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Mosaic Musings...interactive poetry reviews _ Poetry Education -> Karnak Crossing _ Tanka

Posted by: JustDaniel Sep 15 06, 11:23

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 Mary’s 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

Posted by: JustDaniel Oct 4 09, 23:49

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 diff’rently

© M Lee Dickens’son 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 Dickens’son 16 May 2004

do the arithmetic

teach the hollowness
of dull, worn mathematics...
students age, crumble,
ourselves spent, bent willows
who’ve wept till our branches droop

© MLee Dickens’son 27 June 2009

composed of Ten Words from Jack LaZebnik’s 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 we’ve learned
in Light, His presence;
all difficulties purpose
lasting fruit. That’s holiness.

© Daniel J Ricketts 29 May 2005

Posted by: JustDaniel Jan 25 12, 11:15

boundaries

many a kiss
becomes a wake-up slap
boundaries
define who we're not
where we'd like to be

© MLee Dickens’son

Posted by: JustDaniel Apr 11 12, 07:50

re-membered

remember:
days when you ran
with the wind
they have passed away
like your knees


© MLee Dickens'son 2012

Posted by: Alan Apr 11 12, 08:34

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 ?

Posted by: Larry Apr 11 12, 08:58

Standing among stumps
where a forest once florished,
life has departed.
Looking for the reason why,
eyes are blinded by my tears.

Posted by: JustDaniel Apr 11 12, 09:13

QUOTE (Alan @ Apr 11 12, 09:34 ) *
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 ?

The length of your lines here would be fine, in and of themselves, Alan. However, there is usually a PIVOT at the third line, so that the first three lines each are a self-sufficient part of ONE observation, and either the last two lines, OR the last three lines (using the third line in both pictures) each form a self-sufficient part of ANOTHER observation. Does that make sense? [ I picture a tanka kind of as a haiku/senryu with two long lines as an additional (or part of another) observation of the same phenomenon. ]

Let me ATTEMPT to use your pictures to give an example of this:

it is painful
to like your knees
since they're gnarled
they seem knobbly
so unnecessarily


deLighting in your sharing, Daniel sun.gif

Posted by: Larry Apr 13 12, 14:59

Pictures are painted
depicting what artists see
or wish to reveal.
Beauty is self-evident
but epiphanies take time.

Posted by: JustDaniel Apr 18 12, 15:09

a yellow splash
on an indigo canvas...
epiphany
a burst of radiance
comes out of the blue

Posted by: JustDaniel Mar 10 13, 19:55

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

Posted by: Larry Mar 11 13, 09:34

Hi Daniel,

Timely and nicely done! I'll have to get back to you with a continuation of your post.

Larry

Posted by: JustDaniel Mar 11 13, 10:44

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

Posted by: Larry Mar 11 13, 11:46

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

Posted by: JustDaniel Mar 11 13, 14:00

since dogwood decayed
he constructed a cathouse;
good for his business
as his wife watched it grow
he ended in the doghouse

Posted by: JustDaniel Mar 18 13, 08:48

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

Posted by: JustDaniel Dec 15 18, 14:24

three weeks later
I'm still here in rehab
to have my IV's:
simply antibiotics
for body to stave off staph

Posted by: Larry Dec 17 18, 16:08

Christmas time is near
but people seem to forget
the season’s meaning
with what’s found under the tree
instead of the star on top

Posted by: JustDaniel Dec 22 18, 20:54

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

Posted by: Larry Dec 24 18, 23:29

get a quarter back
when you’re buying a new car
and you pay with cash
so when you get a flat tire
you’ll always have some spare change

Posted by: JustDaniel Jan 11 19, 00:56

change your spare often
by rotating the new tires
to even their wear
so everything is balanced
though your checkbook may not be

Posted by: Larry Jan 11 19, 16:12

checkbook may not be
mathematically correct
but when it add up
there is nothing left in it;
funds are gone but it was fun

Posted by: JustDaniel Jan 12 19, 20:44

Mafunzalo had
a habit of borrowing
he never paid back
family members would lend
so Theirfunzalo also

Posted by: Larry Jan 14 19, 16:09

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

Posted by: JustDaniel Jan 16 19, 15:58

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

Posted by: Larry Jan 17 19, 23:38

you would keep your hands
to yourself in crowded bars
or you’ll spill your drink
on someone bigger than you
and get shots you can’t swallow

Posted by: JustDaniel Jan 21 19, 15:45

shooting the swallows
frowned on in Capistrano
Goya won't can them
they are migratory birds
every year on March 19th

Posted by: Larry Jan 22 19, 23:03

march on the 19th
and you are two days early
for MLK day
but you were off Saturday
and Sunday’s a day of rest.

Posted by: JustDaniel Feb 1 19, 09:10

on Sunday you wrest
strange verses from your Bible;
you've something to prove
on Monday you realize
you are just a pompous ass

Posted by: Larry Feb 1 19, 22:50

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

Posted by: JustDaniel Feb 4 19, 08:52

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

Posted by: Larry Feb 5 19, 10:39

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".

Posted by: JustDaniel Feb 13 19, 15:51

interested gropes
are frowned upon by women;
enhanced derrieres
are only for the looking
not for attracted fingers

Posted by: Larry Feb 14 19, 23:51

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?

