"I have been a stranger in a strange land." Bible, Exodus 2:22
Strange and shy
Strange and scared
Scared at home
Scared at school
School is frightening
School is scary
Scary kids
Scary teachers
Teachers might disapprove
Teachers might yell
Yell at a mistake
Yell at a false move
Move apart
Move away
Away from trouble
Away from fear
Fear of boys
Fear of girls
Girls tease
Girls laugh
Laugh at my clothes
Laugh at my red face
Face the music
Face the big boys
Boys who fight
Boys who strike
Strike three
Strike out
Out of range
Out of danger
Danger here
Danger there
There a landmine
There a snare
Snare a rabbit
Snare a kid
Kid at 12 o'clock
Kid on the playground
Playground threats
Playground bullies
Bullies loom
Bullies go away
Away from people
Away and alone
Alone is safe
Alone is lonely
Lonely...
Safe...
Face the music
By Michelle Morris
08/05/2024
We all have to face the music
We all have to do our time
Experience and wisdom gained
As we move with the rhythm and rhymes
We all have to face the music
Each one of us has our role to play
If we make the most of our journey
We'll grace Heaven in Light one day
© Michelle Morris, 2024
In New Orleans for some highjinks.
Here to rally ‘round the flag.
She’ll be open to suggestion
When I’ve got her bound and gagged.
I won’t need to solve the riddle
Of the chicken or the egg
To distinguish first from foremost
While I’m making Mandy beg.
You can bet your bottom dollar
Gonna taste forbidden fruit
On a fragrant bed of roses
In this house of ill repute.
Hog the limelight. Gild the lily.
Need to take her down a peg,
Teach her all the whys and wherefores
As I’m making Mandy beg.
There be rotten things in Denmark:
Humble pie and bathtub gin,
Sour grapes with gall & wormwood,
Magdalena’s Den of Sin.
Gonna need a pot to piss in.
Go and tap another keg.
She’ll be forced to face the music
When I’m making Mandy beg.
There’ll be ample food for thought
When I talk turkey with the cook.
I’ll be tickling her fancy
Till she babbles like a brook.
Then I’ll call her on the carpet
As the juice runs down her leg.
Demon rum, Miss Goodie Two-shoes,
I’m just making Mandy beg.
My summer garden revealed gay pansies with faces,
As the scarlet tanagers flew roundabout singing.
A rapt audience, the flowers beamed in all places,
In the hour that golden butterflies were winging!
I sat myself on the porch swing, already in motion,
And I smiled to see pretty faces turned up to me,
As I smothered joyful in sunshine sound explosion,
In an irresistible pause for midmorning's beauty!
Written on 12/31/2020
For: Podium placing promise(2) Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Brian Strand
A Rondel for Donald Trump
As those Fake News polls keep coming 'round
And their predictions drag you down,
Just face the music like a Man
Deny it all, the best you can:
Try to deny that deepening frown.
There is, alas, an ever-growing sound
A quiet voice ever gaining ground
That makes you grasp at each more desperate plan
To salvage your sinking ship.
But there is no helpful, salvaging sound
Within the silence all around,
To spare you the darkness closing in
To spare the wages of your sin,
To stay the darkness that abounds
Through which you cannot hope to slip.
So near so far doesn’t matter
Hanging my head in shame
Been to the track once more
I’m addicted to the flame.
I gaze upon fortunes woe
Indifferent to my pain
Chosen by a path of loss
I’m broke, so must abstain.
Crumpled up my tickets
Flung them down in distain
Where they ever worth a penny
Dirty filth I curse and blame.
Backed into a corner
Outlook’s much the same
Walls closing in all sides
I cry underneath the strain.
Wasted another paycheck
Gambled away in vain
Afraid to face the music
I take a different train.
Go back to parents house
Cannot face my wife again
I hate myself I’m disgusting
Habitual loser self ordained.
My mother makes me dinner
Father says I’ve gone insane
Why does my family even care
Flushed my own down the drain.
By
David Kavanagh
Everyone's quarantined, I'm out of Thorazine
Stuck in the house, me and my spouse
When we woke up today, no lights on Broadway
It was shut down, my New York town
Stores out of toilet paper, stuck in a skyscraper
For fifteen days, stay six feet away
Cat five hurricanes, I'm wrapped in cellophane
My poor brain, climate change
Wildfires and earthquakes, HE's saying pump the brakes
Greenhouse effect, did you forget
In a few hundred years, destroyed the land of HIS
We abused it, face the music
Two weeks no pollution, its just been proven
The sky is clear, in this leap year
Living off the land, helping your fellow man
The way it should be, hoarding's so ugly
Everyone come together, be a good neighbor
It's not about you, this; the preview
Modern day test of time, not about your mighty dime
COVID-Nineteen, pray for a vaccine!
