Note: I'd thought there had been a post on this form earlier, but I could not locate it. If I'm incorrect, please let me know.
Tanka is a Japanese form of poetry of 31 onji; the closest we Americans come to that is to think in terms of 31 syllables. The lines are generally 5,7,5,7,7 syllables in length -- or preferably less -- short-long-short-long-long.
I'm told that the earlier tanka shifted rhythm after the 12th onji; the more modern ones de-emphasize the location of shift or switch after the 17th.
At any rate, here are some of my own attempts, for whatever they may be worth:
Stumbling
Stumbling into growth
may be bloody painful stuff,
but scars remind me
this vulnerability
opens my heart to loving.
© MLee Dickens'son 05 July 2002
Jesus Earthy Dad
kept her a virgin
miraculous conception
of Marys Joseph
whose union was further blessed:
four sons and unnamed daughters
© MLee Dickens'son12 Dec 2003
- Matthew 1:25; Mark 6:3
annuals vs. perennial
lovers seek to come
seasoned and with wild bouquet
pretending to root;
a love is but one
who blooms
when planted in nurtured ground
© MLee Dickens'son 18 Dec 2003
Lori... since you've asked about Tanka (and I'm no expert)... let me merely offer a few of mine... some tongue in cheek and some serious:
casting wile d'autres
small stones gave holeness
to old homes naked windows
when I was a stud;
some of us got our rocks off
or went on flings diffrently
© M Lee Dickensson 12 Dec 2003
dancing thoughts
though eye'd love to watch
feet would far more rush to join
and arms long to hold;
nose knows ascent of its own
and fingers ache but to touch
© M Lee Dickensson 16 May 2004
do the arithmetic
teach the hollowness
of dull, worn mathematics...
students age, crumble,
ourselves spent, bent willows
whove wept till our branches droop
© MLee Dickensson 27 June 2009
composed of Ten Words from Jack LaZebniks The Day the Tree Fell Down:
age, wept, branches, dull(ed), mathematics, bent, hollowness, crumble(ing), ourselves, worn
LIGHT + TRIALS = growth
Light is where He dwells;
it shines indescribably.
God leaves us speechless:
Holy, Unapproachable
though His arms reach out, embrace.
Trials provide growth:
review in Dark what weve learned
in Light, His presence;
all difficulties purpose
lasting fruit. Thats holiness.
© Daniel J Ricketts 29 May 2005
boundaries
many a kiss
becomes a wake-up slap
boundaries
define who we're not
where we'd like to be
© MLee Dickensson
re-membered
remember:
days when you ran
with the wind
they have passed away
like your knees
© MLee Dickens'son 2012
I can't
like your knees
gnarled
and knobbly
unneccessarily so
Alan
Daniel, you say 31 sylls or less, but HOW much less is still OK ? DSoes this qualify as short-long-short-lon-long ?
Standing among stumps
where a forest once florished,
life has departed.
Looking for the reason why,
eyes are blinded by my tears.
Pictures are painted
depicting what artists see
or wish to reveal.
Beauty is self-evident
but epiphanies take time.
a yellow splash
on an indigo canvas...
epiphany
a burst of radiance
comes out of the blue
A Current Scene
Look at your King...
shall I crucify him?
"Our king is Caesar!"
The government nails the Lord
in the mix with criminals
© MLee Dickens'son 2013
Hi Daniel,
Timely and nicely done! I'll have to get back to you with a continuation of your post.
Larry
Thanks, Larry. I tried to utilize an old story to demonstrate a current reality as well.
whitehousewash
scrape away lose flecks,
gouge out rotted ugliness;
paint an undercoat
caulk fills damage, prevents more;
final coat hides multitudes
in de finite life
multitudes hide coats
in moth-proof summer storage
to further the life
of dead animals and plants
pausing and stemming decay
since dogwood decayed
he constructed a cathouse;
good for his business
as his wife watched it grow
he ended in the doghouse
fulfilled prophecy
lots cast for his clothes,
"I thirst" and "It is finished,"
soldiers pierce his side;
mourners entomb his body...
three days later, "He's alive!"
© MLee Dickens'son 2013
Meditation on Psalm 22, Zech. 12 and John 19
three weeks later
I'm still here in rehab
to have my IV's:
simply antibiotics
for body to stave off staph
Christmas time is near
but people seem to forget
the seasons meaning
with whats found under the tree
instead of the star on top
star studded at top
of the football team's roster
can't carry the ball
but no one expects him to;
he protects the quarterback
get a quarter back
when youre buying a new car
and you pay with cash
so when you get a flat tire
youll always have some spare change
change your spare often
by rotating the new tires
to even their wear
so everything is balanced
though your checkbook may not be
checkbook may not be
mathematically correct
but when it add up
there is nothing left in it;
funds are gone but it was fun
Mafunzalo had
a habit of borrowing
he never paid back
family members would lend
so Theirfunzalo also
sew their funzalo
where it will be long enough
and won't show too much;
a careless seamstress finds that
ma's funzalo doesn't fit
funzalo won't sit
well with a neighborhood loan shark
he keeps his hand on
his assets; best that you pay
if you would keep your hands on
you would keep your hands
to yourself in crowded bars
or youll spill your drink
on someone bigger than you
and get shots you cant swallow
shooting the swallows
frowned on in Capistrano
Goya won't can them
they are migratory birds
every year on March 19th
march on the 19th
and you are two days early
for MLK day
but you were off Saturday
and Sundays a day of rest.
