Short Louisville Poems

No one lived more inside the moment,
No one left others more bent to his will,
No one remembered more for the things that he said,
No one more misunderstood while being so loved
—than Muhammad Ali

(Louisville Kentucky: July, 2020)...

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The color of lemonade washing the sky—
Popsicle memories revive
Of  baseball connecting with ash wood, hit high
In an arcing, outfield drive.

Are summers forever?  Or only a day?
Moth-eaten , major-league hat…
December’s the umpire, miscalling the play,
And there’s ice on my Louisville bat....

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Rebecca
Caring, loving, faithful, devoted
Sister of Bev and Brian
Lover of John, animals and science fiction
Who feels fortunate, blessed and loved
Who fears snakes, being a burden to her loved ones and cancer
Who would like to see the Grand Canyon, Ireland and Maui 	
Resident of Louisville, Kentucky	
Beirne...

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An earful of breaks...
in overnight silence,
the ticking clock,
crickets chirping,
r-r-r-r-r-o-w-l!
a cat fight,
midnight,
a siren blares,
dogs howl,
a hooting owl,
the mouse...
at prowl,
a plane zooms...
on high,
motors, whining,
tires, as 
trucks and cars
go by,
all announcing...
River City life,
Louisville, Ky....

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Awakened by a fleeting shower,
weatherman’s prediction: “It’s a go!”
Derby Festival’s kick-off hour – 
airshow / fireworks on the Ohio.
Thunder o'er Louisville, my best op
to display my skill as an artist.
Tourists / locals drop by my street shop
to watch me draw skies filled with stardust,
jet formations, bursts of colored light.

September 24, 2019...

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So darn poor

Even the slaves took pity

And the devil stole my moonshine

Swing me down to the river

Blue monday mothers child

The world left behind
turned it's back on

Cotton picking corn husk fingers

Brother of the necklace rope

Swinging from the Joshua tree

Tennessee , Mississippi , Louisville

Sweet home Alabama

In Birmingham they sure do love the governors...

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Metro Louisville streets, the promise of a stiff drink
A 20 sack of weed
Heavy blankets in the back when I need to dream
Hand warmers from Dollar Tree
A few one dollar can teas.
Its week three,
Flattened in the back seat
In the winter, freezing
Swiping left and right for warm sheets and a release
Tonight I wont worry about where I will sleep
I only packed enough food for a week
Eating is a treat...

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dad could roll a cigarette
with just two fingers
and the tip of his tongue
i saw him do this once
in a wind storm

he would shave just close enough
to keep himself grizzled

he could dive into an engine
to wrench a rattle
and make it purr

he was an expert drinker
astounding all-comers

so
ever since
he took a Louisville Slugger
to moms head
the three of us

ma
he
and me
were all astounded...

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Harley Quinn,
Harlequin.
Evil twin.
Don't cross her.
You won't again.
She uses a Slugger.
Louisville bat.
The Joker dumped her.
A very Mad act.
Ms. Quin's not chagrin.

She runs a Rhino.
A big Sixty D.S.
Was in on that deal.
To end the Enchantress.
She's been there and back.
No pretense yet a fact.
Harlequin is a genius.
She'll easily escape prison.
It Seem's as Ms. Quinn
Sees with split vision....

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Lazy, long, leisurely lunch,
    Lolling, laughing, lingering,
     O'er lamb-stew, linguini 'n lager.

   In Louisville, Los Angeles, Las Vegas,
    London, Lisbon, or Lyon;
     At Los Olivos, Las Palmas, La Paloma,
      La Scala, La Baguette, or La Castilla:

   Let lunch lie palatially on your palate,
    Let lunch slowly settle in your limbs,
     Let lunch last always:
      Let it lustrate and luminate
       Life lived long and lived well....

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