Gunner
What has woken you, Gunner? What is it you hear?
Can you sense the beat of heavy engines drawing near?
There’s been no alert, Gunner, the lads are all at ease.
But you know something’s up, don’t you? Won’t you tell us please?
I heard that little growl, Gunner, low and in your chest.
Is the time right now, Gunner? Should we end our rest?
You’re straining at the sky now Gunner. What is it you see?
A skein of passing geese, or our dreaded enemy?
I see your hackles raised Gunner, it’s time to ring the bell.
The other guns will follow suit, they trust your instincts well.
The crews are all closed up, Gunner, before the siren’s wail,
We all know you were right from the twitching of your tail.
There they are above, Gunner, just like your growl predicted,
And thanks to you, we’ve limited the damage they’ve inflicted.
The enemy has fled, Gunner, they’ve turned around and run.
Now go and get your well-earned rest, underneath our gun.
Supply ships arrived ready to delight the colonists
It was a strange eerie day on Roanoke Island
No colonist ran out to greet them
The ship crews searched for them
They had vanished
The word Croatan was carved into an oak tree
The only indication they had been there at all
No bodies were found, no drag marks
No sign of a struggle
It was a spooky time for the crew
When you travel and you’re on a plane,
Attendants must always explain
What to do in a crash
But the words they rehash
Most on board think are spoken in vain.
Yet a Delta flight recently dipped
As it landed and suddenly flipped.
Every seat belt held tight
As each one on the flight
Dangled upside down, very off-script.
Flight crews got all the passengers out
With some injuries scattered about
But they all did survive,
In one piece and alive,
Though quite shaken up, there’s little doubt.
A payout from Delta proposed
Thirty-thousand for each one exposed
To this harrowing turn
(More than some people earn)
But not worth it, as many disclosed.
Make no mistake – though it looks fake,
The snow is coming down
And every flake will help to make
On cars a snowy crown.
Yet on the news, the weather crews
Predict a change to rain,
So kids will lose their avenues
For sleddable terrain.
We never know just how much snow
From Nature will abound,
Yet blow by blow, the radio
Will track what’s on the ground.
The half-time show was well-rehearsed
And those who watched it all concurred,
Though I’m not sure if Kendrick cursed;
I didn’t understand a word.
There was a message; what it was
Perhaps the younger crowd did get,
But in between the hype and buzz,
One note made me a bit upset.
I know for years it wasn’t right
When chorus lines did not include
Performers who did not look white,
Despite the talent they’d exude.
Yet now the pendulum has swung,
But way too much; it hasn’t found,
Among those who have danced and sung,
An integrated middle ground.
The times are changing, as they tend
To do, yet progress will reverse
If entertainment won’t extend
To casts and crews who are diverse.
Yellow above the dredged-up earth.
hard hats, husky men
bent on constructive destruction,
Brush burning,
they flame throw their wands of
progress.
It all has to be done, done to be mended,
done to be done with.
Nature got too messy,
it overgrew its concrete margins,
it got above our work-booted
aspirations.
Clean-up crews sweep and press
against the head-on-winds
of a riotous environment.
Steel, hammers the seeded mud
crushing it of any taint of green.
Everyone knows this is obscene,
lips and ears must be temporarily closed
like the bleak roads ahead
and those dug over
below our feet.
The game we play
Very reckless
Taking risks without measures
Even when they don't believe in us
We've always believe in ourselves
Nothing good comes easily.
Exploring beyond
Our comfort zone
That's the game we play
Staying away from home
Without any comforter or helper
From a very tender age
We did what many are afraid to do.
Even when we have no clue
We stick to our crews
Staying focus
Without apartheid
Together forever our watchwords
Doing so many crazy things to survive
Even though we're aware of the ripple effects.
I heard it on the radio –
An early morning crash,
The driver’s fault and then her life
Was over in a flash.
It happened near my walking path
So when I headed out,
I knew I’d pass right by to see
What it was all about.
The F.D.R., six lanes across,
Had not a car in sight,
Except for police and clean-up crews
At work to make things right.
The car involved, a burned-out wreck,
Was waiting on the road
Until the inquiry was done
And then it would be towed.
Debris was scattered in the lanes
In both directions, plus,
The walking path had wreckage, too,
Which no one did discuss.
The car, a Tesla, slammed into
A barrier and flipped,
With flames caused by the battery
With which it was equipped.
The impact made the driver
And the passenger eject.
Though he survived, who knows the damage
That he can expect.
We may not ever learn just why
The driver hit those speeds,
Which well exceeded limits
That nobody ever heeds.