on Sunday you wrest
strange verses from your Bible;
you've something to prove
on Monday you realize
you are just a pompous ass
just a pompous ass
is not very descriptive
for Congress people
with their heads stuck in the sand;
they are all a bray-zen bunch
yes, the bray-zen bunch
seem to all be jackasses
and their heads are not
buried somewhere in the sand;
they're in their large derrieres
Their large derrieres
are covered with big pockets
which the like to fill
with money from certain funds
from the special interest gropes
No Daniel, I didn't mean "groups".
interested gropes
are frowned upon by women;
enhanced derrieres
are only for the looking
not for attracted fingers
attracted fingers
with all her Rubenesque curves
and the thought lingers
in my mind but lack of nerves
cause tears as the eye observes
How about one that rhymes?
tears as eyes see
Kim Kardashian tonight
Fallon doesn't flee
but hugs her; it's quite a sight
so much packed in suit that tight
packed in their tight suits,
female stars flaunt each blessing
which no one refutes
but I must be confessing
Id rather be caressing
I'll be caressing
without any confessing
'cause she is my wife
I enjoy my present life
and will not stir any strife
any strife will stir
pain or anger will occur
and may often blur
whats said and what you infer
when you are speaking to her
when you are speaking
if you rope in your vowels
you will make no sense
if you toss out consonants
you can vocalize all night
vocalize all night
if you are a coyote
with the moon in sight
and you feel billy-goaty
when youve eaten peyote
if you eat oat pie
you are poorer than I am
try a few raisins
they'll help you get up and go
and even make you feel flushed
make a flush and feel
that you have a winning hand
so when your chips spill
in the pot and things seem grand
dont cry when four aces land
when four asses land
in the four-seater out house
it's plop plop fizz fizz
oh, what a relief it is...
out before you're overcome
before you are out
from swinging bats through the air
you would like to clout
that baseball so hard you would tear
the cover off and stay fair
ball with no cover
and everyone will see you
do it under wraps
your mate will appreciate
your giving her privacy
her privacy gives
sufficient time to enjoy
the result which lives
in memories you employ
when old age looks might annoy
old age might annoy
Lori so she doesn't look
down here to see it
ours sticks out all the edges
and oozes onto the page
oozes on the page
are unctuous platitudes
which may be the rage
but with todays attitudes
Id rather have gratitudes
having gratitude
is the surest way to peace
the world keeps turning
and we don't fall off the globe
nor lose all of our marbles
lost all their marbles
when the ruling was announced
and Donald warbles
with tweets, their vendettas trounced;
heads will roll but some just bounced
he said heads would roll
and Old MacDonald proved it
go, and lettuce see!
cabbage is even better
because it holds together
because it will hold
pomade is good for the hair
and good brushes mold
a style that makes people stare
if you have enough up there
I don't have enough
that would ever make it lie
it can't tell the truth
if it did it would tell you
that I did not shave my head
that I did not shave
is what I hear from my wife
till Im in my grave
and it always causes strife
but I guess that is my life
I guess that my life
is not so complicated
my wife says nothing
whether I shave or do not
she thinks it makes me bristle?
it makes me bristle
when I walk through the tall grass
and a large thistle
jabs my ankle or my ass;
my lawnmower needs more gas
lawnmower needs gas
back yard looks like a wheat field
sowed on fallow ground
some of the rocks in the yard
in the head of the owner
head of the owner
is now shining and sunburned
and its a groaner
when realizing he spurned
sunscreen but now he has learned
now he has learned but
should not be found at the end
of a phrase so cut
that addition and suspend
the afterthought you may send
send an afterthought
some time after digesting
get rid of the gas
well-constructed ideas
will not just put up a stink
just put up a stink
about participation;
its not what you think,
its just solicitation
and my anticipation
don't anticipate
anything profound from me;
eyes and mind are slow
it's a chore just to get up
and clean out the pool filter
clean the pool filter
after the dog swims around;
its out of kilter
when I get hair by the pound
he sheds all over the ground
scat all over ground
where the dog took morning walk;
quite a hairy scene
best to wait for it to dry
ere using pooper-scooper
pooper scooper use
helps in keeping your hands clean
from solids or juice
or something thats in between
that may look or smell obscene
smelling out Ob scene
were homicide detectives
four Obs found murdered
maid seemed very Ob-servant
so policemen checked her out
policemen checked her
on the lighted street corner
but had to defer
arrest and had to warn her
to quit being a joiner
John caught joinin' 'er
ended up in the hoosegow;
'e kneaded arrest
since 'e didn't have the dough
to stay out of the oven
out of the oven
for the miner infraction
of diggin lovin;
professionals attraction
caved in by legal faction
a large infection
found him scratching genitals;
his immoral itch
found to be causing him more
than his bargains expected
expected bargain
when shopping for whats offered
with shouted jargon
is not worth monies proffered
a disbelieving cough heard?
