Those, whose path sprung forth good fortune,
Rode a smooth and gentle course.
But, on the flip side, it's well known...
That bad news...rides a fast horse!
I'm a wild nomadic rocker
stratocaster guitar is my one true friend
~ trailblazing through this lifelong journey
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
fall down, up again —
smooth stone skips across the pond
each strike rings louder
on its own trajectory
vaulting bouncing once again
bamboo bends in wind
its defiance scars its skin
but it sways unbowed
dancing with rhythm resilient
on seesaw swinging wide ride
taste ash on my tongue
before the fire sets ablaze
to embrace failure
in bread of my own making
kneading loaves for noble rise
the clock strikes dusk
the sun fades away
a thousand golden lights blinks
to set the scene on fire
crowds carouse
for the merry-go-round
that bright crown of the carnival night
under that picturesque parasol
children clamber up the golden saddles
atop alabaster rides
galloping through infinity
then drums snare with cymbals
while clarinets and woodwinds shriek
in jubilant symphony
laughter jingle
as the circle twirls
and the colourful world dissolve
to a colourless blur
ROY'S RIVER RIDE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Roy rode
river's rhythm,
raucous ripples rising,
rubbery raft, raced the rapids
riding 'round rocks, rambunctious, rollicking.
Reveling, rascal, river rogue
rushed by reeds, rollicking
rambunctiously.
Roy rode.
Sun's swimming low
diamonds in the waves
heart out with the tide
lost between a mountain and a molehill
Chasing the night
sky's got no stars
moon hiding high
trying to outrun what's been done
tires spinning on gravel roads
the engine roars
filling the space between
dead and dying
Out on the ocean drifting, alone
Thinking about- "His long and wonderful life"
But with every wave pain he endures seeps deeper
While sounds of the white caps help him to forget
The moon turns the tide to high before dark
And so, he ponders; it's time...and he jumps!
Across the way, I can replay
Scenes from the past, like a wandering day
Of hope and tenderness on the blue bus
Among riders, hurried but generous.
As such stars passed through Montana, eyes stared,
With nice young men, jobless, steeped in despair,
Yet, still the road offered joy and surprises,
Bright beaches beneath friendly sunrises.
Felt like an odyssey beaming with light,
And together we basked in shared delight.
An Indigenous man offered his lore
Of fertile wild land and truths we'd ignored.
There was such shared hope interspersed with pain,
Each mile a drumbeat, each gain our domain.
(“The Longest Journey”, 2020, original encaustic)
Along For The Ride
The older I get the less I seem to know
Or even care
And the more I feel a somewhat detached
Observer.
I’m okay with this
Simply because there is no alternative
Although I’m sure a doctor could give me
Some drug or hormone to change my view.
And being okay with it,
Not resisting or striving for something else,
Allows me to see it all
More clearly.
And to appreciate
That my good old apparitional
Body/mind knows what to do,
And that it is still fun to go along for the ride.
(7/22/25)
Compare my motorbike and air-fryer
Because at times they both can be quite cold.
So, when they are their buttons I will push
To turn them on, my touch must not withhold.
I'll warm them up until their engines roar,
And they will then be ready to excite.
Both giving me exactly what I want
A long hard ride, then a fat free delight.
I can't believe how similar they are
My motor bike and air- fryer I love.
Both meet my needs that I can't do without
For this I am so sure, and have no doubt.
A regal fairy queen rides by
upon a puff of air,
her silky garment billowing
in wisps of soft blown flair.
Beneath bright beams of golden sun
she rides through meadows green
upon a tiny unicorn,
but so seldom are they seen!
Her light-colored horse is elegant,
a beauty such as she.
Exquisite in its form and grace
as all magic things should be.
A lovely metamorphosis
beguiles the path they take
as blooms soon bare new sparkling hues
wherever hoof beats leave their wake.
Bright crystal droplets on silky threads
soon cross the meadow's floor,
pixie rainbows follow them
it is a sight one can't ignore.
When flowers lift their heads up straight
and turn into the wind,
look for the signs this fairy brings
that far too soon rescind.
Serenity and joyful hearts,
Will bless those who are nigh.
Enjoy the feelings that might be
before the moment passes by.
As dusty air soon settles down,
so does one's magic touch.
So tarry and don't hurry off
for the blessings that are so much.
Inspired by “Stand Up & Shout” by Ronnie James Dio
Ride Your Wishing Star
In our solar system,
the king of stars is Sun
even though this star
you cannot outrun,
find a star and make a wish.
Reach up to the sky.
Grab that star’s glow
no matter if it’s high.
Chorus:
Jump, jump, jump up.
Ride your wishing star.
Once you’ve caught a hold of it,
it will take you far.
Don’t let people tell you
what you have to do.
If you don’t desire it,
it is not for you.
Everyone has something
they are dreaming of.
What is it you REALLY want?
What is it you love?
Bridge:
Success does not come easy. Sometimes you will hear
someone say it’s easy. Only fools say that.
Make your star your stallion, and ride it without fear.
Chorus:
Jump, jump, jump up.
Ride your wishing star.
Once you’ve caught a hold of it,
it will take you far.
Repeat Chorus
Some days are diamonds, some are stone
To quote an old John Denver hit
Truer words were never spoken
The “stone days” (not stoned days!)
Are only sent to us to test our resolve
And to appreciate the “diamond days” even more
To prove, that as dark or as difficult as life can get
There is ALWAYS a silver lining
Otherwise we'd all be candidates for the looney bin
Trust me, have I ever lied to you before?
Okay... well only a couple of times
And I was under the influence???
The influence of WHAT, you may ask
Uh, I take the fifth... okay here are some examples
Now let me see, watching a pretty girl go by
Or the government sending me an unexpected refund
Of a couple of hundred dollars YEEHAW
Maybe sitting down to my favourite meal
With my lovely spouse I've adored
Since the two of you were dreamy-eyed sweethearts
In grade school right up to the present
And now happily married with a couple of wee ones
Don't get me wrong, I do have days of stone
But my diamond days far outnumber them
So the bottom line is
Live, love, laugh and be happy
You only get one chance to travel life's highway
So ENJOY the ride!!!
A Bus Ride
I had bought a
newspaper in town and was taking the bus home
an hours ride
up to my village. I looked at the
headlines
noticed the paper had no date
was I reading yesterday’s
today`s news or tomorrow`s
The bus was empty this afternoon
it struck me how silent it ran could only hear the swishing
sound of
rubber against the
asphalted road.
Then the bus stopped on this journey outside my house
so many flowers now in November, my dog sat on
the steps waiting
just for me.
The bus door opened with a sigh,
but the dog didn`t run to me
I hesitated; was it the same house
yet not the same this one looked immaterial
the flowers were pale, a copy of a painting
forgotten rural art
exhibition arranged by a local culturally interested GP
Not my village
I said to the driver and sat down
“Are you sure?” the driver asked, I didn’t answer
the bus rolled on.
Opened the newspaper
It was Monday.
While sharing the ride
and not a lot to see or do
seated side by side
in the Chunnel queue
with commuters driving home
I took a look at the view
carpool tunnel vision syndrome
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