Arkham
Is not for me
I wish I were writing
But instead I’ve got guard duty
With serial killers and maniacs
Screaming, howling, crying
Joker, Two-Face
Riddler
Why does The Bat
Let these guys stay alive?
But I guess Arkham might be worse
With its leaky pipes and drafty windows
Gruel for every single person
(So I pack my own lunch)
Anyone who
Sees this:
We’re hiring
No wonder the villains
Keep on escaping this prison
We can’t take on more supervillains here
Batman! Send us more employees
If you want the bad guys
To stay put here
Alas,
Time to make rounds
In this cold and dank place
I don’t get paid enough for this
But at least they match my 401k
Only up to a percentage...
But I do get dental!
Uh-oh…Joker’s
Laughing
My Brothers Boots
David J Walker
(3/19/74)
They opened him
And closed him
And told him to go home a
And wait
I was a soldier then
I took leave to come home
And be with him
We talked about the army
And he gave me his jump boots
Thirteen years old
But still shined
With a little spit and kiwi
In Germany
I wore them on guard duty
The midnight street lamp
Glowed a halo
On the mirrored toes
And I walked as if
Each step might be their last
A letter came
A week after the funeral
I spit-shined his boots
Naturally
And carefully laced and tied them
As I had always remembered them
And put them in a box
In the bottom of my
Footlocker
To rest
Mother Said
My Mother said you need to read
more than Comic books.
I know I’m not the only one.
Some of everything that I read
from my childhood to adult
has been made into movies.
Like Hollywood had nothing better to do
then to follow me around,
every time I Pick up a book.
Someone made a phone call.
What is he reading?
The Avenger’s X-men and Dr. Strange.
My Mother who was an English Major,
said Bobby since you hate English in school,
you'll probably end up being a poet.
But you need to read more than Comic books.
In 1968 I was in the 5th grade
at public school No. 6
when my teacher Mr. Gamble read
the Lord of the Rings to the class.
I surprised my mother
When she caught me reading the Hobbit.
Grow up and I joined the Army,
got sent overseas on hardship tour.
Pulling guard duty, I had a lot time on my hands.
So, I read the books of Tom Clancy.
Hollywood found my reading list.
Hunt for the Red October,
Clear and Present Danger
Patriot Games.
Everything that I read from childhood
to adult has been made into movies.
But I’ve also read books on sensual massage,
And you should know,
they are X-rated movies.
Military service (compulsory)
Stationed at a camp
The discipline, not too tough unless you had never done up your bed.
They gave us some old German rifle not
Shooting anyone, but for training.
I liked to go guard duty patrolling the perimeter
There I could sit behind a big stone and smoke
The worst thing that happened to me in the
Military service, sitting behind a rock I had
Forgotten my matches and had to cut me
Patrolling short.
From time to time I stayed out too long and it
Ended in a fortnights jail, this suited me to find
Books to read and my room.
The rest of my military service was a waste of time.
Splendors filtering light from sol’s fingers.
Winter sentries stand looming in the shadows cast by moonlight.
In the cold polar breath, nothing lingers;
guard duty shifts when Spring arrives; old Man Winter can’t take sunlight.
Evergreen dreams, salvage his empty eyes; splashes of color.
Carpeting pines are homes for beings of flight.
Giant oaken knights defend woodsy borders, among others;
stretching to drink sunlight.
Just listen to the gossip of the leaves in the breeze;
Secrets shared, bond these beings.
Their bodies strong, defend against high winds.
Protected by bark sweaters, they may still freeze;
some will break; some will bend; others will succumb while many mend.
The most precious gift Mother Nature bestows, the gift of trees.
WELL-WORN PATH OF SHOES
shoes ~ saddle
with gray and blue catholic uniform
dove white ~ easter
sandals dressed in ‘60’s powder blue
sneakers with my uniform
last minute mistake
mercy meted me a guard duty post
click~click~slick
cruise ship formal night
not for love, arm in arm
delicate walk to dining room
catherine de medici taller
well-heeled so we can grow smaller
dining in our fancy chairs
sacrificial slippers – quiet hush hush
toss them overboard
bare ~ love cuddles
The bird a cat on guard duty the fat worms
Silence, a gift that offers respite from sound.
Practiced by librarians and the palace guard duty bound.
A moment in night when all humans slumber,
Opportunity to reflect on all thoughts encumber.
But a world is found beyond the ears reach,
Skitters and flutters, the tiniest screech.
The bloom of the red rose seemed without voice
But we cannot listen and we are given no choice.
With science and magic, a glimpse we extend
beyond human limits with speakers on lend.
Silence is a gift that offers respite profound,
but sometimes we need that which breaks awkward bound.
A simple hello, a singer on stage,
Memories are triggered from this mental cage.
A nostalgic cough, a familiar sneeze,
these things can take you to that old childhood breeze.
Silence can release you from a troubling surrounding,
but never can you recollect with naught but empty sounding.
Treasure the laughs of your children of grand,
Faces and colours are naught but desert sand.
But words will jolt said memories to mind.
Even if said sounds could be eloquent or Maligned.
Silence is a gift that offers respite renowned
But sound is a blessing of which we all surround.
His ears peak up and his tail is straight
The innocent pedestrian will meet his fate
Within a blink of an eye
The mighty Genghis flies
With a yap of lightning glee
And the grace of gazelle speed
The poor person jumps in fright
As Genghis continues to bark in delight
Leaping and snapping within the fence
The little black dog appeared from whence
His tail is wagging his white teeth glare
The pedestrian can only stop and stare
An embarrassed chuckle and loose smile
Genghis barks and barks constant and loud
The person leaves on his way
While Genghis yapping echos through the day
The little tiger scratches the ground with hind feet
Another unexpected soul met his defeat
Tail in the air and one last growl
Genghis guards his fence loud and proud.
Women In Military Poem (WIMP)
Come on now and get a load of him;
He looks so nice and stays so trim
And of course is handsome as can be;
When in shower all of him can see.
Body's so strong and beyond compare;
Likes looking at himself in under ware;
Has ego which is always expanding;
Great fisherman and big ones is landing.
Joined Navy but wanted duty on shore
So he decided to join the Marine Corps;
In parade would wear a sharp uniform;
He will start sweating when it gets warm.
Women all started to enlist in Uncle Sam;
Some joined Marines and became a "BAM";
Then there were others who did crave
Being part of our Navy and are a "WAVE".
On back others didn't want to wear a pack;
Would now be women who are a "WAC";
At night, have guard duty over me and you;
Without woman, what would we ever do?
James Hawthorne Horn
RiverSea Plantation
Bolivia, NC
jthorn5656@atmc.net
It seems like an eternity,
since you left our home.
Residing in this new country,
wandering aimlessly to roam.
Carefully plotting your mission,
jotting mental notes every day.
Repressing traumatic memories,
cautiously watching what you say.
You’ve succumbed to isolation,
watching the enemy close.
Performing guard duty nightly,
patrolling your nightmares the most.
Planning has become a ritual.
Your schemes are now in play.
Searching the stars for answers;
praying for just one more day.
One thing you failed to realize,
as you patrol this endless roam.
Your body is now here with me,
but your mind is still far from home.