believe a coffin
will never hold your body?
need an adjustment
either to your body weight
or view that you will not die.
view that you will die
because it happens to all
even if you try
by spending money to stall
the inevitable pall
available gall
is shouted in the mean streets
gullible crowd hears
truths stripped out of their context
to slander adversaries
To adversaries,
I would suggest you make peace
for each path varies
but some are covered with grease
and rivalries never cease
will rivalries cease?
will the Hatfields and McCoys
keep shooting down peace?
the Masons and Dixons can't
find a trace of their old line
their line finds a trace
of reasoning for the feud
but one must save face
without kin being too crude
so both families are screwed
someone must be screwed
for family's seed to pass;
that impregnation
had best be consensual
or feud will emerge screaming
Feud emerged screaming
from the peace which used to reign;
guns and knives gleaming
and both sides must be insane
for such hatred you cant feign
unfeigned hatred
eliminates guesswork
look down the barrel
and you'll see the clear water
collected from off your roof
collect from your roof
all of the branches and leaves
so you can snow-proof
every gutter and the eaves
from what a long winter heaves
in long winter, heave
all the snow off your sidewalk
or just stay inside
letting fat accumulate
so you can't walk when spring comes
you cant walk in springs
without getting your feet wet
and oozing mud clings
until dried, then it will set
and youll have feet of clay yet.
you'll have feet of clay
if you pretend to be strong
could collapse in heap
of bricks and powdered mortar
interspersed with ivy sprigs
Great to see you visiting in Karnak, Sylvia!
Actually my latest tanka (a game with me and Larry, where we take part of the last line of the previous tanka to start a new one) is precisely what was happening to the chimney of hour house in Bridgeton. When we put on a new roof, the whole upper part of the chimney was simply a bunch of bricks stacked on each other, since the mortar had been eaten away by the residual of natural gas that was going through the chimney from our heaters and water heater. Our workers threw the bricks one or two at a time over our hedge into the neighboring property, where we cleaned them up and stacked them for later use. We had to put in a stainless steel liner which we had made by a local person and our guys installed it with some difficulty. Saved the main structure of the chimney by the stabilization with the liner and our redoing some of the mortar and parging and then painting the chimney, removing all the ivy that was growing on it as well. It could have been a huge mess!
Interspersed with twigs
is what's left of my garden
after the wild pigs
had wreaked it without pardon.
Shared one with the game warden.
just slipping in for a moment.
Thanks for the heads-up. It is now a proper Tanka.
Your line four is a syllable short for the typical tanka.
Shared with game warden
Larry's gun activity
He's setting a trap
expecting to capture him
to get a hunting licence
A hunting license
requires some prerequisites;
the desire to kill
and possession of a gun.
Otherwise, it aint no fun.
Havin' pain ain't fun
nor is an amputation
but it disappears
along with neuropathy
when the right leg gets cut off!
Right leg gets cut off
which is a drastic measure
but one can not scoff
when this action brings pleasure;
for were blessed with minds treasure.
minding our treasure
could devolve into hoarding
if we lose our mind...
which for me'd be a problem
since I haven't found it yet!
I havent found it
because memorys hazy
so Ill just admit
neither of us is lazy.
Its a short trip to crazy
Thanks for the heads-up! It is now edited and grammatically correct.
Ah, a rhyming tanka! Great job, Larry...
and by the way it's "neither of us IS lazy."
taking a short trip
to gather my Rollator
I visit the store
put boxed groceries on seat
to transport to van then home
Daniel, I had to pause for a while because your Tanka brought to mind Ginger using her wheeled walker everywhere she went, including while at home. I was saddened by another melancholic reminder of the impaired mobility she dealt with each day. The walker and her canes are now donated to the Physical Therapy facility she used for the last few years. Hope you progress to the point where your "Rollator" is of no further use and can also be donated. My penchant for the rhyming Tanka is just a way of adding another degree of difficulty to an otherwise descriptive form I love.
To transport then home,
I had to fold up and lift
her walker to roam.
It has become P.T.s gift
and I hope she is not miffed.
she's surely not miffed
for it's being used again
very thoughtful gift
surely they have handymen
to service it now and then
Service now and then
is where I should be going
for our plan was when
improvements started showing,
thats blessings Hes bestowing
He bestows blessing
even when we're not looking
Best we're not messing
with our destiny, booking
trips before dinner's cooking
Looks like it is rhyme time in Tanka town!