Posted by: JustDaniel Feb 16 19, 00:56

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

Posted by: Larry Feb 17 19, 23:13

packed in their tight suits,
female stars flaunt each blessing
which no one refutes
but I must be confessing
I’d rather be caressing

Posted by: JustDaniel Feb 18 19, 09:41

I'll be caressing
without any confessing
'cause she is my wife
I enjoy my present life
and will not stir any strife

Posted by: Larry Feb 18 19, 20:03

any strife will stir
pain or anger will occur
and may often blur
what’s said and what you infer
when you are speaking to her

Posted by: JustDaniel Feb 21 19, 16:10

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

Posted by: Larry Feb 23 19, 16:01

vocalize all night
if you are a coyote
with the moon in sight
and you feel billy-goaty
when you’ve eaten peyote

Posted by: JustDaniel Feb 24 19, 05:03

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

Posted by: Larry Feb 25 19, 16:27

make a flush and feel
that you have a winning hand
so when your chips spill
in the pot and things seem grand
don’t cry when four aces land

Posted by: JustDaniel Feb 26 19, 02:08

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

Posted by: Larry Feb 27 19, 16:08

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

Posted by: JustDaniel Feb 27 19, 23:58

ball with no cover
and everyone will see you
do it under wraps
your mate will appreciate
your giving her privacy

Posted by: Larry Feb 28 19, 22:38

her privacy gives
sufficient time to enjoy
the result which lives
in memories you employ
when old age looks might annoy

Posted by: JustDaniel Mar 1 19, 10:33

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

Posted by: Larry Mar 3 19, 14:56

oozes on the page
are unctuous platitudes
which may be the rage
but with today’s attitudes
I’d rather have gratitudes

Posted by: JustDaniel Mar 4 19, 18:16

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

Posted by: Larry Mar 5 19, 18:01

lost all their marbles
when the ruling was announced
and Donald warbles
with tweets, their vendetta’s trounced;
heads will roll but some just bounced

Posted by: JustDaniel Mar 6 19, 00:39

he said heads would roll
and Old MacDonald proved it
go, and lettuce see!
cabbage is even better
because it holds together

Posted by: Larry Mar 6 19, 23:11

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

Posted by: JustDaniel Mar 7 19, 15:07

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

Posted by: Larry Mar 10 19, 11:22

that I did not shave
is what I hear from my wife
‘till I’m in my grave
and it always causes strife
but I guess that is my life

Posted by: JustDaniel Mar 15 19, 14:44

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?

Posted by: Larry Mar 17 19, 16:52

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

Posted by: JustDaniel Mar 18 19, 15:52

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

Posted by: Larry Mar 21 19, 08:08

head of the owner
is now shining and sunburned
and it’s a groaner
when realizing he spurned
sunscreen but now he has learned

Posted by: Larry Apr 11 19, 22:12

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

Posted by: JustDaniel May 27 19, 06:52

send an afterthought
some time after digesting
get rid of the gas
well-constructed ideas
will not just put up a stink

Posted by: Larry May 30 19, 22:25

just put up a stink
about participation;
it’s not what you think,
it’s just solicitation
and my anticipation

Posted by: JustDaniel Jun 1 19, 08:14

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

Posted by: Larry Jun 4 19, 14:15

clean the pool filter
after the dog swims around;
it’s out of kilter
when I get hair by the pound
he sheds all over the ground

Posted by: JustDaniel Jun 7 19, 10:55

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

Posted by: Larry Jun 10 19, 22:51

pooper scooper use
helps in keeping your hands clean
from solids or juice
or something that’s in between
that may look or smell obscene

Posted by: JustDaniel Jun 28 19, 06:18

smelling out Ob scene
were homicide detectives
four Obs found murdered
maid seemed very Ob-servant
so policemen checked her out

Posted by: Larry Jul 12 19, 21:51

policemen checked her
on the lighted street corner
but had to defer
arrest and had to warn her
to quit being a joiner

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 19 19, 14:03

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

Posted by: Larry Aug 20 19, 12:42

out of the oven
for the miner infraction
of diggin’ lovin’;
professional’s attraction
caved in by legal faction

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 20 19, 21:00

a large infection
found him scratching genitals;
his immoral itch
found to be causing him more
than his bargains expected

Posted by: Larry Aug 24 19, 22:36

expected bargain
when shopping for what’s offered
with shouted jargon
is not worth monies proffered
a disbelieving cough heard?

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 30 19, 12:41

believe a coffin
will never hold your body?
need an adjustment
either to your body weight
or view that you will not die.

