Best Tinkered Poems
The old truck hadn't been used in a while,
But it should be good for a few more miles.
Under the hood, the engine was rusty,
And the interior smelled faintly musty.
Assuming it would start--we all wanted to know...
When we put it in gear, would it actually go?
Someone called,"All the tires are flat".
But a little new air would take care of that.
Better get some fuel, since the gauge is on "E".
Wash the windshield, so the driver can see.
No problem to let it coast downhill to the mechanic's shop;
Next question:Are the brakes good enough to make it stop?
The truck was so bad, it had no heater fan.
But the Master Mechanic had a Master plan!
He took it to His shop for the needed repairs.
'Twas quite a long time that He kept it there.
He tinkered, and cut, and removed lots of stuff
Solving problems we had thought were real tough.
He put in new hoses, gaskets, and such.
What a joy to watch His skillful touch,
As He cut away the old to make room for the new.
Finally the day arrived when he was all through.
A great crowd gathered around the shop door,
To behold the new creation, there on the floor!
It was washed up, and pumped up,and all the fluids were filled.
Even the body He had been forced to rebuild.
Fresh paint;new tires;and the engine a'humming.
It was ready to face the world oncoming!
When flaws seem difficult to be fixed by man.
Stand back, and watch the touch of the Master's Hand.
Charlie Pelota
One Sunday, I came back alone,
Home early from the church,
Not having the key to get in,
I was left in the lurch;
Locked out in the scorching hot sun,
Looking for shade to stand,
Counting the vehicles go by,
I passed the time in hand;
Scolding myself for thoughtlessness,
I sat on "Jupiter",
Hoping my parents would come soon,
I waited undeterred;
Standing almost for one hour there,
Stuck outside my home zone,
In order to avoid the stares,
I tinkered with my phone;
That day, I learnt to be careful,
To check my handbag twice,
Be cool in all circumstances,
Be patient and precise.
09/18/17
*Jupiter - a two-wheeler brand
Form: Poulter's Measure
Hello. Mr. Wizard.
I heard you could help me out.
My engine has had me so disturbed
And your wisdom has been whispered
All about.
Hello. Mr. Wizard
Your friend referred
Me to you since I am in doubt
On my engine which has had me so disturbed.
According to legend you have tinkered
On these engines to know all the water and
Oil routes.
Hello. Mr Wizard
I am honored
To have met a wise man who isn't a lout.
I am glad you will help me with this problem
On my engine which has had me so disturbed.
Now I won't be so flustered.
Do you like trout?
Oh. Mr. Wizard
Thank you so much for helping me with this
Problem on my engine which had me so disturbed.
Closer now we inch to peek
Our face pressed to the window pane
Reach out? We won't, just gaze oblique
A fool's attempt to ascertain
A solid veil through which we see
and yet through which we will not pass
So crystal clear, it lets us be
content to stay behind the glass
So easy, yes, to trick the heart
into a cozy reverie
that outside things play mere bit-part
as non-essential filigree
adorning what we hold so dear
tenacious notions in our eyes
As our breath clouds the glass in fear
we look yet we are none the wise
So in a vain pursuit we wipe
sfumato specters overlain
that paint a hazy phenotype
with breath's fine mist upon the pane
And yet our likeness lingers still
like ghostly shadow cast upon
the world, bare truth it aims to kill
and resurrect a changeling on
that altar which we hide behind
Born with fair beauty, charm and wit
that changeling certitude will find
of skeptic's musings, not a whit
"And yet," we utter, self assured,
"MY wit and breadth of mind have passed
these bounds, oh yes, I'm surely cured
of willful ignorance at last"
~~ So confident we are not blinkered
~~ Yet blind that we ourselves have tinkered
~~ With truths contrary to heart's caprice
~~ That we, arrived at OUR truth's brink, heard
flying out in notes of gold
Caught in heart's twisted web, accursed
and turned to something base, behold!
A shameful alchemy reversed
To take that which is plain to see
and hear with our own eyes and ears
Scrap all with which we disagree
Those truths that animate our fears
Let go your mirrors and your smoke!
Embrace what you'd sooner assail
Though shattered glass does pierce and poke
and open window greets the gale
Tis less a shame to face our faults
with dauntless curiosity
than dance a self-admiring waltz
round truths scattered in paucity.
