As a poet
you need a profession
beyond the written word
Neal Hall
an ophthalmologist
Robert Burns once farmed unheard
One hand to feed
the other
as labor stakes its claim
Before
the words were uttered
— the genesis of fame
(Lessons From Neal: October, 2016)
Meet Bob:
Bob just lost his job!
Toiled twenty years.
Poor pitiful slob.
Meet Neal:
He cut a better deal!
Foiled his pension,
When he ratted out Bob.
Back to Bob:
Heard about Neal!
Heard about the deal,
Neal got robbed by Bob.
Neal shot Bob!
Bob bled on Neal!
Aah, who cares?
Anybody got time for Neal and Bob?
most beautiful sheep crown was ready to be given out
vain sheep had been prancing up and down, all about
I know it will be me, one overconfident one said with a shout
the judges made a note of this, and another one’s pout.
crown was pretty, enhanced by rhinestones that were real.
all the girl sheep wanted it, this was their August deal.
Whoever got crowned queen usually wore a bit of teal
for they always chose the same head judge, my uncle Neal
If lost in yourself,
there’s no need to be found
As the self-disenfranchised,
circle around
They question and lecture,
and spew out their grief
To lure you within,
their false broken beliefs
“You really don’t get it, man,”
they sing from their bus
They say “You’re unhip”
and “You need to be us”
The chanting of laughter,
they march to inane
Where a prank on themselves
—waits in drug induced shame
(Villanova, Pennsylvania: December, 2019)
i've got
the world
in my hands
it's time
to make
my stand
fighting
for the love
in your hands
it's hard
to move
alone
under water
sometimes i think i'm going down
sometimes i feel i'm gonna drown
sometimes i feel i can't feel
so i go under water
i don't want to hear it no more
i don't want to hear it no more
i take my chances
i'll capture hope in the moment
there is no tomorrow
no matter who is there
i'll save your ashes
but you're just a moment
you're just a moment
just a moment too much
under water
sometimes i think i'm going down
sometimes i feel i'm gonna drown
sometimes i feel i can't feel
so i go under water
i don't want to hear it no more
i don't want to hear it no more
"i can't swim, so i'll walk the moon instead"
Neal
For so long I've had this hole inside
For so long this hole I've tried to hide
It all started when I was just a baby
I don't know why but it all seemed so crazy
He bounced out when I was just a couple months old
For so long I felt cold
Wondering how can you have kids and not take care of um
Well I guess you can, if you’re a bum
I only knew his voice over the phone
Each time I saw him I had grown
He was never there for me
No one knew, they jus couldn't see
My hatred for a man that was never by my side
All I remember is how much I cried
Seeing the hurt in my moms eye
That taught me how to be a real guy
Leave it up to a girl to show your son how to be a real man
Look at it that way Neil, bet all you can say is damn.
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