Bogart Poems | Examples

NOTHING MISSING, NOTHING BROKEN

NOTHING MISSING, NOTHING BROKEN 
With your head, roll out drums,
Mighty trumpets in their stead,
And like Eagles soar higher in the sky,
The skies of your mind, 

Do not crumble on vain things,
And do not hijack your fights_
From within.....
Never you nurse or nature,
Thoughts of negatives 
But like the lion, swim in positives
For the whole essence of life,
Is synonymous to dire softness.

For the Knower squeezes,
The oozing chant in her hue,
While the plangent solo dies
The strange strength of a fish,
Lies in its tender thoughts.

Make your thoughts tender,
For all is but a staged drama,
And sooner, we may leave.

As I tender to you 
This tender foliage wand;
Undress these emotions,
Negative tongues waxing 
In a pillock of confusion...

So, let’s zhuzh up our thoughts,
In this torrid and bogart spheres;
As I reverberate yet again,
Nothing missing, nothing broken.

Finally, I wave you all, shalom!

Casablanca

Rick is willilng to sacrifice his happiness
As Ilsa was willing to sacrifice her husband's love
Both unwilling pawns created by a war
neither of them started or will finish

Humphrey Bogart

Humphrey Bogart 
Played a slimy part 
With- the leeches, scene 
In- "The African Queen"

Hollywood's Golden Years

Ah! The Golden Years of Hollywood
And those old black and white movies
Some were cinematic disasters
But some you could call quite groovy

Even now, my heart skips a beat
When one appears on the late night screen
I choke up a bit seeing John Wayne
As he swaggers in and out of the scene

Today with its technology and trickery
We don't know if people are real
Or made up computer animation dudes
To me, it seems way too surreal

Take me back to the Spaghetti Westerns
The gangster films of Cagney and Bogart
The Three Stooges, Abbott and Costello
Loved them all, that was cinematic art

The stunning sensuality of Ingrid Bergman
The glamour of a young Elizabeth Taylor
The bombshell beauty of Marilyn Monroe
Bardot, Betty Grable and more

The newsreels, the cartoons, the travelogues
And the giant blockbusters of the time
Sure was a lot for twenty-five cents
Plus popcorn and a drink for a dime

Ah! The Golden Years of Hollywood
Great musicals like “Singing In The Rain”
“An American In Paris” with Gene Kelly
Sure wish I could go back there again

Casablanca Exceeded Expectations

The New Yorker said Casablanca was “pretty tolerable”
No one expected it to do great things.
It was surprising when it won Best Picture of 1942.
Eighty-one years old, and it is now iconic.

My husband has a six foot poster of it in his office.
He watches it six to ten times a year.
I remind him that Bogart had to stand on a couple of blocks.
Ingrid Bergman was over two inches taller than he was.

Paul Henreid aka Victor Laszlo called Bogart a mediocre actor.
Bogart called Paul a “prissy prima donna”.
“Here’s looking at you kid” is attributed to Bogart.
He said it to Bergman when he taught her poker in between takes.

Hollywood's Golden Years

Ah! The Golden Years of Hollywood
And those old black and white movies
Some were cinematic disasters
But some you could call quite groovy

Even now, my heart skips a beat
When one appears on the late night screen
I choke up a bit seeing John Wayne
As he swaggers in and out of the scene

Today with its technology and trickery
We don't know if people are real
Or made up computer animation dudes
To me, it seems way too surreal

Take me back to the Spaghetti Westerns
The gangster films of Cagney and Bogart
The newsreel of the day plus a cartoon
Loved them all, that was cinematic art

The stunning sensuality of Ingrid Bergman
The glamour of a young Liz Taylor
The bombshell beauty of Marilyn Monroe
Bardot, Betty Grable and more

The newsreels, the cartoons, the travelogues
The giant blockbusters of the time
Sure was a lot for twenty-five cents
Plus popcorn and a drink for a dime

Ah! The Golden Years of Hollywood
Great musicals like “Singing In The Rain”
“An American In Paris” with Gene Kelly
Sure wish I could go back there again

39 Buick

I dreamt I owned a 1939 Buick.
Later, I realized I did not,
but wondered:
could tommy-gun wielding
gangsters still be historically relevant
without running-boards?

A very cool car,
just ask Humphrey Bogart;
he had a 38 special
and knew how to use it.

I want to tell bogie, I understand
the need for running-boards,
the Fedora, the trench coat - the pose;
one leg on the board,
the lip-hanging cigarette,
the world weary eyes,
the choice of car - the whole works.

I dreamt I drove a ‘Prius',
a nightmare on a skateboard, 
still a car is just a car, right?

Loss of Innocence

Cruelty danced 'cross his stencilled mustache
  Sparks of Evil flashed from his roving eye
A wicked Sneer curled 'round his too-thin lips
  His fingers like claws bespoke a master spy

Trench-coat pulled tight 'gainst the pounding rain
  Stealthy his gait down the dark narrow lane
Alas! Two bullets lodged in his fiendish heart
  Real life's not Hollywood, Mr. Humphrey Bogart

Humphrey Bogart

     Tough-talking film-noir luminary, Humphrey Bogart.
     His distinctive snarling voice and lisp set him apart.
     
