A Nasty Germ*
A nasty germ is what I am,
a curse to every man and woman.
I lie in wait with strategy
to bring you down to misery.
I’m at my nastiest on the weekend
when I land you bedridden
with round the clock medication
which you take with detestation.
But take courage, hope’s dawning –
I’m gone by Monday morning.
*(Based on my rendering of Christian Morgenstern’s
poem Der Schnupfen (The Sniffle)
Why those clammy hands of lasting grief
For an owner of a handkerchief?
Then, you are a forgetful kind,
Who few things keep in mind.
A full right I have to know
Or fully annoyed I shall grow
The last careless contact by your hand
Now, about to unleash microbial harm.
Why not often The Disinfectant
By you thought rather exorbitant?
A clogged left nostril you’re picking
And my fingers I’d be licking
After your palms against mine sticking
And in the end a time bomb ticking?
Germ
By Jeremy Schumock
Jerm is my name
I used to think that was lame
After all, isn't a germ just a disease?
I hated that name
I felt like a pickle stuck between a rock and a hard place:
Relish.
After thinking I was contagious or underdeveloped,
I learned a germ is actually just
"The source from which something develops."
A germ is not a disease
I, Jerm, have no one but me to appease
Jerm is a seed planted in the soil
Watered with curiosity and countless years of animosity
Fertilized with the gift to empathize and compromise
And love as its source of vitamin D
Jerm is a seed that will not spoil
What was once just considered bacteria
Will soon (germ)inate,
And see that it was worth the wait
Like a flower knowing spring is coming soon
Like May slowly fading into June
And like anything else destined to bloom,
G[J]erms too are entitled to change,
And will inevitably grow into something of beauty and purpose.
I apologize for my absence lately,
but I have been told by experts
to keep a 6 poem distance; and
reciting while wearing a mask
may have worked for Scaramouche
but it seems a bit too disingenuous
for my artistic tastes, though one
should never take germs lightly,
at least one of them in each of us
and all that we write….
It seems to happen frequently
At least in this millennium
All the freedoms we enjoy
We now must keep to minimum
They say we must can cel our plans
And figure out why tissue
Has disappeared from grocer's shelves
When toilets aren't the issue
Was it a snake that put me in
This frantic need to sanitize
Or could a bat have sneaked one by
And caused this world to agonize?
I'd hardly think a wayward germ
Is gonna take my lungs out
But lis'ning to the MSM
My saner side will then doubt
Following the movie stars
In self-imposed restrictions
I'll give in to sequestering
And snub the contradictions
So now I wait to see what the
Stock market guys will guess at
And what my local diplomates
Will emphasize and stress that
Contamination headlines streak
Across the news like comets
I could not close this timely rhyme
Ignoring words like vomit.
Germ Schemes
I had a dream where I was goosed
with a shrink drug I was reduced
the same size as my fellow germs
but human nature came to terms
I had the power to compete
with HDL or LDL
on what to eat and what to shun
invent a bacteria
and cure in any area
or wake up if it isn’t done
The Miniverse Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Nina Parmenter
July 15, 2019
A Germ Of Hope
Just a little thought this very bright day
a ray of Hope wrapped in forgotten dust
Shall we dare to dance as they so often say
step into sweet heart of endearing trust
Tiny step, one that precedes a coming leap
not waiting for the fine music to play
Germ of Hope aching for a harvest to reap
in solemn trust of a united future day
Born of Hope the coming great romantic affair
a solid tree grown from the smallest germ
Fruits to eat within the two hearts we share
glorious sweet apple minus the nasty worm
Sweet little germ, fine and most neat one
uniting two souls moment they first met
Growing fantastic romance just set to run
with happiest moments two lovers ever get
Just a little thought this very bright day
a ray of Hope wrapped in forgotten dust
Shall we dare to dance as they so often say
step into sweet heart of endearing trust
Robert J. Lindley
Note: First seeing light of day. Was written
in my private journal back in 1973 .
My nose is redder than red
The flu has put me in bed
I sniffle and drip
I can’t get a grip
For there’s pure lead in my head
Coughed up a poem or two
That might not make sense to you
The germs and the phlegm
Have covered this gem
Clean it, for it is…true blue!
It’s been a miserable day
Been grumpy all the way
But for this great SOUP
You guys are the scoup
Much better than meds…. I’ll say!
Eileen Manassian Ghali
Ist germ warfare?
Yes Bob,
1950s In Aussie they used myxmetosis,
carried by mosquito the mostest,
Squatter Jack was of grass, alack, (always)
disposed of the rabbit he boasted,
but the bunny out bred the attack,
brer bunny might give you a slappp:)
adapting old bunny still coasting...
Don Johnson 3-sep-11
I only wanted love or
At least I wanted what
Love passes for
On that vile parking lot
Of course, I didn’t want to pay
I would have much preferred
Never, morality to betray
But that is what occurred
Oh yes I have diminished
Both this young girl and me
My self-respect is finished
And I just want to flee
And now I have discovered
In her efforts, me to please
A parting gift uncovered
That terrible disease
Of course, I didn’t want to pay
Oh this I reaffirm
I didn’t want to pay, this way
The currency or the germ
Sometimes My poems lack the skill
and the substance is below better work
Egotism gets the better of me
I end up writing like a jerk
There are more professional poets than myself
who have the style and grace
These writings of mine,however..
are just ordinary at best
The lust that is within me to tell a poetic tale
is confused and erratic
It is exactly why I continue to fail
My own personal philosophy still escapes
in the truest meaning
People say it is easy to be hard on one self
They can compliment the Poet
but,
it is the Poet
that should be allowed to criticize his own flair
For this reason by my writing
I call my poems:
GERM POETFARE
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