To Write or Not To Write

A long time ago, I wrote a three or four part satire about my boss, anonymously, of course.  It was fun, but I got busy and ran out of inspiration. I think.  Fast-forward about twenty years, and several years ago (seven, in fact) I started out writing a blog of sorts.  At least, what I thought a blog was.  I shared my thoughts, sometimes my opinion, and sometimes neither.  It was fun, but the fact is that lately, I don’t seem to add as much to this junk pile very often. 

Am I out of things to say?  I don’t know, but I have changed my focus some.  I decided I could say more in less time with poetry.  I’ve explored it, written a few pieces and even kept the more heartfelt stuff to myself.  What do I write?  These days it’s mostly poetry, and I’ve narrowed it to light verse.  When I look for examples of that I read Dorothy Parker, Ogden Nash, Phyllis McGinley, Billy Collins, even Garrison Keillor.  I couldn’t begin to catch up with any of them, but I have found a book on how to write poetry and one on how to write a limerick, so watch out!

 

Back to not writing as much anymore, I may be short of the energy, vitality, strength, and imagination to do it very much.  Or, I may just need some stimulation.  I plan to join a group (a writers’ club) soon that will probably let me know.  One small problem to ponder—these are all old geezers and geezettes, too, so who’s going to keep whom awake?

With that said, I have fun rhyming, and I’m learning some about meter, from Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter to whatever metric (or is it meteoric?) you find in a limerick.  There’s even a handy little guide to writing limericks that I’ve found.  I haven’t put any on paper (and, no, they don’t all involve Nantucket).   I do think a limerick worth writing down is coming (Notice I didn’t say worth hearing!).  I just can’t say when.

P. S., the group doesn’t meet during the peak of summer, so it will be weeks before I can share my experience.  In the mean time, we have our 39^th consecutive day with a temperature exceeding ninety degrees coming tomorrow (tied for fourth all time) .  I apologize Barack and all you nut jobs that have been telling me about global warming, I still think it is the height of hubris to think our day-to-day action as humans is causing the whole planet to warm up.  What were those nasty dinosaurs doing that precipitated the Ice Age?  Don’t try selling me that meteor stuff either, there is a reason why we call those goofs on TV meteorologists!  They blame all their miscalculations on those “meteors”, too.

Two This Time

To-Do List Before You Go

Before you go, can I have some time alone just to talk with you?

Before you go, will you tell me all the things that I did well?

Before you go, will you tell me about all the chances that I blew,

And let me know why for all these years these things you never did tell?

Before you go, will you take that Leap, will you talk to God?

Before you go, will you ask Him to recall the times you were at your best?

Before you go, will you ask Him to grant forgiveness for all the rest?

Before you go, will you tell us how it felt when you knew that you were leaving?

Before you go, will you tell us why you told no one, didn’t let us share your grieving?

Before you go, will you let us in

and give us a chance just to fill you in

 on how much it is we love you.

Before you go, will you understand that we loved you so,

even at those times when it didn’t show?

Before you go, will you smile on through, even as we cry,

 or better still please just laugh out loud like a soul brand new?

Before you go, please tell me how we can get along without you,

And before you go, will you please just say goodbye?

Ashes On The Lakeshore

Some day some trusted old friends will go

Make good on a promise for a pair movin’ on.

To the dunes once more in New Buffalo

Place their ashes together and cast them on

The shores of Lake Michigan where once they would go

On Harley rides, those autumn days seem so long ago,

Easy Riders no more, two true Angels ride on.

  

Someday Some Rhyme

A man once said

When it came to his head

That “someday’s” a disease,

And I think he was wise.

As I lay in my bed

Just this morning I said,

Someday I will diet and exercise.

Now the sun has set

And I can’t forget

That someday was not today.

Someday I'll behave like he said,

Take Adidas’ advice, 
And Just Do It once or twice.

Who cares if I fail in the trying

At least I won’t be a ‘dying

Still bearing this stomach

That most resembles a hummock

(And I’ll have used that “stomach” rhyme

That’s been stuck in my head all this time)