  Swept film noir leading lady, Lauren Bacall, off her feet.
Diminutive, sarcastic; played characters that packed heat.

The Bogie Man

Around the town he was known as the Bogie Man
Not an evil spirit my friend but a Bogart fan
Always wore a trench coat like his hero wore
On his head a fedora was also worn for sure

The falcon he owns I'm afraid isn't Maltese 
Though he's a real tough guy everyone agrees
This Bogie Man has never visited Casablanca 
Something he yearns and almost certainly hanker

I saw the Bogie Man in town just the other day
"Here's looking at you kid" is what he did say
Bogie Man around town is so easy to spot 
I wonder though is better to have and have not

39 Buick

I dreamt I awoke in a 1939 Buick 
as it sped into the 40’s,
a decade depleted of running boards.

I wondered 
how could tommy-gun wielding 
gangsters appear historically relevant
without running boards?
Running boards mark an era
the way hats do.

Then I thought, what the hell
I’m in a 1939 Buick
so every tommy gun toting punk
better watch out
running boards or not.
Some classic cars do that,
you take on their vintage persona.

The 39 is a cool car,
Humphrey Bogart drove one.
He had a 38 special also
and knew how to use it.

When you get to where Bogart has gone
(a star in a greater Hollywood story)
the right car is important.

You must drive the 39
like you’re in a movie
where monochrome fog
makes the hill roads 
and their hairpins tricky.
 
When the road ends
stand with one foot on the running board
until a camera flash 
goes off  with a flare and a pop.

Pose 
while you light a cigarette
tip your fedora at a slant,
and grin like a tough guy.

Swan Lake Doom Dance

In the midst of myself I see all a named through a blame of crystal ball garbage self imposed heaps of anarchic monumental fever itches slowly coalescing compost inflaming frolicking one step beyond destitute drowned drained primal ascents like muted strands of character counts contents--a sugary benign bene-violence renewed every 4th year by death trite trickery, bumming freedoms long necked, sticky fingered bullet borrowed Bogart abandoners like cool coup indifferentials-----hangless gyrations coordinated catastrophizes counter culture aberrations seeming short changed a dimes worth of democracy voices foot and mouth disease we move through dead brain catheters dreaming of cellular open ranges of slack composures minus politico contractual ill tongued bilateral lobotomy laden binormals laying waste to unsecured raptures---dicey yet decidedly temporary but elipticaliplapsing any Gods forgiving truth and moral divergence by appetite arbitration. Hence a gamely time of fecal folly foot loose and fancy toe tag free---------all's well that entrails well.

Jasper J Jigglebottom

Jasper J. Jigglebottom was stuck in the sixties, and proud of the fact.
He was on a movie set, admired by many for he could certainly act.
His job was to be available to stand in until the director yelled “take”. 
The placement actor who stood in Bogey’s place when he needed a break.

He was dressed in the same dapper suit, a double breasted, jazzy plaid suit.
He smoked the same brand cigar, and wore the same wing tips to boot.
Jasper J. Jigglebottom was admired by those who could not do what he did.
A grown man but he had the keen wit and wildness of Bogart’s own kid.

How are those ear’s hanging? He looked up and saw Miss Lauren Bacall.
She was the most sensuous, sexy, woman of the sixties; a heavenly doll.
He nearly spit out his cigar, he was so gobsmacked by her beauty.
Let’s not lose it, the director admonished, reminding him of his duty.

So he tried to ignore her skin, her eyes, her hair, and her walk.
He knew he was practically in love, especially with her wiggly walk.
She’s something huh? Humphey Bogart said as exchanged places with him.
Jasper could not reply, but  he had saliva precariously hanging off of his chin.

Can You Give That a Rest

I wake up screaming
Max the Axe has just chopped me into bits
It is not the first time
but this time I felt it.
I glare at my husband who is still clicking buttons.
Can you give that a rest? I ask.
He does not hear me.
He is in lahlah land
In video game world.
Being a detective
Solving crimes
Right and left.
He has no idea there is a real person in this room
For he is Sam Spade aka Humphry Bogart
Master detective with a Maltese Falcon
Who has not yet discovered Lauren Bacall
Living in the 60's
Over a bar in Los Angeles



Written:  April 19th, 2020    Poetry Contest: Strand Pick C, Any Theme
Sponsor:  Brian Strand                                                       Any Form

Big Hearted Sweet Heart

She has empty pockets, but she has the biggest heart,
She has all the words and the biggest smile.
This is the girl I want as my sweetheart.

Just one look, and I fall apart;
I would gladly travel a hundred miles.
She has empty pockets, but she has the biggest heart.

Mona Lisa, move aside—this girl’s a real work of art,
Her looks, well, they just beguile.
This is the girl I want as my sweetheart.

Her personality is truly off the charts,
You only meet such charm once in a while.
She has empty pockets, but she has the biggest heart.

You play Josephine, and I will be Bonaparte—
Who would not want to walk you down a church aisle?
This is the girl I want as my sweetheart.

Bacall film-star looks—if only I was Bogart!
She’s got film-star style, film-star smile.
She has empty pockets, but she has the biggest heart.
This is the girl I want as my sweetheart.

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