Long Des moines Poems

This was accidentally written as a comment to my buddy, Line.
Yes, THAT Line.
The famous Line.
The one who wins all the contests, and 
we all love Line, anyway, I do.
And it's her birthday month!

Come on, Muse.
STICK...

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Inspiration comes disguised in a variety of ways.  News stories. Flash floods. A crying child in a grocery store.  A person sitting along the highway holding a ‘will work for food’ sign. ...

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I will be 75 on June 26th and married for 50 years on August 27th. 
I have a Master's Degree in Labor Economics and BA's in Sociology 
and Psychology. I was Supervisor of Labor Market...

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April 30 In Search of America 1975 – Hitch hiking Tales

When I was young and foolish
Broke and stubborn 
I hitchhiked across the USA 

Started in Salt Lake City 
Where my greyhound bus pass 
Was stolen...

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Four palms, one taller, the other three measure the same.
Heavily anchored in sand, all are vertical climbers of this azure sky.
Eight new fronds per palm, the older ones neatly trimmed by man.
No cocoanuts anywhere to...

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Schizophrenic tendencies
Stealing useless sh*t like a kleptomaniacal king 
Laughing and tip toeing to the closet
While listening to the faucet drip
Freaking out my third eye blinking stunting your growth with a lean
Heavy petting in front of...

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We three teachers were taking a painting class.
Mr.G, the teacher was new, fresh, nervous.
Asked us if we would please let him put our paintings into an art show.
Kitchia was reluctant, but Margo and I handed...

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I was working my way north through Kansas,
selling hot dogs at a traveling fair,
the pay wasn’t great, but it was still a job,
and I met all sorts of people there.

We’d set up for a week...

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I was drifting north, looking out for work,
found myself in Iowa, in Des Moines,
a polka band was holding a concert,
they needed roadies, so I thought I’d join.

The work was easy, just moving heavy things,
and helping...

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A musical throng of 400,000 strong invaded a dairy farm in New York in 1969,
 which set fire to the 70’s; but there was no chance of me being there; 
I was a good girl,...

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GHOST STORY

Hey!  Over there !  I got a glimpse of him !
Yes,  I see him now over there almost hidden behind  those books  
      ...

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(iv)
We were half-way to Iowa and lethargy was not far
behind us. He had a late start but we all know lethargy
is a health freak and would never drink 64 oz frozen
soda-pops which means he doesn’t...

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Coach Bob Savage
was one of the greatest
coaches in Des Moines
High School History.

During his stay
at East High School,
he coached football,
baseball and softball.

Coach Savage led
East to 477 victories
in softball, 198 in baseball
and 102 in football.

He may never...

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1959, Chariton, Iowa, sixty miles south of Des Moines
I was prancing around proudly showing off my snow people pin.
Husband and wife, glitzy with glitter, I was so excited.

I wore it to school on my coat....

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Looking backward one can see so clearly. 
The priceless diamond held loosely in hand. 
Did not seem as vital but merely
What most every kid had in the heartland. 

The sidelines were of no significance
For the...

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April 30 In Search of America 1975 – Hitchhiking Tales  part one 
published in Tiferet Journal 2018 Poem-a-Thon 

When I was young and foolish
Broke and stubborn 
I hitchhiked across the USA 

Started in Salt...

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He was a stiff one, 
There was a yardstick up his back
His mouth was a paperclip
No gray or red in his world
Black and white, pure office.
No touch of flowers or a picture
For he still lived...

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Sunday diner at grandma's was
a delight to be remembered.

On her table this very day,
was fried chicken, that she
had killed that very morning.

Mashed potatoes and gravy,
green beans with bacon,
corn bread, that melted

in your month, so
tasty was...

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avid arm-wrestling against awesome Allie
brave Billy Bouncer balks a bit at Ballet.
cocky courage cancelled, civic concentration.
during Des Moines Diamond demonstration
energetic efforts enthuse eager Eddie
facing fearless frog-legged Freddie
gracious Greta grants gorillas gratuities
harry harpoons happy harpy Helga...

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avid arm-wrestling against awesome Allie
brave Billy Bouncer balks a bit at Ballet.
cocky courage cancelled, civic concentration.
during Des Moines Diamond demonstration
energetic efforts enthuse eager Eddie
facing fearless frog-legged Freddie
gracious Greta grants gorillas gratuities
harry harpoons happy harpy Helga...

Read More

There was this cafe
where us guys use
to go during lunch
hour, while going
to High School.

We would all get
a hot roast beef
sandwich, you know
two pieces of bread
with roast beef,
mashed potatoes
and rich brown gravy,
for the price of 50...

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Jimmy my son, so
many years ago,
when you were such
a little tot,
your sister and you,
would pay me a visit
every Saturday.

Miss those days of
so long ago, had
many memories to
go with them.

Jimmy I was so
proud of you my
son,...

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Higher and higher
I climbed the TV tower,
not wanting to show
my peers that I was
       a coward.

So high up off the
ground, so tiny
my friends looked
     ...

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...Now Des Moines is a fine heartland town,
not a Sodom on the Pacific,
as minds returned, realization came
and the people found it quite horrific.

They didn’t know who had drugged the beer,
bo one had seen that woman...

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Do you remember when you told me that story
of all the Planets in the sky and how they all
had different jobs and had different people they
were in charge of? That Uranus was a magician
and he...

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