What looked above like solid ground
was chosen as a building site.
A sinkhole brought the building down
It fell as one decayed by blight.
Likewise, in life, sinkholes appear
and wreck the plans that we have laid
destroying that which we hold dear
and causing our daydreams to fade.
It could be news about a spouse
caught in a secret love affair
that does love’s flaming fire dowse
and proves to be your future’s snare.
A disease found in routine tests
that threatens life with certain death
and sows distress within your breast
fostering fear with every breath.
The wealth lost when the market crashed
turning stock gains to stinging pain
life’s hope of ease, suddenly dashed
the victim of a sinkhole vein.
A career-ending firing
shaking the lifestyle you have built,
When Wall Street is not hiring,
This sinkhole makes your good life tilt.
Life’s sinkholes suddenly appear
with no rhyme and without reason
So, be prepared, keep your mind clear
prepped to live in every season.
To survive life’s scary sinkholes
you must build on solid bedrock.
Choose Jesus Christ, the only sure link
In the sinkhole He’ll be your rock.
A past the soul, eats
Memories of people
Event of many seats
Rained on. the steeple
Church prepped proper
Pews filled, flowers decked
White gowned, the monster
The future not yet wrecked
Confetti and photo shoot
A grand reception follow
Live band and MC to boot
Something, rings hollow
Joined in unholy union
Stoic empath and diva
For now, in communion
Twixt novelty driven fever
The mirror will break
Pierfect no more
Prisoners to take
To a distant shore
Blame games ensue
Victim turns villain
The truth to lose
Years two score ,fill in
The auditorium was filled
With every class in school.
On stage, a small TV set sat –
For sure, too miniscule.
The year was ’61 or 2,
A spaceship set to go,
With either Alan Shepard
Or John Glenn; I do not know.
But we’d been prepped and we were psyched;
We watched in silent awe,
Though only those in front were sure
Of what they really saw.
I though of that last night as I
Was fixed on my TV
To watch the capsule slowly drift
And plop into the sea.
To many younger folk, this wasn’t
Much of a big deal.
They couldn’t quite experience
What those my age did feel
Remembering so long ago
When space was the frontier
We thought we’d conquer, but that was
A different atmosphere.
Written By: D. Collins 12/19/25
He'd say "do good in school" and he'd do everything else.
"That's your only job" and he would handle the rest.
He'd do my hair with pretty berets all around.
Dress me up as the flyist little girl in town.
At cheering competitions he was the loudest in the crowd.
At my college graduation there was no parent more proud.
He made sure I was prepped for the complications of life.
And, passed on the lack of drama found in his genotype.
I wouldn't change a thing, even if I could.
Compared to some folks, I had it pretty good.
If I had to do it, I would do it all over again.
And ask God to please make more men like him.
Written By: D. Collins 10/28/25
A cup of Steelo, Karrueche, Chanel, Carly, and Rob.
Is way better than coffee when heading to the job.
A good chuckle and hard laugh before starting our day.
Will guide grumpy morning people in a different way.
It will lift us up so high where nothing can go wrong.
Carry it throughout the day and hopefully pass along.
People will wonder what you're smiling about.
You've had a ridiculous morning without a doubt.
Pumped and prepped because LIFE IS SO GOOD.
Spread the capital letters throughout the neighborhood.
Anything can be fixed no matter how it's going.
With just Ridiculous early in the morning.
The homeless sleep outside empty buildings
large enough to house them all
where pennies pinched cost more than you spent
measured against the rise and fall
to set your stall when others lose it
together propped and prepped was key
standing tall where ever you sit
a fallen oak is still a tree.
I am not certain sea
is always deep,
no-matter its depth --
As professed love is sometimes
only speech rehearsed, well prepped.
And the sun, though illustriously
shines, can be blind, victim of
self undulating light --
as all
stars, in time, blink out~ sliced from
the heavens by, the eternally appointed,
darkly shrouded, Ever-cleaving Scythe
of Night....
Well, it's inspection time again!
The Boys in the Barracks are wiping,
buffing, spit-polishing, belts and buckles...
Lest they feel the Wrath of their D.I.'s Knuckles!
Now, once they're all prepped and polished,
Some may soon find...their world demolished!
silence falls...Quick footsteps down the hall...
Not, One, Soul, Is, BREATHING...At ALL!
ATTEN-SHUN! BARRACKS READY FOR INSPECTION SIR!
AS YOU WERE CORPORAL! What Have We Got HERE?
You MAGGOTS! Look like something that...
Got PAID!, Got LAID!!, and then...Got...FRAPPE'D!!!
YOU...CALL...YOURSELVES...MARINES???
