Red brick walls of the highest quality,
hell or high water the last one standing.
My resilience never rubber-banding,
high dollar construction’s a shield for me.
No need to fight what I was meant to be,
always protected while I’m expanding.
A harsh silhouette that is commanding
up close still appears rock hard easily.
With this architecture of solitude
the strategy can be hidden from view.
Glass windows only added to the top
tend to come off as aloof attitude.
Crippling loneliness can overtake you,
let someone in if you wish it to stop.
(“Pantheism Merit Badge”, 2011, original oil)
People come in all shapes and sizes
But in my experience
There are basically only two types;
Sheep and goats.
Now everyone knows
Sheep go to heaven and goats go to hell,
But pretty much you are what you are
And can only pretend otherwise for so long.
Of course the heaven of sheep
Is nothing more than a nice green pasture
Fenced in and patrolled by a big dog
While the hell of a goat
Is a rocky knoll, with a nice view
And no body to disturb him.
I don’t know about you, but I’ll take the rocky knoll
Without its vaccinations or public school indoctrination
Any day, and any way
Come hell or high water.
After all, I know how to climb and swim
And living free or dying
Isn’t a choice
But a statement of fact.
Now that I think of it
I can understand where the sheep are coming from
And that safe little pasture down there
Sure looks nice,
But wait, isn’t that the mobile slaughter truck
Coming up their drive now…
(10/4/25)
Breaking free like Thelma and Louise
come hell or high water
nothing's going to stop us now ~
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
Into the shadow of me is where I lie
Always searching for the light
I am the darkness that radiates
Come hell or high water I find a way
To stay hidden
Far away
I the shadow of what was never to be
Part of the ground for you all to step on
It's a race againist time to be 6 feet darker then ever before
There's no shame in giving up
When the fight seems to always be a losing war against me
How things implode how they cascade down beyond all control
When it seems the lowest point is everyday
I've tried to flick the switch of change
To a brighter forever
But it all seems to fade
Like a ship without a course
I let it all coast into the coast of jagged moments
As the shipwreck of lost goals spreads accross my ocean of disgrace
The waves ever crashing but never eroding how I am feeling about this shadow of me
It's almost surreal to be here now pitch black
Surrounded by darkness and chaos
But when this is all over and I wake to see
Sometimes the darkness can show you a light
Can make you see not everything that is light will end in darkness you just have to follow the shadows and embrace the fear.
Entitled Cup
We All Have Divergent Opinions
Some Of Them Rise Like Demons
From Tortured Raging Fiery
Magnanimous Cauldron Hate-Full-Ness!
Some Of Them Hiss Like Serpents
Cavorting Wet From The Deepest
Darkest Slithering Am-Big-U/Us Depths...
And...
Arise Now!
*** Storm!!! ***
We're All Entitled To
All Of Our Opinions.
[Come Hell Or High Water.]
-Gray Squirrel
05-30-2025
Caught between a glamorized past and an imploding present,
Future's hope hangs upon the scales of a timid fate.
A country splintering,
A modern-day civil war where words fly by like bullets.
Family and friends become nothing but mere collateral,
To radicalised ideals and misplaced allegiances.
While the rest of the world unites,
Watching as the sparks of hate ignite.
As flames of blind loyalty sweep through cities.
Idiocracy now rules the ashes,
The clock is ticking down.
Will you cower in the shadows,
Waiting for the winds of change to blow over,
Or will you fight, come hell or high water?
Hell hath no fury, when all Hell breaks loose,
Yet come Hell or high water, I’ll press on regardless,
For the sheer Hell of it, though I'm as hot as Hell.
I'm Hell bent, I'll fight like Hell, with all Hell to pay,
Having a Hell of a time, raising all Hell on earth,
On the road to Hell and back again, until I get the Hell outta here,
Then, Hell will freeze over, and Hell's bells will ring and chime,
Leaving me stranded, between the devil, and the deep blue sea.
the going gets tough
no pain no gain sink or swim
burn the midnight oil
soldier on stick to
your guns bite the bullet come
hell or high water
go the extra mile
the going gets tough stand your
ground dig in your heels
up and at ’em where
there’s a will, there’s a way on
the ball hang in there
Life is like a treasure;
Feel it with pleasure,
Let the bygones be bygones.