Posted by: Larry Sep 2 19, 15:07

view that you will die
because it happens to all
even if you try
by spending money to stall
the inevitable pall

Posted by: JustDaniel Sep 2 19, 18:10

available gall
is shouted in the mean streets
gullible crowd hears
truths stripped out of their context
to slander adversaries

Posted by: Larry Sep 12 19, 10:34

To adversaries,
I would suggest you make peace
for each path varies
but some are covered with grease
and rivalries never cease

Posted by: JustDaniel Sep 12 19, 16:49

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

Posted by: Larry Sep 19 19, 13:09

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

Posted by: JustDaniel Sep 23 19, 06:15

someone must be screwed
for family's seed to pass;
that impregnation
had best be consensual
or feud will emerge screaming

Posted by: Larry Oct 11 19, 14:40

Feud emerged screaming
from the peace which used to reign;
guns and knives gleaming
and both sides must be insane
for such hatred you can’t feign

Posted by: JustDaniel Oct 14 19, 07:38

unfeigned hatred
eliminates guesswork
look down the barrel
and you'll see the clear water
collected from off your roof

Posted by: Larry Nov 13 19, 14:40

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

Posted by: JustDaniel Nov 19 19, 05:25

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

Posted by: Larry Dec 12 19, 00:02

you can’t walk in springs
without getting your feet wet
and oozing mud clings
until dried, then it will set
and you’ll have feet of clay yet.

Posted by: JustDaniel Dec 12 19, 04:01

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

Posted by: Psyche Dec 26 19, 11:12

QUOTE (JustDaniel @ Dec 12 19, 06:01 ) *
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


Hi Daniel, haven't been here for ages. I like your tanka, highly original. But ouch! Not for me. LOL.
Deftly worded. Hope you had a peaceful Christmas.
Best wishes, Sylvia butterfly.gif goodjob.gif

Posted by: JustDaniel Dec 27 19, 23:42

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!

Posted by: Larry Jul 16 22, 15:31

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.

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 8 22, 08:08

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


Posted by: Larry Aug 9 22, 18:59

A hunting license
requires some prerequisites;
the desire to kill
and possession of a gun.
Otherwise, it ain’t no fun.

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 9 22, 23:57

Havin' pain ain't fun
nor is an amputation
but it disappears
along with neuropathy
when the right leg gets cut off!

Posted by: Larry Aug 10 22, 17:49

Right leg gets cut off
which is a drastic measure
but one can not scoff
when this action brings pleasure;
for we’re blessed with mind’s treasure.

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 11 22, 10:04

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!

Posted by: Larry Aug 12 22, 15:51

I haven’t found it
because memory’s hazy
so I’ll just admit
neither of us is lazy.
It’s a short trip to crazy


Thanks for the heads-up! It is now edited and grammatically correct.


Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 12 22, 20:20

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

Posted by: Larry Aug 13 22, 08:31

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.

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 13 22, 12:12

she's surely not miffed
for it's being used again
very thoughtful gift
surely they have handymen
to service it now and then

Posted by: Larry Aug 14 22, 11:03

Service now and then
is where I should be going
for our plan was when
improvements started showing,
that’s blessings He’s bestowing

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 14 22, 12:42

He bestows blessing
even when we're not looking
Best we're not messing
with our destiny, booking
trips before dinner's cooking

Posted by: Larry Aug 14 22, 17:43

Looks like it is rhyme time in Tanka town!


Trips before dinner
when you’re fishing on the lake
might be a winner
if you catch fish you can bake;
it’s a chance you have to take!

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 14 22, 17:56

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!

Posted by: Larry Aug 14 22, 19:29

A funeral fest
is normally called a wake
but I lost the best
and that pain I cannot take;
it’s His decision to make

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 15 22, 06:13

must make decision
about whether I should rhyme
like circumcision
could remove a lot of slime
yet it oft takes too much time

Posted by: Larry Aug 15 22, 15:49

It takes too much time
when he’s getting his hair done
and it feels sublime
but the comb out is not fun.
He will dry It in the sun.

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 18 22, 08:01

drying in the sun
drudgery for a raisin
being grape is fun
hanging around amazin'
but here on rack, it's blazin'

Posted by: Larry Aug 18 22, 14:34

It’s blazing on rack
so I lowered the grill’s heat;
flipped ribs on their back
and finished my weekend treat.
No one likes overcooked meat.

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 19 22, 03:39

Overcooked meat sucks
at your summertime cookout
'cause it costs big bucks
Guilty chef had best look out
for homeowner if he's stout

Posted by: Larry Aug 19 22, 14:06

A stout homeowner
might consider losing weight
if he’s a loner.
I’ve heard that one diet’s great;
serve food on a smaller plate.

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 19 22, 23:45

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

Posted by: Larry Aug 20 22, 10:46

Each bit will be chewed
at least twenty times or more.
Digestion ensued!
For nutrition starts before
your food hits the stomach’s floor

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 21 22, 07:36

Stomached food hit floor
having not been digested
When I asked for more
she brought what I requested...
but then I got congested

Posted by: Larry Aug 21 22, 10:20

I got congested
with the pollen and the rain
so I got tested
and found my cold was just plain;
not another COVID strain.

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 22 22, 02:35

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

Posted by: Larry Aug 22 22, 17:01

If you ask to peek
do you want to see my face
or just hear me speak?
Of COVID, there’s not a trace
but that is only God’s grace.

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 24 22, 04:32

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

Posted by: Larry Aug 24 22, 15:19

We survive to live
every moment of each day
so don’t take, just give
Him thanks whenever you pray;
it keeps the Devil at bay

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 25 22, 06:13

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



Posted by: Larry Aug 26 22, 20:45

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

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 28 22, 03:25

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!)

