brian-mangels - Hello Poetry

Christmas at the inlaws, posed great challenges because Was a chance at first impressions I could make The family quite a bunch, secret Santa, formal lunch All would test, but there was something more at stake Further to their traditions, the Australian institution Back yard cricket, the game in which I must partake Both nervous and excited, see I love it unrequited For impressions twas the icing on the cake I considered myself skilled, both flamboyant and strong willed And the game very seriously I would take The brother and the dad, the biggest threats I saw I had To dominate for the glory I would slake With lunch dusted and done, we went out into the sun Inspect the pitch, had it a fresh mow and a rake A slope to orchard side, sticks as wickets, bail astride Chose to bowl, the game was on make no mistake Much to my surprise, dad was good, I did surmise I bowled well, but his batting didn't break He retired steeled, and I went out into the field For his respect, and his daughter's, I'd not flake When my turn came to bat, the brother bowled one flat Out at my toes, applying heat, see if I'd quake But I settled into play, and hit them all around the way Was time to showcase and leave them in my wake I retired not out too, and dad to bat again was due Keen to bowl at him despite the muscle ache At the last I took his stump, and the crowd well they did jump Saw my determination was one that wouldn't shake The game renewed my bond, for his daughter and beyond To join this man, and his family was the sake Mum called time for tea, and we left the field with glee We were one now, and it was time for cake.

0

Oct 15, 2018

Oct 15, 2018 at 12:00 AM UTC

brian-mangels

Bowling over the in-laws

Christmas at the inlaws, posed great challenges because Was a chance at first impressions I could make The family quite a bunch, secret Santa, formal lunch All would test, but there was something more at stake Further to their traditions, the Australian institution Back yard cricket, the game in which I must partake Both nervous and excited, see I love it unrequited For impressions twas the icing on the cake I considered myself skilled, both flamboyant and strong willed And the game very seriously I would take The brother and the dad, the biggest threats I saw I had To dominate for the glory I would slake With lunch dusted and done, we went out into the sun Inspect the pitch, had it a fresh mow and a rake A slope to orchard side, sticks as wickets, bail astride Chose to bowl, the game was on make no mistake Much to my surprise, dad was good, I did surmise I bowled well, but his batting didn't break He retired steeled, and I went out into the field For his respect, and his daughter's, I'd not flake When my turn came to bat, the brother bowled one flat Out at my toes, applying heat, see if I'd quake But I settled into play, and hit them all around the way Was time to showcase and leave them in my wake I retired not out too, and dad to bat again was due Keen to bowl at him despite the muscle ache At the last I took his stump, and the crowd well they did jump Saw my determination was one that wouldn't shake The game renewed my bond, for his daughter and beyond To join this man, and his family was the sake Mum called time for tea, and we left the field with glee We were one now, and it was time for cake.

32

Days and nights at home alone Swiping left and right Tiny movements seeking love A quest for someone right Profiles pass before their eyes One stands from the batch Buzz and flash goes the phone Tinder, it’s a match! A chat ensues so they court To find rapport is great Best to strike whilst irons hot And so arrange a date To meet and greet by the sea For coffee and a stroll First impressions made are good Seems they’re on a roll Finding common ground they laugh And think themselves hilarious Keen for more, dates arranged This one could be serious And then it starts to blossom The months ahead are booked These two people fall in love Now for life they’re hooked What a wondrous thing this app Without it meet they’d never Parallel lives yet hadn’t crossed It brought these souls together There’s no need to go to bars Or parade upon a stage Stay at home with phone and swipe It’s dating modern age It served them well this app of love Used wisely there’s no folly Happily into sunset they ride That’s how Brian met Holly

0

Aug 22, 2018

Aug 22, 2018 at 8:17 PM UTC

brian-mangels

Hearts a Tinder

Days and nights at home alone Swiping left and right Tiny movements seeking love A quest for someone right Profiles pass before their eyes One stands from the batch Buzz and flash goes the phone Tinder, it’s a match! A chat ensues so they court To find rapport is great Best to strike whilst irons hot And so arrange a date To meet and greet by the sea For coffee and a stroll First impressions made are good Seems they’re on a roll Finding common ground they laugh And think themselves hilarious Keen for more, dates arranged This one could be serious And then it starts to blossom The months ahead are booked These two people fall in love Now for life they’re hooked What a wondrous thing this app Without it meet they’d never Parallel lives yet hadn’t crossed It brought these souls together There’s no need to go to bars Or parade upon a stage Stay at home with phone and swipe It’s dating modern age It served them well this app of love Used wisely there’s no folly Happily into sunset they ride That’s how Brian met Holly

