Knock-knock, hello ma'am! Take a look at this shine,
a brand-new skillet to make your dinner divine.
I see you’ve been working and slaving all day,
with pots that turn gravy, charcoal and gray.
But look at this surface, so sleek and so smooth,
designed for your kitchen, with patterns that soothe.
No butter, no grease, and no scrubbing the sink,
it cooks up a steak as quick as a wink.
Your eggs will slide out like a puck on the ice,
your hubby will swear, the chicken tastes nice.
It's forged out of steel that was meant for a jet,
the sturdiest tool that a woman can get.
So toss out that iron that weighs down your wrist,
an offer like this is too good to be missed.
Just sign on the line and I’ll hand you the best,
and give your old cook stove a much-needed rest.
's not what you'd think,
altho' no saint nor sinner,
for, quick as a wink,
what occurred to her during dinner,
turned from a tiny tickle in the throat,
when his Daughter coughed and wheezed,
into a dribbling trickle from her nose,
then, 'Atishoo!', smilingly she teased,
“I really couldn't help myself,”
yet, seemingly feeling somewhat pleased,
but, with a helpful handy tissue,
the discomfort it was eased,
as, politely and penitently, she observed,
“Bless me, Father, for I have sneezed.”
Celebrating in my brand new car
But sadly, I didn't get too far
Judge wailed quick as a wink
Express mailed to the clink
My rum ass parked my car "in" the bar
I've heard about the arrival of fanciful fushia strangers
but I've no fear of them and not worried about dangers.
They seem a bit nonsensical; funny the way they speak
To me, everything they say comes out sounding like Greek!
Maybe on their planet, peaches have three turquoise eyes
Could they be humans, just wearing an alien disguise?
I've never heard the haloed moon referred to as mother Mary,
nor of opulent opal oceans and a three humped dromedary.
I call them fluff nuggets; an accurate description, I think
Their gibberish makes me shake with laughter, quick as a wink
Life forms like these AI are manipulated by puppet strings
They're infringing upon planet Earth, inhabited by Earthlings.
*These are my thoughts and words, but if you take umbrage with
any of the lines, I'll throw Jan under the bus, cuz she started it.
Alone on the prairie, time will gently slip,
‘til minutes and hours start to lose their grip.
Can’t measure the day by a clock’s turning hand,
but by the sun, the stars, the clouds, and the land.
By how long it takes for a bee to float by,
or a hawk to soar across the open sky.
A black thunderstorm to roll over the plain,
or a groundhog to pop up after a rain.
By watchin’ a deer as it bounces away,
or seeing two eagles in the sky at play.
A bison to graze, or an elk take a drink,
seems the prairie can change as quick as a wink.
But you'll soon realize the land didn’t change,
still a sea of green 'cross a wide open range.
Speckled with wildflowers that dance with the breeze,
to the tune of wind blowing through Aspen leaves.
Yeah, on the prairie you can lose track of time,
but the Pronghorn and Sage Grouse don't seem to mind.
Robins and meadowlarks will sing you their tune,
while you watch as the sun turns into the moon.
I'm usually known for my silly stuff
But once in a while I surprise
Drooling all over my keyboard and yours
With mushy stuff I fantasize
At times been known to wear different hats
Contrary to what you may think
Can be sillier than the silliest damn jester
Then switch as quick as a wink
Become all gushy and mushy and stuff
Talk of flowers and eternal love
Then sure as shootin' it's back to the sillies
Giving your giggler a tug
This back and forth stuff is really quite dizzying
Imagine if I wrote about dying
Some are obsessed with negative things
If I said that was me I'd be lying
It's not for me, that tear jerky stuff
Guess my life's been too bloody happy
Sure not complaining I'm a perky old geezer
Maybe a better word is slaphappy
Nearby my lovely rosebush, a surprise
I got, as I approached my house one day.
From out of nowhere – right before my eyes -
a hummingbird appeared, but did not stay.
It hovered for one second -such a sweet
and splendid tiny bird in front of me,
but then it flew away. For a repeat
performance I was hoping! Would I see
that fairy bird with wings so fast again?
A short time later, I was at my sink
and looking out my kitchen window when
that same bird came, then left - quick as a wink.
My chance encounter with it was so nice,
for in one day it visited me twice!