Posted by: Larry Aug 30 22, 15:18

Our contest for show
and tell is at your behest
for all entrants know
it’s much better than the rest
in teaching what we know best.

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 30 22, 15:28

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!

Posted by: Larry Sep 1 22, 23:31

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.

Posted by: JustDaniel Sep 2 22, 09:43

Each of them has grown
in editing their rondeaux
making them their own
Their images are aglow
Judging will be hard, you know

Posted by: Larry Sep 2 22, 22:42

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.

Posted by: JustDaniel Sep 3 22, 00:23

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

Posted by: Larry Sep 5 22, 07:27

Feedback’s good for them
when the rhymes and metrics err
but chances are slim
if gaffes are left where they were.
Perfection’s spoon needs to stir.

Posted by: JustDaniel Sep 5 22, 17:43

spooning's perfection
in loving relationships
giving affection
with the pressing of your hips
giving longing for your lips


Posted by: Larry Sep 8 22, 11:23

For your lips giving
a taste of friendship and love
you’ve kept me living
as if I’m blessed from above
though your soul flew like a dove




For Ginger! May she rest in peace.

Posted by: JustDaniel Sep 9 22, 18:30

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


Posted by: Larry Sep 10 22, 10:14

Explore nurse’s feet
like podiatrists might do
when shifts are complete.
Fashion is never their cue;
they wear a sensible shoe.

Posted by: JustDaniel Oct 9 22, 17:38

a sensible shoe
doesn't help my phantom foot
it sits on my chair
while the foot keeps on throbbing
despite all medication

Posted by: Larry Oct 10 22, 09:01

All medications
have many a side effect
so expectations
foreshadow what we expect
from drug company’s neglect

Posted by: JustDaniel Oct 10 22, 15:32

neglecting your meds
can result in side effects
drugs also have them
good doctors will explain them
as a matter of balance


Posted by: Larry Oct 11 22, 18:30

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

Posted by: JustDaniel Oct 21 22, 16:12

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!

Posted by: Larry Oct 22 22, 13:00

A simple bone-break
is a misnomer at best.
for what is at stake
in my advanced age would test
the patience with which I’m blessed.

Posted by: JustDaniel Oct 23 22, 03:45

therapists' patients
are tested regularly
lest they be found drugged
out of the room unconscious
from over-exercising

Posted by: Larry Oct 25 22, 21:16

Over exercise
and you will tear down muscle
in your arms and thighs
but folks without some hustle
appear to wear a bustle.

Posted by: JustDaniel Oct 26 22, 01:39

hustling your bustle
quickly emphasizes rear
but slowing it down
could well keep your waist abreast
with the rest of your body

Posted by: Larry Oct 27 22, 10:56

Resting your body
after some exercising
may cause some hottie
to think she’ll be surprising
someone who’s compromising

Posted by: JustDaniel Oct 27 22, 12:14

she's compromising
herself sharing her body
observers decide
not to compromise with her
keeping to their own mores

Posted by: Larry Nov 5 22, 12:12

The mores they keep
should be considered a sin.
Sow and they will reap
shared rewards and we’ll begin
to improve the world we’re in.

Posted by: JustDaniel Nov 5 22, 15:35

to improve our world
we should step aside from it
to remove the stink
perhaps the new atmosphere
won't be so devastating

Posted by: Larry Nov 7 22, 21:13

Devastating want
is a goal for which some strive
although others flaunt
their excess when they arrive.
Waste would keep millions alive.

Posted by: JustDaniel Nov 8 22, 11:27

waste will keep alive
millions of egregious germs
stacked in your dung heap
cover them with fallen leaves
composting them for garden

Posted by: Larry Nov 9 22, 20:25

Compost for garden
must be regularly turned
or it will harden.
All human waste must be spurned
or veggie sprouts will get burned.




Posted by: JustDaniel Nov 10 22, 14:27

unburned veggie sprouts
mature to delicious food
'midst well-turned compost
unfortunately some folks
think all veggies taste like crap

Posted by: Larry Nov 13 22, 11:17

“Veggies taste like crap!”
is a bad cooks’ reasoning,
They need a hard slap
and the proper seasoning
to give veggies a real zing.

Posted by: JustDaniel Nov 13 22, 12:26

veggies with a zing
give the register cha-ching
in local cafe
chef gives menu an upswing
out of his secret attaché


Posted by: Larry Nov 14 22, 12:25

The secrets attached
to the oaths that you may swear
must always be matched
with the truths you’ll never share
to keep your heart and mind square.

Posted by: JustDaniel Nov 14 22, 12:30

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?

Posted by: Larry Nov 16 22, 10:19

Content to be blind
to the jests of an old friend
who, with his keen mind,
pens his quips without an end.
I’ve laughed and sometimes just grinned.

Posted by: JustDaniel Nov 18 22, 12:06

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

Posted by: Larry Nov 19 22, 10:27

This weather can last
until the winter has passed
and then in the spring
we’ll feel like having a fling
if we can keep the car gassed.

