Ancient arts so intriguing
hieroglyphs, cave drawings
Stone flints at end of spears
two combined, a pair of shears
Primitive though, their communication
the imperiled art of ~ conversation
Never knew my grandpa's,
they were too old.
I cannot now sing
true grampus songs.
I get all teary-eyed
about those two dead and gonners.
I dream of going fishing with them,
listening to their tall tales,
and, well you know,
just getting along fine with the old guys.
Hey Grandaddies, what's up?
Do you look up
or down on me -
your once
whippersnapper blood-kin?
I'm a grandpappy myself now.
with grandkids,
It's grand,
Do you miss that toy train?
It went: choo-choo-choo,
you bought it for your own nippers
and it got passed down,
sorry, gramps,
I lost it somewhere along the line,
like I lost you.
Maybe you are both riding
that loco now,
just chuffing along with a huff- huff
and choo-choo glee.
Wish I could hear,
wish I could see.
It is a steampunk wedding, Great-Grandpa, his grandson said.
He had no idea what that meant but found out right away.
It is like Jules Verne’s 20, 000 Leagues under the Sea has come alive!
He could not have been more thrilled if he had thought of it himself.
His copper cane with the fancy parrot was a “hit” with the young.
You should come over and see my clawfoot table, he told them.
He had been steampunk all along but did not know it.
My gramps was a long-staunch Baptist of the sort S.B.C.,
Until his local congregation got beholden to the R.N.C.
Gramps was a hoot – on a Friday he joined the K.K.K.,
Saturday, he quit because it wasn’t a branch of the Y.M.C.A.
Afterwards, he feared a knock on his door from the C.I.A.
Would negate all his years working with the B.S. of A.
Gramps continued his strong support for the N.A.A.C.P.
But said he was canceling his membership in the B.B.B.
He was a coal miner, but Gramps never joined the A.F. of L.
It was years before he learned the union was not a U.R.L.
GRAMPS
Gramps is really very old,
At least that’s what he said.
There’s hair all on his cheeks and chin,
But not much on his head.
“But thing’s aren’t what they used to be”
My Grandpa said.
He has always time to talk to me,
He answers every question.
But he won’t eat fries when he takes me out
Because they give him indigestion.
“But thing’s aren’t what they used to be”
My Grandpa said.
Gramps knows almost everything
About buildings, cars and flowers.
He knows just why the sun is hot
And why the clouds makes showers.
“But thing’s aren’t what they used to be”
My Grandpa said.
He tells how things were years ago,
When he was very young.
Stories told him by his Dad
And songs that once were sung.
“But thing’s aren’t what they used to be”
My Grandpa said.
Gramps is really very old
And likes to take a nap,
But he’s heard of Lady Gaga,
And Disco songs and Rap.
“But thing’s aren’t what they used to be”
My Grandpa said.
I really love my Grandpa,
And he really loves me too!
He told me only yesterday
When he stopped to tie my shoe.
“Some things are like they used to be”
My Grandpa said.
The last words of my gramps were
“A TRUCK!!!... “ I guess he should have taken Uber
There's a lesson to be learned
Should've spent what he earned
He'd be off to Florida for the winter again in the future
'look what i found ma'...
"now thet there was yer gran pa's
fav'rit grave marker...
...don't go lose'n it"
'yuh mean gran pa made tombstones'
"no son...thet was his...
...so where'd'ya find it"
'top of the septic tank ma'
"and how'd it git there"
'tommy did it ma'
"did whut...just who is tommy...
...gawd no...where's dad's jar"
stan sand
When I die I want to go peacefully in my sleep like gramps
Not screaming like his passengers while careening off the on-ramp
Want to wake up in our garage
Enjoying a soothing massage
Administered by the neighbor's sexy teenage tramp
Their day at the beach was much hotter
than usual. Soon Gramps would totter
right down to the ocean.
We warned him his notion
was bad. We’d seen sharks in the water.
Alone, he was happily splashing,
but soon, barely clothed, he was dashing
to shore. He was screaming,
though no blood was streaming.
Just shorts, the big creature was gnashing.
7, red (garnet, birth stone)
August 1, 2018, entered in Carolyn Devonshire's Sea Tales
Limericks Contest
When I die I want to go peacefully in my sleep like gramps
Not screaming like his passengers while careening off the on-ramp
Want to wake up in our garage
Enjoying a soothing massage
Administered by the neighbor's sexy teenage tramp
I really just wanted to tell you Happy Birthday
You would have been 72 years old today
Even though we miss you day by day
You're still in our hearts every step of the way
Ive told you Happy Birthday for 24 years before now
Figuring out a way to send this to the heavens to you somehow
Because on this day each and every year
Ill look up to the sky and you'll hear
Screaming out through the clouds
Happy Birthday and I miss you so loud
There's still not a day that I don't think about you
WIshing I could just tell you this like I used too
But I know in my heart there will be some way
This will get sent to you on this day
I just really wish I could kiss you on the cheek and say
I love you Grandpa and have a wonderful Birthday
11/14/45-06/20/17
When you get older and put out to graze,
When kids grow and move to a new phase.
When they need help with kids of their own,
When they realize what they chose for you,
When the light dawns, it will be them soon too.
So remember your folks as you age yourself.
Never ever leave them sat on the shelf.
For the day may come when you have to atone,
Because they will be gone and your left all alone.
© Dave Timperley 15 September 2016
Light work?
Give to granddad
The bits drawer will help him
Tape, screws, raw plugs, string, pins and bits
If no cure, use black tape
Strap it down hard
All done!
The death of winter carries varied sights.
In April, when dandelions roar, “It’s Spring!”
green yards transform by magic overnight.
Gramps had sprayed his lawn, but in ours weeds bring
an old game for kids as they dance and swing.
Small windmills in disguise, children spread seeds
giving Grandpa a cause for some dismay.
He is no grouch, fence conversation leads
to friendly talk of butterflies at play -
riddles about what nature does in May.
The kids amazed, watch squirrels building nests,
questions evolve about the birds and bees.
Gramps calls them varmints - Mother's Nature’s pests.
“Ask your folks”, he replies with cough and wheeze.
In naptime dreams, he aims a gun at trees.
Gramps takes a walk, golf umbrella hovers
for spring rains do not announce their coming.
A neighbor lady hobbles to cover.
Listen, his cane on her sidewalk - drumming,
sweet songs of spring love, two voices humming.
written May 7, 2014, edited on May 25, 2014
Technology Has Passed Gramps By
By Elton Camp
For Gramps to the Electronic Age to relate
Developments came several years too late
A pocket calculator was the last he used
Later developments, to learn, he refused
Lately, the old codger has been known
To try to work the TV with a cell phone
A text message he never has sent
Nor any time on a computer spent
Yet, he heard so much about Internet
Down to a box with buttons he sat
About the Internet he began to rave
His wife said, “That’s the microwave!”
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