Categories
of Gratitude

But for the grace

But for the grace

A thin man walking, alone
each step, proud
a steady pace
a determined expression
shoulders back
a smile on his face.

He meets a stranger along the way
pleasantries exchanged
a howdy-do
a chat about the weather
a sturdy handshake
and a hardy adieu.

He walks, again, alone,
picks an apple from a tree
he bites and chews
then spits it out
not yet ripe, a little green
he tries again but has his doubts.

He stops to sit a little while
crosses his legs, then with a smile
he holds a sign for motorists
“Hungry, can you spare a dime?”
he stands and reaches for the bill
and adds a dollar to his till.

He thanks the driver
says “God Bless”
he thanks his God for all the rest
he counts it up, then put’s it down
he’s saved it for another round.

A thin man walking
used to be
a working man
used to pull some dollars down
‘till fate and luck just dragged him ‘round
Now, he walks and smiles.

-J

Categories
of Loss and Loneliness

Quagmire

Categories
of Humor

How I Roll

HOW I ROLL

As I drove through the toll booth
in my spectacular brand new super-fragalistic car
Sound ablazin’, motor a racin’
The one they said was sure to be a star
Not manufactured in decades, to be sure
Low numbers, high demand, sure to be a winner
Sure to appeal to the masses

Every wife, daughter, mistress, girlfriend, lover, and girl next door with glasses would fane for the privilege to get off of their asses and test drive the most spectacular automobile ever seen in twenty-five years. A low-profile convertible with Armor All’d tires and automatic doors

To be seen in the most spectacular car, the automobile manufactured for the price that anyone could afford, or
just be bored with whatever their spouse could afford

No! How can we pass up such a deal for the most spectacular car in twenty-five years?

The toll-booth girl, pretty and black
was in my seat in two seconds flat
standing up in the seat on a busy main street
waving her arms in the air
with not seeming a care

I took her to a shop where we bought some sexy clothes and other wares. We laughed and laughed until the store was closed. Then, came the sex and the grind, the moves that blew my mind. My love for the car diminished as she overtook my, well, you know

No oil change needed, my ego conceded
The car so exceeded that nothing was left but her coal

Still, the fever was seeded and the thought was repeated again and again until I bought another and another and sold to every sister, brother, and stupid mother fucker on the planet

Just goes to show.

High demand, production low, made me some money. That’s how I roll.

-J

Categories
of Loss and Loneliness

The Actor

The Actor

You don’t know me
You might think you do
I sing and dance across the screen
for everybody’s view

I play the part
sometimes the hero
I get the girl
then fade into the sunset

I’m charming
gracious, eloquent
unafraid
whenever it suits you

I’m confident
A real go-getter
Just a son of a gun
having fun and laughing

The world is my stage
you, my audience
A one-man show
as I spin a tale

A tale of splendor
A tale of triumph
of satisfaction
with lots of action

A tale
projected on a screen
In color, bigger than life
I’m always on the beam

I always play the part
You write the script
You are the directors
I’m just an actor

In my trailer, I take off my makeup
my costume, my toupee
I look again in the mirror
and there’s hardly a reflection.

-J