far and few between

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2010-04-22T20:31:00.001-04:00

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"Mi Querido Viejo"

2010-04-17T10:42:00.000-04:00

Erin Johnson hit another one out of the park with her version of "Mi Querido Viejo" at the weekly Little Grill Collective open mic Thursday, April 15th. She then treated us to two more songs. Usually she gives us one and leaves our tongues wagging until the next chance we have to hear her angelic voice.

MI QUERIDO VIEJO
Es un buen tipo mi viejo
que anda solo y esperando
tiene la tristeza larga
de tanto venir andando.
Yo lo miro desde lejos
pero somos tan distintos
es que creció con el siglo
con tranvía y vino tinto
viejo mi querido viejo
ahora ya camina lento
como perdonando el viento
yo soy tu sangre mi viejo
soy tu silencio y tu tiempo
el tiene los ojos buenos
y una figura pesada
la edad se le vino encima
sin carnaval ni comparsa
yo tengo los años nuevos
y el hombre los años viejos
el dolor lo lleva dentro
y tiene historias y sin tiempo
viejo mi querido viejo
ahora ya caminas lento
como perdonando el viento
yo soy tu sangre mi viejo
soy tu silencio
y tu tiempo
yo soy tu sangre mi viejos
soy tu silencio y tu tiempo

Two Silly Country Songs

2010-03-31T12:30:00.001-04:00

Two silly country songs
. Greeted me this morning
All the sorrow,
. All the wrongs
They put me into mourning.

Both songs you used to sing
. (You sang them just for me?)
Both joys you used to bring
. A sea of tears I see.
March 31, 2010

The Woman Who Wrote Shakespeare

2010-03-29T10:57:00.002-04:00

Expanding Earth

2010-03-27T13:57:00.003-04:00

"A Goomba Christmas"

2010-03-27T13:09:00.002-04:00

Salvatore wakes
He wakes to Christmas morn
Mass occurred but hours before
Where he prayed to Our Fair Lady.

The tree he's hung with Maria . .
The saintly Maria
(No . . she just wanted him to?)
He cut it down . .
(Or just wanted to)
He could not have
It's plastic
It's needles white like snow.

She decorated
Maria the saint
Who gave him (just) six children
(He wanted more,
. . But she was sore.)
Now they sleep apart.

Uncle Tony's stopping by
He always does
He brings the Christmas cheer:
. . Turkeys, hams, stuffing and fish
. . Whiskey, wine, and beer.

The miscreants
Surround the tree
Sal, Vinny, Enzo, Sonny
That's the boys
The girls, at least
Wait their turn.

'When I was your age'
Papa shouts
'We were lucky to have presents!
All we had was love for each other.'

The boys,
They roll their eyes
They've heard it all before
'He tells these stories
From Ancient Rome!
We studied that in school.'

'Save the paper,
Fold it up,
We'll use it again next year!'

But they're too busy
Ripping it
To hear what Papa said
Too busy ripping and clawing
To get to the gold
That marks our Christmas Day.

Each new thing discovered
Tossed aside for the next
Barely a 'Thank you, Papa!'
Is heard.

'Make room for the girls
You wolves!'
As he clears way
'Salvatore and Vincent, I say
Enzo and Santino
Please act like human beings.'

'Papa'
Says Patricia, so sweetly
'We'll wait till after supper
Won't we Anna?'
Who shakes her little curls
'Oh, but yes we will, Papa!'

'Such good girls I raised'
Sighs Papa
'But the boys, Madonna Santa!'

Just then a car
A car pulls up
A car stuff to the gills
'Uncle Tony!!'
The boys all yell
And rush out on the walk.

'Go wake Mamma'
He tells the girls
As he joins the boys outside.

'Antonio!'
He shouts
'Buon Natale'
To the man who makes it bright.

Ah, the food
The packages
The boxes of goods he brings.
'Where, oh where' he wonders
'Could he find such things?'

Mamma stumbles
In her robe
The girls tug at her hands
'Look, Mamma!' they cry
'How beautiful the tree!'
'Yes, my darlings, so lovely'
She sighs
'Come help me with the meal.'

(a work in-progress)

"When a Poet Shifts His Muse"

2010-03-26T17:40:00.001-04:00

When a poet shifts his Muse
. Must he tell someone?
Must he make an announcement,
. Announce it to the World?

