¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ lying in my bed
I heard ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦
¦¦¦¦¦¦ one solemn word ¦¦¦ said
A bird began to sing.
I heard a dog ¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦
And a ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ cock;
¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦
¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ It was five o'clock.
The ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ bird sang,
¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦
The cock ¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦
¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ had gone mad.
¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ the dark skies,
¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦
¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ cried "Look! Lift up your eyes!"
¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦
¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦
¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ wind and wave;
¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ cried out ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦
¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦ "Be brave!"
The ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ market-carts,
The pounding of men's feet
Were drowned in song; ¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦
The song was loud and sweet.
¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦
¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦
¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦
¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦
(Blackout of The Church-Bell by Elinor Wylie)
Welcome to my studio Rose Wylie said.
She was amazed that so many were interested.
She had been painting for years.
Every year more people came by to gawk.
She had agreed to an hour interview.
But she loved people, and people loved her.
She thought she would want to shoo them away.
But she sat with them and picked their brains.
They had some terrific stories.
Great ideas for new paintings.
She ended up giving them her whole morning.
An eighty-six-year old artist, who loves to paint.
‘Neath the umbrella the sun peeked shyly,
My eyes flickered on the wash of the surf
A seagull in search glanced at me wryly.
A fine day at the beach, earning a smiley
Relaxing on Mother Nature’s sandy turf,
‘Neath the umbrella the sun peeked shyly.
Several beachcombers observed me dryly
Wondering, I suppose, at my sunburn scurf,
A seagull in search glanced at me wryly.
A ship on the horizon, a sight I prize highly
A toddler nearby was playing with a nerf,
‘Neath the umbrella, the sun peeked shyly.
I heard the kid’s mother call him Wylie,
“Don’t bother him, play with your smurf!”
A seagull in search glanced at me wryly.
Carefully, I slathered on sunscreen slyly
On the cargo ship, I imagined a tourist berth
‘Neath the umbrella the sun peeked shyly
A seagull in search glanced at me wryly.
Written March 29, 2022
Your eyes are sharp, and your smile is straight,
No doubt of this, in the game of poker!
Your friends will talk, and say you are great,
But deep down inside, you’re still a joker!
You have your coffee, and you take your pills,
Cruising in the “A” would be more of a thrill.
Buddies Hobo & Wylie, will lie in your lap,
Now that we know, you are a loving sap.
Your eyes are blue, and your hair is gray,
As strong as glue, we know you will pray.
I’m glad you’re my Dad, for which I look up to,
Over time and age, I hope to be just like you.
Apples & oranges, not your garden of choice,
But tomatoes & peppers are tasty & moist.
With memories of thought, and words to say,
Of thinking of ought, and not the word hey.
So with hugs of laughter and hope to say,
Wishing you my love on this Happy Father’s Day
From your Son,
Matt’s dad Mike works in IT for Nissan,
So when he won gold at Rio de Janerio,
For the 100m freestyle in the S9 category,
Nissan made him a gold car, a LEAF.
The LEAF is one of the new electric cars,
And to get to his physiotherapy sessions,
In the two years building up to Rio 2016,
Matt had been driving in a white LEAF.
He was born with cerebral palsy, just mild,
On the 14th day of October’s month, 1996,
And first represented Britain in Eindhoven,
Which is in Holland, at the Euros in 2014.
There he placed just outside the medals,
So in 2016 Funchal, which is Portuguese,
At the Euros, in the 50m free he won gold,
And in the 4x100m freestyle relay, bronze.
Jonathan studies at Huddersfield New College,
A BTEC in sports development and fitness,
He has Charcot Marie Tooth as his baggage,
Which by physiotherapy has a tight harness.
He trains in the swimming pool determinedly,
Of Huddersfield Leisure Centre extensive,
With Kirklees Active Leisure’s team happy,
To measure his swim performance active.
He swims in the S9 category in the freestyle,
And was born on the 16th of June in 1998,
He enjoyed swimming from the very first stile,
At age eleven when has dad took him, fate.
From regional events representing Yorkshire,
He began to internationally compete in 2014,
At an International Meet in Glasgow’s mire,
Where he became Youth Champion well lean.
His closest friends on squad ParalympicsGB,
Are fellow swimmers James Crisp, Josef Craig,
Lewis White and also Matt Wylie who all did see,
The lights of Rio: Jonathan came fifth in plague.
