brXAW_pnFT36yEMZ0_Pl53crPnzn1Gcy8SiI7ZwPVnROTgZDlYGt3APKbdbay63PCfm9_VKldTjOpoRMcqAd-odEVgcU51Vv6q_0fPFZTAHkeMe3L0ocFz/s1600/BATHROOM+SINK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3Ku7I-f2n-1htI1eG1IFd7brXAW_pnFT36yEMZ0_Pl53crPnzn1Gcy8SiI7ZwPVnROTgZDlYGt3APKbdbay63PCfm9_VKldTjOpoRMcqAd-odEVgcU51Vv6q_0fPFZTAHkeMe3L0ocFz/s320/BATHROOM+SINK.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Hidden gaze</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>melting</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>into steam-frosted mirror.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>With a finger I sketch</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>the face</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>that I will wear today.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Tomorrow I'll begin again</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>with a clean slate.</b></span>Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-55811700079370588872020-06-06T09:58:00.000-07:002020-06-11T13:45:19.023-07:00UPON FURTHER REVIEW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNRRd_4oYN1EXw582_Q9v5pk91rJCM1VOD5ZC6JtBZleT8e0HYExJQzitVV6xrg_VlO0ohKETGgR9WdCXFV718-6DpQS0odejn4TgSF9K8ISroNyZDNZvX9CyWTUFJrIw3WosbpdCtQBsv/s1600/TIMBUKTU+DRAWING.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="800" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNRRd_4oYN1EXw582_Q9v5pk91rJCM1VOD5ZC6JtBZleT8e0HYExJQzitVV6xrg_VlO0ohKETGgR9WdCXFV718-6DpQS0odejn4TgSF9K8ISroNyZDNZvX9CyWTUFJrIw3WosbpdCtQBsv/s640/TIMBUKTU+DRAWING.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Ghost of Xmas Past</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>grips his impressive water cannon</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>and directs a great stream of piss</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>across time</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>into the 21st century</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>he still knows where</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>to find you</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>and his aim is true</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">the past is always present</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>in the present</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>your decadence a thread</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>running through your life</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">walled cities</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>with bearded men in robes</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>shimmer in the desert sun</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>you wake as from a dream</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>to find it was a dream</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>(or <i>is</i> a dream?)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">all about </span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>the world is crumbling</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">oh</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>that's just <i>you</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">but your mind</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>your mind</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>sharp as ever</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>maybe better </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>and that's all you can afford</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>to give a shit about now</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">little things you forget</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>until it gets dangerously close</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>to the deadline</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">(forgot </span><span style="font-size: large;">or subconsciously ignored?)</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>the little way you have</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>of creating drama</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>in a life now essentially</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>devoid of same</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">still</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>so many choices</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>your mind is racing </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">you've acknowledged that</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>your only real objective</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">was </span><span style="font-size: large;">to be happy</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>though it makes you feel guilty</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>to say it</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">and the only reason you're crying </span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>is because the world is crying</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">in reality you exist above it all</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>as ageless soul</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>pure essence</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>omnipotent</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>detached</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>as The Creator is detached</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>from his creation</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">now </span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>there are certain games</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>that once seemed crucial</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>to that rose-colored vision of happiness</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>you've suspended due to</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>the threat of storms</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">and anyway </span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>the guy only gets</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>the girl</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>in Hollywood</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/<a href="http://t.co/uVr1Mpx">t.co/uVr1Mpx</a></span>Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-60915166916673298122020-05-30T20:00:00.000-07:002020-06-06T10:03:27.765-07:00BALTIMORE BURNING<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<ol>
<li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRQV3gC2Ivo1U-C0vnOd8LQWY6__gea75uFfzG4Us67sXmHQxOJvZ8kqVJNm8yKPaj8mfzN2XERmgazVzoskTeD2qzoQ-uOv-54A1jwTxiafdHtYPJGH-L7K3_IJ8FTd0kNg58GL0h_5s/s1600/fire+flames.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRQV3gC2Ivo1U-C0vnOd8LQWY6__gea75uFfzG4Us67sXmHQxOJvZ8kqVJNm8yKPaj8mfzN2XERmgazVzoskTeD2qzoQ-uOv-54A1jwTxiafdHtYPJGH-L7K3_IJ8FTd0kNg58GL0h_5s/s1600/fire+flames.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/"> </a></li>
</ol>
NOTE: "<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Baltimore Burning" is an encore presentation taken from my book of poems and short stories: Last Tango In Timbuktu. In light of recent events in America over the past few days, it seems an appropriate time to bring it back.</b></span></i><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Unfortunately</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">meaningful social change</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">has always been accompanied</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">by great upheaval</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">and unrest</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b>
<b>because</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b>
