The bloodshot moon merged into the dark, hazy night.
People wandered aimlessly, avoiding a fight.
A sultry bar still open, dispensing hard stuff.
Bootleggers were abundant till the game got rough.
A man sat in a corner observing the scene,
The boozers drank too much like goblins dark of mien.
The quiet man went to a phone booth and whispered,
The platoon was ready, their commands were answered.
A large police squad arrested the offenders,
All were fined, and none offered any false contenders.
Did they learn their lesson and mend their wicked ways?
Go to nearby villages and consider their days.
Soon night will be coming
The lights will be humming
Las Vegas opens her eyes
The rich and their sifters
The dreamers and drifters
Will converge for the prize
Each night another born
Drawing cards till the morn
Nothing else will suffice
On a starry-eyed mission
Their misguided ambition
By the roll of the dice
Still, there's winners and losers
Tea-toters and boozers
For most it's a shame
All the pain that's inflicted
But to those so addicted
Never learn from the game
A truckful of drunks
half-skunked boozers
gun racks in the back
unlucky losers
pulled up to the pumps
for a gallon or two
only high octane
tanked would do
then one had a bad itch
he started to scratch
wanted a smoke
and when he lit a match
the explosion was heard
three miles away
to arrive alive
do what they say
'Don't drink and drive'
and yes it's true
it could ruin your day
smoking is bad for you
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
Start Sleuthing Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Natasha L Scragg
https://www.rhymezone.com
Grouin up in Glesga wis nae mean feat
Pleyin in the back courts an dreepin the wass
Plouterin in puddles manky water sploshing aboot,
Searching in yon mucky middens fur treasure
Thrown oot by the families in the closes.
Fur a fitba a pile o rags weideh doon wi aw sorts o things
Or a tanner ba made tae test yer skills dribbling roon
Bricks, holes an buckets burnt through.
Some wi nae shin baries wis the thing
An naething caught except wee beasties in the hair.
Holy jumpers an maukit breeks like a uniform
Worn tae mark ye oot as livin in tenements raw.
Aye aww wis puir always skint fur buying scran
Except faither oan a Friday nicht at the boozers
Getting fu wi his pals forgettin the weans,
Crying at hame an when he came in mither
Wid aways get the blame .
Aye the weans o glesga wur a hardy breed,
All ways stervin an needin a feed,
That wisnae allus therr a feast wis a jeely piece.
When they grew an produced men o valour,
Or men o wealth an fauncy cars,
Ne,er forgot that they were a Glesga wean.
God was branded as non-essential
gamblers and boozers were preferential
The playgrounds were yellow-taped
but no crime had taken place
while cons buffed their. 38 specials
The Small Cafe
Waiting...
for a friend.
I asked her to coffee,
she did not look well.
It is hard to say how.
A little disheveled,
perhaps heartbroken,
worried,
concerned,
flawed in some way,
self doubt,
illusive perfectness...
trending against the tide.
Soon she will be here.
One of many.
We are a club,
unknowingly joined,
some of us,
voted to higher levels...
of pain and rejection,
allowing for the service,
to others.
While others are too weak,
to recover without help,
and assistance.
Mentoring those that are hurting,
from cheating and lying spouses.
Abusive friends, that over stay,
and demand more then they are due.
Lovers that are users,
boozers that are losers...
What would your life be like free?
What if the idea although scary,
offered less pain,
and more gain.
If it gave more power,
and less abuse.
Control of self,
and the acceptance
by those that count.
The ones that always...
loved you.
If a new path were set,
would you take it?
If a different world were possible,
would you dare?
Beet red face,do you just booze to lose.
Sorry old life,but it's a life that 'you' choose
Whatever you've done,and whatever you do,
your lives just a waste,sad but it's true.
Boozers are losers,you can't change that fact,
Boozers and users, happiness is their act.
There fun is all fiction, aint no changing their ways
But fictions no fun, when it can shorten u'r days
Boozers are losers,you can't change that FACT
If u'r a boozer u'r a loser, now how you gonna ACT
PALLANES
This site is looked after by the cops
poets are drunk dopers
losers and boozers that never win
the cops are coming after the poets
they are checking names and records
and entering accusing words
while sitting and eating doughnuts
the cops are locking up the poets
drunkards druggies get rid of the dirt
cops are reading your poetry
taking aim at you
and child support
run run run hahaha
Newhaven
This is the town that time sank,
Grey shades of dust on riverbanks,
where the gulls they flock a'frenzy
Those were the shops the road choked,
accessible through a haze of exhaust smoke,
each building there now stands empty,.
This is the land where the trash burns,
This small stretch of boozers and cab firms.
And a ferry port for entry.
This is the town of Newhaven,
and I doubt there's a thing that can save 'em,
for the money it left with the gentry.
Another one bites the proverbial dust
offing them's difference tween boom and bust
well, not really boom, sure not nuff for a trust
but YAY now there's three down just two more to go
foxy cats glad to see me, blue fish says hello
(yeah, yeah it's not true love just hunger, I know)
No one cleaned the bathroom or maid up my bed
while I smiled at jerks and boozers without shaking head
or rolling eyes.. hey, whate'er it takes to make that bread.
Maybe someone's god'll gift me generous on my demise
but dwelling there impedes bright glorious gratitude for I
and thou and we and now and unity... hmmmm... serendipity?
“A body can’t do everything,” frets Grandma.
Hannah instantly joins kinswoman, laying
monogrammed napkins, opening peas quickly.
Reluctantlyly stopping, turns unto visitors.
“Who xrates young zucchini?”
-----------------------------
R ashly he didn’t stop
A t the railroad crossing
I t is known that he was seen
L ots of liquor tossing.
R oaring train just couldn’t stop.
O nward it sped ahead.
A t the crossing a big crash!
D rinking dude is dead!
C rying relatives bemoan
R ashness of young Moses.
O n his casket they have lain
S ome red and yellow roses.
S igns and signals cannot stop
I nattentive losers
N o words of wisdom enough for
G uys who are driving boozers.
__________________________
Cheerful Carolyn carries coffee
in capacious cups from coffee shop.
Whiny Willie wails for water.
Susan snappishly shouts , “Stop”.
Drink booze
You lose
Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired
© All Rights Reserved
Placed No. 4 in Brian Strand's "Two Lines of Two Syllables" Contest - May 2011
I am a true Saints fan
(A grouchy old 'Aints' man)
Always pessimistic
(Let's be realistic)
Disastrous seasons
Futile beyond reason
Professional losers
Cast-offs and boozers...
Could it be we're undefeated?
Shake me and repeat it!
We started many fads
(Fans in paper bags)
Would they have the GALL
To maybe win it ALL??
Yeah, Bourbon Street would shake
Hang-overs would throb and ache
I'm certain we would surely
See Mardi Gras come early
We'd party JUST a bitty...
Down in the Crescent City
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