CUZ, I'VE GOT A BETTER DESCRIPTION!... LADIES!!!
PRIVATE KLUTZ!!!, STEP FORWARD!!!
THIS...is what the H, E, double Hockey Sticks...I MEAN!
What the HELL!...is that...GACK!!!...on your RACK???
It looks like...you Lost your PAY...Playing...POKER!!!
Couldn't AFFORD...to get...LAID!...
Couldn't AFFORD...to Get... FRAPPE'D!!!
Then YOU...told...ALL...The Others...YOUR BROTHERS!!!
YOUUU!...FELT SICK...BUT INSTEAD...WHIPPED YOUR WICK!!!
IF YOU PREFER TO BLOW...GUNK!!!...ON YOUR...BUNK!!!
THEN...SAVE YOUR GRAVY!!!...AND...JOIN...THE...NAVY!!!
AS YOU WERE...PRIVATE!!!
Please spare me, have you no shame?
pathetic poison prepped,
Underneath those displeasingly desperate diapers .
A second opinion may clarify things
Or possibly cause some confusion,
For doctors who do not agree will, no doubt,
Arrive at a different conclusion.
A patient must therefore decide who to trust
And to follow that recommendation,
Though when two so-called “experts” have differing views,
It makes sense to feel some hesitation.
It’s better, I guess, to have choices to make
And some down time before a decision,
For it helps to feel good with the doctor you choose
Way before you’re prepped for an incision.
As it is the way with me, I have the car prepped by individuals whose love of the industry has acquired a rather peculiar name, "Grease Monkey."
I have no understanding of vehicles or their inner makings of their encasement under the hood the concepts of an engine. Repairing a flat tire, or locking the keys in the car, whereto, I leave it to AAA for its resolve.
Now the picture is made clear, the vehicle industry is one subject matter, when it comes to my person, I have little to no interest.
Now we're heading back to the Bay Area, and the four of us have some great conversations, lots of laughing, funny incidences in housekeeping.
I drove up to let all three off at Derek's place and waited in my car, as Derek went to retrieve his car. Jane and I shared some new news and there was no mention of that store incident, though it dwells in the back of our heads.
Derek drove to my driver's window, and I said I was going off to work, and I drove away and off to work I went, as they got into Derek's car till I was unable to see them.
Jim starts the day with good intention
Jobs need doing that require his attention.
The garden needs a good sprucing up
His vegetation 'triffids' are running amok.
He mows the lawn, trims the hedges,
Creates those nice, neat lined edges.
Weeds the borders, deadheads the flowers,
Feeds the plants their nutritional powers.
The hard soil is dug, ready and prepped
To sow the seeds for home grown veg.
Must not forget to prune back the tree
A labour of love is what it can be.
Hours of work that seemed never ending
His body and limbs, stretching and bending.
Sun burnt skin, his head now aches
Back is killing him, so takes a break.
Joints and muscles moan and groan
Weeds now gone are finally dethroned.
Jim's bones applaud with clicks and cracks
His badge was the sting when a wasp attacked.
Admiring his garden that he has served
His body felt it carried every ache in the world.
The thing Jim will remember and quickly did learn
To wear factor fifty to avoid the sunburn.
29.08.24
.
I woke this morn
eve were gone
I showered this morn
i left the towelz in the dryer
I prepared breakfast this morn
i burnt the eggs
Twixt stanzaz i prepped noon'z meal
i drank wine 'stead milk
I got lost this eve'nin tap'n think
i skipped mine dinner
I showered tonight with mine in eve's wet
she giggled az i divulged mine nun hern
whilst she worked her double shift
Claims bestilled north river long shores of yore,
inscribed quill while floored, dry well mirror cracked,
breathes clement time preclude stray minds the score,
crept halls, wings, flights of stares, hearts apart prepped,
Cobbled stones of years earned the weight wield turned,
Spring hast sprung that allay belongs the myth,
fog shrouds descend the lengths city lights burned,
themed century earned those writes be true cometh.
Dickens and Poe gave it a go, Stateside,
wherefore and whys -- writing -- forevermore,
Poe taxes implore, task pretense decide,
be the tale that wiped floors of blood and gore.
His parting, stretched wisdom sweetened his climb,
Sense tells in the home, was farthest to fine.
The pizza trucks were parked outside
With bakers rolling dough
And spreading it to fit the pans,
The toppings set to go.
The crusts were thin and crispy;
The veggies, sauce and cheese
Were baked to such perfection
That they couldn’t help but please.
Attendees lined up patiently
And generously plated
While just outside, the pizza people
Prepped for those who waited.
How cool and modern, this approach
To feeding all the crowd.
No fuss, no muss for those who host,
Yet all who eat are wowed.
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