<b>Unfortunately</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">polite entreaty</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">doesn't seem to effectively</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"> gain the attention of those</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"> entrenched in the</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"> arrogance of power</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b>
<b>and</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b>
<b>Unfortunately</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">from Bunker Hill</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">to Selma</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">to Kent State</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">to Watts</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">to Ferguson</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">to Baltimore</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">the pattern has always been the same</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b>
<b>and</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b>
<b>Unfortunately</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">when voices</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">(the voice of the people)</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">fall upon deaf ears</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">the decibel level must be increased</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">to a level that may cause sharp pain</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">in the eardrum</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">to a level that will make them turn</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">grimace</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">and glare at you</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">like an angry parent</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">and say at long last</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i>
<i>ALRIGHT THEN...</i></span></b><br />
<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">WHAT THE FUCK IS IT YOU WANT?</span></b></i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-17799660825689676082020-05-23T21:18:00.000-07:002020-05-23T21:27:26.272-07:00ALL IS NOT LOST (IT'S JUST YOU)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9YhWruPZI-lxR4fn2cvsTn4Fa_gBU53yWeXCSIHgr_K1Ep7GIB2uDGbbvOKNGQxvSwCGhtm7aGR4SY9tJo364g06rkkE62K_NJAIOvrmBnMR9uWZLG17iFrZUSBvAZaGuctwWSSJfbGSf/s1600/TEEPEES.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="285" data-original-width="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9YhWruPZI-lxR4fn2cvsTn4Fa_gBU53yWeXCSIHgr_K1Ep7GIB2uDGbbvOKNGQxvSwCGhtm7aGR4SY9tJo364g06rkkE62K_NJAIOvrmBnMR9uWZLG17iFrZUSBvAZaGuctwWSSJfbGSf/s1600/TEEPEES.png" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>What do you do when</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>you're not a real person</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>or </i></span><span style="font-size: large;">an actor--</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>a kind of <i>Mister In-Between</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>like Burl Ives</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>whom we never could</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>determine if he was a</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>bad fat actor</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>or a fat bad actor</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>but we love him</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>just the same</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>when snowflakes fly</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Everyone should have his time</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>to rut upon the stage</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>like two cats</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>outside your window</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>keeping you awake at night</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>or the energetic cast of <i>Oh Calcutta.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-size: large;">There's the real person</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>(which I told you I'm not) </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>and the image one projects</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>but to act you've got to </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>be someone else </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>inside your head.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">I was<i> born</i> for this role</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>born into this role</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>for as I see it now</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>there was no one else</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>sickly demented enough</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>to do it justice.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">And it smells medicinal</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>this bitter pill</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>you're asking me to swallow</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>when there's no evidence</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>it will heal the world </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>or even this pesky toenail fungus.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">And now I'm beginning to realize</span></b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">just what you will exact from me </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>O Great Spirit</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">before I ride off </span><span style="font-size: large;">into that sunset.</span></b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'll try to take it like a man.</span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Like puffs of smoke</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>we are here and gone.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">But I've a vision </span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>that one day</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Cherokee Nation </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>will return</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>proud and strong</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>and so will I...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-size: large;">so will I</span></b></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/">https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/</a></span></span></div>
Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-12124686859559622912020-05-09T21:41:00.000-07:002020-05-09T22:38:12.830-07:00LAST GASP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zYNlkU-CFxFnWtVXjGxjAgFR_-hiSGbn4mCpZ9qmF7DkTCz52atL1pwxaxyZAjE5VmQPrWsyEPUBttGf2IwX9sutCLlocQpcnY4520blWTrNzFe8Yz_IuCiXuNGK-CW_roiXaUQ_u2Rm/s1600/DOE+PAINTING.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1600" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zYNlkU-CFxFnWtVXjGxjAgFR_-hiSGbn4mCpZ9qmF7DkTCz52atL1pwxaxyZAjE5VmQPrWsyEPUBttGf2IwX9sutCLlocQpcnY4520blWTrNzFe8Yz_IuCiXuNGK-CW_roiXaUQ_u2Rm/s320/DOE+PAINTING.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>A doe raises her head attentively</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>some of us stop what we're doing</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>she hears the sound</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">far better </span><span style="font-size: large;">than we </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">For most it just blends in</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>with the rest of the</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>noise pollution</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>but for those who do take note</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>it mimics a cry in the wind</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>beneath the brainless bemusement</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>of the Cornhole Championships </b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">one has been reduced to </span><span style="font-size: large;">watching </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>as one dutifully </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>shelters in place</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Some switch to Fox</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>or CNN to get the latest</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>from the All-Pandemic-</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>All-The-Time channels </b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>We are all in this together</i>...</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>comes up over and over</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>on the screen </b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">but it's not</span><span style="font-size: large;"> the way </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>they'd have you believe</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">more like nervous strangers </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">trapped </span><span style="font-size: large;">inside an elevator </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">and the doe and her ilk</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>are coming out of hiding</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>to reclaim the </b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">deserted </span><span style="font-size: large;">suburban streets</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>stolen from them</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Hey children</i></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>what's that sound...</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">boot heels hit the ground</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>as we follow along</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>in lockstep</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>(at least as far as</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"> the end </span><span style="font-size: large;">of the patio)</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And that cry in the wind</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">some of us</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>but far too few </b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">heard </span><span style="font-size: large;">was nothing</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>less than the</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>last</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>labored </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>gasp</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>of </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>ideals</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>we once held</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>sacred and dear</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>dying</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">the Greeks </span><span style="font-size: large;">called it <i>eleutheria!</i></span><i></i></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-51119723313729286672020-05-03T19:45:00.000-07:002020-05-03T19:50:49.456-07:00WAITING FOR THE DAWN<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxYP4zTz5Yc5fbwmxmNYpdehpqcA3HgoSFw0-ir4og2NMRs8PO1WH_nhV-YSslUkz6wNRSr4HlnwAThMpbfKIyvLHJ2V8L3fCyS6A-zj3tdTpgSa2iKPJb2DeplFNm9AR0pSVzkEzacGsr/s1600/EMPTY+STREET.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="960" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxYP4zTz5Yc5fbwmxmNYpdehpqcA3HgoSFw0-ir4og2NMRs8PO1WH_nhV-YSslUkz6wNRSr4HlnwAThMpbfKIyvLHJ2V8L3fCyS6A-zj3tdTpgSa2iKPJb2DeplFNm9AR0pSVzkEzacGsr/s320/EMPTY+STREET.webp" width="320" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">When Frank Sinatra comes on </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">singing "New York New York"</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I shut off the radio. They'd been</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">playing some pretty </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">decent stuff up till then</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">but </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">that's</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> like an obscene joke now.</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-bd05c813-7fff-f19e-013e-24ca0f5b0e2b" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> Still thirteen hours </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">to go before dawn</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and there's no guarantee</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I will sleep any of it away.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Reading poems by Bukowski</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and Raymond Carver. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I buy books off the internet</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">to read on my Kindle. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I buy plenty of books that way.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">(I know you never buy a damn</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">book, but all your libraries are closed</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 18pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">!)</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I'm looking for something there, </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">but so often I find disappointment.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Like the time--</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">it was a long time ago now--</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I was at this singles dance</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and this woman I didn't know</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">looked at me like she could</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">see right through me and she says:</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">You're looking for something...</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">but you're not going to find it here.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">What did she think I was looking for?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Happily Ever After?</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I still don't know.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">But there's twelve hours to go before dawn...</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and I know </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I'm going </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">to have to</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">fill it </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">with something </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">that passes </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">for living.</span></div>
