To Americans, July 4th
is Independence Day,
with; barbecues, concerts, fireworks,
picnics, parades, patriotic festivities,
(a.k.a., Freedom Day).
Despite the star-spangled banner's,
red, white and blue,
to that of the British Union Jack,
being identical in hue,
flag-waving they're compelled,
or conditioned, so to do.
The U.S. Constitution does define,
'Treason' as... the only crime
consisting of levying war
against them, and/or,
to their enemies adhering,
with comfort and aid
by all means conveyed.
To those in England,
considering, in 1776,
colonists went their own sweet way,
it's the ultimate 'Treason Day'.
And, altho' the U.S. touts
'Separation of Church and State',
yea, verily I say,
is it not hypocritically unjust
of them to print on their money,
'In God We Trust'?
In memory of John Farmer, a man so bold,
An ironworker’s tale, in stories retold.
From Local 46, his strength did shine,
In New York’s skyline, his work divine.
A skydiver brave, he soared the skies,
Twice he faced death, but still did rise.
With a heart full of courage, he took the leap,
In the clouds, his spirit, forever to keep.
He loved to cook, with a chef’s delight,
At barbecues, he’d ignite the night.
With spatula in hand, and a grin so wide,
He’d serve up joy, with friends by his side.
A two-fisted drinker, who loved his beer,
In his local pub, he’d bring good cheer.
Known by all, with a laugh so hearty,
He’d light up the room, making everyone jolly.
For John, retirement was just a fancy word for more time to play,
With friends everyday, in whatever came his way.
On April 10th, 2024, he bid us farewell,
But his stories and laughter, forever we’ll tell.
His retirement brief, yet full of zest,
John Farmer, you truly were one of the best.
Rest in peace, dear John, your legacy grand,
In our hearts and memories, you’ll always stand.
Paint a Picture - 7-15-24 Image #1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Place to Remember
A wooden rocker remembers summer
Building sandcastles on distant sands
Wet towels, sunburns, sandy feet
Fireworks - s'mores; summer stars - barbecues -
Lullabies sung in its lap.
Heat breathes
red, white, and blue;
Pools, barbecues, cold drinks;
Fireworks drip like a frozen pop;
Drowned sparks.
The music festival is about to start
Some great bands rock and play their part
A massive crowd has gathered in the noonday sun
It's the perfect setting to let off steam and have some fun
The speakers vibrate as the music starts to play
The open field is now a dance floor with people beginning to sway
We sing along to songs that shape our past
Today new magic will be created surely to last
Smoke from barbecues spirals into the air
Time to line up for culinary delights no time to spare
It was a day of great music and making new friends
Moments like this on life's journey I wish would never end
Colourful flags of the Caribbean
Flood London’s streets,
Vibrations from the sound systems
Pounding heavy reggae beats.
Smells of curry goat
And jerk chicken in the air,
Smoke rising from the barbecues,
Feathers tangled in dancers’ hair.
Men and women whining,
Drums echo through the crowd,
The city shakes with unity —
Culture roaring loud.
Everyone’s united,
Dancing, chanting proud,
Sipping cups of homemade sorrel,
Ancestral voices shouting loud.
And in the bass, in the blaze, in the laughter and cheer,
Echoes of struggle that carried them here —
Chains turned to rhythms, pain turned to song,
A people still marching, still dancing, still strong.
The ocean warms my freshly covered feet
enjoying picnics and barbecues
cutting grass and drinking water
view joy peaceful tasty treats
solstice comes without sound
where peach trees abound
no clouds in sight
sailed gulls flight
nimble
white.
Happy Birthday, United States!
This did not happen, just by fate.
We won the Revolutionary War,
Signed the Declaration of Independence,
and more.
No longer citizens of Great Britain,
Nor under their royal mandate.
We sing America’s Anthem, while
swinging on our gate,
So celebrate with fireworks, barbecues
and cherish your inherited fate.
We are one nation, under God, dedicated
to be free.
