In the barn turned snack bar,
I scraped the face of my big toe
ascending the stairs. I didn’t care.
Sucrose sweets, summertime treats
belonged between my loosening teeth
Rotting wood, bumblebees
yellow plastic baseball bats
rolling hills flowed in the break of trees
God was shaking the dust out of his welcome mats
At the time He appealed to me, because
sunbeams were his means to call us home,
His warm tender tractor beam
pulling souls wherever they shone
so encapsulating
so intoxicating
so comforting
Please harpoon me my Lord of Light
pull me in, I’m a prize of a catch.
For every day that I stay here, a chipwich
becomes a less appealing snack.
Us introverted
I had a snack bar I saw myself as the “Main Host”
talking to people being verbose and popular
something I was not patently cut out to be.
On an opening day, I hoped no one would come
and if someone let it be one at a time, no such
luck, many came buying soft drinks and burgers
I smiled and smiled, spoke gibberish and hoped
the customers would leave; haven’t they a home
to go to? Bothering me with natter.
When the café was full, I left the counter hiding
in a corner, wishing I had a Valium.
I looked up in the phone book to see if there
was a club for the insanely shy people could go
there had been such a club, but naturally, no one came
they were lurking outside, thinking
of going in but feared there might be many people
I knew of a man who had a used furniture shop
when customers came, he hid in a wardrobe until
They, thinking the shop was empty; needless to say
he couldn’t pay the rent.
After days of suffering at the hands of my phobia
I got a woman to front the counter while I cooked
and cleaned the dishes.
No, I’m not the “Main Host,” we can’t all become what
we dream of becoming.
The armless
Once I had a snack bar selling soft drinks and unhealthy food
long hours of total boredom and fattening.
I tried to get a drinking license, but a Christian party was
in power at that time, said no.
One Sunday morning, a young man without arms came in
he was drunk, his fly was open, wanted a beer but settled
for a coke with a straw; then he fell asleep.
He awoke and needed a pee. I helped him with this.
Later he told me he was going to Oslo to have artificial arms
fitted, I was glad for him.
I closed the snack bar for the rest of the day took the dog
for a walk, my problems were trifling compared with his.
I thought I saw you yesterday.
My heart assumed an unfamiliar arrhythmia mode.
True it was a humid and hectic day
and I was wearied out.
So as I sauntered
down the busy main street,
when everyone and his friend
had just finished work.
I though I saw you on the opposite side,
strolling towards our favourite snack bar
down by the riverside.
Alas I could not cross immediately
for traffic was as usual heavy,
and the ill-fated traffic lights
took such a long time to change.
Finally I hurried to the snack bar.
My heart beat faster.
A woman sat at a table,
our favourite table, right by the window side.
Her hair was auburn, curly hair just like yours,
her dress a haunting memory of you.
But I knew it could not be.
She turned her head as if
she was waiting for someone.
Then I was certain it was not you.
So I felt ashamed, truly ashamed.
My eyes brimmed with tears.
I hurried out and took a bus,
arrived just before closing time.
I just had time to stand before the stone
that spelled your name so fine.
Rest in peace my love and remember
I'll love you till the end of time.
27 October 2020
Silent One Contest
Placed 2
Last night I dreamed I was weeding my vegetable garden in the Drive-in theater, while people wandered back and forth from snack bar to their cars.
While pulling weeds, I saw a banana slug and was about to squish it when I realized it had legs. It was an eight foot monitor lizard! I chased it around the grounds and finally caught it and put it in the car. Then I went back to my garden to see if that huge tiger salamander was still there. It was!
I decided to go home with the monitor and the salamander when I realized, oh no, my little dog Daigoro was in the car! I got all frightened the monitor ate him, but he was perfectly all right. The rest of the dream was trying to drive home with Daigoro under one arm so the monitor wouldn't get him.
