Twilight Charge

The keening squeal
of steel on steel
as loyal track
meets wayward wheel
echoes through the frozen night
a dying creature’s cry of fright;

our trusted steed
has served its need
and now we send it
out to seed
but I shall never lose the sight
of that defiant midnight flight.

Out

The old man woke up early
becoming dark and surly
then crashed at the crumbling bank
belligerent and burly

depositing a bevy
of trinkets for his levy
and leaving things extremely dank
the humid air so heavy

that stanchions grew unsteady
and nobody was ready
when interrupted current sank
beneath a swirling eddy.

Breaking

Hysteria is bearing fruit
get listeria, file suit
they’ve kindled up a brighter blaze
to dwindle apple’s glowing glaze,

the politicians peddle lies
mortician’s work is on the rise
insanity is all the rage
for humanity and the wars we wage.


***Hi! This was inspired by an email I received today from Jingle Monster offering to trade links. One section of their blog makes use of news to craft delightful poems, inspired thusly, here is a similar attempt on my part - enjoy! I will be adding a permanent link to their site as soon as I know where to point it.***

Payday

The dollar is dying
it’s drowning in debt
they just print more money
the ink is still wet
the rich that were lying
have not one regret
but they won’t think it’s funny
when their blood is let.

Happiness is Free

Feel like a song today (yes there is music written for this)


The morning sun burns off the mist
that gently sits
upon the softly rolling hills
the dew is shining on the grass
and deep inside my conscience asks
why I feel so unfulfilled
the clouds are high and white and clean
it’s like I’m living in a dream
but I know this is my world
because when I take a look around
there’s little joy to be found
and I can’t make it better with my words.

How come nothing’s ever simple
The way that it was meant to be
Why get caught up in your sorrow
Don’t you know my friend that happiness is free?

Now the sun is higher in the sky
its golden rays caress my eyes
and warm the morning air
the sky is blue, the earth is green
life was never so serene
it makes me wonder why we need to feel despair
because life is just an empty slate
filled with things that we create
why not make some happiness
life is good and love is free
that is good enough for me
but people fight nevertheless.

CHORUS

The day is done, the sun’s gone down
the planets and the stars abound
in a clear evening sky
I don’t know where the world went wrong
if only we could get along
I think we’d be pleasantly surprised.

CHORUS

Serious

When we're forced to exist in the vacuum of space
can we learn to live without down
will depression become an obsolete word
a quaintly archaic noun

or will we finally discover that we
just simply cannot escape
our compulsive attraction to gravity
the pull that gives us shape.

Scarf

A waning summer sun
sails across an autumn sky
and all the things I haven’t done
are things that I must try

an earthy whiff of musk
precedes the harvest spread
we must gather ere the dusk
is hanging overhead

and time for sowing ends
as does the chance to grow
the churning cycle ever wends
towards the looming snow.

Refrain

We listened to the baleful bards
whose brittle words fell like shards
upon the grass
then walked across the green expanse
that tinkled with the dissonance
of broken glass

together we all sang as one
beneath a mellow autumn sun
that felt so fine
our common voice began to rise
to radiate throughout the skies
and grand design

the stuff of our collective dream
was amplified into a scream
that echoed out
and all the pointless petty pain
from which it seems we can’t abstain
we did without.

Heretic

Once you’ve cropped me from the picture
don’t expect me to be swayed
by the subject of your scripture
or the demons that you’ve made

the sacrament will be eschewed
your prayers remain unsung
and the only host routinely chewed
is when I bite my tongue.

Rationale

A lone crow caws
my heart gives pause
then suddenly gets skewered by
iconoclastic claws

a ruptured vein
begins to drain
and though I'm feeling less than spry
I stoically contain

my pain and pretend
that pride didn't rend
my faith so I can somehow try
to lick my wounds and mend.

Good?

Oh, how I long to sip
from the fullness of your lip
then I’d joyously ingest
the ample bounty of your breast—

I’ve never known such gnawing need
to treat myself and freely feed
upon the spread that you proffer
so joint contentment can occur.

Outgunned

Never wage a wordy war
with one poetically inclined
unless, of course, you have a sharper quill,
engage without a metaphor
and you’ll more than likely find
how rapidly a well honed verse can kill.

