Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Interest

Aliens among us
I do enjoy the internet-
Mindset . . .
What do we believe 
And who told us to - ?
Going to school 
After World War II 
-One only believed 
What "they" wanted us 
To
One knew that danger lurked 
Behind any 
Independent 
Thinking. 
We were judged and graded 
Upon our ability to 
Conform -
In body and mind 

Such conformity 
Was backed up
With Capital Punishment 
With capitals !

They could beat you at 
School 
And beat you at 
Home 
Just for 
Good measure -

Fifties ladies might brag about 
Breaking the wooden spoon 
Or the pancake turner
On their male child's 
Backside 
They might brag 
At church -
To each other 
It was the accepted thing 
The constant 
Threat 

Of death

Add to that 
The birth of 
Television - to add to 
Newspapers and 
Radio 

We have generations now 
Of those told 
What to do 
- go shopping!
Live between here 
And 
The mall 
Go in debt
Pay interest

To 
"Them"



Friday, June 27, 2014

The VERIZON Pause

Data 
I have data 
I can write 

Verizon says so 

After the 25th 
Of the month 
U can again 
Communicate 
With friends -

Before that 
The cell phone becomes 
Quite useless -
Could use it as 
- a small square 
Coaster 
- a door stop for 
A mini door 
- not much else 

Did Shakespeare have such 
Problems ?
(Not comparing myself,
No way) 
But still- 
Hamlet would have 
Been on hold -
Romeo and Juliet 
Could have paused - 
Worked out their problems 
With the parents 
- married 
And been together long enough 
To 
- get on each other's 
Nerves 

Little Romeos running around screaming 
Pulling baby Juliet's hair 
Older Juliet trying to 
Get the laundry done 
- over the stove -
Becoming frayed and older 
Reaching menopause -

See what delights 
The "verizon pause" in 
      Writing 
Could 
Entail

Out out damned spot 
Becomes 
Oh heck 
 - Got to go back to counseling 
Again ! 

King Lear would get shortened 
- as a play - 
Which would probably not 
Be a bad thing 

But now 
(Forsooth) 
I must be gone 
For I have awaiting 
The dancing lesson 
Whether I would 
Or no . . .




Twins

U don't look at your cell phone 
     In the afternoon
I don't look at mine 
     In the morning 

U don't schedule things 
      Mid week
I don't schedule things 
      Weekends 

This may be 
      The perfect 
Relationship . . .

U will tell the establishment 
What is wrong 
With it -
Straight up 
In their faces -
I -
Never say a 
Word 

Other than that 
We have so much 
In common 

Other than that 
We r just like twins 

(Or not) . . .

People can be 
So 
Hard to figure 
Out 

I envy the hermits 
In the Himalayas 
Sometimes 

But even they
Have to have someone 
Bring them food 
-All the time-

And what if they 
Don't like 
The menu ? 
Who could they complain to ?
They r supposed to b
Desireless
By then. 

Wanting nothing 
Being nobody 
Nothing but 
Zen. 



Sunday, June 22, 2014

Practical

Thinkin' I had to 
Go someplace 
To get 
Something 

Somewhere else 

Now I begin 
To see 
That the place 
To go 
Is here -
To sit down 
Here -
And go 
Within -
This the fascinating , wonderful
Place -
Natives in costumes 
Not 
(Except for those of us
Who live here)
Cut off jeans, Hawaiian shirts 
And 
Flip flops 

Fascinating native 
Ambiance 
See how they live 
Some homeless 
Some 
Not 

Some surfing 
Some walking 

Verizon says 
I have used 75% of my 
Data plan 

Poetry loses to 
Practicality. . .

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Prince Harry asks, How Do You Do?

Interesting modern life this. . .
Who may read these words?
     If on Facebook 
It is assumed 
Anyone reads thousands of
     Answers 
To an innocent 
     Query 

Buried somewhere there 
Is this. . .
The musings -
The Ramblings of 
A commoner 
In another country 
And one 
That 
Ran away 
At that!

Now mother always said 
We were related to 
Fancy-pants people 
And she collected china 
And read a lot 
- That must count 
For something 

But I can't imagine 
The pressures of 
Any type of royalty 
I really cannot handle 
What I've got to deal with 
Right now 
And I hate people telling me 
What to do 
No 
It would never do 
I maybe shouldn't have posted 
This answer 
To that 
Innocent 
Query 

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Unity. . .

Feeling better 
Maybe I'll live 
For a little while 
     At least 

Able to attack a shrub with 
     Pruning shears 
But then -
I must rest  

Looking forward to a 
     Tango or two 
When I 
     Meet up 
     With you 

If I can just 
Tango and 
Trim 
I should be alright 
But already 
The bills are 
Coming in . . .

Getting sick in this 
     Country 
Is not advised -

It is a crazy place 
Where some seem to get 
Everything 
For free 
And others are robbed 

The middle class 
Is being beat-
With sticks 
Why 
Don't they want us 
To survive ?

Conspiracy theories 
Abound 
Just look around 
And try to explain 
Where our freedom 
Has gone 
???

Where the bright ideas 
That built this country 
Have gone ???

Multinational unity -
one world government -
Global industry 
Doing what it pleases
And 
Making slaves 
     Of us. 
??

Just don't rush -

I'm old enough to 
     Figure 
"I'll be dead by 
Then"


Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Angst

Life and death and 
     Doctors 
My therapist says 
I have a phobia 

Why does not having been to a 
Dr 
For fifteen years 
Constitute a phobia? 
Maybe it denotes 
     Common sense. 

They are 
The leading cause of 
     Death 
( I read somewhere)

So now I must 
     Go
All their tests and 
     Triangulations 
Will cost a pretty penny 
     I know 

If I live, 
I will be eating little 
     And spending less 
Not quite a bag lady 
     Yet 
( God bless them) 

They gave me pills 
For my nerves
For my fear -
Is there a pill for 
Other things ?
A pill for 
     The angst of life 
I have angst -
Always have had 
A longing for the time 
     Before -
A strong remembering 
     Of a better time -
Wondering where Krishna is 
     And Christ 
Why have we been left here 
To face 
The pins and needles 
Of life -
Alone? 

Why do we believe 
So strongly 
That we live and die 
In these flimsy bodies 

Why don't we know 
We are light
And therefore cannot be 
Cut 
Or folded or torn 

I know 
They are out to get me -
They are sharpening knives 
And swords 
As we speak 

So-
Where did I put 
Those pills they 
Gave me.