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Best Poems Written by James Gooch

Below are the all-time best James Gooch poems as chosen by PoetrySoup members

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Mary Had a Little Ham - Invited Me For Dinner

My lady friend Mary invited me over one day to have a little ham
So, I put on my big heavy coat and my fur hat and grabed a digital cam
It was late in November and the streets were white with snow
But when Mary invited me over for some ham, I was sure to go
Now I also want to mention that come spring little Mary
Becomes a different person, quite to the contrary
Last spring I asked her, Mary, Mary...(she's hard hearing) "how does your garden 
grow?"
Well, she just went sort of weird on me and and replied: "sheeps in the meadow 
and cows in the corn"........  
I could tell that she was a "Little Girl Blue",  so I just went over and for her I did 
blow my horn
But after a little while (the ham was gone)..  so Jack (me) I was nimble about it and 
sort of quick
I turned all of a sudden and just jumped right on over her candle stick
I had my digital camera with me though and did take her picture, but no more talk
And what do you know when I steped outside I ran right into this bean stalk....
Well it was more than I could resist, so I climbed it....  and so it just went on and on 
Till it was gone.........   And so am I............     Real Gone.........

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My Brother In Law the Blind Preacher

It's been many years that have gone by since I set at his table
Playing twelve spot dominoes with this remarkable man, who was quite able
There was no hesitation as his fingers danced accross the dots to choose the right 
one to lay down
He never did slow the pace of the game, and I don't think I ever did see this 
remarkable man with a frown
He was a good looking fellow by most any measure, and very clean and neat
And I remember at one of his sermons how he spoke of the woman washing Jesus's 
feet
Before church started that particular morning he asked me to drive him into the 
woods so he could just listen for a while
We sat there that morning, it was in the early fall, and every now and then a little 
sound or the puff of wind would bring his face a big smile
It may have been the sound of a bright colored leaf as it fell onto the others
Or especially the singing birds and cawing of the hawks and fluttering wings or bird 
babies chirping for their mothers
This prepared him for a sermon he wanted to deliver, straight from creations voices 
and tender carress's he was at last ready to go
And for me it was such a beautiful memory that stoked and encouraged my spirit to 
grow
The sermon he brought that fine fall morning was so full of live energy and true faith 
and nobody seemed to hardly even move
Except to dance with the spirit if they were encouraged to spiritual groove
They all seemed to be so proud to have been there to hear their fine preacher
No doubt about it, he was a very fine man and a wonderful teacher

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Greyhound Bus Station - Two In the Morning - Doctor In the Alley

A long time ago this scene unfolded as I traveled from place to place
As I look back from my values I hold dear today, it's entirely a different race
Every persons walk is unique and holds many a lesson
Some to share openly and others are for confessen
Wake up somewhere in an alley behind a trash dumpster or in a doorway
Depends on your luck the night before if it was foreplay or poorplay
You may have scored a job to load delivery trucks with that smooth Gallo wine
That would net you a cool twenty and slip a bottle in the pocket made you feel just 
fine
So when you got off work you had some money
But you didn't spend it on women because white port was your honey
You could rent a room for five dollars a day and buy peanut butter and bread
The rest for some wine or brandy or whiskey maybe a beer and you were totally fed
Now you were confident you likely had some work and pay every day
If you don't get sent out on a job you can sell blood was your ace the other way
Somedays you would switch and work during the day 
But your style was no different you needed daily pay
So you worked at the slave market is what the common name is
Always minimun pay and very little quiz
You could have been a bank robber or a serial killer
Made no difference you just wrote on the paper what ever would fill er
No one was ever going to check to see if you had just graduated from Yale
Or had done something real bad and just got out of jail....
So once in a while you just wanted to change locations for no particular reason
Except maybe the biggest if you slept out you preferred a fair season
If it were two in the morning somewhere and you had the shakes
You knew how to locate a doctor down the alley and pay what it takes
So after many bus rides and alleys and stomach fulls and heartaches
I use a different doctor now and he's not in the alley, we play for much higher stakes

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A Very Fine Mouse That I Took To Dinner

I had climbed the steep stairs two landings to the top floor
Paid the two dollars for my bed in the dorm as I had several nights before
Now you were not allowed to sleep here if you were rowdy or real drunk
You had to have the "once over"  and then take a shower before you got a bunk
Lock up your gear and clothes and shoes and get a cotten gown and pair of flippers
And if you needed a haircut they had a man with a pair of clippers
The requirements were that you get there no later than six at night
They sold sandwiches and chips and hot dogs and burgers and the price was alright
Another room that had a small television and a few chairs and an old grey rug
And also was a bookie who took your bets if you had faith in the mouse called Pug
Every evening the small crowd would gather for this special event
You had to bet at least a dollar and was worth every red cent
For little Pug had been doing this every night for a couple of months and had no fear
Except when he would pick a winning piece of food and would be a little tiny cheer
The men bet to see what piece of food little Pug would pick and take under the wall
Where he and his family lived and he was the provider of food and gave us a ball
Been many years ago that I took Pug to dinner 
For he picked my piece of a cheeto one night and made me a winner