July 11, 2020 for the BIRD Poetry Contest of Constance La France
A little bug hopped up on me
He said, 'How do you do?'
I said, 'I do just fine, I think
May I have a word with you?'
He said, 'Sure, sir. How 'bout now?
I'm on break from my chores'
Said I, 'Oh, good. Let's chat
in this grocery store.'
We exchanged our names
and a little small talk
Then I got to the point
Saying, 'You haven't a friend
in this entire joint'
'I know,' the bug wept
I know that you've kept
up an all-points alert
so you don't get hurt
if I leave my imprint upon you'
'But now that the coast's clear
Please accept my apology, dear
and with it, a cure for my virus'
So quick as a wink
The bug with good cheer
Poured me clink, clink ~
a little Corona Prescription Beer
life... brief as a sigh
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
Preterists want back their laurels lost, fingers crossed.
Predators pray for their ruling permanence at the rest's cost, fingers crossed.
So many fingers, so much paltriness; So soon their crossing, their anagnorises so late.
Commanding o'er the entire terrestrial has always been the fickle finger of fate,
from which no one can e'er escape, from prehistory up to date.
Be you owning mansions grandiosely gilt or holding royal sword's hilt,
unaffordable is this finger's slightest tilt-----
Power and prestige, worth and wealth, quick as a wink, all sink into silt.
Even young bucks like yourself there
Find that they need advice
Go on and ask your share
Hell, I've been there least once or twice
I was in Abilene one day
Just drivin' some cows through
Knew I'd find a "lady" they say
Lookin' for someone, too
Met her in a local saloon
Never did know her name
Once we agreed to meet at noon
Past problems caused me shame
Quick as a wink they came back clear-
Razor took two fingers-
Stiletto took most of an ear
Tramplin' scars still linger
Upstairs in her place we undressed
Venus looked good in sheer
When she looked at me she got stressed
"Xavier, you ain't all here!"
ABAB
September 1, 2016
For Contest Alphabet Soup
Queenly, graceful movements
Quality is superb
Quick as a wink to calls
Qualified to herd cows
Quintessential dog
Quietly she loves me
About Queenie our Collie..
Contest closed so too late to enter..
I'm usually known for my silly stuff
But once in a while I surprise
Drooling all over my keyboard and yours
With mushy stuff I fantasize
It's true I sometimes wear more than one hat
Contrary to what you may think
Can be sillier than the silliest damn jester
Then switch as quick as a wink
Become all gushy and mushy and stuff
Talk of flowers and eternal love
Then sure as shootin' it's back to the sillies
Giving your giggler a shove
This back and forth stuff is really quite dizzying
Imagine if I wrote about dying
Some are obsessed with negative things
If I said that was me I'd be lying
It's not for me, that tear jerky stuff
Guess my life's been too bloody happy
Sure not complaining I'm a perky old geezer
Maybe a better word is slaphappy
© Jack Ellison 2015
There’s an old creaky mansion before me
One with a sole light in the attic free
With a red door in the extreme entrance
One that’s filled with webs of a spider dance
Under a full moon by an empty tree
Stands a witch, owner of this house I see
With black cats to fulfill a dark wild curse
Light forms around her hands looking adverse
Then a cat forms into a handsome man
Full of evil, this being has a plan
Fog encircles the two standing around
As quick as a wink he disappears down
Her goal is partly done, her evil work
Is powerfully enhanced by this murk
Russell Sivey
Snipes are a kind of bird, difficult to spot
because they’re quiet and they hide a lot –
a kind of cross ‘twixt stool pigeon and an owl,
it is a bird that deserves to be called fowl.
Maybe a large rooster with antlers like a moose
some guys say they are more like a wild goose.
How do you catch them? Now that is where you
depend on luck; my friend hit one with his shoe.
Some make a cage from an old cardboard box
but pillowcases work. To really outfox
a large snipe, you may need to bring a rope
to tie him up; if it's real dark, you just hope.
First, you start to hear sounds - like gobblety-gook
and you may start to think that you are a schnook
but hang in there. Sometimes it takes all night
especially if the snipe puts up a fight.
First time I went, along about one o’clock
I smelled what I thought was a rat in a crock
quick as a wink, I caught onto a small snipe.
What a night! but I got it, all in one fell swipe.
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