Hootch Poems


Premium MemberShoot the Hootch

Shoot the Hootch   O dear
   The raft is wild upon the flow
      I could walk across no fear
         If the active Christ said so

I’d choose rubber or wood
   Back scratched by splinters
      Or stuck with you in childhood
         After shiver and shake Winters

God could part the river wood
   To wood   I’d race you then
      across slippery silt and driftwood
         You’d be amazed and praise Amen

Shoot the Hootch    It’s vividly spry
   Shade’s in the leaning branches
      In May the water is on a high 
         And you’d no worry of avalanches

God showed me hidden beauty   met friend
   I stood   scoped   took in the riverscape
      In the sun and zephyr   I’d mend
         Out in nature’s playground escape

5/7/2022
Categories: hootch, river,
Form: Rhyme

How Times Have Changed

A professor of mine told a story
Of a litterbug caught in the act
So the witness retrieved
What the litterbug heaved
With the thought that with guilt he’d be wracked.

He caught up with the guy and returned it
And the man was embarrassed indeed.
This took place long ago
And the times, as you know,
Have few niceties people do heed.

So today, I observed someone drinking.
Once his bottle of hootch emptied out,
It got tossed through a fence
Where I’m sure it will hence
Be a permanent fixture, no doubt.

Though a garbage pail stood on the corner
Any effort was not worth a damn.
But did I interfere?
No, the years have made clear
Caution makes me the coward I am.
Categories: hootch, change, today,
Form: Rhyme


Premium MemberDo Frogs Wear Froggy Dentures

Remember back when you were a kid
Every day was a wonderful adventure
Exciting things to explore and investigate
Do frogs have pearly white dentures

Or why do elephants weigh so much
Weight Watchers might do them some good
What about a nasty old lion's bad temper
Did they not have a loving childhood

So many questions, I'm full of questions
Like why are most horses so nice
They never get upset when a bridle's put on
But heard one kicked a man twice

Then there's the sweet old teddy bear
Some have vowed they've never heard 'em talk
I got news for all you doubting Thomases
Sometimes they even go for a walk

Found some hootch down in the basement
Twenty-year-old brandy I suspect
When I sober up and read what I wrote
Might swear off the booze by heck
Categories: hootch, fun,
Form: Rhyme

Premium MemberDo Frogs Wear Froggie Dentures

Remember back when you were a kid

Every day was a wonderful adventure

Exciting things to explore and investigate

Do frogs have pearly white dentures

Or why do elephants weigh so much

Weight Watchers might do them some good

What about a nasty old lion's bad temper

Did they not have a loving childhood

So many questions, I'm full of questions

Like why are most horses so nice

They never get upset when a bridle's put on

But heard one kicked a man twice

Then there's the sweet old teddy bear

Some have vowed they've never heard 'em talk

I got news for all you doubting Thomases

Sometimes they even go for a walk

Found some hootch down in the basement

Twenty year old brandy I suspect

When I sober up and read what I wrote

Might swear off the booze by heck



© Jack Ellison 2014
Categories: hootch, humorous,
Form: Narrative

Stanza 1971

In ol' Songbe the choppers rise
From the sling-out pad with sleepy eyes,
All filled with special OD goodies--
Frags and doo just for the boonies.

We'll convoy up Rt. 309
And build a bridge 
Where the French one stood.

The laterite is packed real tight
To support the five-tons through the fight.
The peneprime smells oooh just right
With body bags stacked in the hootch tonight.

So come sing the happy convoy song:
Santana is struming and "beer to the front!"
"Carry me back to ol' Kambuja,"
The electric guitars drift o'er the berm.

And the sweat is mixed with the three-two beer,
Nobody here is filled with fear,
And the stars by the thousands stand up to cheer
Santana and doo and a breeze from the sea.

The rockets are pretty seen from afar.
Categories: hootch, death, history,
Form: Ballad


Get a Premium Membership
Get more exposure for your poetry and more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry

Member Area

My Admin
Profile and Settings
Edit My Poems
Edit My Quotes
Edit My Short Stories
Edit My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder

Soup Social

Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us

Member Poems

Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread

Member Poets

Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest

Famous Poems

Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100

Famous Poets

Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War

Poetry Resources

Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetics
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
Store
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter