Entry for the MORE THAN A SOFT TOY Contest
More Than A Soft Toy
More than a toy--
This poly-cotton blend,
A plushy bear,
My bestest friend.
His name? Chuckles Beary--
And boy can he rock!
Kept his guitar
In an old woolen sock.
When I was down,
All alone with the blues,
He’d “Roll over Beethoven
and tell Tchaikovsky the news.”
Chuckles played his guitar
“just like ringing a bell.”
His hugs and music
Made everything well.
Even today, grown up
And turning gray,
I can still hear Chuckles
Tune up and say:
“Let me hear that rock and roll music,
any old way you choose it.
Got a backbeat--
you can’t lose it.”
And I’m young again
With Chuckles Beary,
When Rock and Roll was young
And the world a lot less scary
“Go, Johnny, go! Go!”
“Go, Johnny, go! Go!”
“Go, Johnny, go! Go!”
Miss you C.B.
An Avid Pupil of "Mott the Hoople"
A Rocker from the Start
My Soul would Fear no "Megadeth"
But Lost my Heart to "Heart"
I'd never Plant the "Plants"
Or Turn the Page on "Pages"
Till I Cross the River "Styx"
I'll Rock the "Rock of Ageless"
PETE THE PERCUSSIONIST
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There once was a drummer named Pete,
whose rhythm was funky and sweet.
He dreamed of the stage,
a rock star despite his age.
His sticks, though, were clumsier than his feet.
He practiced with pots and with pans,
in hopes of a life with great bands.
With a crash and a boom,
he shook up the room,
Wishing for a gazillion and one fans.
He donned leather pants, shiny and tight,
and shouted, "Tonight, I’ll be outta sight!"
But when he would play,
the crowd ran away,
He understood ‘twas rock star’s plight.
Written: August 06, 2025
*********
The traffic roars as wounded gulls.
metal beats skated over the asphalt waves,
each honk a fractured prayer,
fleeing the city, restless breath.
I sit beneath a twisted jacaranda tree.
Its lavender flowers unfurl as the sun dips low
Parrots squabble in the canopy—
boisterous, unrepentant, and singing,
stirring the dawn with their raucous cries,
a beauty entwined with longing.
Their melody exists beyond,
concrete and clocks,
I sip coffee—malnourished warmth—
Its bitter essence wedged between my ribs,
where comfort once thrived.
The chipped cup, a reflection of lost trust.
Each face that passes me
is a silent question,
I have forgotten how to answer.
Once I skated these streets
hungry for names,
for the echo of someone to cram my void,
But identity remains a fog
caught between chain-link fences
and fragrant jasmine vines.
Yet still,
I listen for that singular voice
amid the clamorous parrots,
the one that might beckon me back
into the wholeness of myself.
Villanelle of a Metal Queen (c) 2025 by Russ Dodson
I just don't know where else to start
to tell you of this love of mine
she is the beating of my heart
these feelings that I must decline
I just don't know where else to start
the memories both sweet and tart
hold feelings that I would enshrine
she is the beating of my heart
I wonder can I play that part
to make these treasures glow and shine
I just don't know where else to start
so soon again she must depart
to let her skills and soul entwine
She is the beating of my heart
She is a rockstar, and a large part
of the sound she helped refine
I just don't know where else to start
She is the beating of my heart
Old School Cool (c) 2025 by the Entangled Pair
She's hot, yes, but she's also cool
she is a gem, she is a jewel
I think she's great (and I'm no fool)
she beats those drums like she's old school
she pounds those skins, sometimes it's funny
she hits them like they owe her money
and one thing more I'll tell you honey
she's on that kit whether cloudy or sunny
She's been that way right from the start
plays from the the soul, plays from the heart
she always does more than her part
it's not just passion, it's her art
looking back I am that fool
dug in like a Missouri mule
and if this doesn't break some rule
she's not just cool - she's old school cool
word
Yes, my friend, it does look like a rock
But it could be so much more
All you have to do is look beyond
Let your mind wander just a little bit
Maybe that rock came to Earth long ago
Bringing with it the stuff of life