Whatever you want to accomplish,
Go the extra mile, just hang in there.
When opportunity knocks,
Don't be in two minds—give it a twirl,
Without the fear of facing the results.
When someone criticizes you,
Don't be up in arms with them.
Instead, step up your game,
And prove yourself.
Sometimes, you may feel left out in the cold,
Without any reason,
And it all seems Greek to you.
But when you're a cut above the rest,
These situations are a dime a dozen—
Take it as easy as pie.
When success isn't yours, bite the bullet,
Hold your horses, clear the air,
Come hell or high water,
Beyond a shadow of a doubt,
You will taste it!
Taken the high road
Every damn time
Ending up in the gutter
No matter how hi I climb
Saddle up my high horse
Lead it to water
Same creek different source
One paddle is all they offer
High strung out and out of sorts
Last blast comes with no laughter
Burning bridges the last resort
Blown sky high regret pours soon after
Settn sail three sheets to the wind
High as a kite in lightning storm disaster
In a handbasket hell is destined
Desperate high times spent n plastered
Chasing that dragon that's got me imprisoned
Hell or high water the path to rock bottom is the only pursuit I've mastered
In your corner
By Michelle Morris
21/01/2023
I am your friend
I am your supporter
I'll be there for you
Come hell or high water
I am always in your corner
Cheering you on
When you're down on the mat
I'll help you back up
I know I can't take
All those blows for you
I know that I can't fight
Battles that you need to prove
But I will be there in your corner
I will always be supporting you
Friendship is part of life's magic
Loyalty, love and devoted truth
© Michelle Morris, 2023
They called him Lawrence of Neasden
And he dressed in Khaki shorts
And he always rode a camel
Which he kept in his car port
Oblivious to the glances
Of the people passing by
He solemnly rode his mount
And he always wore a tie
He knew he had a mission
Was ready for the call
Though quite what it was
He’d really no idea at all
So he kept himself in condition
Led a blameless model life
Denied himself the joys
Of a family and a wife
When the human race required it
He was primed and ready to serve
You could see in his steely glance
He was a man of drive and nerve
And the people could sleep soundly
Even though they didn’t really know
Come hell or high water
Lawrence was ready to go
That’s what the Ground hogs whistle:
‘hell or high water’
then they put on their old-timey spectacles
and the glasses slip
to the end of their stubby snouts.
The squirrels climb too high
for the lower depths of Hades to reach,
but the hawks are not religious.
Daddy bought the farm
his old lady, the unmarried one,
died also
tugging at his shirt tails.
The waters receded some,
hell closed its barroom doors
to all the better critters.
Only the bottom feeders
were allowed in;
not the whales
they had outgrown heaven
and hell,
the high waters kept them safe
until the oily whalers
came back
to reclaim the low ground.
Why are many people perpetually angry?
Seems they look for reasons to growl
My father was always disgruntled, frankly,
He was always wearing a scowl.
Nothing we did ever pleased him, I recall,
He was always ready to criticize,
And when it came his turn to take a fall
It was someone else’s fault, in his eyes.
I grew up trying to stay out of his way
Avoiding any confrontation, you bet!
Biting my tongue, not having my say
Bottling it inside with tons of regret.
I’d have my say, come hell or high water
I avowed, with the utmost determination,
A resolve that came direct from my father
Never shared with him, to my consternation.
Written August 15, 2022
Come hell or high water the line he marched toward
To head off the charge that the foe would make
He chastened himself, urged his tired feet forward
Cruel sun with no mercy his uniform baked
He saw them ahead, and he started to run
Heart's chamber pounding, he stepped up his pace
But footsteps unsure, his plan came undone
Deep gashes and bruises covered his face
I spied him a moment too late, I'm afraid
Smoke cleared and he lay on the ground, so still
The shots that had felled him whistled 'betrayed'
The specter of death did my vision chill
(Yet) one thing I'll recall forever that night
Those lifeless eyes asked me if I was alright
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