Be grateful , do celebrate under your summer’s
beautiful, leafy trees.
7/1/2023
In our city at night,
One can see glowing lights,
And many busy vehicles,
Slowly moving through the streets.
Delicious barbecues for dinner,
The sizzling sounds are such a winner,
The aroma of meat makes us hungry,
And we crave it all, tender and yummy.
In our city, you can wander,
And find sights that make you ponder,
The streets are safe and secure,
With the presence of authorities, for sure.
Nestled in the heart of Mindanao,
A city where bounty never stops to flow,
From durian, pomelo, to mango,
A foodie paradise, it's hard to let go.
Kidapawan is the name,
A city of fruits that has earned its fame,
Known for its tropical treats,
Where the flavors of sweet fruits can't be beat.
Kidapawan is a gem of a city,
With natural wonders and culture aplenty,
A destination worth your time and stay,
Come and experience Kidapawan today!
Loving Day
When Richard and Mildred fell in love,
their fate was decided by a judge.
For he was white and she was black,
their marriage broke Virginia's Integrity Act.
Forced to move to Washington DC,
they opposed the ruling in 1963.
In 1967, a supreme court ruled that Richard and Mildred Loving could live together,
as an interracial married couple in their own state of Virginia,
and declared that the law prohibiting this was unconstitutional.
June 12 is National 'Loving Day', when many Americans continue to celebrate the freedom to marry a person of another race.
Festivals, barbecues, parties are held,
to show that love knows no bound.
For more than forty years, we’ve made
The drive to visit friends,
A trip that takes an hour,
Maybe more or less, depends.
For coffee dates or barbecues
Or walks along the beach
Or beer and burger meals, it was
An easy place to reach.
We traveled those same highways
For the last time yesterday.
Our friends have sold their house
To move a thousand miles away.
Of course, we are invited
To their brand-new home, although
It’s another chapter ended
With not many more to go.
In July mosquitoes fly
And hummingbirds are humming.
Bees will buzz and all because
They don’t know fall is coming.
Weeks remain so none complain
That summer zips by quickly.
School is out and kids, no doubt,
Don’t mind when skin is prickly.
Folks will schmooze at barbecues
And drink like no tomorrow.
Through their sweat, they all forget
These days are just to borrow.
Yellow and black we always fly.
Forming a flower in the sky.
Collecting nectar to make something runny;
Our special, sweet honey.
Always busy on the job.
But challenges make us stick together in a blob.
Yes, we do sting when we are mad.
Then we die knowing that we lived a life that was rad.
We serve till death,
So humans don't take our last breath.
Fly swatters won't stop us from swimming at barbecues in
your waters.
I close my eyes and recall yesterdays beautiful summers
barbecues from charcoal bricks and slow basted meats
aromas that lingered long after the first sizzle of rare
Mother arriving with a platter of raw hotdogs and steaks
dad fanning the fire with an old tin top. Fumigated waves
of thick gray smoke filling the air, we waited hungerly .
Later stuffed as little piglets we would gather round
the wooden picnic table, and tell stories and jokes.
The sun would slowly begin to descend and the air
would gently cool. We'd all go inside for hot tea
and a little T.V. sitcom.
How I miss the old days, wish I could bring them back
even for just one day,. so I could smell the barbecue
and drink mother's sugary strawberry Kool aid,
one more time.
I love the sounds and smells that the fireworks create
and the way they make the nights sky so bright
Spraying and spewing out the fiery confetti
Pouring out its colorful, sparkling light
It brings such awe and joy to all
To see such a beautiful display
After waiting anxiously for it to come
All throughout the summer July day
Although you seem to keep busy enough
Having fun with family and friends
Parades, pools, and barbecues all day
And then fireworks when the daytime ends
Our independence day is a day to honor
Those who fight for us to be free
And to give thanks for the freedoms
We have each day in this land of liberty.
We celebrate our countries independence
With brilliant fireworks in the sky
This day comes each and every year
Celebrated on the 4th of July
6/29/2021
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