An old peacock has lost his voice, among the hens
he wanders, his soundless beak a' clacking.
Once he rode the roof of life, once he strutted
across its gaming board, a tyrant lover,
a beady-eyed frightener to all comers.
The hens gather to ridicule the old cock-king,
and mock his silent passing. A younger cock must
by common law
topple his fan-feathered throne
upon the floor.
The voiceless bird must learn to be a poets page,
and there write the sorry history
of those that wander (most reluctantly),
into that choleric school
of chronic ripe old age.
Categories:
common law, poetry,
Form: Free verse
“You’re a daisy if you do.”
Doc Holliday
ITs THREE O CLOCK AND ITs O K
the local joke
a triple homicide
in thirty seconds
can see pale faces
through the coffin glass ~
too many face consequences
Wyatt, Morgan, Virgil, Doc Holliday,
spray bullets and jargon
at the famed Cowboys
Billy Clanton, Tom and Frank McLaury ~
pushing up daisies
buried at Boot Hill
it’s grave
Holliday and the Earps
will have to answer
for their fame
Big Nose Kate, the local prostitute
slept with Doc
and Sheriff Wyatt had his common law
wife - she kept her life private ~
Tombstone, Arizona infamous!
3/9/2023
Categories:
common law, conflict,
Form: Light Verse
common law emotional
partnership existed between
us for a great while we
Cohabitated under the
same emotionally draining
roof where we lived in toxic
harmony until the day that
the dam broke and destroyed
all in it's path
Categories:
common law, lost love,
Form: Free verse
England my England is everything to me,
From the greenest of it’s pastures,
protected by the sea,
To good old London town,
Which will never let you down.
It’s from here the lion roars,
Ever so loudly,
where you can walk,
in the footsteps of Heroes,
proudly.
From the people it has Bred,
to the writers we have read,
With a constitution made by common law,
It’s a living breathing entity created to ensure,
that our freedom and our rights are not usurped.
A land of common Sense and decency,
Where people live in harmony,
Extending help, to one another,
whether stranger or brother,
Believing all have a right,
to a stupid point of view,
And would fight for that right,
in defense of you.
This country of ours, is a land of peace and grace,
England puts a smile, smack upon your face,
so if you add it all together,
and despite inclement weather,
there’s no better place, your weary head to rest,
and why England to all of us,
is the greatest and the best.
Categories:
common law, freedom, patriotic, pride,
Form: Verse
Premiered at The Red Wheelbarrow Comedy Roost,
Marlton , NJ – 6/18/2009
ACT 1
Birmingham Grace
Dark Stockings
Muse
Same Drop of Rain
In Other Words
Blacksmith’s Lament
ACT 2
Silhouette
Oral Sex
Silent Siren
Dangerous Cargo
All I Can Do
Sleeping
Dreaming of You
Beaumains in the Wilderness
ACT 3
Indian Summer
David and Bathsheba
Pennsylvania Fieldstone
Common Law Proposal
Somethin’ Right
Categories:
common law, allegory, marriage,
Form: List
My grandpa built a split rail fence.
He did the best he could.
He hand-dug every post hole,
Sweat and muscle, rough-hewn wood.
Didn’t compromise his standards,
He was sure to do it right.
He made it bull strong, horse high and hog tight.
The carnival just came to town,
Its gaudy midway, too.
Don’t favor taking chances,
But I’ll ring the bell for you.
Gonna swing that hefty mallet
And I’ll win the prize tonight.
I’m feeling bull strong, horse high and hog tight.
It’s funny how the solid things
Endure despite the years,
Through thunderstorms and blizzards,
Broken hearts and bitter tears.
But I promise if you let me,
I’ll be sure to do it right.
I’ll love you bull strong, horse high and hog tight.
Categories:
common law, desire,
Form: Lyric
Former British colonies on the news
there's people, there's power and there's abuse,
scenes in India seem eerily familiar
as authority beats up those inferior
those sticks and shields shown in a past era
locals beating up local people
were the British really evil
Hong Kong has gone wrong,
keep fighting I say, stay strong,
scenes not seen under British rule,
when economies of these two flourished tall
Corrupt leadership in the USA
the very reason they got away,
a nation under rule of law,
let's see now the ruler fall,
through their English common law
Now Scotland seeks its independence
to us in England makes no difference
everyday Sturgeon a TV appearance
so if leaving the UK sees her disappearance
there will be no English interference
and Brexit, we're leaving the EU,
remain go boo-hoo,
I say woo hoo
we are leaving the EU
and our Empire doesn't seem so bad too,
true
Categories:
common law, england,
Form: Rhyme
SAVAGE LOVE
the making of the savage love
has nothing to do with common law
compatibility is just simply
the making of the savage love
an excuse to say you may not want me
So allow me to propose my love in spirit and truth
the making of the savage love
has nothing to do with common law
11/23/19
Written by James Edward Lee Sr. 2019©
Categories:
common law, analogy, conflict, how i
Form: Triolet
Forgiveness always welcomes every Chance!
She finds her way beneath the Cry and Hue*,
Her gentle eye ne’er looks at one askance…
To him, who Bumbles... asks her for a Dance,
She smiles, demure, but to her Love, stays True!
Forgiveness always welcomes every Chance!
To him, who flees, a thief, from far-off France,
She gives hiding… and cuts his bonds in two!
Her gentle eye ne’er looks at one askance…
To her, who lost her Treasures to Romance,
She bids her bid the miscreant, adieu!