Epitaph II

Remember, when I’m laid to rest
I always tried to do my best
and let me say as I depart
my words were ever from the heart.

Blindsided

Mohinder McFadden
the ‘Irish Alladin’
was a whiz at pugilistic affairs
he was brutish and burly
his mustache was curly
and he mustered the meanest of stares

he was born with no money
no milk or no honey
by a gym on the lower east side
as he slowly got bigger
he learned how to trigger
a jab and to gracefully glide.

By his teenage years
he was collecting arrears
for a mobster named Mikey The Knife
then fought with his zipper
and knocked up a stripper
who glumly became his first wife,

but he was so cocky
their union turned rocky
before they could utter ‘I Do’
and it didn’t take much
for them to lose touch
admitting the marriage was through.

While romance was waning
old Mo began training
in order to have his first bout
he wasn’t indulging
his muscles were bulging
a victory seemed without doubt.

His opponent was wiry
with eyes that were fiery
and a hook that could level a house
by the end of the fight
he was curled up in fright
like an ailurophobic mouse.

His foes were all eaten
and Mo stayed unbeaten
the longest unstoppable champ
till a knockout at ringside
looked at him doe-eyed
and somebody snuffed out his lamp.

Mohinder McFadden
the ‘Irish Alladin’
was a whiz at pugilistic affairs
a mythic contender
who battled for splendor
until he was caught unawares.

Foundations

The names are etched around the pools
where promise once stood tall
the characters, like precious jewels
we longingly recall

against an open sky of blue
the harmless faced attack
by merciless marauders who
would prove some souls are black;

there’s still a chance that hope will rise
and justice can rejoice
just look into their children’s eyes
or listen to ones voice

they’ll not forget that painful day
and tragic lessons learned
we mustn’t indiscreetly slay
our freedom should be earned.

First Response

The towers fell
we'll never quell
that frantic frontrow glimpse of hell

we beg our Lords
to smite 'their' hordes
with vigorously vengeful swords

but here's the crease
the pain won't cease
until we learn to pray for peace.

Remix

I was jamming Ten Years After
Damn you Alvin Lee!
I can almost hear your laughter
patronizing me
how can we change the world, you never really said
just wrote yourself a catchy tune that echos in my head.

Perhaps I'll put my guitar down
and see what I can do
to help someone erase their frown
or aid somebody who
is struggling to overcome the mayhem and the mud
our unity the only thing worth keeping from the flood.

Ugh!

To scrape with a blade after the woman I love
is something I’ve never enjoyed
it’s a custom of torture that’s barely above
the stone my ancestors employed.

Engorged

The crick is high
and so am I
from your last kiss
when we said goodbye

I saw you blush
and felt a rush
of bubbly bliss
about to gush

so let it pour
rapids roar
I’ll tell you this
I’m set for more.

Incessant

The deluge doesn’t stop
and slowly, drop by drop
you’ll find you have to really tread
to keep yourself on top
away from all the slop
unless you find an isle instead
but soon the seas will sop
your field and kill your crop
and pull you down as though you’re lead
to watch your last breath pop—
the deluge doesn’t stop.

Calculating

Science killed romance
please, put down your lance
there are no dragons keen
for a death defying dance

so pack your sword away
your armor won’t delay
the merciless machine
that mangles myth and clay.

Diversion

We went (despite Irene's disruptive tears)
to walk around the local county fair
in hopes of disregarding the despair
that overflows when bedrock disappears;
a mediocre gathering was there
the grandstand seats awash with empty tiers
the most that we had seen in many years
perhaps because of dust that clogged the air--
those remnants of the raging water's wrath
were clinging to whatever they could find
especially the solidness of ground,
a river has the right to change its path
and so does every other thing in kind,
the greatest comfort we have ever found.

Stay

It'll end soon enough
why hasten it along
and if you merely bluff
don't sing that morbid song
although life is tough
you've always been so strong
this may be off the cuff
but remember - you belong!

Creeps

I watched a tiny spider
bite a moth that dwarfed its size
compelled by it’s ferocious hunger pangs
but she didn’t know beside her
lurked another whose surprise
was quicker feet and slightly sharper fangs.

I witness fellow beings
that prey on those they dwarf
for nothing more than monetary gain
ashamed by what I’m seeing
I feel my conscience morph
demanding I defend the ones in pain.