When Everything Is Quiet
No sound
No drama
No nonsense
Submerge in water
No anger
No chaos
Just solitude
Keep life simple
Turn off the news
In one ear and out the other
I like peace and quiet
A man of very few words
Disconnected from society
Turn off the noise
No electronics
No conflict
Confined
Darkness is mine
Creative writings
When everything is quiet
When writing poetry, I’m alive.
and the garbage piles up.
Nose-blind by now,
the public doesn’t even
smell the increasing stench.
Inured to the political slush,
minds grind to a halt,
gravitating to one or
another single topic,
ignoring other issues.
Women’s rights, tariffs,
Ukraine, deteriorating
and threatening climate
change, nuclear war,
presidential ability, character,
in one ear and out an eye.
It’s the price of gas, they say,
the cost of groceries,
often controlled by world supply,
and other economies.
Real and threatening issues
bear down on us,
but we blindly accept
the panaceas of
political sound-bites as truth.
Is this really an election,
with a divided populace
so many of whom see nothing,
hear nothing, and know nothing
but the lies they are fed?
Look at me in the eyes
I'm larger than life
A towering monolith
Surrounded by phonies
And plastic ponies
It's a shame I'm the only
One standing tall
But he who stands tall
Must inevitably fall
At least that's what they say
But they say
So many things
So in one ear
And out the other
Look me in the eyes
Tell me when I'm tellin' lies
Each day is a new chapter
And sure
Maybe I cut some pages out
But I've still got a novel
Built from numerous experiences
And those dark days
Those really dark days
Are like drifting storm clouds
But at the very end
Is a pot of gold
And if I may be bold
Look at me now
I'm larger than life
Yeah, I'm larger than life
No matter how much I say to get your homework done- it seems to go in one ear and out the other
I said I ain't been on no bike
He said, 'Well, there it is.'
Premature baldness and popcorn muscles
I told him I got a B in History
He said, 'What a life you're gonna have.'
This is what I'm paying for
Man hugs and comic sans garage dweller
As I lay in bed on my side
With the book open next to my eyeball
Country music in one ear
Chewing three pieces of gum simultaneously
Offering extra strong mints to friends
I am inside a wooden nesting doll
The windscreen is frozen over
I am a dog looking out the driver's window
A constant expression of weariness
He wants to see me again in a month
He asks for a mint as I leave
I ask reception for a shovel to dig to
Disappointment Island
I pick up their idle chatter five days of the week.
Conversation with other passengers, I never seek
to learn of a secret one of them might privately leak.
But try as I might, I cannot help but overhear
a new recipe she tried, or the reason for his fear.
Sometimes, I wish I was deaf, at least in one ear!
I try reading my newspaper and ignore the prattle,
but often it's louder than the train car's rattle.
I'm not interested in the gossip of their tittle tattle.
At least the man with the cigar, smokes it outside,
or I'd take another tram. Cigar stench I can't abide.
I live in the burbs, so it's a long way home I ride.
Today, there's a young lady who wouldn't take a seat.
She looks worried, or at least somewhat browbeat,
like the people I work with down at Dun & Bradstreet.
I often wonder what's on the young conductor's mind.
Does he despise his job because he feels confined?
I'm off at the next stop, where I leave them all behind.
Too many times,
I’ve felt left behind.
We let the blind,
Lead the blind, into empty minds
Stuck thinking…..
Without any idea what can be,
At least it sounds good.
Stevie Wonder piano keys
Feels even better when I can’t see.
Out Shining them like Jack Nick
As good as it gets,
Remember when we used to question things.
The internet made you forget.
Everything you had to know,
In one ear, out it goes.
No matter the name,
Still smell a rose.
If you have to ask google,
You’ll never know.
...or In One Ear and Out to the Bridge Club...
Everybody likes a little gossip,
Everybody likes to hear a bit of dirt.
It brightens conversations,
And arouses shocked sensations,
And might cause some mild vexations,
But should never, never, never ever hurt.
What the neighbors do should be nobody's business,
It's not your fault if they don't keep their curtains drawn.
Besides, you're reasonably sure
That's what binoculars are for,
And if you hide behind your door,
What you can see them do by them is never known.
The Browns across the street are having problems,
He's been sleeping on the couch since New Year's Eve.
It seems those last two business trips
Involved some extra-marital "slips".
