Until it's time to pop my clogs,
shuffle off this mortal coil,
I'll ensure my life is fun-filled
not just daily drudgery and toil.
As all work and no play
would make me one dull boy,
listless, senseless, bored witless,
not my Mother's pride and joy.
And so, in closing, I'm compelled to say,
"Exercise free will,
don't wait, hesitate or trust to fate,
before you're over the hill."
Having tasted substance abuse,
today in truth,
many of the young
are wasted in their youth.
But 'God damn' only the pusher
you didn't oughta
as, without the doer,
the dealer, he'd be dead in the water.
One and the same, they're both to blame,
as off each other they will feed,
the former for avarice, a.k.a., greed,
the latter for a misconceived need...
if not to allay his fears,
but cede to the pressure of his peers.
If only my life I could live over again
and the years unfold in my daily scuffle,
as at the thought of growing old,
I recoil from this mortal shuffle.
With apologies to; George Bernard Shaw (1856 – 1950) and William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616)
Destination Bound
Road miles
Observing scenery while
Onward and forward
Cross Country
State to State
City to City
Town to Town
Up the mighty hills
Across iconic bridges over rivers
People waves through America
Rest Stops along the way
Time limit
Journey through the night
Darkness in plain sight
Driver headlight flashes to other buses
View of the Moon and stars
Travelling far
Hound Bus beats traveling by car
Journey continuation
Travel opportunity appreciation
Seeing America’s creation
Routes into another
Back roads into super highways
The Hound Bus being anybody’s getaway
Hound bus explore
Travel for sure
Arriving here and departing there
Hound bus travel instance
Travel unstoppable.
Tucked in the past
Revealed in time
The unseen deck
Shuffling between phases
Waded by fate
Chaperon with audacious dexterity
Whipping the blackness
With strings of grief
Shredding the light
Like gears, the cards turn
And so I will come to learn
Past, present, future.
Golden beams peeking,
songs of blues by the seashore;
Aghast jaws of life
rebuild an eroded beach;
The solace of the sea stills;
At peace you marvel
this melody can’t be real;
Nautical backbeat
a compass for the broken;
Soothing sorrowful band aid;
Lush foam matches drums
keeping such a sweet shuffle;
Sunshine sings backup
a gentle nudge on your mood;
Turquoise waters raise a smile.
Instead of playing your regular playlist
Just shuffle the playlists one day
And yes, you should not skip, I insist...
What wil happen now?
You will hear your least fav song first
You will be upset, but still you know
Your favourite songs are also in the list
And so you will wait for it
But next, You'll hear another least favourite
This time, you won't be upset
You will just keep calm and hear it, I bet
And again, It will play your least fav
And now, you will be enjoying this process
But you won't easily express.
You will start noticing the interesting bits
And eventually fall in love with those least hits..
Now that's what happens in life
When we know what's there for us
When we happen to guess
We certainly lack the sheer enthusiasm
So don't be too attentive
Don't plan aggressively
Don't follow the time table
Cos, if we know
What's on the row
We can't relish,
For happiness lies
in the random things...
So go shuffle your playlist
Shuffle your time table
Be beguiled
Be a curious child
Life will be interesting...
August 26 2022
New to arrive
(this is default when late)
Is a writhing mass screaming
NERVES
inside.
The exterior is wide eyes.
But in the past,
much, much worse.
Today what I'm wearing
reflects not my feelings,
but
YOURS.
My face placates
with cool even gazes.
I can see mirrors
trade places
with each one of your
FACES.
A deck of cards
in the hands
of a well practiced dealer.
Performing the shuffling
hypnotic and precise.
The hands smirk as
the cards are flicked
flying to you.
Now you are seconding guessing
THE GAME.
You are thinking
maybe dice would have been better.
Play your hand, now.
Others are placing their eyes on your head,
holding their place as they wait.
For you to see what the cards said.
A mind has irretrievably cracked,
After its owner was purposely attacked,
The fact as clear as Midday Sun
His attacker was his own son!