<br />Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-80685838865597142982020-04-23T09:36:00.000-07:002020-04-24T07:03:47.809-07:00MASQUERADE IN SEARCH OF A BALL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMrXxUal_MvL23Kp53LG6D5v0gxMFh7LfBD6SGUnsQiQgzcY6D_hXXbktaejgIjbK2NxkLSpxoGpWnS8QxoJD0T0DoaTlYqxbMmqiVD4XfkJ-K6GJ-VruITYjZzL_DHBUEz2OIWWFu1tO/s1600/FACEMASK+CHINESE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMrXxUal_MvL23Kp53LG6D5v0gxMFh7LfBD6SGUnsQiQgzcY6D_hXXbktaejgIjbK2NxkLSpxoGpWnS8QxoJD0T0DoaTlYqxbMmqiVD4XfkJ-K6GJ-VruITYjZzL_DHBUEz2OIWWFu1tO/s1600/FACEMASK+CHINESE.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>I finally gave in</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>and put on the mask</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>and went strolling</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>through the aisles</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i><b>Me!</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">the one who always</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>colored outside the lines</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>only to find</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>I felt a strange sense</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>of belonging </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>to be</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>just another</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Chinese wannabe</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>(all you see</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>are my beady little eyes)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>and when I walk by</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>people turn their heads</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>and exclaim</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b><i>Who was that masked man</i>?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>(<i>Tonto</i> is roaming around</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>here someplace</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>shopping for a new</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>rainbow colored headband)</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>and I understand </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>it's not so much</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>for my own protection</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>as it is for theirs</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>and I find it ironic </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>as hell</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>and a big grin</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>splashes across my face</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>to think that society</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>only just now</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>has thought of a way</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>to protect itself</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>from me</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-97228797412734882020-04-18T08:18:00.001-07:002020-04-18T21:56:35.266-07:00A NOTE FROM LUCIFER HIMSELF<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMPnuR27tWa1YyLrz6MCrEX4akgaEpXDaTxreEJhLNNgM0AL3wjXvefps_ovbv5iyCKU-Svuw1KAJCO7yCHKD4_P6LMzOHPl1BnNCRtVinY6bMNFRtdtWUVu8WuX9YprxVghdY6Gwt-JMp/s1600/DEVIL+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMPnuR27tWa1YyLrz6MCrEX4akgaEpXDaTxreEJhLNNgM0AL3wjXvefps_ovbv5iyCKU-Svuw1KAJCO7yCHKD4_P6LMzOHPl1BnNCRtVinY6bMNFRtdtWUVu8WuX9YprxVghdY6Gwt-JMp/s320/DEVIL+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I'll drive down the street</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and see peeps walking along</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>from the back</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I can't see their faces</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>just their shape and</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>male or female</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>though that's not always</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>easy to discern</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">and the game I</span><span style="font-size: large;"> play</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>is if I could</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>would I trade places</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>with this person? </b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I have to decide before</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I pass them by</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>no fair looking</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">at their faces</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>split-second decision</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>(leap of faith based</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>upon incomplete information--</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>so familiar to me)</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">and I surprise myself at</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>how many times I say <i>no</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I'm not switching</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>even though I often see</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>it's someone younger</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>likely in better health</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and better shape </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>prolly with everything</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>going for them</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and I surprise myself</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>at how often</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I would still choose to be me</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">guess it's the old devil</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>that you know</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>is better than the one</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>you don't know</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">and I'm nothing</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>if not an old devil</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>with a lot</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>of really hot</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>memories</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-75279341700254899542020-04-12T03:51:00.000-07:002020-04-12T11:46:32.557-07:00SCORCHED <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyainLNeTVFlo4tR_Y-aruhxH3OVO-iAK1CHyT40x7a6DY1glLiwibJfNT-UXTtiNpsT4vhufg1eO3l-UOlhnVDoG6DYnwcLLsYh15FbjJjn1ZVLv4tzq9GsxMq0ksm12DbSVNQHlaTFXc/s1600/MOON+IN+A+BLACK+SKY.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyainLNeTVFlo4tR_Y-aruhxH3OVO-iAK1CHyT40x7a6DY1glLiwibJfNT-UXTtiNpsT4vhufg1eO3l-UOlhnVDoG6DYnwcLLsYh15FbjJjn1ZVLv4tzq9GsxMq0ksm12DbSVNQHlaTFXc/s1600/MOON+IN+A+BLACK+SKY.png" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3 a.m. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and the road out here</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>is quiet as the moon</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>normally some solitary soul </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>would be puttering by even</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>at this hour but</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>it's Easter morn and</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>everyone's sleeping on</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>their modified plans</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>no mass (no <i>mas</i>)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and you've got no one</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>to model your bonnet for</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>but you've got that chocolate</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>bunny you will mash into</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>your face at the appropriate moment</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>fingers all black and sticky</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>with the mortal sin of it but</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>on the third day you will rise</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and begin your diet</b></span><br />