Posted by: JustDaniel Nov 20 22, 12:22

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

Posted by: Larry Nov 22 22, 00:16

Fast replacements will
cost you a lot of money
and that briefest thrill
may be eggs that are runny
left by the Easter Bunny

Posted by: JustDaniel Nov 22 22, 08:26

your Easter Bunny
appears to be very late
perhaps your Santa
will show up some time in May
and pick a bouquet for you

Posted by: Larry Nov 26 22, 12:41

You pick a bouquet
from the roses you’ve planted
and that is okay
but don’t take them for granted.
Cut each stem with shears slanted.

Posted by: JustDaniel Nov 26 22, 14:56

stems carefully cut
to create a rose bouquet
love poem attached
underscoring importance
of her deep intimacy

Posted by: Larry Nov 29 22, 11:14

True intimacy
is difficult to achieve.
Two reasons might be
that some may try to deceive
while others just don’t believe.

Posted by: JustDaniel Nov 29 22, 11:20

who'd ever believe
love from a wilted bouquet
though roses are red
any color would have done
for producing aged doubt

Posted by: Larry Nov 30 22, 20:58

Age produced some doubt
but memories etched by time
are what love’s about.
Life in intimacy’s clime,
when shared, is always sublime.

Posted by: JustDaniel Dec 6 22, 17:56

lemon is sub-lime
but much better than grapefruit
try some oranges
cutting them and squeezing them
into a glass for drinking

Posted by: Larry Dec 9 22, 00:36

A glass for drinking
should be clean and unbroken
but don’t be clinking
them when a toast is spoken
or you may wind up chokin’

Posted by: JustDaniel Dec 21 22, 18:47

wind may make you choke
running a race into it
expecting to win
onlookers will understand
since you're still wearing your sweats

Posted by: Larry Dec 25 22, 11:36

Wearing sweats to race
will soak up perspiration
which cools you apace.
It’s a bad situation.
There’ll be no celebration.

Posted by: JustDaniel Dec 26 22, 06:37

no celebration
wearing your sweats in a race
that perspiration
adds to the weight of the sweats
till you come in a cool last

Posted by: Larry Dec 27 22, 19:04

Last place is not cool
unless you look for what’s lost.
A common sense rule
makes one consider the cost
to recall where it was tossed.

Posted by: JustDaniel Dec 28 22, 01:30

Recall where you'd tossed
while running the marathon
when you had been sauced.
Remember who you'd heaved on
though conclusion was forgone.


Posted by: Larry Dec 31 22, 10:15

Foregone conclusions,
much like the fortune teller
are just illusions.
Much like old Yuri Geller
whose sleight of hand is stellar.

Posted by: JustDaniel Dec 31 22, 12:04

stellar sleight of hand
by Penn who's the real teller;
Teller never tells
but together their magic
outshines contemporaries

Posted by: Larry Jan 1 23, 09:59

Contemporaries
may exist at the same time
but their skill varies
and they often fail to climb
to the top where it’s sublime.

Posted by: JustDaniel Jan 1 23, 13:53

top tea brews sub-lime
giving it a citrus bite
add a few crumpets
for a fine English breakfast
or an American brunch

Posted by: Larry Jan 4 23, 10:36

American brunch?
Is that a late breakfast time
or tardiness’ scrunch.
to cover a verbal crime?
Let’s do “Linner” on my dime!

Posted by: JustDaniel Jan 7 23, 17:13

"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

Posted by: Larry Jan 12 23, 13:15

I will have dinner
when some people call it lunch
but never Brynner
because Yul may want to punch.
Supper’s always a winner!

Posted by: JustDaniel Jan 12 23, 17:24

supper in winter
can be very cold outside
best to stay inside
perhaps next to your fireplace
filled with flaming cherry logs

Posted by: Larry Jan 20 23, 10:39

Flaming cheery logs
may keep you warm when it’s cold
as well as your dogs
but loneliness will enfold
when you have no one to hold.

Posted by: JustDaniel Jan 20 23, 20:57

with no one to hold
settle for a cigarette
smoke will encircle
all of your swirling feelings
'til they vanish in a fog

Posted by: Larry Jan 24 23, 01:21

Vanished in a fog
is where your memories hide
and no one can jog
precious thoughts you are denied
‘till you don’t know your own bride.

Posted by: JustDaniel Jan 24 23, 10:21

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

Posted by: Larry Jan 25 23, 22:54

I didn’t know her
until we became good friends.
Now, life is a blur
and missing her never ends
but the memories bring grins.

Posted by: JustDaniel Jan 26 23, 16:22

grins left memories
for Larry of his dear bride
what more could one ask?
slowly-developed friendship
creates the best kind of love

Posted by: Larry Jan 30 23, 08:58

The best kind of love
is one that is never planned;
it’s sent from above
and the feelings brought are grand
with vows and a wedding band.

Posted by: JustDaniel Jan 30 23, 17:21

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

Posted by: Larry Feb 1 23, 21:16

Ruined wedding dress
caused some trouble with the bride.
Now she must confess
it was to save daddy’s pride
and the bump she couldn’t hide.

Posted by: JustDaniel Feb 2 23, 13:25

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

Posted by: Larry Feb 5 23, 00:29

Glowing down the aisle,
she hangs on daddy’s left arm.
Behind veil's a smile;
for he will keep her from harm
or there’ll be a fecal storm.