Does he owe it to his Public
. Who hang on every word
Of his doomed romances
. His fatal love affairs?

Should they have the chance
. To steer him clear of trouble
Have they suffered him enough
. Would they have it another way?
March 26, 2010

"I Cast My Question to the Wind"

2010-03-20T14:34:00.004-04:00

(or, "Such Beauty Calls This Home?")

She may say I asked
. Asked just who you were
True, so true, I asked
. But asked it not of her.

I cast my question to the Wind
. Exposed myself to Sun
My hope could not begin
. Without answer from The One.

'Is this Your creation,
. Is it meant to be on Earth?
Not miscalculation,
. Not some virgin birth?'

Next I asked the statue
. That graces public square
Fine Beauty put on view
. Sustaining every glare.

'Is this a friend of yours
. Did you meet in Rome
Or was it on these shores
. Such beauty calls this home?'
March 20, 2010

"(The Many Meanings of) 'Fuggedaboutit'"

2010-03-19T17:41:00.008-04:00

The way the music stops
. When you walk into the room . .
. . Fuggedaboutit.

The ray of hope you shine
. From your corner of the world . .
. . Fuggedaboutit.

The 'Nay!' that you erase
. The doors you open . .
. . Fuggedaboutit.

The gray you dispel
. With just a smile
. . Fuggedaboutit.

The May flower that blooms
. From your April shower
. . Fuggedaboutit.

The hay you make
. When sun is shining . .
. . Fuggedaboutit.

The day you left my heart
. And all the feeling stopped . .
. . Fuggedaboutit.

The pray that you inspired
. Just to call you home . .
. . Fuggedaboutit.

The 'Yay!' that rose up
. When you returned . .
. . Fuggedaboutit.

The say you have
. Though we rarely speak . .
. . Fuggedaboutit.
March 19, 2010

"What' It's Like to Be With Me"

2010-03-07T13:31:00.004-05:00

I sat down to write some lyrics
. Words to make you feel again
Words that wrap my arms around you
. As the ink flows from my pen.

I could finish by December
. And hang them on your tree
Wake and sing them to remember
. What it's like to be with me.
March 6, 2010

"Between Is Far and Few"

2010-03-03T21:35:00.005-05:00

I try to imagine
. Walking out with you
. . Just stepping out
. . . Into the crowds
To put ourselves on view.

The people turn
. They take us in
. . They catch their breath at you.

They glare at me
. As if to say
. . Who is this man?
. . . He has a chance?
Between is far and few.
March 3, 2010

"Never Too Soon"

2010-03-03T21:32:00.004-05:00

It's never too soon
. To learn from the old
. . For we're all old too soon.
March 3, 2010

"Just Lookin'"

2010-03-02T21:54:00.004-05:00

I know that you know I been lookin'
Been lookin' at you for a while
Maybe you think I been hopin'
Been hopin' you'd look back and smile.

But I'm lookin' at you and I'm guessin'
How many have looked with a sigh
How many have gazed on the blessin'
A gift to us all from on High.

For me I'm not ropin' or fishin'
Not hopin' that you'll turn my way
I'm thankin' the Lord for Creation
And wishin' that He'll let you stay.
March 1, 2010

"Our Community Place"

2010-03-02T21:20:00.011-05:00

First word is 'Our', first word of all
. And that's the word that heeds the call
To aid our fellow human being
. With all his ills, all he's fleeing.

Next we have 'Community'
. To forge a group within a city
A shield to scorn, a bane to pity
. It gives us all immunity.

Not least of all, but it's the last
. A board for you to break your fast
A space where you forget your past
. A 'Place' for all, and may it last.
February 25, 2010

"Share Our Bread"

2010-02-25T14:37:00.000-05:00

And so the World is in your face
. A loss of roof is your disgrace
They tossed you out for acting up
. Streets are cold, no place to sup
You'd make things up, if just you could
. You'd fix it all, we know you would
Meantime you stumble, you can't keep pace
. You find it hard to save your face
Come share our bread and quit the race.
February 25, 2010

"My Thoughts to Clear"

2010-01-01T20:45:00.000-05:00

I have had my Muse
. Like Michelangelo
I felt the pull of Love
. Not in terra, but al cielo.