<b><br /></b>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>no rest for me</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>up working again</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>on the new book</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>still trying to learn how</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>after all this time</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>to fit into this skin</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>less awkwardly</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>to be a "person"</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>inhabiting a planet</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and to tone down the </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>frightful jitters of that</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">not </span><span style="font-size: large;">my nature to feel at ease</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>inside this meat suit</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>(something I've seldom </b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">talked about) </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>having decided</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>that burning the candle</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>at both ends </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>is the only thing</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>that will distract me</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>from the terrible Mork-ness of it</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I'm not from around here</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and I've given up fighting</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>the insomnia</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>just incorporated</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">the extra </span><span style="font-size: large;">hours into my </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">routineless </span><span style="font-size: large;">routine</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>still trying to skate by</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>beneath this scorched</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and blackened sky </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-69799668999499916362020-04-05T05:00:00.000-07:002020-04-05T05:20:37.200-07:00APOCALYPSE THEN<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: #66bb33; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 14.49px;"> </span><a href="https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: #66bb33; color: #2758b1; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 14.49px; text-decoration-line: none;">https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/</a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>NOTE: Today's offering is an encore presentation first published in 2012. I've updated it to reflect the current year, but otherwise it is as originally published--perhaps more relevant to today's times than it was back then.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7EwIOxntitDUj7q9l4RY6PS1XdPYOvGMEHmpBlCUG_r3xEQgGtm2gPZ3xnsngpKZygyzzXB0ov1fXP0WH_yDB2oCXnZpZgjrNjNrofipgHjTdgBXFXJ2kTV-pZSXlW5vcEoMeOu_-Yzd/s1600/horse+stampede+retry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7EwIOxntitDUj7q9l4RY6PS1XdPYOvGMEHmpBlCUG_r3xEQgGtm2gPZ3xnsngpKZygyzzXB0ov1fXP0WH_yDB2oCXnZpZgjrNjNrofipgHjTdgBXFXJ2kTV-pZSXlW5vcEoMeOu_-Yzd/s320/horse+stampede+retry.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>
<b style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">the day was December twenty-first,</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and the year was two thousand and twenty.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and all of the folks down at the auction house</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>were going about their daily bid-ness</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>when there came a thundering boom</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and a boomerous thunder</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and the skies opened up</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and a chorus of angels sang out</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and all began to wonder</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>as the cry rang into the night:</b></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>why, them damn Mayans were right!</b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>cuz it's closin' time</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>here at the world</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>last call for alcohol</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>at the weary old world</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>the preachers were atop their street corner </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>soap boxes</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>railing fire and brimstone</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>'cept for that crazy one</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>who kept predicting the end</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>on one date and then another</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>was doing an Irish jig on a table top</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>cackling: <i>I told ya--suckha</i>s! </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Let the animals loose!</b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>a man began to shout--</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>let 'em run for higher ground</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and we'll be right on their tails.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>(but people move like snails.)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and I saw Ms. Goody-Two-Shoes</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>wailin' the ol' Gut Bucket Blues</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>as she took another swig of booze</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>knowing she had nothing to lose</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>as she said, "C'mon boys--line up over here and take a number!"</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and people were making love</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>in the street--</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>yeah, they were squirmin' like a toad </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>to the boombox strains of</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Why Don't We Do It In The Road.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>cuz it's closin' time</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>here at the world</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>almost closin' time </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>at the weary ol' world.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>so strained under the weight</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>of inflated egos</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and institutionalized hate.