Unduly Poems

Hook, Line And Sinker

Broad in the beam
not much of a looker
this crusty rust-bucket
of nuts screws and bolts
is a crabby old hooker
as luck would have it
dolled up trolling for supper
at any port in a storm
she still gives good service
tho' down on her uppers
now showing her years
deep in the scuppers
yet still on the game
fishing by night for a living
not to sully or bruise her good name
tho' one might unduly call her
a 'Cruiser'
this goodly vessel is truly a trawler

Noble Quests

"While the earth remains,
Seed time and harvest,
Summer and winter,
Cold and heat,
Will not cease."
Bible, Gen, 8:22

I saw the moon rising on my left.
I beheld the sun setting on my right.
I mused within my soul about forever things,
Things which we often deem antiquated.

I mourned inside over non-forever things,
Things upon which we are unduly fixated.
We convince ourselves that outdated things
matter less and mentally put them to rest
Rather than make  become a quest.
.

But the wisest of us will learn to touch base
With things beyond our reach and discover
What they have to teach. In so doing, we will
Come to realize the value of such pursuits.

Truth In Advertising

I do enjoy imbibing a vintage libation
now and again (and again, and again)
but when I thought I'd bought
the best bottle of Bordeaux money can buy,
then looked at the label on the back,
before pulling the cork, I nearly had a heart attack.
'Characterised by a great body,' it stated,
'velvety cedar and hazelnut texture,'
but my taste buds went unsated,
'with an intense deep ruby red colour,' to summarise,
'possesses exceptional aromas of cherries,'
and much to my surprise,
'with hints of vanilla, blackcurrant, raspberries,
cassis and tobacco which reveal
a long, chocolaty finish and a good mouth feel.'
Altho' this above-average beverage may in time be fine,
I'm truly convinced no grapes were unduly harmed
in the making of this wine!

What will it cost

I can't really think of a number.? If seems almost irrelevant
Now.' It well might be? plus twenty million, if the lawyers
Get involved? anyhow.' For giving wrong terms to your
Prisoner out of 'context and reason' to boot.' Punished
Unduly on 'a nations behalf i can think only? oh shoot.!! By the way.' Do all agree
its un-wanted; outrageous??. Well its time
To get talking and stand.' sending your emails in blizzards, throughout all.. And every part of the land'
Now today' this undue punisment of Tommy.' It Could be
One of your own sons; can you see? Oh and just b t w.! I'm sure he'd
Wecome support; from of, the whole Commonwealth family! from its length
And its breadth may i say.? For its this mothers son at
The moment.' Held in contempt of humanitys better ways' Can you hear me in Oz and NZ? Even Canada??
Or no matter how far away? throw now, all weight behind
Freeing someone, who desired a life just better, in his days.'
He's no coward, no offender to children! Yet suffers bad
Karma most quyeer' Now get him out from the
Drabness of prison, into the light; into the freedom of a life with no fear.!

Let all the woods your footprint bear

Picking imprints from everywhere,
Let all the woods your footprint bear,
Take off, nag at no rutted tract,
What if some rickety ways stare.

Throw to winds every needless care,
Let no head wind unduly dare,
Let the worse worsen, worst to get,
Let all the woods your footprint bear.

Mind not eastward you go or west,
If north, let not south ever jest,
Let no alien thought you attract, 
Let all the woods your footprint bear.

Root out doubts as you’d thorny weeds,
Walk, brave only to their hearts heeds,
Let eastern nor west wind distract,
Let all the woods your footprint bear.

Letting no stumbling blocks scare,
Sparing none any endeavour,
Pricks of no space-time interject,
Let all the woods your footprint bear.
_________________________
Quatrain |14.11.2024|traveller

The Person I Want to Be

I hope to be primarily
a man who suffers minim'lly.
Furthermore, I would hope to say,
I might improve another's day.
So, I do not harm yours truly,
or hurt other people, unduly.
It's easy now, as an old bloke,
a few decades, and I will croak.
I am single, my son is grown,
and I live by myself alone.
I am happy with who I am.
In that regard, I am a clam. 
If my independent son needs help,
he only needs to give a yelp
On the other hand (I just have two),
I might be challenged anew -
one more test for this old rover
would be if my love life's not over...

which could open Pandora's box.
I would have to change my socks.
Then, I'd need to look deep inside,
preventing tears from being cried,
gracefully, swallowing my pride,
my conscience being my guide,
opening up my heart so wide,
being always on her side,
ready and able to turn the tide,
to not into old habits slide,
I would need to clearly decide
to moral principles, abide,
generously I would provide,
faithfully, 'til the day I died...

but geezers rarely take a bride,
and I will take my life in stride.

Split Pea Soup

I love my homemade split pea soup
With tiny bits of ham
A bit is like a bite of it
To bring an extra wham

I never knew the peas I grew
Were fit to taste so good
Until I ate them in a pod
Or split them when I could

The salty peas are buttery
To satisfy my taste
I love to eat them in a bowl
Without unduly haste

If anyone should call on me
To satisfy the group
The subject is my garden pea
Or ham and split pea soup

But that is just a ploy, it seems
For what they crave the most
Is what my stove is cooking now
When I return as host

My split pea pot is portly plus
For groups and friends who call
The conversation always turns
To how I please them all

If you are not familiar
With a split pea luxury
Then you should deviate your day
To share some soup with me.

They Lost a Bet

What’s happening? A bystander asked the McCormick sisters, unduly soused.
They lost a bet, Wilma and Lucille said as the other two grunted and roused.
You mean they must pull that cart all the way to Marshalltown today?
Yes, and the horse was so happy she did a celebratory sashay.