You're not adept at reading lips,
But gossip needn't be precise to be believed.
Yes, everybody likes a little gossip
To discuss at lunch, or brunch, or over tea.
To be aware of the mistakes
That almost everybody makes
Is all the skill and guile it takes
To be a gossiper, and not a gossipee.
How odd she was
Graceful in her own chaos
Believing in devils and angels and fairies
She was a genius of sorts
In one ear, not aware
Out her mouth, people stare
Her eyes twinkling with excitement misunderstood
She saw questioning gazes, inspired peers
Grinning back to even glares
How odd she was
Comfortable in her own skin
How odd she was
Smiling at the screen
Watching, thinking, creating, making
She was a savior of sorts
Laughing, grinning
Listening, telling
Understanding eyes shining with glee
She inspired the gazes; questioned her peers
Quoting the shows with ease
How odd she was
Comfortable in her own skin
Written for a friend from high school who showed me that its okay to be yourself.
The street where I live
is where rich people
have holiday haunts,
or investors have airbnb houses to rent.
The little old lovelies are
tarted up with a lick of paint
stuffed full of
period matching furniture
and nick-knacks,
to charm the socks off
the visitors flocking to
the seaside for short stays.
Mid-week outta the holiday season
my little old street is a ghost town.
Only 5 of 34 houses with lights on
at night.
On the week-end its party time,
with parked cars choking the roads.
The kind vacationers tell me
when there's a party on
across the road,
and ask if I mind the noise.
Fortunately, though unfortunately,
I'm deaf in one ear,
and so with curtains drawn
and good-ear down,
it's sweet dreams
and memories
for long-stayer,
party-animal
on the outta,
little old me.
Outside the room
a steady rain
drip-drip-drip-drip...
He, pacing to and fro
up on his toes
then back on his heels
A dull pounding
in the back of his head
his tongue and palate dry
Perspiration coating the
crooks of his elbows
the backs of his knees
His breathing shallow
coming in fits and starts
punctuated by overloud hiccoughs
A thrum-thrum-thrum in one ear
a high pitched whistle in the other
What's the jury doing, brother?...
The rain-smeared windows
reveal a downpour now
Frigid slants, arrows into the ground
My minds kinda blank
My heart just slowly sank.
I can't think straight
It's not even too late.
It's like a fever dream
Nothing is as it seems.
I'm just going through the motions
It's like i've been hit by a potion.
I don't know what I'm doing
Everything is just moving.
I want to do something productive
But my phone and bed are so addictive.
The words of everyone goes in one ear and out the other
My own mind likes to smother.
I'm in the huge forest of nothingness
I hate the feeling of worthlessness....
It would be completely absurd
to waste time with what you’ve already heard;
You listen harder when I scream every word
In one ear, now the past;
Maybe with my voice in your ear
you’ll finally listen, you’ll finally hear
before everything starts to disappear;
Now I get to talk this is my podcast;
I got smart while you were staying static;
Seeking intricate patterns, I’m done with basic;
Greased up lines, I’m more charismatic,
let’s put the ‘phony’ on blast.
Now I’m on the air, starting a wave,
We do not need more of the same;
Join me, say what you need to say,
Ideas will spark if we hold fast.
Remember my name and the voice
this is not a game or some kind of ploy,
I want to cut through all the noise,
this message won’t be my last.
"The Word on the street"
Rumors and thoughts that r incomplete
"The Word" will knock u off ur feet,
Without missing a beat
"The Word" is something u can't defeat
One day "The Word" can flatter
The next day it will shatter
The truth u know is all that matters
"The Word" is just clatter
U know, noise and chatter
There isn't a grain of salt big enough
Believe "The Word" if u r stupid enough
"The Word" can make life tough
According to "The Word" u like it rough
Like whips and handcuffs
But u didn't here it from me
"The Word" can destroy lives and families
In one ear and right out the other
If it isn't seen, don't bother
It's hard not to listen when "they" talk lies & deceit
Beware the word on the street
Gail was very tired
A rough day at work
She went to bed early
To get a good rest
Her husband Willy
Soon followed her
Both in deep slumber
It did not take long
Wendy got out of bed
She went to the dresser
Opened her jewellery box
Then changed her earrings
light
In the morning light
She went to the mirror
She noticed a change
Two earrings in one ear
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