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and the churches opened their doors to all,</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and didn't stop to check</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>if you were straight or gay--</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>to the sudden epiphany</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>that all of us can pray.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>And mom and pop</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>said to the kids</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>go ahead and open</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>your presents--</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>it's now or never</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>forever and ever.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and Santa at the mall</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>bolted upright</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>with a "<i>git this BRAT offa me"</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>as he headed for the bar</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and ran into another car.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and Dick Cheney,</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>scrambling for a place to hunker,</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>remembered he still had the key</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>to that underground bunker.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and people were jumping</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>from the top of Jeff Bridges</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>as confusion rained</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>on The Supremes.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and old Betty Conklin</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>recalled how she used</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>all that aerosol spray</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and she never recycled</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>not even for a day...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and old Jeb Mcgurk</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>spat the juice from his chaw</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>as he cried: <i>hallelujah--here I</i></b></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>come ma and paw!</b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and Paris Hilton</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>from her mansion of riches</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>took out her ipad and tweeted:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>so long, bitches!</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and as the animals headed for the hills</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>('cept the ones in Kansas--</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>they just ran in circles)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>the roaches were throwing</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>a giant block party</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>with hijacked scones and coffee</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>cuz it's closin' time</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>here at the world</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>closin' time at the weary old world</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>no more time to be clever...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>time to roll up the sidewalks</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>and stash them away</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>forever.</b></span>Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-54103346419530978772020-03-26T13:24:00.000-07:002020-04-02T15:51:59.724-07:00FIRST AND FOREMOST<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HQKCreE7dBLYOn8eEO1S7ygz8QPSJZUNufk6N9K8lqYjdfTfRNc1vO8Tua1LmpDBy1mEZASUzOAKW5AsBEVG2_SLWfDRpq9u5r1EgEij1mat72YV4rtWVq7tZgOpgGNFkHMmwukCdW4p/s320/BIRD+SINGING.jpeg" width="320" /><a href="http://t.co/uVr1Mpx">d'verse Poets Pub</a>-- <a href="https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/">https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/</a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Let's rob the liquor store</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>then walk all day</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>the scent of death</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>swirling in the air</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">do a lap or two</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>around that lap dancer</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">circumnavigate </span><span style="font-size: large;">the moon</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>swing on a comet's tail</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">there should be more gaiety</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>in our hearts</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">the scent of earth</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>the scent of death</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and yet </b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">spring </span><span style="font-size: large;">is in the air</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">there should be more gaiety</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>there should be more courage</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>like the Italians singing</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>from their balconies</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>like the songbirds</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>calling from the trees</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></b>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>whistle past the graveyard</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and rejoice</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>for in the midst of darkness</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>we have seen the light</b></span><br />
<b><br /></b>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Man's greatest concern </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>revealed at last...</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">first and foremost</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>it's about wiping your ass</b> </span>Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-12093048001138729112020-03-17T06:40:00.000-07:002020-03-22T08:45:09.507-07:00ALONE TOGETHER<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxpXCqd8jpM_-7AYCqYtT8OX-g_dxUYjrvVQlQv8K6Ettu1vTduw9AD7fVMj1iBw89FwWKwJNSGomfTv1ClN51DL31jiI-mfN3fhT-kn6002sZgkSPwasgi951fKlJL6obf8U33sUCOkUO/s1600/CIG+BUTTS.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="514" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxpXCqd8jpM_-7AYCqYtT8OX-g_dxUYjrvVQlQv8K6Ettu1vTduw9AD7fVMj1iBw89FwWKwJNSGomfTv1ClN51DL31jiI-mfN3fhT-kn6002sZgkSPwasgi951fKlJL6obf8U33sUCOkUO/s320/CIG+BUTTS.webp" width="320" /></a><a href="http://t.co/uVr1Mpx">d'Verse Poets Pub</a>--<a href="https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/">https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/</a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>My life's work</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>as assistant</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>to the assistant</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>to the assistant</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>spittoon cleaner</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">has be</span><span style="font-size: large;">en interrupted</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>I've been told not to come</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>to work</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>as we are practicing</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>social distancing</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>but I can't properly do my job</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>from home</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>anybody can see that</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>so I implore you</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>for the sake of the country</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>to bypass the spittoons until</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>we get a handle on this thing</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>nobody likes a spittoon</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>that is filled to the brim with</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>cigarette butts and all kind of</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>green slime</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>the preferred way to expectorate</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>is to stop your car at the red light</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>open the driver's side door</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>lean down</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>and hock that big loogie</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>right onto the pavement</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>the other drivers behind you</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>really appreciate this</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>you'll feel good that you've</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>done your part for America</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>as we're all in this together...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>alone</b></span>Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-80410358610806180312020-03-10T09:03:00.000-07:002020-03-20T10:34:58.280-07:00MOTHER<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLQumRFhGCxMwtGL8XL2iA6En27lbTCZu2tQto90pBA1N2pgt7rzoClftgo6h_LN7I2qXyI18OHJaDDX4g0cAlawCV8yPO4o9fxGRpgAN-hd5vcT5LtOwh4-CNimjxEEKo3KlbZz287EG0/s1600/ASS+WIPE+MAN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLQumRFhGCxMwtGL8XL2iA6En27lbTCZu2tQto90pBA1N2pgt7rzoClftgo6h_LN7I2qXyI18OHJaDDX4g0cAlawCV8yPO4o9fxGRpgAN-hd5vcT5LtOwh4-CNimjxEEKo3KlbZz287EG0/s1600/ASS+WIPE+MAN.jpg" /></a><a href="https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/">http://poets and storytellersunited.blogspot.com</a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>King Midas In Reverse</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>is the ultimate metaphor</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>for the lot of us</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>everything is fine </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>till we come along and turn it to shit</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">jolted out of complacency</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>your first instinct is to</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>stockpile that asswipe</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>funny</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>when you think of our priorities</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>just don't be squeezin' that Charmin, okay?</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">too many bodies</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>it's what I've been telling you</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>all along</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>too many friggin' heads</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>to even try to count</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>but nothing to be done about it now</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>'cept to kill a crapload of us off</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">is that what you've had</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>in the back of your mind</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>all along, Mother?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>in the name of self-preservation?</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Mars looks on</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and doesn't blame you...</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">so quiet there now</span></b>Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-42212591054170175912020-03-02T11:37:00.001-07:002020-03-08T07:49:37.588-07:00THE STARS RUN THEIR COURSE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnnv2bJM2oXXqpwE7HVfIcVpahG66uU9eNZAkAZrM_jdvCRop078V0jgJweMAnhBHJ8BsjXZ50qZecvwd2mCdjgLfld8f0TwkeeiFpUO-h8AsA94kwseTjn3IDDfwe29H38YG57KGJdjOx/s1600/STARRY+NIGHT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="800" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnnv2bJM2oXXqpwE7HVfIcVpahG66uU9eNZAkAZrM_jdvCRop078V0jgJweMAnhBHJ8BsjXZ50qZecvwd2mCdjgLfld8f0TwkeeiFpUO-h8AsA94kwseTjn3IDDfwe29H38YG57KGJdjOx/s320/STARRY+NIGHT.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://t.co/uVr1Mpx">d'Verse Poets Pub</a>--<a href="https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/">https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/</a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>a beggar-king</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>at Burger King</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>asking for The Impossible</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">now I'm a SpongeBob diver</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>beneath the 12 mile reef</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">a broken lance</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>torn underpants</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>it undermines</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>all my carefully curated bravado</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">so many lifetimes</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">you think Bigfoot</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>is concerned about </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>his carbon footprint?</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">and the case against</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>having anything</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>is that you've so much</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>to lose</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>(I'll send obligatory</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>condolences</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>or maybe congratulations)</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">but anytime you switch on</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>the radio</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and Steely Dan</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>comes wafting</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>(like those Santa Ana winds)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>you're ahead of the game</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">the bathroom down the hall</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>always has somebody in there</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>beneath the hand-scrawled sign</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>that says </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Please take a seat</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">you can</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>of course</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>always hang it out the window</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>unless it faces the street</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">let the stars run their course</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>it all makes sense </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>in mysterious ways</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">one day your writings</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>will be all that's left of you</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-6994528338160538092020-03-01T07:00:00.000-07:002020-03-01T07:45:11.510-07:00I BELIEVE ONLY IN GARLIC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz75h5oWlmodF9NJ6rsF6P3bgdz8t1ecSstRz1iLcJH4eq1ZxXD48aiVTLwOjGjOR1PtExSAqjv8AWYzSTyynrH5Htidi_SEqJfiw74GJ5BYsjN24nDNjzYbpETm_2WKL-q4Kyc4mPZGAu/s1600/GARLIC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz75h5oWlmodF9NJ6rsF6P3bgdz8t1ecSstRz1iLcJH4eq1ZxXD48aiVTLwOjGjOR1PtExSAqjv8AWYzSTyynrH5Htidi_SEqJfiw74GJ5BYsjN24nDNjzYbpETm_2WKL-q4Kyc4mPZGAu/s320/GARLIC.