It may carry the bodies of the life it created
A record of a time before time itself
Possibly it traveled in the more recent past
Hitching a ride in the ice of a glacier
Cutting new lakes and rivers as it moved
Whatever its history was or whatever stories it has
It has been around for longer than anything else
And that means that you should not look at it as a rock
It is more than that
It is a part of us and always has been
And always will be
© Poem – XXVI/VII/MMXXV
LRET
ROCK HARD POLITICAL DEFECATION
Making the nation
great again, he defecates
laws of injustice:-
Stinky flowing unjust laws:
Stooled igneous tyranny:-
Classical is from the Middle Ages
in the mid-1940's we had Bebop
a fast-tempo 19th / 20th century Jazz
then along came Doo-wop
with group harmonies
the 50's brought us rock and roll
which developed the 1960's
(sad to say) Disco and its glitter ball
then psychedelic pop rock
blues and folk rock
and in the 1970's it was Hip-hop
and also Rap
which was misspelt
it should read 'Crap'
the 1980's were synthesised
1990's gave us Garage and Grunge
2020's saw online streaming
by the record industry which makes me cringe
Country music (C&W) too (hit or flop)
I know it's true I left out (Reggae) more than a few
but no matter the genre tempo or key
the self-same seven notes do it for eclectic me
As fate will play its role
And legend will tell
For super stardom and limelight
The greatest have fell
The Silver Screen, fortune and fame
Rock-n-roll will never die
From Janis to Jim
Bonham to Bon
They given us so much
Elvis to Lennon
Jimmi and Randy
They had the touch
Let's not forget
Stevie and Kurt
Take a walk down that well beaten path
You're all still in memory
Hidden by Heaven's Par can lights
Well see you in the past
In Nigeria’s heart, the wonders shine,
From Ogbunike Caves to Yankari’s line.
Farin Ruwa falls with power and grace,
While Owu’s waters dance in place.
Olumo Rock stands strong and wide,
Idanre Hills with age and pride.
Obudu’s mountains, calm and high,
Where Niger and Benue rivers lie.
Nigeria’s wonders, rich and rare,
A land of beauty, beyond compare.
From north to south, east to west,
NGWonders show Nigeria’s best.
You see.
Pops is deep blue collar
mixed with old school honesty...
he's no drama queen
He recently told me he's had
a chain of strange- opaque dreams
about the nearing the end of his being.
If a lifespan were a baseball game
I think pops is in the ninth inning.
I think my rock is preparing me for his sinking
preparing me to swim off and go it alone
bracing me for the coming storm-be my own rock
Dear Lord, I'm praying so very hard for extra innings.
l see a bridge, it's a river of glass
on roof tops high, and dense views of grass
it floats up above, in clouds of the sky
how is it done ? l keep wondering why
its a place now of wonder, that visitors go
a UNESCO forest, that millions flow
a vision of beauty and peace rarely seen
a film makers joy, where film maker been
the waters flow down , from pillars up top
into the sky, from Quartzite rock
a fantasy, view , the film maker said
it's just an idea , to challenges, led
but mountain wolfs live, just below and to roam
and water deer feed, and make it their home
but i'v seen these before
in Chinese paintings, l did once to explore
sky columns now a famous they claim
has tallest lift built, as the visitors came
it's floating of mountains, made from sandstone and water
it's a fantasy film, now forest of fame
but l only know film
of
Avatar.
people wrinkle with age
rocks do the exact opposite
smooth and round like babes
You know you've hit rock bottom for sure
when you find your track
in a used record store
under a stack at the very back
of the ten pee CD rack
(does anyone buy them anymore?)
and you know you've hit the all-time low
it's a sure bet
when you don't see your song
in any list at all
on the worldwide internet
rock bottom don't get lower than that
from up to down at the drop of a hat
better to be a has-been a player in the game
than a never-was because
they may have been the best of times
and tho' memories will last
I won't spend the rest of my days
living in the past
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