Trips before dinner
when youre fishing on the lake
might be a winner
if you catch fish you can bake;
its a chance you have to take!
chancy on the lake
if you don't wear a life vest
do it for my sake
it's more than I could digest
to have a funeral fest!
A funeral fest
is normally called a wake
but I lost the best
and that pain I cannot take;
its His decision to make
must make decision
about whether I should rhyme
like circumcision
could remove a lot of slime
yet it oft takes too much time
It takes too much time
when hes getting his hair done
and it feels sublime
but the comb out is not fun.
He will dry It in the sun.
drying in the sun
drudgery for a raisin
being grape is fun
hanging around amazin'
but here on rack, it's blazin'
Its blazing on rack
so I lowered the grills heat;
flipped ribs on their back
and finished my weekend treat.
No one likes overcooked meat.
Overcooked meat sucks
at your summertime cookout
'cause it costs big bucks
Guilty chef had best look out
for homeowner if he's stout
A stout homeowner
might consider losing weight
if hes a loner.
Ive heard that one diets great;
serve food on a smaller plate.
When your plate's smaller
you'll tend to eat much less food
Your wife won't holler
that your piggishness is rude...
and every bit will be chewed
Each bit will be chewed
at least twenty times or more.
Digestion ensued!
For nutrition starts before
your food hits the stomachs floor
Stomached food hit floor
having not been digested
When I asked for more
she brought what I requested...
but then I got congested
I got congested
with the pollen and the rain
so I got tested
and found my cold was just plain;
not another COVID strain.
Covid causes strain
when we have to wear a mask
The whole thing's a pain
but a necessary task
I'll let you peek if you ask
If you ask to peek
do you want to see my face
or just hear me speak?
Of COVID, theres not a trace
but that is only Gods grace.
It's only by grace
that each of us is alive.
We try to keep pace
with our surroundings to thrive
for we live, not just survive
We survive to live
every moment of each day
so dont take, just give
Him thanks whenever you pray;
it keeps the Devil at bay
Speaking of that, Larry, would you please read this sonnet I wrote earlier this morning: https://allpoetry.com/poem/16703510-Incident-in-the-Philippian-Jail-by-MLee-Dickensson
Keep Satan at bay
with praise always on your tongue
Bless the Lord, you'll say...
the words you'll have loudly sung
while to His Word you'll have clung
You cling to His Word
feeling prayer is not enough
but you know He heard
and although your road is rough,
each trouble fades in a puff
our fading trouble
can be written in rondeau
and truth with bubble
to the surface from below
our contest isn't for show
(and it's been posted on AP!)
Our contest for show
and tell is at your behest
for all entrants know
its much better than the rest
in teaching what we know best.
They want what you know
because you've shown that you care
plus write like a pro
They've one more week to compare
notes to demonstrate their flair
Please give me your ratings a week from today (Tuesday), and we can discuss next Tuesday night... before our final decision next Wednesday!
Demonstrate their flair
with some eclectic rondeaux
when they wish to share
speaks volumes of what they know
and how much they want to grow
I shall do that. I have parsed and critiqued all entries. They are looking pretty good.
Each of them has grown
in editing their rondeaux
making them their own
Their images are aglow
Judging will be hard, you know
Judging will be hard
with their Rondeaux of the Fall
but the real reward
is they all answered the call
and through them, we had a ball.
We threw them the ball
and with rondeaux they threw back
expressing the fall
I think we've gotten the knack
for giving them good feedback
Feedbacks good for them
when the rhymes and metrics err
but chances are slim
if gaffes are left where they were.
Perfections spoon needs to stir.
spooning's perfection
in loving relationships
giving affection
with the pressing of your hips
giving longing for your lips
For your lips giving
a taste of friendship and love
youve kept me living
as if Im blessed from above
though your soul flew like a dove
For Ginger! May she rest in peace.
through your sole it flew
that nail sticking from the board
think if I were you
I would wait till you've implored
nurse to have your foot explored
Explore nurses feet
like podiatrists might do
when shifts are complete.
Fashion is never their cue;
they wear a sensible shoe.
a sensible shoe
doesn't help my phantom foot
it sits on my chair
while the foot keeps on throbbing
despite all medication
All medications
have many a side effect
so expectations
foreshadow what we expect
from drug companyâs neglect
neglecting your meds
can result in side effects
drugs also have them
good doctors will explain them
as a matter of balance
If balance matters,
eyes, ears and limbs must be used
or else one splatters.
Pratfalls may keep some amused
but you could need some bones fused
refuse bone-break falls
is therapist's main advice
in healing process
I can hear her words ringing,
just don't fall; simply don't fall!
