Oh hazy city!
Land of riches, choked up roads and open dreams.
You are a magnet for directors, actors, rock stars and waiters
waiting to be seen.
Shaking earth and dry dirt hills
fecund in hopes never birthed
Your sun is setting
Things that rhyme with orange
Don’t engage in naughty things,
your parents wouldn’t like it.
For every single phone that rings
I can’t rhyme that one, either.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
This poem originally was written for the Lake Catholic literary publication in 1983 or 1984. It is sad that I actually remember it.
Honeybee Haiku
There is quite a buzz
Honeybees dropping like flies
How can we fix it?
Kazoo Haiku
Hear that kazoo song
One thousand ducks are jealous
Your voice is splendid
Five Days Haiku
You are five days in
Are you still resolved to change?
Habits do die hard
Guitars Haiku
Six strings. Make them ring!
Strum the chords upon the frets
Don’t get out of tune
Happy Birthday friends and family
Happy birthday, bro
To and old friend, greetings, too
Start the year off well
Shoes Haiku
New shoes just for you
Fresh leather from heel to toe
Baby, you got sole
New Year Haiku
The calendar flips
Midnight is a brand new start
Again, a new year.
Christmas presents
It is mid-December and the holiday is fast approaching. When you have four boys, none yet teenagers, Christmas is a time of great expectation.
My boys have taken to saying “I’m getting [insert gift here] for Christmas.” I don’t know if they have a great spy network, have been snooping in hiding places or have conducted better internet usage surveillance than Homeland Security. When I was young I never really thought I was going to get what I wanted or asked for. I was truly surprised Christmas morning.
I correct them by saying “You have ASKED for [insert gift here] for Christmas, we will have to see.” They just look at me like I’m clueless.
We will just have to wait and see. Personally, I’m gettin’ nuttin’ for Christmas.