Forgiveness always welcomes every Chance!
To her, who leaves her baby at the manse,
She helps and hopes, and starts her off anew!
Her gentle eye ne’er looks at one askance…
To all, who stumble blindly through the trance
That we call Life, without cloak, hat or shoe:
Forgiveness always welcomes every Chance!
Her gentle eye ne’er looks at one askance…
______________________
*’Cry and Hue’ is a Common Law practice requiring witnesses to help apprehend a criminal
Categories:
common law, appreciation, faith, forgiveness, hope,
Form: Villanelle
England my England is everything to me,
From the greenest of it’s pastures,
protected by the sea,
To good old London town,
Which will never let you down.
It’s from here the lion roars,
Ever so loudly,
where you can walk,
in the footsteps of Heroes,
proudly.
From the people it has Bred,
to the writers we have read,
With a constitution made by common law,
It’s a living breathing entity created to ensure,
that our freedom and our rights are not usurped.
A land of common Sense and decency,
Where people live in harmony,
Extending help, to one another,
whether stranger or brother,
Believing all have a right,
to a stupid point of view,
And would fight for that right,
in defense of you.
This country of ours, is a land of peace and grace,
England puts a smile, smack upon your face,
so if you add it all together,
and despite inclement weather,
there’s no better place, your weary head to rest
And why England to all of us ,
Is the greatest and the best
Categories:
common law, destiny, england,
Form: Verse
England my England is everything to me,
From the greenest of it’s pastures,
protected by the sea,
To good old London town,
Which will never let you down.
It’s from here the lion roars,
Ever so loudly,
where you can walk,
in the footsteps of Heroes,
proudly.
From the people it has Bred,
to the writers we have read,
With a constitution made by common law,
It’s a living breathing entity created to ensure,
that our freedom and our rights are not usurped.
A land of common Sense and decency,
Where people live in harmony,
Extending help to one another,
whether stranger or brother,
Believing all have a right,
to a stupid point of view,
And would fight for that right,
in defense of you.
This country of ours, is a land of peace and grace,
England puts a smile, smack upon your face,
so if you add it all together,
and despite inclement weather,
there’s no better place, your weary head to rest,
and why England to all of us,
is the greatest and the best.
Categories:
common law, community, england, freedom,
Form: Dramatic Verse
Confinement is too much of an excuse
while the papers are spread across the table.
The phone rings:
It is the Boston Massacre.
Those are funny words when even here,
even at this time of wind,
overuse is deadly in the wheat germ.
Mice droppings show evidence
that the wheat is defiled.
Be careful, she said,
Be careful of the worms that drill inside.
The cat knows;
she is wise and stretches.
Words connected in my brain
are tenuous indeed,
ephemeral.
Read them and you will know my
building blocks
all scattered across the floor
as my papers are scattered now.
Put the right words in the search box
and you will find me.
Try it.
Lay down the common law,
and unroll it like an old rug
once stored and forgotten.
(What am I doing here in this cold
and desolate winter?)
Feed me building blocks of amino acids,
the healing of the wound.
Comfort me.
Categories:
common law, imagery, introspection, poetry,
Form: Free verse
Mary Ann had a boyfriend that she
gave affection and great loyalty.
Since the age of sixteen
no one else had she seen
but she wanted more at thirty-three!
Her boyfriend, of course, had it made
since regularly, he would get laid.
So excuses he gave
when Mary Ann would rave
about marriage. . . and unwed they stayed.
Getting pregnant was her coup d'etat
when she said, “You will soon be a pa!”
She said, “Furthermore, Bruce,
I don’t need an excuse.
In my mind we’re a pair - common-law!”
For Black Eyed Susan's Excuses Poetry Contest
Categories:
common law, humorous,
Form: Limerick
(11/2/11)
This is the first day of your new life
This is the day you chose to be his wife.
You both feel that your love is strong enough
That a marriage you could share
And for each other you would always be there.
A marriage are vows that are made to each other
That you will always “ love one another”.
You say you will love each other until death do you part
Is it what you feel? Is it really in your heart?
The vows of marriage has changed drastically
Marriage is not - what it used to be.
Fear of the unknown has changed the way you think
Six out of ten marriages are now on the brink.
Living common law is now the new rage
They don’t want to feel like they’re
Locked up in a cage.
It’s easy to walk away from a relationship
If there are no vows.
And if there’s any children, they’ll survive somehow.
We don’t need a marriage certificate to
Have a sexual affair.
We can change partners, and different beds we can share.
This is the thinking of the youth of today
All our teachings and values have all gone astray.
Categories:
common law, love, marriage, day, love,
Form: Rhyme
withpen in hand awake, apparations of immortality
consumed inward. This straight heart's delight
yelling Tiny Nicaragua's a big threat
to undernourished Mexico.
By common sense , common law , common tenderness
& common tranquility I want to know what
happens after I rot.
shooting Gasoline electric speed ; empty soul'd
exploding at viaducts heavy bound and
manacled upon the City's Heart.
... Was that a shot ! backfire
or cherrybomb? jiggling yr knees there blankeyed
in the rain.
While each flower Buddha eye repeats this story
with teenage boys , The Red Police and grunts &
screams & shouts ...
... eyes , tongue and heart ...
theres' just too much to see ; world-wide
and full of money. Count yourself Greatness
in their pointy empire accumalating on the margin
with broken plumes of sensation. As
I lie
here naked in the dark , dreaming....
Categories:
common law, art, devotion, faith, imagination,
Form: Free verse
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