A doubly chilly killing discovery
That defies one to hint at possible recovery
The Attack: Son’s intended disrespect
By way of insistence to publicly inspect
And strictly every goddamned aspect
Of Daddy’s avowed honest prospect:
Daddy’s sincerity of purpose making a trifle
And he sure that his son did secret laughter stifle,
Though with a face officially contorted
Sometimes with mockery distorted …
A son impressing his having acquired
All that it clearly required
To a father’s feeling pointedly ruffle
And forewarn his dropping in the next shuffle.
Moonshine, diesel fumes, and chicken wire.
Laundry hangin’ on the line.
Bible open to the Book of Job.
Backyard thick with prickly pine.
Jacket pocket full of Red Man dip.
Work boots laced with leather thongs.
Wedding portrait on the mantel piece.
Shotgun right where it belongs.
Kettle simmers on a cast iron stove.
Faucet’s drippin’ in the sink.
Matchbook underneath the table leg,
Teacup teeters on the brink.
Cobwebs draped across a window screen.
Horseshoe nailed above a door.
Things calmed down some since the weather broke.
Same sad silence as before.
Ma’s been servin’ up the buttermilk,
Boiled potatoes in a bowl.
Pa starts eatin’ while she’s sayin’ grace.
Lets her worry ‘bout his soul.
Man might say he be a slave to love.
Women make the same complaint.
Neither really know the meaning of
What it is and what it ain’t.
Pleiades Shuffle - S
Sashay down the city street,
Sidewalks dance square sambas,
Sassy solo boogaloos
Swing steps sway then hand jive
Salsa steps won’t shuffle
Street dances stroll and stomp
Stage for cha cha congas
4-21-21
Contest: Pleiades S
Sponsor: Kim Merryman
Have discovered the word "shag" has taken on a different meaning through Brit Box. Omitted the word and made a change.
Aloofness tangible
No one looks up
Rushing from
One hearing court
To another
Judges in robes
Looking stern and grim
Lawyers dressed in uniform
Parading in formal gown and collar
Such tension in the air
Everyone here
Has business to tend to
None of it pleasant
I would venture to guess
If these marble floors
Could share the secrets
Of shoes that walked across them
Pacing racing pounding scuffing
Litigation mitigation
Chasing justice of the peace
posted on June 14, 2020
AP: Honorable Mention 2020
when winter woke and dealt its hand
it froze the heart of cumberland
as icy air dispersed in spades
to twist and cut like razor blades.
small pools of water turned to glass
to shine like diamonds in the grass
while freezing sprays from waterfalls
formed icicles on wet stone walls.
when nature's breath turned all air warm
the earth embraced another form:
the snow that fell - now sadly gone
decked out a land to look as one.
if elements of that year's weather
could club the fells and fields together
why can't the jokers do the same
and follow suit - and raise their game?
Santa’s helpers, take a break
From the toys they like to make
And just for love and pure funs sake
They dance the Santa Shuffle
Rudolph with his nose so bright
Likes to dance all through the night
A reindeer dancing’s a funny sight
While doing the Santa Shuffle.
Frosty Snowman comes to stay
With the elves he loves to play
And just before he melts away
He does the Santa Shuffle
Mrs Claus is in the pink
Gives her husband a cheeky wink
Perhaps she’s had too much to drink
She’s doing the Santa Shuffle
Santa, resting by the fire
Thinking that he may retire
Suddenly has the strange desire
To do the Santa Shuffle
So why don’t we all take this chance?
To do this festive yearly dance
Mistletoe, wine, who knows, romance
Let's do the Santa Shuffle
©Gary Wayne Hill, 2019
When I first visited Saigon
Learning the Saigon Shuffle
Was difficult
And now 24 years later
It all seems to be coming back
There is an art to crossing the street
Dodging the motor cyclists, the taxis, the private cars
The bikes and other pedestrians and the buses
The art consists of letting the big guys go first
Then walk between the motorcycles and cyclists
Trusting that they will get out of your way
And they being masters of the Saigon shuffle
Always find a way
In my two visits I was struck
By how it all flows together
Without a central authority
And with almost no planning
Lights or cops
Somehow it just is
And somehow it works
And it is still a mystery to me
24 years after first
Encountering the Saigon shuffle
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