You are indeed sad ISIS American terrorist sending threats on license plates to promote your intimidation and fear Jhore JIHAD jay Townsend Johnson Henry truly sad your ISIS can never ever impersonate me sadly your isis identity fraud abuse of power exist in America as I expressed before after severe identity fraud upon my family by persons of power obsessed with my American poetry I know my only peace is to end my own life to be truly rid of your TERRORIST THREATS ON LICENSE PLATES until the next time you slam into a crowd for now I will enjoy Fredrick douglas book of letters to his slave master I will never fear domestic American isis working for gargano crews fraudulent product liability claims at Ford motor company defective airbag bombs you twisted scum
A cat sits on a chair
and hovers over me
as I lie in bed.
It’s December 31st
as a soft rain falls.
As I get up
I ask myself
if this is
an ending or beginning.
I’ve been back in town
full-time for five years
but embrace memories
of highways travelled
throughout the Midwest
when I worked
for road construction crews.
Now I’m left with my poems.
Bare limbs in the yard next door
wave and dance in the wind
beneath the cover of grey skies.
The cat brushes against me and mews
and I know it wants to be fed.
I take it downstairs
and fill a dish on the floor.
It eats in the kitchen while I call
my older cousin and we peer
into our younger lives.
When asked I said
if given the chance
I say
I’d live my life again.
Outside the window
rain has turned to snow
and the dormant yard
bears the change of weather.
Unafraid of corrupt abuse of
power sharing a bed with
my abusive ex husband
Definitely changed my locks
after the graveyard dirt left
behind from mafia scum
corrupt Talisa shaw Alicia
Hilton jay Townsend Johnson
Henry Danita delmont oh
Danny boy or girl agents
agents left over from my
abusive ex husband brothals
obsession to my American
poetry sending a few old
hitmen from Gotti degenerate
crews leaving threats hahaha
Immature laughing seeing
a murdered woman Gargano
unsolved Chicago murders
Ha ha ha R Hondas sadness
rolling with Gargano garbage
faking their deaths extortion
of traumatic brain injury claim
on behalf of my injuries money
laundering Milwaukee drug smugglers
stash in order to commit heist
on disabled Americans and their families
The big green ones are everywhere,
next exit in half-a-mile,
they seem almost reassuring,
all done up in the same style.
Then smaller ones bordered in blue,
with promises of food to eat,
the big chains and local diners,
places to stop and take a seat,
then more such signs with the same look,
but this time it’s lodging and gas,
don’t really need a place to sleep,
though I could really use some snacks…
A small sign with a stadium
for the minor league hockey team,
there’s rumors they might move next year,
happens every decade, it seems.
And then there is a really big sign,
it stands tall in a farmer’s field,
hawking Indian casinos,
with their fantastic weekend deals.
ever so often, by exits,
I see symbols on a high pole,
visible near a mile off,
telling me here burgers and sold.
And sadly, there’s a blinking sign,
a warning to slow for road crews,
it never fails, they’re always out
when I have got something to do.
The streak of cloud sounded out loud, "I shall be", the night, an unsung nuance, "shalom"
The ocean assured, "Landed indeed! Reverie, I'm no more and them!"
Sorrow they say,"Speechless we,all, Our may befall the muddy constellation and a hymn!"
and I heard, outcry, "Mingle in all en-compassing , and I , never long , elsewhere in entropy.
A world chants on, "In thine, heaven bestowed a greetings , upon, to greet"
A patsy churn, and the wind adores in high turn ,"For thee, with a lack,
Glowing lanterns are here, I am!"
The love,say," Immortal era and us, we are here, even though this is late.
We, sleepless."
Death crews on "I and thou, shall sail along the journey of life, in hamohharmony."
I put my pen to paper, what should I say
Maybe comment on the brilliant sunshine coming my way
Or perhaps about life's opportunities would be a good place to start
I could write about the love I feel in my heart
I should make a list of things that are important to me
Or describe the blooming flowers so beautiful to see
Can not forget the intriguing people I run into on my walks
Interesting conversations from the characters who just want to talk
I should mention the crews that beautify our parks
Perhaps the stunning moon that comes out after dark
One thing is for sure it is the most enlighting to do
Put your pen to paper and write down what interests you
She came to me when I brought in carts
and she was filling online grocery orders.
I gestured to her and handed her a poem
just written the other day, but I just
had to share it with her
line and verse.
It was a day in April
when a grove of trees
were in full bloom
and the air full of promise.
I took a poetic leap
although it felt
as if I’ve loved her
for years.
She clenched my paper in her hand
said she’d read it during lunch.
I told her to read between the lines
then read it again.
Others left the break room
when we sat together
and a moment of silence said
more than I ever could.
I was retired from my job
of traveling and controlling traffic
for work crews in other states
and learning to live again
while she now working full-time
after divorce.
And four months earlier
she asked me if I was staying.
In the break room
the moments we shared
when I offered her some extra food
passed with a whisper
and an hour later
someone in customer service
said I had to clear a spill
in an aisle where she stood—
she asked for me.
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