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/">https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/</a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>It is mid morning</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">and some salesmonkey </span><span style="font-size: large;">in Mississippi</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>is ringing my number</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>ignoring the grave warnings </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>in my voice greeting</b></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>someone on the telly</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>implores me repeatedly</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>to ask my doctor about</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>something</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and the shopping aisles</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>are lined with friendly reminders</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>to get my flu shot</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">they're trying to kill me at every turn</span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>so I'm off to do my power walk</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and as the plague spreads </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>across the planet</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I believe only in garlic</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and apple cider vinegar</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and beets</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and in the end</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>perhaps</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I believe only in dynamite</b></span><br />
<b><br /></b>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and you're still hot and heavy</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>for a man from your past who was</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>arrogant and insensitive to your feelings</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>a quasi musician with no real ambition</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">(I've read the private thoughts </span><span style="font-size: large;">of many </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>so please don't feel singled out)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and I remember the night she said:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>how DARE you invade my mind like that!</b></i></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">sorry...</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>my ancestors were Vikings</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">we live in constant dread</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>like quail scurrying across open spaces </b></span><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">time runs down</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>till time runs out</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and in the end</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>we're all just looking for something</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>that's more enduring than we are </b></span>Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com53tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8052731808587837031.post-84942357093646829492020-02-23T12:14:00.000-07:002020-02-23T12:22:40.218-07:00STILL WE WAIT<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlOqNSu9lutkk3YXRGbgx0NQyICDbwkItQWuVkaIedtDY3gvvwvpBgL36GGwrZKlbkrm160zWRXNLYWJiG5NfX_YQGNy8h1jHb0Q0kw1i9aadB8zQ9E7UWpPvR4osOy0reE_2RN6N0PF-/s1600/Earth+image--all+borders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="485" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlOqNSu9lutkk3YXRGbgx0NQyICDbwkItQWuVkaIedtDY3gvvwvpBgL36GGwrZKlbkrm160zWRXNLYWJiG5NfX_YQGNy8h1jHb0Q0kw1i9aadB8zQ9E7UWpPvR4osOy0reE_2RN6N0PF-/s320/Earth+image--all+borders.jpg" width="312" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/s">https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/s</a></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>one never knows</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">2 never knows</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3 never knows</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">yesterday never knows</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>today never knows</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tomorrow Never Knows</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">still we wait</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>in rapt anticipation</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>for Arecibo to pick up a clue</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>something to bring us together</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and show we are more than the</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>savage apes in a Kubrick odyssey</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">best thing for this roiling ball in space</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>would be to confront</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>a common enemy</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">War of the Worlds</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>now playing</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>right outside your kitchen window</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>your petty partisan bickering</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>wouldn't matter much then</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Nancy and Mitch</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Rush (to judgement)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sister Susie</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Phil and Don</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and on and on</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">but they want no part of us</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and our cancerous encroachment</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>upon all that is sacred</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">would you?</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">somewhere The Creator</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>emits a big booming laugh</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">he knows that he's just getting started </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">stay tuned </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
Timoteohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08351410966396854582noreply@blogger.com16