His a Cavilieri
. Mine a Cavalier
He to sculpt the marble
. I my thoughts to clear.
January 1, 2010

"Hope Is a Bitch"

2010-01-01T20:42:00.000-05:00

Hope is a bitch
. I wish I could meet her
Hangin' out down by the watering hole
. She'd be with her friends
You know the ones . .
. Faith, Grace, Chastity, and Chance.

I'd say a few words
. I'd put it right to her:
"Why do you do what you do?
. Why spring eternal?
. . Why offer yourself
Then take it away with a grin?"
January 1, 2010

"In the Beginning"

2010-01-01T20:16:00.000-05:00

In the Beginning . .
. God made Sun
. . And God made Sea
And God made you, and He made me.

In the Beginning . .
. The Sun did shine
. . The Sea did roar
It tossed us both upon the shore.

In the Beginning . .
. When I saw you
. . And you saw we
Then Life began, beneath a tree.

In the Beginning . .
. When waters rose
. . And lapped the sand
I told the World how Life began.
January 1, 2010

"Save One"

2010-01-01T20:06:00.001-05:00

First convo, save one
. A chat amongst the first
. . I said you had ten years
. . . To satisfy your thirst.

. . . Now a decade more
. . The drinking hums along
. It helps you with your life
It helps you with your song.

But you recall that night
. The night when'ere we spoke
. . As now a New Year dawns
. . . Will you apply the yoke?
January 1, 2010

More Limericks

2009-12-14T14:43:00.000-05:00

There once was a cabbie named Sig
He thought he should find a new gig
He'd get a job
As head of the mob
If he could just cover the vig.
December 14, 2009

There once was a D.J. named Joe
To tune-lover he proved quite a foe
"All music is mine!"
He said with a whine
"The Community? That's just for show!"
November 23, 2009

There once was a pastor named Ron
He read the Good Book like the Don
He could be the Godfather
And cut all the bother
If he'd quit running hither and yon.
November 6, 2009

There once was a cardinal named Farrell
His faith in the Church was in peril
He cast off his robes
And trimmed his earlobes
Now he's found a new faith name of Rachel.
October 21, 2009

There once was a redhead named Em
She turned on her own countrymen
She met a Canuck
With a big hockey puck
Now they bankrupt the U.S. health system.

Limericks

2009-11-23T20:07:00.001-05:00

There once was an intern named Gracie
Who said that she worked at Our Placie
But we checked her "work"
And discovered a quirk:
The evidence was all prima facie.
November 23, 2009

There once was a biker named Lars
He'd live his whole life without cars
He biked to Peru
To prove it was true
But flew home in a jet through the stars.
November 4, 2009

There once was an artist named Abbey
Her mood switched from cheery to crabby
Unless she could sew
A ribbon or bow
On your costume if she deemed it shabby.
November 4, 2009

There once was a girl named Rebekah
She set off in search of Mecca
But found OCP
Where the suppers are free
Now she skips all her nursing school lectures.
September 21, 2009

There once was a mascot named "Smokey"
Whose owner was old, slow and pokey
So he'd run around
The OCP ground
Till the Irishman said "Okey Dokey!"

There once was a painter named Teig
Who kept all his tools in a bag
If you needed a tune
He'd yank his harpoon
And beat out "The OCP Rag".

"Lies and Poetry"

2009-11-08T21:08:00.000-05:00

I have known a Gösta Berling
. I have been a Lagerlöf
But mine was here and younger
. Not Swedish, but a Scot.

His glen stood groves of ladies
. He felled them like a sword
A god rose up from Hades
. They viewed him as their Lord.

He did his share of drinking
. He ran with friends like that
He wrote more poems than poets live
. He shared them with his frat.

He stood so tall in glade
. But saw it not for trees
He glinted like a blade
. He scared the birds and bees.

Was it poetry and lies
. Just lies and poetry?
Am I now what I despise
. A vessel for deceit?
November 8, 2009

"When Your Evil Spirit Lifts"

2009-10-27T20:48:00.001-04:00

When your evil spirit lifts
. And leaves your corpse alone
Only then your spate of gifts
. Can sparkle like a stone.
October 27, 2009

"At His Behest"

2009-10-21T20:41:00.000-04:00

Must best be worst
. And worst be best
And must it be
. At His behest?
October 21, 2009

"Ego Candy"

2009-10-15T20:39:00.000-04:00

Gorge upon your ego candy
. Keep a Bible good and handy
Cut the words and music randy
. As you watch your son play dandy.
October 15, 2009