The merchants rise
In the early morn
Preparing their wares
Then setting prices
The people enter
Looks around them
Selecting their choices
Before their purchases
Snack bar refreshments
To refresh themselves
Then begin again
For lots of bargins
Tired merchant
Soon ready to pack
Anxious to be home
To count their cash
In faded jeans and a knotted blouse
I would go out of the house
Although I loved skirts but were not allowed
It was maintained that too much of legs they showed
Clutching a notebook n a book
In a fancy bag I would go n hang it on a hook
Talk to friends which lecture to attend
There was always one who would make ammend
The lectures began ,we the back benchers
Always had fun n planned adventures
Felt tired after two lectures so would decide
To go to the snack bar n found pleasure reside
After the third period got over
To classes we would hover
After the fourth lecture got over
Distance to one of the friends house we would cover
we wondered why parents n teachers
always found shortcomings n became preachers
Having had our fill of chit chatting
some went dating
most of us would disperse
Wait for another day to immerse.
And yet another to emerge.
By Angeline Vine
Every night he went
into Mrs. Foosebah's bathroom
and whizzed all over her seat
He confessed this
to a guy named Sal who
was sitting at the snack bar
at the bowling alley
so he felt as if
he had
some form of religion
due to his confession
When someone asked . . .
he said he was Catholic
Security Guard
I failed to get a licence to turn my snack-bar
into a wine-bar, at the time the later was unheard of
now they are everywhere; it appears I was
ahead of time, anyway, not cut out to stay all day
selling burgers, hotdogs and sweet drinks sold it and
for a while, I could sleep till nine.
Snoozing does not pay for itself I had to find a job
night- work as a security guard at a building site.
I was reading poetry at the time and noticed bards
of yore came from wealthy families or had someone to
pay their bill for sexual favours, as I was not that way
inclined resigned my lousy paid job and went to sea
when my ship was in port, I found a godforsaken bar
continued to read, drink and dream
If you Can't Beat the Mosquitoes
By Franklin Price
1/11/2016
If you can't beat the mosquitoes
And you're at the drive-in show
Just grab a Pic at the snack bar
Light it up and watch it glow
Sit it on your dash board
Watch the smoke come off the ring
The mosquitoes soon are gone
'Cause they can't stand that thing
Now settle back and watch the show
The speaker's on your door
Your arm's around that special girl
You hope she thinks you're not a bore
She would not have accepted
When you asked her on this date
Especially not to the drive-in
If she thought you were second rate
You teeth are brushed your breath is fresh
Canoe is on your face
You're as ready as you'll ever be
In the car and at this place
So close you feel her breathing
Smell the perfume from her skin
You know you want to kiss her
Where oh where should you begin?
Move your hand a little lower
A little farther towards her chest
The pic went out the mosquito's back
He bit your hand that little pest!
Th mood is lost your hand it smarts
And now what will you do?
Relight the pic to smoke again
And start your date anew
There across the movie screen,
treats were dancing and
telling us to find them at
the concession stand.
Yes, I knew I should not go.
I‘d just eaten lunch.
At the snack bar, they beguiled,
“Have a little munch!”
M & M’s and Hershey bars -
chocolaty delight -
with such smooth deep voices asked
me to take a bite!
Hot dogs nearly barked out, “Don’t
let us go to waste!”
Meanwhile candies sweetly sang,
“Have a little taste.”
Then an Ice cream bar chimed in,
“Take a bite of me!
I can take a licking too
and most happily.”
Pepperoni pizza was
sure a little tease.
calling out with Nachos, “Hey,
We’ve got lots of cheese!”
At that dine-in theater
clamored other food.
Subway, Arby’s, many more
sounding rather rude.
They were all competing , but
Popcorn filled the air
with its heady butter scent.
What a circus there!
All were screaming out to me
(though I don’t know why),
“Bite me! Bite me!” Don’t foods know
bitten, they will die?
Well, I bought the popcorn as
my dear hubbie sighed,
“We already had our lunch.”
“Bite me,” I replied.
In 7/5 Trochee Form for the Bite Me Contest of John Lawless
If you have to commute
Via car, bus or train,
You know that your trip
May be kind of a pain.
But if you have a choice
And you live near the sea,
On the ferry is where
Your commute ought to be.
The Seastreak is roomy,
Relaxing and fast
And you can see lots of sights
As you go past.
The seats are quiet roomy;
The wireless works.
A snack bar and bathrooms
Are some of the perks.
My usual trips
Are by subway or car,
But ferry commuting
Is better by far.
Tomorrow I’m back
To my normal routine,
No longer a dolphin
But more a sardine.
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