At the chime
of Father time
if you goof
with mind aloof
slave to fate
plans stalled late
Master will charge
like Madame Defarge.
Hard knocks, a child runs fall on the porch into the door
A Hard knock on the door, it's the police
A Hard knock on the I've been lock out
A healthy play outside, seek a d hide
A playing hard child, running wild full of fun, play and water
A hard knock on the door, cause he's got to potty
4/20/26
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr 2026
Almal moet hul hol self af vas, met hul uie hande.
[ Translation : Everyone must wipe their own buttocks, with their own hands. -// Afrikaaps is an Idiomatic Language. The monoku basically means : one has to take responsibility for one’s own problems. This translation here is a direct English translation, which does not translate the meaning. ]
To be a fool is too difficult
You can't always think unwise
It comes to little sense when you think only stupid.
You can't simply reject when a Lass smiles
If a fool, you shun. If wise, you smile.
(May the vice versa – fool may smile at the lovely Lass.)
Then comes a thousand trouble
You were wise when you smiled back
You are now a fool while in love.
Your senses tell you; you are a fool to be in love.
Tells your heart you are fair at heart.
Decide you are a fool or wise?
It takes a lot to be a fool--- a full-fledged fool.
It makes sense to be a fool sometime
That sense makes you a wise person
As it needs much wit to be wise
For both live in dreams.
Fool dreams and dreams to dream
The wise dreams and works to materialize the dream
So that the fool can eat the fruits of his wisdom.
Have you decided to be a fool or wise?
Don't be too wise to be a fool.
You joined the Navy.
I joined the circus.
I was always a clown,
and you were always
so serious.
Monday makes a jolt
Waking up a new week
A sudden pesty reminder
That life is more than sleep.
Be careful when you joke
Not everyone can accept our way
Choose to get along when act like funny
It's keeping safe than being harm
Observing one's reaction is wisdom
A lesson of life is joy not wasted
If people don't like it, stop it
Don't repeat it again.
When will it ever end, the working, cleaning, and washing.
Why was I born to be a slave to the working, cleaning, and washing.
One day it will all be gone, the working, cleaning, and washing.
When I go to an early grave, because of working, cleaning, and washing.
Do not eat my lunch
I have seven shrimps and
Five thousand ten rice.
Something has been written, I am sure
Of the power of joy
Of the scent of sorrow
Of the sound of shame.
Something has been written, I am sure
Of the feel of forgetting
Of the shades of loss
Of the taste of pain.
Something has been written, I am sure
Of all such things, but more
Of the colours love and doubt
What else may poets write about?
air rockets skyward
uppercutting inside
plastic neon flesh
contorting at inhuman angles
what does my body language spell?
ankles anchored into the Earth
to stay grounded as the wave
of time and space crashes
a flood of stagnant flux
there is a symphony of bones
snapping and cracking
in twisted orchestrations
the act of existing for me
is a resilient demonstration
while I am sitting here writing to you
people are trying to steal
your car, your house,
your business , your best friends, your reputation,
and your savings,
not to mention your wife
Try not worry too much about it
It is just becoming part of everyday life
Oh! Life
To make someone happy
You have to lose your hapiness.
Oh! Life
To make someone succeed
You have to sacrifice your time.
Oh! Life
To make someone proud
You have to work hard.
Life has many doors
To come in and out.
Some people take life serious
Life take them stupid and
throw them down.
Some people take life for granted
Life take them so serious
And up lift them.
May 10/2023
By Alfonso Warally Ngengethe
Mussabwa Chris
Chubby cream grubby against white ice
Hungry somewhat clumsy polar bear heist
Hopefully loping over to an asylum of seals
Tusked beasts bound to become tasty meals
Damp nose oscillates, catch tongue anticipates
Hook claws extend, jagging his cumbersome gait
Ungainly angle rotates blundering bear ballerina
Jaws roar frustrated, mishap sadly signals dinner
Jolly bodied, barrel stocky well insulated brood
Swivel protruding chests to avoid being food
Fear pulls polar threat away, phew! - Relax
Pack pacify, raft drifts after cold cracks
Snowy blows his nose with hankie huge paws
Lucky that chubby has arms strong as oars
Iceberg dips, whiskers twitch while wishing
Imminent swim success - in frigid fishing
8th March 2023
Written for Contest: Cracked
Sponsor: Anthony Biaanco
The spotlight flashes funny flair
on the showy sagged dress,
miniature crimson cold sun stuck
on the puckered porcelain face.
An animated caricature captured
in comical frail human figure,
tramps round and round
the circus arena to amuse.
The sprightly body swivels
in flexed shuffle of acrobatics,
sleight of supple hands performs
the perfect act of jugglery,
but the labored buffoonery
of the funny fragile joker,
falls flat as flakes of stale joke
on the silent spectators.
Before the neon lights go out
in the last show and the curtain falls,
the slapsticks peel slowly
the paint off his sweaty face,
unmask the trail of tears
he has long shed un-noticed.
He leaves the stage singing a song,
the lyric written by his broken heart.
The uproar of laughter at long last
explodes with claps in the gallery,
the applause hails the joker,
left to live the comedy of life.
____________________
September 15, 2022
For A Brian Strand Premiere Choice Contest
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