Notes About The Poem

Mike Hammer

I was a self-admitted misanthrope	 
unwilling to lose or drop a case.
I often threw a rope-a-dope
just to win; I never lose face.

I worked the dark streets
for dark, and even darker, clients
while the cops walked their beats,
shadows showing giants.

As far as I was concerned,
they were all a bunch of losers.
They were bad; they’d get burned.
The lot were boozers or bruisers.

I had caught a difficult case
The man was stabbed and shot.
He deserved it; he was debase,
but the perp would be caught.

The lawyer was my client,
he was dirty; the worst he could get.
Damn, he was mighty defiant!
Still, I didn’t think he did it.

He had no motive, but also no alibi.
So why were the cops after him?
He was a jerk, but had no reason to lie.
But for him the outlook was grim.

I might have to pummel every john
on the streets to get to the truth.
It wasn’t unpleasing to use my brawn
and I was a hellava good sleuth.

I’d search every city block.
I’d find the filthy little perp.
I’d find the lowlife and knock
the truth out of the twisted twerp!


26 August 2022
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Copyright © | Year Posted 2022

Poem

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Krutsinger Avatar
September 3, 2022 at 1:19 AM
In the fifties and sixties, "I might have to pummel every john on the streets to get to the truth. It wasn’t unpleasing to use my brawn and I was a hellava good sleuth." This was not only acceptable, but expected!
Fowler Avatar
September 3, 2022 at 6:51 AM
Yes! The adults in my family seemed to think it was okay, as long as it was the "good guy" doing the pummeling. LOL Linda
May Avatar
August 31, 2022 at 2:35 AM
I enjoyed your story of a sleuth looking for the perp in the mean streets, Very nicely done
Fowler Avatar
September 1, 2022 at 5:43 PM
Always a pleasure to have you visit Joseph. Thank you for the kind comments! Linda
Poet Avatar
August 30, 2022 at 1:53 PM
Linda, you are a fantastic private investigator. In this poem, you have done an excellent job of capturing the characteristics of the classic detectives. Superior for the win
Fowler Avatar
August 30, 2022 at 2:22 PM
I thank you very kindly Lasaad. I enjoyed watching the antics of each of the PIs and hope I've captured their essence.Linda
Wolf Avatar
August 27, 2022 at 8:22 PM
Wow, Linda! Sounds like you might have been an undercover detective yourself back in the day. You certainly know your way around the jargon! Great stuff! ~ Sam Spade
Fowler Avatar
August 28, 2022 at 7:12 AM
I think it was the old black and white movies I used to watch with my folks, and books from my mother's library. They both loved a good who-dun-it and their favorites were the hard hitting/talking tough fellas - Bogart, Mitchum, Cagney, EG Robinson, and many others. LOL Thanks gw! laf
Rose  Avatar
August 27, 2022 at 12:50 PM
You make a wonderful sleuth, If I were a twerp I'd stay away from you lol, excellent entry, winning wishes Linda
Fowler Avatar
August 27, 2022 at 5:54 PM
Hahaha Vie. I tried to capture the characteristics of these old style sleuths in these poems. I actually had a lot of fun writing them. I loved watching the old black and white movies with my father. Linda
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