Blank Page
Clean Slate
Untouched
Somewhat
Once Great
Tho Not So Great Enough
Back Again
Here I Am
Here Again
Unfinished
Tinkered
Tailored
Soldiered Too Fit
Sailors Despise
Redundance
Repitition
Without Point
Without Goal
Without Role
Without Cause
Without Baseline
Without Ship
We All Crash
We All Drown
Why Am I Here
Why Do I Seek Ground
What Is Rich
What Is Poor
Why Does A Begging Man Thieve
Why Does A Thieving Man Beg
Does He
Does He Not
Why Is Happyness Not
Why Is Happyness Sought
I'm Just A Ship On An Ocean
Soldiering On
I'm Just A Sailor Adrift
I'm Just A Beggar Of Current
Richly Alive
Poorly Entwined
Richly Blessed
Poorly Denied & Damned
Fated Too Thieve
Fated Too Conspire
Ride The Waves
Too Navigate
Keep Sailing
Soldiering On
TInker Tailor
Soldier Spy
Richly Poor
Poorly Rich
Begging For Today
Thieving Towards Tommorrow
Leaning Towards Gallows
Scheming Towards Shallows
Solid Soil
Hallowed Ground
Where My Feet Rest Steady
Where My Breath Breathes Selfishly
Unswayed
Alone
Away From
Yet Amongst
The Tinkered With
The Tailored Too
Rich Man Poor Man
Pursuit
I'm Beggan Man
Please Untie This Noose
Bring Me Up
String Me Up
Set Me Free
Drowned Me Under
One Or The Other
One Or The Other
I'm A Soldier
I'm A Sailor
Ima Keep Soldiering On
Ima Keep Sailing
Thieving These Days
Thieving These Nights
Breathing And Drowning
Drowning And Breathing
Untill My Lungs Grow Gills
Untill My Souls 8 Timesed 10
I'm Gonna Walk
I'm Gonna Swim
I'm Gonna Tinker With My Tailor
I'm Gonna Soldier With My Spy
I'm Gonna Be A Rich Man
I'm Gonna Be A Poor Man
I'm Gonna Be A Beggar & A Thief
I'm Gonna Forever & Always
One Way Or Another
Always Be A Sailor
Navigating The Stars
Ill Find You Wherever You Are
Forever & Always
From Here To Botswan
I danced amongst the damp verde fern
As rare as the day this ***** was borne
My flesh did contrast
My eyes stood wide
As i smiled upon Devons devine delicate form
I tinkered along the enticing stream
Which guided my humble
Naked frame
She glistened and smiled
Tinkered and whiled
Within full moon I lay unashamed
I tiptoed beneath her curtains of green
As I followed the sheep to shore
A cavern a cliff a viscous veracious
Biting sea
Oh beauteous
Bounty
I could ne-er ignore
I knelt by her hoof as the sea bit my calves
As my tongue encircled her juice
The finest and sweetest of spring water
Mother Nature would dare to produce
It trickled it teased it willingly pleased
The palette upon my knife
Oh sacred Lady
Mother Nature
Sweet
So unassuming
Im yours till the end of my life
One small word to describe so vast a space.
Universe magnificent in each place.
Perfect creations adorning each room.
Each plant knows best time to open its bloom.
Every creature knows where he belongs.
No bird's distracted by the other songs.
Late arrival humans have changed things a bit,
Their egos convinced there is better fit.
So they tinkered and soon changed things around,
Even started taking oil from the ground.
Animals are dying as are some plants,
Because mankind got too big for its pants.
The problem is now ours, the climate change,
Because we were sure we could rearrange.
Written: July 2, 2019
On this path, this somber trail
Many rivers we have crossed
Not without the pilgrims plight
Fore dreaded sights beseech our heels
And lingering nights tinkered deep,
On we march to victory’s dawn!
On this road laid with thorns
Forlorn wind and sinking sand
With blighted feet we thread along
To the ray of hope in our horizon,
The light is near for victory’s dawn.
Weary not poor traveler’s sole,
Despair not the soul within,
Hearken not to dissent flute,
Fasten not on sorrow’s brood,
Hasten on for victory looms!
On this path such somber trail
Our limbs wane, our heart ached,
Our sight set to the distant light
In the glow beckons our victory song.
Weary not poor traveler’s sole,
Despair not the soul within,
Hearken not to dissent flute,
Fasten not on sorrow’s brood,
Hasten on for victory looms!
Cleanse - To plant 'A Seed of Virtue'...!
Cleanse my mind, cleanse my heart
and cleanse my thought I pray;
seething anger, insatiable desire
and pangs of fear way-lay!
Easy prey for stimulant, that prowls
for a hunt and looks out to vent;
feeds on from incubates in the mind,
held by an incidental stent!
Feelings follow thoughts without a barrier,
like fire and heat awaiting a pyre;
to drag me down, scuffle with me to drown -
deep into awaiting quagmire!
Stuttering words spew venom on,
maybe in offence or in defence;
sequel to inward feeling in a spurt,
finding no way to renounce.
After what is told and heard comes action,
all without knowing - true notion;
waxing and waning emotions, only herding,
mind and intellect to utter commotion!
Does it matter to look at cause and effect,
as a 'dent' done once is done forever;
chinks tinkered, brought back to course -
visible and invisible scars - be guised never!
Repentance may dawn on own guilt - haunt
and later steer towards an apology;
but, the heart and mind of the victim
though has distanced itself beyond 'apogee'!
Sure to help if the thought is reigned,
curbed well or changed in course;
asserted and affirmed on a positive note
will not head-on to anything so coarse!
Plant the seed of virtue in thought and see it
transcend in nature - to boast and hold a toast;
it always does a lot of good to remember the dictum
that "anger first consumes the host"!