Do you McCormicks often make your siblings tow the line like this?
It will make them much stronger said Wilma, an enterprising miss.
Lucille kept quiet, because she knows the mind of women on the street.
And seeing her sisters struggle to pull their cart was an enormous treat.

Letter To Mr Change

Dear Mr. Change.

It is not my intention to over-vent or appear unduly angry or upset.
It's just that I had to express to you my feelings about the whole
world being in a massive reset. I'm not one who's stuck in time, not
wanting things to change but stay the same. Nevertheless, I do think
that too much change brought on too suddenly can drive a man insane.
So, my dear sir, Mr. Change. Please allow me a few words with you.

To reach your goals, what heights and lengths must you go?
At what rate and velocity must your rivers flow?
Whose interests are most served by you?
Do YOU even approve of the things you do?
What are the rhymes and reasons you use to justify?
Why does it appear that you never want to simplify?
You are often strangely resolute, most absolute, and
seemingly giving little thought about the things you uproot.

I like you Mr. Change, but sometimes, I must say, you go too far.
It's as if you have allusions of grandeur or of being a superstar.
Anyway, it hurts at times to see things so unlike yesterday.
Well, Mr. Change, whether or not you listen, I've had my say.

081722PSCtest, A Brian Strand Premier Contest, Brian Strand

Dancing In Clover

While strolling down life's garden path
Oft I've stopped to admire the roses,
I've carefully avoided the scourge of wrath
Considered the deep concerns life poses,
And reached the conclusion to do my best
I must optimize my determination to give
As though each new day is a coveted test
During which I must practice how to live
More productively, comfortable in my skin,
Happily enjoying the talents God has given
Maintaining ties with friends, kith, and kin,
Seldom feeling unduly pressured or driven.
Someday when my time on earth is over
And I go on to whatever reward is mine,
I can say with a smile, I've danced in clover
As far as I'm concerned everything's fine. 

Written June 3, 2022

Truth Wins Out

I like to think of myself as a truth-seeker
Weighing all the angles, researching facts,
Forming my opinions with loads of caution
Succumbing to theories, I could never relax
Lately, I’ve noticed an upsurge in paranoia
Some people believing it’s all about over,
While I run fast as I can from such hysteria.

Preferring to bide my time, sane and sober
Thinking minds always mull over information
Consider the source, remember the rules
Make good use of trusted reference sources,
Being extremely mindful of various schools
Of thought, and seek reliable resources
“Someone said” is never sufficient, you see.
Nor am I unduly impressed by cultural bias
Leery about “Bible’s good enough for me!”

Rational thought earns a prevailing wage,
While running after foolishness tires me out
I seldom will go along with the current rage
And I don’t even pretend to have much clout
Remembering in the end, the truth wins out! 

Written April 11, 2022

Allitabecedimericks

An amateur archer, Antoine,
Bodaciously bragged beastly brawn.
Crushed counterparts,
Dispatched deadly darts,
Electrified everyone!

Fly fisherman Freddy flung far.
Gadzooks! Great gobbling gar!
He hooked half-heartedly,
Inverted inartfully,
Jettisoned jumbled jig jar!

Kenneth keeps kitchen knives keen
Love’s labors leave lanky, lean
Mills metal mightily
Nibbles Nightly
Overweight outcomes: obscene!

Peter’s pickled picked peppers: premiere!
Quoted quantities: questionable, q*eer 
Ration’s Redeeming:
Scofield scale screaming,
Terrifies tongues, torrents tears

Ultimatums unduly unclear
Varnished vengeance veneer
Wipeouts, whiteouts
Xeroxing x-outs
Yielding yoked yeoman years

Zanax-zombified zebras zig-zag zanily, zap zooming zeitgeists

----------

Alliterative, Abecedarian Limericks!

Ran out for 'Z', so I made an alliterative monoku there. This was hard! The last stanza stretches the imagination a bit :-)

Panic Is a Longing To Live Long

Panic is a longing to live long,
Yet, a betraying of one not being strong;
All the way leading to a taunting song
From persons who panic judge a wrong;
Who when others duly panic
Unduly continue to picnic,
Honestly taking a Sinking Titanic
For a thing to its peril mimic.

But is one to panic or gasp
Or for that matter fearful hands clasp,
When one has seen not a snake
Nor the as rubbery but fake:
When rather it is some irksome wasp,
Whose clear differences we grasp?

Zapped - Ap

Agile
Black
Cats
Dart
Eerily
From
Gloomy
Hallways
Initiating
Jolts -
Killing
Lackadaisical
Moods
Notably
Of
People
Quintessentially
Ruffled -
Spooking
Them
Unduly -
Verifying
Wanted
Xenial 
Yearnings
ZAPPED


Nov. 9, 2021
for William Kekaula's Alphabet Soup Poetry Contest

Beware, Claps Are Customary

If a poem fails to bring in loud cheers,
Need there’s none to feel unduly sorry,
Nor cheer up if some stray hearts it endears;
To too loud cheers need there’s to feel weary.

If at times your Muse says ‘I can’t help here’,
Fine, a flower blossoms but at right time,
Comes the right time and uncalled she comes near,
Words-failing-to-fall-in-place scarce is crime.

At last your poems if do some cheers fetch, 
Get swayed not, claps are oft customary.
Let it in head nary an impress etch,
Poetry sites feel it’s necessary.

Poets are persuaded to encourage,
Quietly still they might turn a tired page.
_______________________________________
Tongue-in-cheek |03.12.2020| sonnet
Topic: poetry, humour
Poet’s note: This is my take-out from forwarding poems to and following them at poetry sites. It helps if budding poets develop an attitude of being somewhat stick-proof!

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