Posted by: JustDaniel Feb 5 23, 07:22

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

Posted by: Larry Feb 7 23, 01:41

Searched for broom and mop
to clean up the bathroom hall
but it doesn’t stop.
Though her spouse is still in thrall,
he knows she can’t cook at all.

Posted by: JustDaniel Feb 8 23, 13:38

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

Posted by: Larry Feb 11 23, 20:22

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.

Posted by: JustDaniel Feb 12 23, 07:07

bedding with your spouse
like sheets and pillow cases
litter your bedroom
it looks rather alarming
when you first enter the room

Posted by: Larry Feb 19 23, 11:27

Enter the room first
to make sure that all is neat.
Avoid being cursed
for when your visit’s complete,
you’ve lowered the toilet seat.

Posted by: JustDaniel Feb 19 23, 15:00

lowered toilet seat
could be inappropriate
is yellow liquid
visible on the surface?
she will likely be pissed off

Posted by: Larry Feb 21 23, 11:41

She will be pissed off
and there’s no way to atone
so please do not scoff.
A wet ass she won’t condone
and you may wind up alone.

Posted by: JustDaniel Feb 21 23, 19:04

winding up alone
a bachelor's nightmare
dreams continue
and he hopes that one day
she'll be dreaming of him

Posted by: Larry Feb 26 23, 09:20

If she dreams of him
when she’s talking in her sleep
then chances are slim
that she’s the one you should keep;
tell her, “Go live with the creep!”

Posted by: JustDaniel Feb 26 23, 16:56

"Go live with the creep,
you little double-dealer!"

his famous last words
before a five-year dry spell;
followed her to the desert

Posted by: Larry Feb 27 23, 12:18

Desert follows her
with its warmth under the sun
but men will concur
cold heart at night is no fun;
it’s one date and then you’re done.

Posted by: JustDaniel Feb 28 23, 16:47

one date on the dune
leaving you with burning heart
recovery long
from your horrible sunburn
a second date unlikely

Posted by: Larry Mar 2 23, 09:10

Likely second date
depends on what she wanted.
If the first went great
and you like what she flaunted,
face the future undaunted.

Posted by: JustDaniel Mar 3 23, 16:46

undaunted future:
unabashed time-machine work
to see what's coming
somehow what's going on now
is likely a lot safer

Posted by: Larry Mar 7 23, 17:10

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 it’s good sense?

Posted by: JustDaniel Mar 8 23, 07:06

She seldom makes sense
when she tries to explain things
because she's not smart
but how could you expect more
with little education.

Posted by: Larry Mar 14 23, 11:47

With education
knowledge is not guaranteed.
Train’s at the station
but no one will intercede
unless you think and have need.

Posted by: JustDaniel Mar 15 23, 06:14

You think you've kneaded
your pizza dough long enough
but the taste is flat
Even tomato gravy
cannot make it recover

Posted by: Larry Mar 16 23, 09:16

Remake and cover
with a nice variety.
A pizza lover
wants to have a panoply
of food he can taste and see.

Posted by: JustDaniel Mar 17 23, 09:56

taste, and you will see
my pizza only has cheese
nothing to distract
from tasting mozzarella
standing beneath umbrella

Posted by: Larry Mar 19 23, 11:07

Beneath umbrellas
people hide from rain and sun
and there are fellas
who think both are lots of fun
but I’ll never be that one.

Posted by: JustDaniel Mar 19 23, 22:06

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

Posted by: Larry Mar 24 23, 11:08

A deeper effect
is what lies beneath the skin
so it’s circumspect
when relationships begin
to examine what’s within

Posted by: JustDaniel Apr 10 23, 18:23

Examination
may lead to fascination
It's hard to hide it
when it becomes your diet
... and it's hard to keep quiet.

Posted by: Larry Apr 12 23, 12:17

Quiet’s hard to keep
if you’re out there having fun.
Even when you sleep,
your subconscious knows which one
you must pick when you are done.

Posted by: JustDaniel Apr 14 23, 02:58

You've become Finnished
when moving to Helsinki
to change residence
Hellish apartment then sank
into one of the fiords

Posted by: Larry Apr 18 23, 10:33

Fiords are like Lochs
without the monster inside;
made by ice and rocks.
We don’t have those things stateside
and Lox has cream cheese applied.

Posted by: JustDaniel Apr 18 23, 16:37

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

Posted by: Larry Apr 21 23, 00:30

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.

Posted by: JustDaniel Apr 22 23, 16:58

some toppings astound
but deep dish pizzas not round
seldom have ground round
I like ham and pineapple
while others prefer mushrooms

Posted by: Larry Apr 27 23, 10:15

Mushrooms with the works
like olives and anchovies
with some other perks.
Don’t add the hot peppers please!
They just make me gag and wheeze.

Posted by: JustDaniel Apr 28 23, 07:20

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!"


Posted by: Larry May 1 23, 11:27

Some disgusting jokes
depend on education.
It could be a hoax
if the imagination
can’t follow information.

Posted by: JustDaniel May 2 23, 23:33

some information
is difficult to follow
as are some tankas
but who reads them anyhow
here in the Karnak basement?

Posted by: Larry May 7 23, 09:50

In Karnak’s basement
is where poems go to die.
Perhaps the placement
could be a good alibi.
You won’t know unless you try!