(a couple of war wives out the front of their houses)
(Please note *** is cigarette and aye is yes)
So whilst the golden fire displayed nature in her prime
And oak trees stood proud and good in a regimental line
Dancing silhouettes tinkered,creating a wondering swaying scene
Mavis clad in rollers, upon her mop, she had chose to lean
A smelly *** she held in hand as a lady at a ball
Dreaming of Sherry and taffeta, turning the heads of all
Fingers extending as though she were the aristocracy
When up popped Beryl the girl next door
'Dya wanna a cuppa Tea?'
Mavis took a puff, then a breath, then left her world of mind
Said 'oh aye duck, I'd like that'
'you are so very kind!'
She stubbed it out, laid her mop then trotted up the path
Round to Beryles for a cuppa tea and a
Ruddy good laugh!
Hearts torn & twisted --- All left to rot
The hate swarming & flooding rapes me inside
I wish to wake up in a hospital sometimes on a sexy nurse's cot
Burns & swells with adultery he committed that sinful night --- absolutely bled my pride!
Like splitting a pole, or demolishing a tree, inside reciting over & over in me
Our baby not even a year old yet --- he left us for no reason at all
Finally as far as I could see --- was nothing but hatred & water surrounding in this sea
Forgiving & Forgetting is what he expects me to do --- but how can I fix us from this fall?
Everything he's given to me at that point in my life was a lie
I noticed after a while he lost the ambition to move forward with us
But why wouldn't he explain to me where he thought it was I wouldn't try?
After 3 weeks of separation (that almost turned legal) he finally realized who to trust
He came home one night & tried to reclaim his family again
I told him I wasn't interested that if he left once, he'd definitely leave twice
He cried for 3 days (estimating at best) until he determined a way for all 3 of us to win
Our tax refund for 2011 (as we filed married together) was way more suitable than 'nice'
He came up with this wacky plan where we'd take all the money, our family, and run
Somewhere to the beach (East Coast) we both agreed could possibly be the spot
So, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is where we both agreed we could be with our sun
& still when I look back a few months I saw where we were then --- & it's changed a lot
Deciding to mend our marriage was a difficult and hard decision to make with a baby
But stepping aside from the anger, hurt, & rage, we knew we could possibly get thru it
So we stayed together for our family, ourselves, our love & thought, "..well maybe.."
Bright Myrtle Beach where neither of us know anyone, is where our 1st candle will be lit
Walks on the beaches, bright sunsets over the ocean, & raising our son together
Finding new & interesting jobs, meeting people, even when happiness is about
Tinkered with love and sparkled with ups and downs, our love forever endeavors
For now this we've decided is, as of now, our one & only best route
Will It or Won’t it?
I bought a car in ‘98
that was made in ’92.
It had seventy-seven thousand miles
but it still looked like new.
I showed off my little car
to most everyone I saw.
My grandson changed the lettering.
Instead of Grand Am it reads Grandma.
It purred just like a kitten
until one day in a traffic jam,
it stopped and wouldn’t start again.
Grandma jinxed that sweet Grand Am.
Good Samaritans got me off the road
and I called my son-in-law.
That car started for him right away.
There was no hem and haw.
I took it back to where I bought it
and they tinkered around a bit,
then said it worked just fine for them.
There was nothing wrong with it.
So it went for quite while,
it stopped with me, started for them.
It was making me so nervous,
I feared to drive my once loved gem.
I took it to another mechanic
who took it all apart.
He found a glitch in the computer,
the reason why it wouldn’t start.
I still drive that Grandma Grand Am,
though it’s a nineteen year old car.
Like it I am a grandma
and don’t drive it very far.
[for a country doctor]
Here’s another beige plastic do-hickey
busted. We’ll buy a new one,
throw the old away.
But you would have tinkered it back
till it worked. Thin physician hands
adept at hammer, shovel, trowel,
you could fix anything, or turn it
into something else of use.
These days, we can’t find a fuse.
Everything’s expendable.
After 87 years, you knew it was time
to recycle yourself, to turn in
your hands, your wrinkled gray eyes,
your gentle smile.
Monday madness mauled my meandering melancholy mind
Tuesday tinkered tactlessly through tainted thoughtless taunts
Wednesday went without wonderful words whispered willingly
Thursday tempting taunting the tigresses to truant
Friday frivolously featured fruitful freaky fun frolics
Saturday simmered signifying sumptuous sultry spectacular scenes
Sunday slow slovenly siesta singing sunny songs
Am Already Available
A Am already available
B Have been and am still able
C Could consider taking a chance
D Did finally learn how to dance
E Was exceptional when a kid
F Found they said I flipped my lid
G Learned what gravity of it was
H After I had received a horrible buzz
I She indicated that I was an idiot
J And joked about it quite a bit
K Had become king of the ball
L Looks like everyone left the hall
M Made in heaven my love had been
N Around block took her for a spin
O Places on hill were occupied
P Put best forward and call me pie-eyed.
Q Quaintly we become well acquainted
S For my sweet behavior I was sainted
T With tiny toys tinkered around
U That made an undulating sound
V It seemed like for a various reason
W I would start all of my wheezing
Y Yet as youthful as I would be
Z Zipped to zoo where animals love me.
Jim Horn
Let me see one of your alphabet poems.