A simple bone-break
is a misnomer at best.
for what is at stake
in my advanced age would test
the patience with which Iâm blessed.
therapists' patients
are tested regularly
lest they be found drugged
out of the room unconscious
from over-exercising
Over exercise
and you will tear down muscle
in your arms and thighs
but folks without some hustle
appear to wear a bustle.
hustling your bustle
quickly emphasizes rear
but slowing it down
could well keep your waist abreast
with the rest of your body
Resting your body
after some exercising
may cause some hottie
to think sheâll be surprising
someone whoâs compromising
she's compromising
herself sharing her body
observers decide
not to compromise with her
keeping to their own mores
The mores they keep
should be considered a sin.
Sow and they will reap
shared rewards and weâll begin
to improve the world weâre in.
to improve our world
we should step aside from it
to remove the stink
perhaps the new atmosphere
won't be so devastating
Devastating want
is a goal for which some strive
although others flaunt
their excess when they arrive.
Waste would keep millions alive.
waste will keep alive
millions of egregious germs
stacked in your dung heap
cover them with fallen leaves
composting them for garden
Compost for garden
must be regularly turned
or it will harden.
All human waste must be spurned
or veggie sprouts will get burned.
unburned veggie sprouts
mature to delicious food
'midst well-turned compost
unfortunately some folks
think all veggies taste like crap
âVeggies taste like crap!â
is a bad cooksâ reasoning,
They need a hard slap
and the proper seasoning
to give veggies a real zing.
veggies with a zing
give the register cha-ching
in local cafe
chef gives menu an upswing
out of his secret attaché
The secrets attached
to the oaths that you may swear
must always be matched
with the truths youâll never share
to keep your heart and mind square.
if your mind is square
one wonders what's found in there
is the cupboard bare?
must it now be re-minded
since its contents seem blinded?
Content to be blind
to the jests of an old friend
who, with his keen mind,
pens his quips without an end.
Iâve laughed and sometimes just grinned.
I've sometimes just grinned
but often have been chagrined
his words come unpinned
If they would hold together
they could last through the weather
This weather can last
until the winter has passed
and then in the spring
weâll feel like having a fling
if we can keep the car gassed.
if your car is gassed
it sounds like it will not last
throughout the winter
but will sputter and splinter
you'd better replace it fast
Fast replacements will
cost you a lot of money
and that briefest thrill
may be eggs that are runny
left by the Easter Bunny
your Easter Bunny
appears to be very late
perhaps your Santa
will show up some time in May
and pick a bouquet for you
You pick a bouquet
from the roses youâve planted
and that is okay
but donât take them for granted.
Cut each stem with shears slanted.
stems carefully cut
to create a rose bouquet
love poem attached
underscoring importance
of her deep intimacy
True intimacy
is difficult to achieve.
Two reasons might be
that some may try to deceive
while others just donât believe.
who'd ever believe
love from a wilted bouquet
though roses are red
any color would have done
for producing aged doubt
Age produced some doubt
but memories etched by time
are what loveâs about.
Life in intimacyâs clime,
when shared, is always sublime.
lemon is sub-lime
but much better than grapefruit
try some oranges
cutting them and squeezing them
into a glass for drinking
A glass for drinking
should be clean and unbroken
but donât be clinking
them when a toast is spoken
or you may wind up chokinâ
wind may make you choke
running a race into it
expecting to win
onlookers will understand
since you're still wearing your sweats
Wearing sweats to race
will soak up perspiration
which cools you apace.
Itâs a bad situation.
Thereâll be no celebration.
no celebration
wearing your sweats in a race
that perspiration
adds to the weight of the sweats
till you come in a cool last
Last place is not cool
unless you look for whatâs lost.
A common sense rule
makes one consider the cost
to recall where it was tossed.
Recall where you'd tossed
while running the marathon
when you had been sauced.
Remember who you'd heaved on
though conclusion was forgone.
Foregone conclusions,
much like the fortune teller
are just illusions.
Much like old Yuri Geller
whose sleight of hand is stellar.
stellar sleight of hand
by Penn who's the real teller;
Teller never tells
but together their magic
outshines contemporaries
Contemporaries
may exist at the same time
but their skill varies
and they often fail to climb
to the top where itâs sublime.
top tea brews sub-lime
giving it a citrus bite
add a few crumpets
for a fine English breakfast
or an American brunch
American brunch?
Is that a late breakfast time
or tardinessâ scrunch.
to cover a verbal crime?
Letâs do âLinnerâ on my dime!
"linner"? ain't no such!
brunch between breakfast and lunch!
been under a rock?
next you'll tell me there's "lupper"
but suggest you have dinner
I will have dinner
when some people call it lunch
but never Brynner
because Yul may want to punch.
Supperâs always a winner!
supper in winter
can be very cold outside
best to stay inside
perhaps next to your fireplace
filled with flaming cherry logs
Flaming cheery logs
may keep you warm when itâs cold
as well as your dogs
but loneliness will enfold
when you have no one to hold.
with no one to hold
settle for a cigarette
smoke will encircle
all of your swirling feelings
'til they vanish in a fog
Vanished in a fog
is where your memories hide
and no one can jog
precious thoughts you are denied
âtill you donât know your own bride.
not knowing your bride
the shotgun gave you no choice
you were mistaken
both for some other suitor
and that you didn't know her
I didnât know her
until we became good friends.