Posted by: JustDaniel May 8 23, 10:32

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

Posted by: Larry May 11 23, 11:11

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.

Posted by: JustDaniel May 13 23, 12:43

despairing of love
will never find a lover;
comparing your love
to that of your janitor
will make a clean sweep of it

Posted by: Larry May 18 23, 11:33

Will makes a clean sweep
Won’t may leave an empty room
Greed is what you keep
Needs remain until the tomb
Desires are a waiting groom

Posted by: JustDaniel May 22 23, 05:25

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

Posted by: Larry May 26 23, 10:56

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.

Posted by: JustDaniel May 28 23, 06:48

fearfully red file;
blacksmith dunks it in water
to restore temper
his soft words had grated us
since he somehow lost his cool

Posted by: Larry May 29 23, 10:57

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.

Posted by: JustDaniel May 30 23, 13:48

someone enters seed
into the newly-plowed soil
it's hard to believe
that sunflower seeds create
gigantic yellow blossoms

Posted by: Larry Jun 1 23, 11:26

Gigantic Blossoms
of my two Queens of the Night

large as Opossums;
an Epiphyllum delight
blooms ‘till dawn; that is their plight.

Posted by: JustDaniel Jun 1 23, 13:43

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

Posted by: Larry Jun 3 23, 21:37

Forsaking His grace
is not where you want to go.
You will lose your place
in the queue that we all know
and you’ll wind up down below.

Posted by: JustDaniel Jun 4 23, 09:06

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?

Posted by: Larry Jun 8 23, 14:30

Your grandfather clock
is no longer keeping time.
There’s no tick or tock
since it committed the crime
of killing mice in a rhyme.

Posted by: JustDaniel Jun 8 23, 14:58

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

Posted by: Larry Jun 11 23, 11:23

Cut off blind things tail?
They would still scurry and shock
farmer’s wives. They fail
to remember that old clock.
Hickory-Dickory-Dock!

Posted by: JustDaniel Jun 12 23, 21:05

Dick Oridocker
always worked around the clock
until one dark night;
attacked by tailless blind mice
he slept with the farmer's wife

Posted by: Larry Jun 19 23, 10:47

Slept with former wife
but it was not for pleasure.
She caused too much strife.
I just wanted to measure
how she’d wasted love’s treasure.

Posted by: JustDaniel Jun 20 23, 21:22

wasting love's treasures
ain't about condom-wearing;
no intimacy
just going through the motions
gives no lasting emotions

Posted by: Larry Jun 25 23, 11:13

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.

Posted by: JustDaniel Jun 27 23, 04:18

catch makes them aghast
before long they will become
new fishers of men
Peter, James and John, his bro
would take lead of disciples

Posted by: Larry Jun 28 23, 13:04

Would disciples lead
any new converts astray
when they intercede?
The path they follow each day
is teaching them how to pray.

Posted by: JustDaniel Jun 29 23, 10:15

teaching them to pray
ties their chords with the Father
Holy Spirit too
He will advocate for them
every moment of their lives

Posted by: Larry Jul 1 23, 12:31

Moments of each life
are all stored in peoples’ brains.
Happiness and strife
are memories it contains
when only the soul remains.

Posted by: JustDaniel Jul 1 23, 16:56

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

Posted by: Larry Jul 4 23, 09:25

There’s none who bother
explaining where soul races.
Is it the Father
who decides where soul’s place is?
I’ll stay in His good graces!

Posted by: JustDaniel Jul 5 23, 13:06

grace is always good
to say at all your meal times;
always be thankful
when you're given a tankful
and avoid being prankful

Posted by: Larry Jul 11 23, 10:20

When full, avoid pranks
for digestion causes gas.
You think it’s just blanks
that you might silently pass
but you’ll wind up with a mass.

Posted by: JustDaniel Jul 12 23, 13:19

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

Posted by: Larry Jul 13 23, 13:34

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.

Posted by: JustDaniel Jul 13 23, 14:44

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


Posted by: Larry Jul 16 23, 09:26

Can’t be as before
with pain in her eyes each day.
She limped through death’s door
into Heaven where she may
dance with the angels and play.

Posted by: JustDaniel Jul 18 23, 10:41

dancing with angels
is a wonderful picture --
playing and singing
and before long, both of us
will be joining her with joy!

Posted by: Larry Jul 20 23, 08:38

I’ll join her with joy
if religions got it right.
Science I employ
but I’ll keep faith in God’s might.
Reincarnation seems trite!

Posted by: JustDaniel Jul 23 23, 09:35

reincarnation
of tripe on poetry sites
so much blathering
repeating the same old themes
over and over again

Posted by: Larry Jul 25 23, 11:22

Over Andover
lies a darkened cloud of guilt.
Salem and Dover
is where witches blood was spilt,
but few towns had a shrine built.


Posted by: JustDaniel Jul 25 23, 16:52

erected new shrine
now covered with witches' blood
old broom left behind
along with huge pot of food
that busy old hands had brewed

Posted by: Larry Jul 28 23, 09:13

Busy hands had brewed
a large pot of étouffée
so it would be rude
and it’s not the southern way
to refuse. Have some today!

Posted by: JustDaniel Jul 29 23, 17:04

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!