Picture on the Wall
I'm sure you will always remember me
When it was you and I who used to be
Running up and back down a path
Before you gave me my next bath.
Loyal, dedicated dog and I did follow
Wylie jumping over tree that was hollow
But now his body sure seems so sore
Just lies around not moving anymore.
Wylie was my favorite and best friend
Who I love but his life came to an end
He's no longer here but for him will call;
Only thing left is his picture on the wall.
My Wonderful Dog Wylie
Everything my dog energetically enjoyed;
Was friendly and no one would be avoided
Regardless of place, how, when or where
Lived life free from desperation and despair.
Would you say that Wylie was willy-nilly?
If you did this might sound so very silly;
After me and my wife drank a night cap
Wylie liked to jump up into my lap.
When young puppy his legs liked leaping;
Dreamed of puppy love when was sleeping;
One day ended up meeting his death knoll
After forgetting location of his food bowl.
For long time Wylie was getting on in years
One day without warning he disappears
And begged from God that he be blessed;
Do doggie sins have to be confessed?
Went to church where I would pray and kneel
But to Wylie dog this would never appeal;
He's now in heaven sitting with much sun
Where God is taking him for a real nice run.
James Thomas Horn
Retired Veteran
PS. This is my neighbor's dog who is a 12 year
old boxer who they are putting to sleep soon.
A Cute Pup Named Wylie
Bought my beautiful wife a cute pup
After Christ had cleaned our lives all up
Now, when pup, we will look at him,
He barks, Christ keeps things proper and prim.
From the very first time our pup was bought
Christ in our eyes could always be caught
And kind of in a strange, round about way
We loved him more even if sky was gray.
Each time to everybody when pup started to bark
Who loved him just like Our Lord found in a lark
And when with us we took him to church one day
In back room, with Christ and children started to play.
It never made no matter where we may go
In our pup, we could see Christ grow and grow
And even when we took our pup out to eat
Felt Christ's spirit there who we would meet and greet.
Even when pup in bushes would take a pause;
We were refreshed by pup and Christ because
He had died on cross for both you and me;
Now the picture was clear and so plain to see.
Our pup was a cross between Christ and God
Who we will laud and know they're no fraud;
Pup always grew old but he still was pleasing;
Died, and back to Father and Son we are releasing.
Back In Bed Could Crash
To Wylie for a while will start to talk
After that shall take him for short walk
While we looked somewhere into the sky
Both he and I saw a beautiful butterfly.
Some say whole, complete life is sedentary
Which to me at times sure seems so scary
After short walk for home made a mad dash
So back into bed again he could crash.
How about that one? Jim
Questions
I’ve got some questions; the truth if you please
I’d like to know – does a penguin have knees
Can a rhinoceros – if he has a twitch
Raise his back leg to get at his itch
If water gets in a bull elephant’s ear
Can he hop on one leg until it is clear
A better one yet – can he smother a sneeze
By holding his trunk between his front knees
Is a zebra a white horse with black stripes on the side
Or a black horse with white stripes – how can we decide
Can a wolf really blow or is that just a tale
Can a golf ball plug up the blowhole of a whale
Why does a road runner run – can’t he fly
Why does Wylie Coyote continuously try
What made the very first hyena laugh
It must have been one big hilarious gaffe
How does a rooster know just when to crow
How does a homing pigeon know where to go
How does a opossum think he will survive
By making us all think that he’s not alive
How can a male mantis get into the act
Knowing when finished he will be attacked
Why does a poet write things down their way
Why did you come out to hear us today
These are the questions – please give them some thought
I’d hate to believe they were all asked for naught
Let us walk in winter's snow
Wander through a soundless space
Footsteps whisper a hush embrace
Beneath the veils of nature's lace
All white like down
So soft, serene
As silent prayer
Earth white and clean
With crystals new
Wrapped in fleece
To keep it safe
With tranquil peace
We shall walk
A windless pace
Dressed in wool
With velvet grace
Tomorrow there will be no more
Our foot steps gone,
To be erased,
And earth will wear
The peaceful face
It once had worn before
Inspired by the Masters.......Velvet Shoes* ...Written by Elinor Wylie
Contest Sponsored by Tracy Decker
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