Now, life is a blur
and missing her never ends
but the memories bring grins.
grins left memories
for Larry of his dear bride
what more could one ask?
slowly-developed friendship
creates the best kind of love
The best kind of love
is one that is never planned;
itâs sent from above
and the feelings brought are grand
with vows and a wedding band.
the wedding's been banned
her father didn't like him
and put his foot down
splashing the mud in his face
and ruined her wedding dress
Ruined wedding dress
caused some trouble with the bride.
Now she must confess
it was to save daddyâs pride
and the bump she couldnât hide.
With her bump showing
and now leaky breasts growing
it was obvious
Not wearing white gown for us
but down the aisle she's glowing
Glowing down the aisle,
she hangs on daddyâs left arm.
Behind veil's a smile;
for he will keep her from harm
or thereâll be a fecal storm.
morning's fecal storm
down the hall to the bathroom
will this be the norm?
bride wonders about her groom
while she's seeking mop and broom
Searched for broom and mop
to clean up the bathroom hall
but it doesnât stop.
Though her spouse is still in thrall,
he knows she canât cook at all.
his poor bride can't cook
but he's still very thankful
outside the kitchen
she's handy in the bedroom
and snuggles in living room
A snuggling room
may be somewhere in the house
where a bride and groom
can be loud or like a mouse;
but it best be with your spouse.
bedding with your spouse
like sheets and pillow cases
litter your bedroom
it looks rather alarming
when you first enter the room
Enter the room first
to make sure that all is neat.
Avoid being cursed
for when your visitâs complete,
youâve lowered the toilet seat.
lowered toilet seat
could be inappropriate
is yellow liquid
visible on the surface?
she will likely be pissed off
She will be pissed off
and thereâs no way to atone
so please do not scoff.
A wet ass she wonât condone
and you may wind up alone.
winding up alone
a bachelor's nightmare
dreams continue
and he hopes that one day
she'll be dreaming of him
If she dreams of him
when sheâs talking in her sleep
then chances are slim
that sheâs the one you should keep;
tell her, âGo live with the creep!â
"Go live with the creep,
you little double-dealer!"
his famous last words
before a five-year dry spell;
followed her to the desert
Desert follows her
with its warmth under the sun
but men will concur
cold heart at night is no fun;
itâs one date and then youâre done.
one date on the dune
leaving you with burning heart
recovery long
from your horrible sunburn
a second date unlikely
Likely second date
depends on what she wanted.
If the first went great
and you like what she flaunted,
face the future undaunted.
undaunted future:
unabashed time-machine work
to see what's coming
somehow what's going on now
is likely a lot safer
Is your lot safer
if you erect a tall fence?
Will the cost chafe her
and perhaps cause her to wince
or will she think itâs good sense?
She seldom makes sense
when she tries to explain things
because she's not smart
but how could you expect more
with little education.
With education
knowledge is not guaranteed.
Trainâs at the station
but no one will intercede
unless you think and have need.
You think you've kneaded
your pizza dough long enough
but the taste is flat
Even tomato gravy
cannot make it recover
Remake and cover
with a nice variety.
A pizza lover
wants to have a panoply
of food he can taste and see.
taste, and you will see
my pizza only has cheese
nothing to distract
from tasting mozzarella
standing beneath umbrella
Beneath umbrellas
people hide from rain and sun
and there are fellas
who think both are lots of fun
but Iâll never be that one.
trying to be one
with a prospective girl friend
could take place in sun
but what's done in the shadows
may have a deeper effect
A deeper effect
is what lies beneath the skin
so itâs circumspect
when relationships begin
to examine whatâs within
Examination
may lead to fascination
It's hard to hide it
when it becomes your diet
... and it's hard to keep quiet.
Quietâs hard to keep
if youâre out there having fun.
Even when you sleep,
your subconscious knows which one
you must pick when you are done.
You've become Finnished
when moving to Helsinki
to change residence
Hellish apartment then sank
into one of the fiords
Fiords are like Lochs
without the monster inside;
made by ice and rocks.
We donât have those things stateside
and Lox has cream cheese applied.
lox on a bay gull
could make the sea gulls jealous
they like salmon too
bagels are well-rounded meals
but then pizzas are also
Pizzas are square meals
so why are most of them round?
Each topping appeals
to taste buds where they are found
but some of them will astound.
some toppings astound
but deep dish pizzas not round
seldom have ground round
I like ham and pineapple
while others prefer mushrooms
Mushrooms with the works
like olives and anchovies
with some other perks.
Donât add the hot peppers please!