Posted by: Larry Jul 30 23, 12:03

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.

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 1 23, 01:46

praying over bytes
if purchasing computer
loss of memory
could be his clogged carotids
CT-scanned later today

Posted by: Larry Aug 5 23, 08:26

CT scan schedules
will be difficult to do
because of my rules;
I hate tunnel vision’s view
and refuse to breathe on cue.

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 5 23, 22:34

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

Posted by: Larry Aug 8 23, 09:46

Hope filled the pocket
with a big stimulus check.
Nice, so don’t knock it
but now there isn’t a speck
and economy’s a wreck.

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 11 23, 03:30

economy's wrecked
though lots of workers needed
want to keep welfare
whole society expects
a handout (that they pay for!)

Posted by: Larry Aug 12 23, 01:31

Handouts we pay for
from the taxes collected
should be on a par
with work that is expected
or else, they’ll be rejected.

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 12 23, 18:20

unemployed workers
who turn down new employment
should lose benefits
it's about time they enforced
their own original rules

Posted by: Larry Aug 18 23, 22:06

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.

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 20 23, 20:52

though justice is blind
jurors' glasses oft doctored
results skewed to left
leaving the public behind
often with woke decisions

Posted by: Larry Aug 24 23, 10:06

Decisions are woke
when the laws do not apply.
Real justice will choke
when lies are the alibi
approved by the FBI.

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 26 23, 22:36

FBI-approved
rifling through his residence
took away his phones
he had no means of calling
his local authorities

Posted by: Larry Aug 28 23, 10:30

His authority
over secret service folk
was a use-to-be;
when the FBI goons broke
down doors with mirrors and smoke.

Posted by: JustDaniel Aug 29 23, 05:20

his smoke and mirrors
set the stage for his magic
just three little coins
he could make them disappear
before showing up elsewhere

Posted by: Larry Aug 31 23, 11:41

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.

Posted by: JustDaniel Sep 3 23, 07:30

bringing back good scents
she lit her incense candles
incensed by the skunk
she soaked in tomato juice
along with all of her clothes

Posted by: Larry Sep 6 23, 00:33

Along all her clothes
was the strong scent of a skunk
which bothered her nose.
Tomato juice she’d debunk
because everything still stunk.

Posted by: JustDaniel Sep 9 23, 09:23

everything still stunk
'tll she sprayed her Poof bottle
smell all disappeared
she's going on Amazon
to buy as much as she can

Posted by: Larry Sep 12 23, 21:58

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!

Posted by: JustDaniel Sep 15 23, 10:05

"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!"

Posted by: Larry Sep 18 23, 09:44

If you’re leaving school
before your graduation,
you may be a fool
when words cause consternation.
You’re barred from procreation!

Posted by: JustDaniel Sep 18 23, 20:54

You're pro-Creation?
Has your opinion evolved
or has it survived
because it is the fittest?
Your teacher may have a fit!

Posted by: Larry Sep 19 23, 23:04

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.

Posted by: JustDaniel Sep 22 23, 12:45

not every teacher
does his job for a pittance;
some, of course, do:
those working at Central School
under Principal Pittance

Posted by: Larry Sep 26 23, 08:55

Principle pittance
refers to each dumb student
who might look askance
at those who think it prudent
to learn that school time’s well spent.

Posted by: JustDaniel Sep 27 23, 04:55

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


Posted by: Larry Sep 29 23, 08:16

Thought good for ewers
and thrown on a potter’s wheel
was clay from sewers
used by an illegal still.
Made everything taste like swill.

Posted by: JustDaniel Oct 3 23, 08:50

It tasted like swill
precisely because it was.
Mind in the gutter
makes all your thoughts run downhill
while collecting all the dirt.

Posted by: Larry Oct 7 23, 00:35

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.

Posted by: JustDaniel Oct 7 23, 21:32

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

Posted by: Larry Oct 9 23, 20:35

Old goats also bleat
about the good jobs they do
but they can’t compete
with a better goat we knew;
“Greatest Of All Time” to you.

Posted by: JustDaniel Oct 10 23, 03:16

Greeting all the time
gets to be very tiresome;
just nod as you pass
allowing me to ignore
while I look away and spit.

Posted by: Larry Oct 13 23, 09:01

Look away and spit
when there’s a chaw in your cheek
for you know you’ll hit
the spittoon but hope is bleak
you’ll get kissed because you reek.

Posted by: JustDaniel Oct 19 23, 09:42

kissed because you reek?
she must be quite desperate!
bottom of barrel
wonder what she'll store in it
since it's totally empty

Posted by: Larry Oct 24 23, 09:52

Totally empty
is the head of our leader
for he is simply
a teleprompter reader
and suspected tax cheater.

Posted by: JustDaniel Oct 25 23, 08:21

tax-cheating suspect
in court on trumped up charges;
abandoned by friends
while co-defendants confess
to divert long sentences

Posted by: Larry Oct 26 23, 09:47

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!

Posted by: JustDaniel Oct 27 23, 10:29

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

Posted by: Larry Oct 31 23, 10:23

Wakened by the dog
happens nearly every night.
She’ll bark at the fog
moving in and that’s not right
but I’ve never seen her bite.

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