Let’s not waste a single minute
Of this blessing that we’re given
Let’s be happy now today
Today is all we’ve got
Tomorrow’s not guaranteed
Let’s not worry for a minute
Tomorrow may never come
And if it does
There’ll be plenty of time
To worry then
We’ll face the music as it comes
Let’s be happy now today
Let’s not waste a single minute
Of this blessing that we’re given
Let’s be happy now today
AP: Honorable Mention 2020
Ok keep below the radar, stay out of sight,
Bury your head in the sand, do not incite,
Why get involved, it’s not your fight,
Zip up your mouth, should be alright.
Rise above them, turn the other cheek,
Play It real cool, no trouble you seek,
Come on dad, they’ll think I’m a geek,
I want to look strong, not appear weak.
Oh I see! so you want to act tough,
Look like your made, from real hard stuff,
Grind your teeth, Want to play rough,
What if they decide, to call your bluff.
Better be able, to swallow your pride,
Eat humble pie, then go take a ride,
Don’t want to be like, a little girl guide,
Run home to mummy, or go and hide.
I won’t be bullied, I’ll stand my ground,
I’m not going to get pushed around,
Face the music, go round for round,
Whoa there kid, it’s courage you found,
Got more balls than me, her dad frowned.
By
David Kavanagh
your smile
your strength
your drive
determination
keeps my skies clear
inspires me
lifts my spirits
gives me courage
to face the music
the uncertainty
you're my guiding star
into the night
Published in my 24-page photo/anthology ~THE POWER OF TWO~ 2020
AP: Honorable Mention 2020, Honorable Mention 2021
Love it is
Love it will be
Love is what i feel
This is love and
Happiness
I know this isn't love
Love is what i need it to be
Love is what i want this to be
But my heart is like a little child
praying and wishing for it to be...
Love
I'm living a delusion
It's filled with clear skies and beautiful white flowers
It makes me feel invincible
It makes me feel whole
It makes me feel...
Loved
Is it that difficult for me to face the storm?
Is it that difficult for me to face the music?
Or am i just in deep need of feeling love
Maybe I'm just afraid to be alone
To be...
Loveless
I cling onto anything that shows me affection
Creating a pretence for love
My eyes are blinded to the world. No!
I chose to blind myself to...
Reality
It is what it is
Clear skies before the storm
And the storm is here
The grizzling thunder roars that it awakens me from my
delusion
Lightening bolts running through my heart
It falls it into...
Million pieces
And all that i am left with is...
Brokeness...
the answer will free us from a together bliss
in sought after rich harmony spread your wings
I found my way by your spirit God send it free
you captivated it with a release in the heart
today we wait on God like sugar and spice
leaving behind not the slightest hint of the outcome
you are the sound out of the darkness you come to us
Lord fill us with a love bath quench the desire from within
each new day we face the music
Trust in Jesus
The final score ~ He couldn’t face the music anymore
You want shape?
Some imagined description of my curves and bumps
that twist and turn after breakfast and lunch crunch;
flat stomach, erect neck and back
aged slides away from the bodies track
and the six pack abs slither into jelly like flab
the culmination of a lifetime and all the carbs I had.
That slim and trim flexible torso once entwined
dancing free and happy in its time,
but the calories, the smokes and the wild drink
released the tethered body from its inevitable brink;
and now passing over the years that paid their dues
I slip into the form I never before knew.
The shape you once sought
is beleaguered by the life styles sought;
some frail and thin, secrets hidden well within,
others taught and muscular below the wrinkled chin;
most irregular and curled, strapped in their rolled furls
face the music of time, we are no longer boys and girls.
So if I could,
I would sketch the body shapes we have,
the apple, the pear, hourglass, rectangle and more
but sketching's not my thing,
just superbly satisfied I've had my fling.
For Shape contest 7/21/18
LOVE RIDDEN
I SWALLOW
MY DIGNITY
FADE INTO THE CORNER
MAKE MY WAY
AROUND THE CIRCLE
A CAROUSEL OF REGRETS
FACE THE MUSIC
I'M BLINDED
BY YOUR CHARM
IN LOVE WITH LOVE
HOPEFUL
BUT I'VE HEEDED NOTHING
LOST IN YOUR EYES
I FELL INTO THE DEEP END.
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