They just make me gag and wheeze.
wheezing as a gag
pizza-maker shocked us all
pie covered with snot
"Hey, it'snot for you to eat;
it's just a disgusting joke!"
Some disgusting jokes
depend on education.
It could be a hoax
if the imagination
canât follow information.
some information
is difficult to follow
as are some tankas
but who reads them anyhow
here in the Karnak basement?
In Karnakâs basement
is where poems go to die.
Perhaps the placement
could be a good alibi.
You wonât know unless you try!
it's useless to try
when all you can do is cry
about emptiness
this old man's life is a mess
and brain's suppressed with duress
Duress is suppressed
with a simple silent prayer
when He is your guest
for He will always be there
with His help and love to spare.
despairing of love
will never find a lover;
comparing your love
to that of your janitor
will make a clean sweep of it
Will makes a clean sweep
Wonât may leave an empty room
Greed is what you keep
Needs remain until the tomb
Desires are a waiting groom
waiting groom's desire
grows as she walks down the aisle
unquenchable fire
good they're swimming to an isle
so the flames he won't defile
The file in the flames
has now turned a cherry red.
The blacksmith reclaims
a rusted tool that was dead
and makes one to fear and dread.
fearfully red file;
blacksmith dunks it in water
to restore temper
his soft words had grated us
since he somehow lost his cool
Sense he lost is cruel
for he can no longer lead.
He was just a tool
of those who left us in need.
Will someone please intercede!
just Biden' my time.
someone enters seed
into the newly-plowed soil
it's hard to believe
that sunflower seeds create
gigantic yellow blossoms
Gigantic Blossoms
of my two Queens of the NightâŠ
large as Opossums;
an Epiphyllum delight
blooms âtill dawn; that is their plight.
bloomin' dawn's a plight
for the guy who drank all night
his head's been achin'
since the hour of his wakin'
and all grace is forsaken
Forsaking His grace
is not where you want to go.
You will lose your place
in the queue that we all know
and youâll wind up down below.
if you wind up down
where is it that you wind down?
haps up a pillow?
where do your keep your ticking?
inside your grandfather clock?
Your grandfather clock
is no longer keeping time.
Thereâs no tick or tock
since it committed the crime
of killing mice in a rhyme.
mice attacked in rhyme
wasn't the grandfather clock
it's the farmer's wife
who picked up the carving knife
to cut off the blind things' tails
Cut off blind things tail?
They would still scurry and shock
farmerâs wives. They fail
to remember that old clock.
Hickory-Dickory-Dock!
Dick Oridocker
always worked around the clock
until one dark night;
attacked by tailless blind mice
he slept with the farmer's wife
Slept with former wife
but it was not for pleasure.
She caused too much strife.
I just wanted to measure
how sheâd wasted loveâs treasure.
wasting love's treasures
ain't about condom-wearing;
no intimacy
just going through the motions
gives no lasting emotions
Lasting emotions
are now a thing of the past.
For just like oceans,
where fishing nets may be cast,
your catch might make you aghast.
catch makes them aghast
before long they will become
new fishers of men
Peter, James and John, his bro
would take lead of disciples
Would disciples lead
any new converts astray
when they intercede?
The path they follow each day
is teaching them how to pray.
teaching them to pray
ties their chords with the Father
Holy Spirit too
He will advocate for them
every moment of their lives
Moments of each life
are all stored in peoplesâ brains.
Happiness and strife
are memories it contains
when only the soul remains.
soul does not remain
with the body and its pain
to another plane
it rises to the Father
where there's no one to bother
Thereâs none who bother
explaining where soul races.
Is it the Father
who decides where soulâs place is?
Iâll stay in His good graces!
grace is always good
to say at all your meal times;
always be thankful
when you're given a tankful
and avoid being prankful
When full, avoid pranks
for digestion causes gas.
You think itâs just blanks
that you might silently pass
but youâll wind up with a mass.
when you're at the Mass
just be careful not to fart...
may cause you to pass
adjacent guy will pass out
and wife too without a doubt
Been without a wife
for a bit less than a year.
My mind is still rife
with memories I hold dear.
Oh how I wish she was here.
Sorry about this one Daniel! Still waiting for "it" to get better.
you wish she were there
who would expect something more?
you were her mon cher
all those years when you'd adore
both each! can't be as before
Canât be as before
with pain in her eyes each day.
She limped through deathâs door
into Heaven where she may
dance with the angels and play.
dancing with angels
is a wonderful picture --
playing and singing
and before long, both of us
will be joining her with joy!
Iâll join her with joy
if religions got it right.
Science I employ
but Iâll keep faith in Godâs might.
Reincarnation seems trite!
reincarnation
of tripe on poetry sites
so much blathering
repeating the same old themes
over and over again
Over Andover
lies a darkened cloud of guilt.