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A Fishy Story

While enjoying a walk in the woods near a beautiful lake
A huge spider jumped from a tree and landed on my shoulder
Taking quick action I hurriedly jumped into the lake and the spider was gone
But then as I started walking back to the shore I felt something wiggle in my pocket
Well that had me a little worried too, so quickly I took off my pants as soon as I was back on the shore.  Then I heard some giggles and as I looked around there were
some girls just laughing and pointing over at me.  So I picked up my pants and
jumped back in the lake and then I saw what had caused all the fuss.  There
was just a tiny little ole fish just looking up at me and it had something in its mouth.
It needed my help so I pulled out this obstruction and saw what it was.  Well I
petted and spoke softly to the little fish and saw that we had a winning lottery ticket
now in my hands.  I told the little fish all about it and just turned it loose after I
told it to meet me back here the next day.  So I cashed in the ticket and went and
bought a new pick-up truck and drove back to the lake to give the little fish it's
part of the winnings.  But, don't accuse me of trying to abuse or to cheat that fish.
I am being honest....  The fish never did show up to collect its part of the winnings
And that is a true fish story

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Our Oldest Cat, Sammie's Diagnosis Is Not Very Good

Sammie is a Tabby by design and recognition as far as a mental picture would be
He first came home to us from a shelter as a kitten and made us a family of three
That was about ten years ago, and Sammie has grown and is a pretty big cat
But he is still very playfull and energetic and loving and like our child is his hat
He also wears the hat of older brother to little Pepper who came about a year later 
He came to us from being a feral kitten among the many we would cater
Recently Sammie developed a tumor on the lower part of his right hind leg
We took him to the doctor and got a diagnosis that took us all down a peg
For the real bummer was that there are more tumors inside
So instead of taking the one off, he said to just let it ride
Sammies life will likely end he said sometimes in the next one to three years
So the news is not very good and it brought us all to share some tears
In the mean while we rub his belly where the tumors are all at
And pray for some majestic energies to be unleashed on our little cat
So if you also are of a mind to share a prayer
Little Sammie loves you and is so happy that you care

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40 Hornets, the Executioners of Love

Sorta reminded me of Salem Witch Trials I've read about in the past
Similarly, in this case people could point and say: "They are in love" and they would
most certainly be given a hornets blast.  Oh they would not cut off the lovers heads 
as t'was in days of yore.  Then they just pointed at you and said:  "She's a witch" 
and then cut off their heads to keep from being a bore.  Most popular was to burn them
tied to a stake so they could hear the loud fires roar.  And was by far the most likely
way to do it, untill their came a day when the people saw right through it.
But then little is known about this I want to tell you to hold on to your seats.  Here
is one of the worlds most cruel and remarkable feats.
40 Hornets was all it took from their most powerful venom to work
They would just net them over the heads and let them do the 40 jerk
That method did not get put down as part of mans cruel punishment as of yet
But I don't think it's on the books or against the law to hire 40 Hornets I would bet
But love conquers all it hs long ago been decided
Though love can be a Hornets nest if love is not abided

By the way, this is not a true story.  So hope you don't feel the sting of it too badly
It is just a wonder that it did not happen as some other things have all so sadly

Love to all

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Young Boy At the Start of World War Two Remembers

Came from a very good loving family in a small Kansas town just as World War Two 
was about to break out, it was nineteen thirty nine
As a very small child I remember hearing Walter Winchell, Gabriel Heater bring the 
news every night just a few years later, just about the time for us to all dine
Dad was a shoemaker as they called it back then
During the war he had German prisoners work for him on a base, and always said 
they seemed to be good men
One whittled me an airplane out of balsum wood, dad said it was a B-29, and he 
had even painted it grey
I never did see the prisoners on the base where we lived back then, but I recall the 
times vividly to this very day
I had four older sisters, I was the youngest child by ten years and the only boy
And I recall always being very loved and everything was to me as an older baby 
was nothing but joy
Fore I do remember times spent in my wooden play pen and a red hall curtain would 
blow now and then
Later when I was around five or six I remember mom and dad counting ration 
stamps while sitting on their beds, some for sugar, gasoline, different things
One sister worked in an amunition plant and brought me home a miniature bomb 
painted silver and one made me a billfold one gave me a large penny...My what 
these reflections all brings
Of course I remember the speach by President Roosevelt when he said we declared 
war and so many clips in movie theatres about how it was going
Mom listening to Stella Dallas and Ma Perkins while she would be sewing
These are some things that were just worth writing about and sharing with all of 
you here
I've come to really enjoy meeting a whole lot of you and I will always be ready to 
lend you my ear

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The Old Lady's Last Request

Over a time frame of about eight years we would talk about the chapters of our 
lives and listening intently to one another
She came from a small town in Texas and was an only child and was much closer to 
her dad than she was her mother
Usually we would talk in private, just her and me and her little cat named Abby
The little yellow furry cat kept her company and was also a little bit Gabby
Especially when it came time to have her dinner or to be let out on the porch for air
And no matter how lonely it may have been for her, little Abby was always there
So one dreded day the time did come for my friend to leave for the hospice, she 
turned her head on the stretcher and just said to me
I know you will take good care of little Abby
Not long after that she left this old world with the hint of content on her face
All was as it should be, everything was in place

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A Farm House Porch

A farm house porch over looking the fields in the early fall
Sits the old farmer who for a while has worked no crops at all
He scratches the head of the old faithful collie dog at his side
It is just him and the farmer who are reflecting with pride
Relatives and friends and loved ones who they have known
In a life so full of plenty along with crops they have grown
There have been visitors who have driven up that long gravel road
Who have held key parts of a life as life jouney unfolds
He goes in to the kitchen where there is an old covered chair
A chair that will always be covered that he takes special care
It is now getting late and before he says his nightly prayer
He thinks for a minute who he will include in there
Then he gets down by his bedside on old arthritic knees
And prays for so many in his life that graciously did please