Goodbye Shirley, my dear
Friend,
Our time together has come
To an end.
I'll miss your smile, your laughter
And all the times we've
Share a bit
You've been there for me
Through thick and thin
And I'll always cherish
The memories within
But now it's time to say goodbye
And let our paths
Diverge and fly
May your journey be
Filled with joy and light
And may you find
Happiness in every sight
Goodbye Shirley, my dear friend
Until we meet again, our
Friendship won't end
the creek is quiet, mossy
phantoms surround inlet
safeguarding all who visits
a lonesome eagle overhead watch
me strike a match _____ flame
dies in cold breeze
silent is vast sky
slowly life appears
chameleon on sediment
gecko peeping
fire I try to kindle splutter
gasping for breath ~
orange tongues appear
god’s original juices
consecrated ibis lands as if
sent from Nile where I drank
waters centuries before
sweet solitude filled with
memories of pharaohs
chariots, hieroglyphs
inlet waters fill voids in mind
I’m inconsequentially cosmic
egyptian geese descend
estuaries flow through limbs
nurturing blood …
_______________________
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Sponsor : Brian Strand : May 26
She decorated her hair like a Christmas present that day
Putting people who walked in immediately into a festive fray
Hey! Said her Uncle Zeke, who loved every holiday
Shirley’s hair deserves an enormous happy hooray!
She was thrilled with the enthusiasm of her family that day
They liked to build her up, and treat her with a bit of play
Her cousin teased her a bit, his name was Odd Clay
She was glad to see he was a teensy bit more normal today
Goodbye Shirley, my dear friend
Our time together has come to
An end.
I'll miss your smile, your
Laughter
And the times we've shared
A bit
You've been there for me through
Thick and thin,
And I'll always cherish the
Memories within
But now it's time to say
Goodbye
Goodbye Shirley, my dear friend,
Our time together has come to an end.
I'll miss your smile, your laughter
And all the times we've shared a bit.
You've been there for me through thick and thin,
And I'll always cherish the memories within.
But now it's time to say goodbye,
And let our paths diverge and fly.
May your journey be filled with joy and light,
And may you find happiness in every sight.
Goodbye Shirley, my dear friend,
Until we meet again, our friendship won't end.
She was an everyday type of girl,
but had a Shirley Temple kind of curl.
The last thing that I can recall
is her can of kerosine and her doll,
and now I'm burned to smithereens
by a girl not even in her teens.
Comeback-Shirley, starting early,
I'm the sparkle that teases night.
Worship, the Madonna baby!
Comeback-Shirley
Foam hair curlers set loose coils tight.
Strawberry cheeks, fans wish to see.
Appearances, tilt the glass right.
Put your sugar bowl out, missy.
The world shall call you its sunlight.
Stolen cradle, aren't you in glee?
Comeback-Shirley
"Oh King Charles Philip Arthur George,
how do I see thee?
Let me count the ways...
Tho' beauty is only skin deep,
and in the eye of the beholder,
or so we have been told,
yours is more, it goes to the bone,
a sore sight for eyes to behold,
now you have acceded to the throne.
As, like diarrhoea, it seems,
it runs in the genes,
and, if POTUS is President of the USA,
would you be he, KOTUK,
King Of The UK?"
'Surely you jest,' quoth he in dour reply.
Tho', not joking nor feeling surly,
"Some things you simply can't deny,
ours not to reason why," said I,
"and please don't call me Shirley!"
Shiela shrugs her shivering shoulders,
Shows she’s shunning her short shower;
Shy she is, but so shocking for Shirley to see
Shouting at her, “I should swim in the sea!”
Shirley’s shrill sound says, “No shampoo?”
Shoes off and shades on, sisters should go…
Sheila and Shirley swim swiftly side by side
Shouting, “Salty and spooky are the sea tides!”
Shirley and Shiela shake, swim, shudder, shake
Shiela says, “Sea tides shut and shift our shape!”
Suddenly, sisters are off without slippers on the sunshine,
Sharing shovel, scoping sandy seashells at the shoreline.
Shirley sallied forth with another amusing quip
Does she never take life seriously? Asked stern face
I chose to ignore him, preferring Shirley every day
She is always joking, stern face said to another woman.
She did not reply either.
Shirley enters the lunchroom with fairy dust and magic sparkles
Stern Face brings in gravel and disgust.
Posey and Shirley two bad men I once knew
Bar room brawlers and stinkers these two
might had made a millionaire
had I told about this pair
Because this was way before boy named Sue
Laverne, Shirley, Big Ragoo
And there’s Lenny and Squiggy
Making dodo dreams come true.
Doing itsu way.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
What a charming kid you are.
Across the silver screen you prance,
Though you can't act, or sing, or dance,
But for six whole years
Your precious cuteness had no par.
You were tons of fun with curly hair,
And miles and miles of sunny smiles,
But I surmise, Miss Shirley Temple,
That movie history critics say
Your most conspicuous talent lay,
Not in real abilities, per se,
But in twinkling eyes and lots of dimples.
Author's note: I wrote this piece, dear reader, after watching "The Bluebird" last Christmas. Some of you may not be aware that Shirley Temple was MGM's first choice for the role of Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz", but her studio would not "lend" her to them for the project. And they have my eternal gratitude.
In your presence, a trembling dance unfolds,
Why do you shake, a mystery untold?
Each moment shared, a delicate quake,
Like dropped perfume, memories break.
At my mom's farewell, a somber day,
Our worlds collided in an unusual way.
Others observed, a subtle connection,
In shared grief, a silent reflection.
Amidst the whispers, a lingering desire,
Yet, your silence fans love's quiet fire.
Why won't you call, unveil the enigma?
In the unsaid words, emotions stigma.
Around me, tremors echo unexplained,
A dance of nerves, feelings unrestrained.
Perfumed memories, a fragrant cloak,
In the unspoken, our hearts bespoke.
In a humble home, where love takes its stand,
Uncle Devoe and Aunt Shirley, a diligent band.
Hardworking spirits, like a flame that won't tire,
Kindness and warmth, they generously inspire.
Aiding thousands with grace, their hearts pure and true,
Selfless endeavors, like morning's dew.
Though time keeps us distant, and miles intervene,
Missed moments weigh heavy, like a forgotten dream.
In the quiet of Christmas, nostalgia takes flight,
Memories dance, wrapped in starlight.
To Uncle Devoe and Aunt Shirley, a heartfelt refrain,
From afar, with love, James McLain.
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