Salem and Dover
is where witches blood was spilt,
but few towns had a shrine built.
erected new shrine
now covered with witches' blood
old broom left behind
along with huge pot of food
that busy old hands had brewed
Busy hands had brewed
a large pot of étouffée
so it would be rude
and itâs not the southern way
to refuse. Have some today!
please eat some refuse
you cooked with Cajun spices?
not in the habit!
if so, would I be a nun?
they would be none too happy!
Nun would be happy
to dine on some Cajun fare.
The Pope, her pappy,
might frown on her pleasure there.
After each bite⊠say a prayer.
praying over bytes
if purchasing computer
loss of memory
could be his clogged carotids
CT-scanned later today
CT scan schedules
will be difficult to do
because of my rules;
I hate tunnel visionâs view
and refuse to breathe on cue.
I don't breathe on cue
after I've spun it in chalk;
I just break the rack
and watch all the balls scatter
hopefully into pockets
Hope filled the pocket
with a big stimulus check.
Nice, so donât knock it
but now there isnât a speck
and economyâs a wreck.
economy's wrecked
though lots of workers needed
want to keep welfare
whole society expects
a handout (that they pay for!)
Handouts we pay for
from the taxes collected
should be on a par
with work that is expected
or else, theyâll be rejected.
unemployed workers
who turn down new employment
should lose benefits
it's about time they enforced
their own original rules
Origins of rules
should stay forefront on our mind.
They will be the tools
to get folks off their behind
and work. Justice must stay blind.
though justice is blind
jurors' glasses oft doctored
results skewed to left
leaving the public behind
often with woke decisions
Decisions are woke
when the laws do not apply.
Real justice will choke
when lies are the alibi
approved by the FBI.
FBI-approved
rifling through his residence
took away his phones
he had no means of calling
his local authorities
His authority
over secret service folk
was a use-to-be;
when the FBI goons broke
down doors with mirrors and smoke.
his smoke and mirrors
set the stage for his magic
just three little coins
he could make them disappear
before showing up elsewhere
Where else will he show
when he puts in his two cents?
He wants us to know
that he will spare no expense
while bringing back good sense.
bringing back good scents
she lit her incense candles
incensed by the skunk
she soaked in tomato juice
along with all of her clothes
Along all her clothes
was the strong scent of a skunk
which bothered her nose.
Tomato juice sheâd debunk
because everything still stunk.
everything still stunk
'tll she sprayed her Poof bottle
smell all disappeared
she's going on Amazon
to buy as much as she can
Buy all that she can
of Poof spray but I will bet
that term for a man
has not been forgotten yet.
A derisive sobriquet!
"What's a sobriquet?"
asked ignorant sophomore
"It's the name you're called."
"So you're insulting me too?
I'm leaving the school right now!"
If youâre leaving school
before your graduation,
you may be a fool
when words cause consternation.
Youâre barred from procreation!
You're pro-Creation?
Has your opinion evolved
or has it survived
because it is the fittest?
Your teacher may have a fit!
Teachers have a fit
when students refuse to learn.
Some will even quit
but what they do not discern
is the pittance they will earn.
not every teacher
does his job for a pittance;
some, of course, do:
those working at Central School
under Principal Pittance
Principle pittance
refers to each dumb student
who might look askance
at those who think it prudent
to learn that school timeâs well spent.
Was school's dime well spent
keeping bully off your back
and not having milk?
Mommy cared about your health;
you thought it was good for yours
Thought good for ewers
and thrown on a potterâs wheel
was clay from sewers
used by an illegal still.
Made everything taste like swill.
It tasted like swill
precisely because it was.
Mind in the gutter
makes all your thoughts run downhill
while collecting all the dirt.
Collecting the dirt
and pollen grains in the air,
which cause lots of hurt;
is a filter that will spare
the eyes and nose from some care.
ewes and eyes will know
the difference between the sheep;
their mamma sings baas
even kids get the tenor
of their old goat's alto bleat
Old goats also bleat
about the good jobs they do
but they canât compete
with a better goat we knew;
âGreatest Of All Timeâ to you.
Greeting all the time
gets to be very tiresome;
just nod as you pass
allowing me to ignore
while I look away and spit.
Look away and spit
when thereâs a chaw in your cheek
for you know youâll hit
the spittoon but hope is bleak
youâll get kissed because you reek.
kissed because you reek?
she must be quite desperate!
bottom of barrel
wonder what she'll store in it
since it's totally empty
Totally empty
is the head of our leader
for he is simply
a teleprompter reader
and suspected tax cheater.
tax-cheating suspect
in court on trumped up charges;
abandoned by friends
while co-defendants confess
to divert long sentences
Long sentence diverts
attention spans of some folk
so their meaning flirts
with outright lies or a joke
but I find most of it WOKE!
If you find you woke,
roll over and go to sleep
then fill up your dreams
with kittens and warm blankets
before waking to your dog
Wakened by the dog
happens nearly every night.
Sheâll bark at the fog
moving in and thatâs not right
but Iâve never seen her bite.
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