36

I’m here to capture birds! Exclaimed the hiker in the back We’d made the call to pick him up Along our dusty track He spoke at quite a volume And his statement had me fear Just what kind of character Was riding with us here And it was with due concern We were alone it did occur As upon our exploration Of the great outback it were What does he do with birds? I thought to myself and friend By her glance I saw that she’d Considered the same end Perhaps he’s meaning humans When he speaks to us of birds Playing time to make a strike Misleading with his words We best get to the bottom I don’t like the sound of this And who the hell captures birds? There is something here amiss Tell us more dear hiker For we don’t understand Do you mean your taking photos Of birds in this great land? Again he answers loudly Cameras are no match Birds don’t sit still, so with his eyes He considers it a catch Things become much clearer And I feel somewhat a fool He’s just an honest birdwatcher Doing it old school And he’s from a foreign country Dutch I hazard the guess Are you from the Netherlands? He replies a booming yes! The man has quite the passion He’s travelled very far Just for our birds, first by plane And lately in our car But we are in the outback What on earth brought you here? Twas by the train with a few stops For rare birds that I could peer This hiker most impressive Tell us more of what you’ve seen Speak of rare birds you’ve captured And places that you’ve been I have been to Epping! Loud and proud he is again I stayed with a friend And caught your fairy wren I have been to Capertee And nothing could be sweeter Than spotting a rare endangered Regent Honeyeater I’ve been to Lake Menindee Full it’s quite the site to see But pretty rainbow bee eaters Are what appealed to me Outside of Broken Hill we were When our paths converged We to spot rare flowers Him to capture birds We reached his sanctuary And dropped him at the gate Sorry that we couldn’t join The day was getting late We made for sculptured sunset He waved grateful, on his own As we drove off, we wondered How the hell would he get home?

0

Jan 26, 2018

Jan 26, 2018 at 8:57 PM UTC

brian-mangels

The Hitcher

I’m here to capture birds! Exclaimed the hiker in the back We’d made the call to pick him up Along our dusty track He spoke at quite a volume And his statement had me fear Just what kind of character Was riding with us here And it was with due concern We were alone it did occur As upon our exploration Of the great outback it were What does he do with birds? I thought to myself and friend By her glance I saw that she’d Considered the same end Perhaps he’s meaning humans When he speaks to us of birds Playing time to make a strike Misleading with his words We best get to the bottom I don’t like the sound of this And who the hell captures birds? There is something here amiss Tell us more dear hiker For we don’t understand Do you mean your taking photos Of birds in this great land? Again he answers loudly Cameras are no match Birds don’t sit still, so with his eyes He considers it a catch Things become much clearer And I feel somewhat a fool He’s just an honest birdwatcher Doing it old school And he’s from a foreign country Dutch I hazard the guess Are you from the Netherlands? He replies a booming yes! The man has quite the passion He’s travelled very far Just for our birds, first by plane And lately in our car But we are in the outback What on earth brought you here? Twas by the train with a few stops For rare birds that I could peer This hiker most impressive Tell us more of what you’ve seen Speak of rare birds you’ve captured And places that you’ve been I have been to Epping! Loud and proud he is again I stayed with a friend And caught your fairy wren I have been to Capertee And nothing could be sweeter Than spotting a rare endangered Regent Honeyeater I’ve been to Lake Menindee Full it’s quite the site to see But pretty rainbow bee eaters Are what appealed to me Outside of Broken Hill we were When our paths converged We to spot rare flowers Him to capture birds We reached his sanctuary And dropped him at the gate Sorry that we couldn’t join The day was getting late We made for sculptured sunset He waved grateful, on his own As we drove off, we wondered How the hell would he get home?

76

In the beginning people called you a brick. But you weren’t perturbed You stripped off weight, revealed svelte contours. Emerged fit. You added bling. Bells and whistles unimaginable Not shallow though. Shrewd and calculated You made yourself valuable. Desirable Everyone wanted a piece of you. I wanted you. I got you. In turn you gifted me everything I wished for. Everything I’d need You brought me knowledge, broadened my horizons. Exposed me to the world Sometimes enlightening, sometimes shocking There was nothing you wouldn’t reveal You organised my life, gave me direction. Connected me Provided for my base needs. Oh the sweet ***** *** But you were aloof For all that you offered, you were indifferent to the price For the good there was bad. For freedom, I gave you control The world cost me community. Truths cost innocence Exposing, I was vulnerable. Revelations rent me disturbed As my go-between none could see me but through you You took my connections and reset them. Manipulated my self-esteem Self-esteem I relied upon With you as my medium, misunderstandings became commonplace Relationships once solid showed cracks With disconnect you scrutinised these divides, and made them gulfs Analyses became autopsies, on associations seemingly dead So be it. I’ve seen enough. I’m too far down this path I wouldn’t know how to change it. How would I even attempt to? But I knew once Maybe the problem is you. Your heavy on me once more, like that brick I appreciate all that you’ve done for me, but there are some things you can’t I must wrest back from you my connections with community The bond with those important to me You can have the world. It’s fame, flattery, insults and disgrace I just want you to make a call I gotta phone a friend

0

Dec 29, 2017

Dec 29, 2017 at 6:19 PM UTC

brian-mangels

Phone Home

In the beginning people called you a brick. But you weren’t perturbed You stripped off weight, revealed svelte contours. Emerged fit. You added bling. Bells and whistles unimaginable Not shallow though. Shrewd and calculated You made yourself valuable. Desirable Everyone wanted a piece of you. I wanted you. I got you. In turn you gifted me everything I wished for. Everything I’d need You brought me knowledge, broadened my horizons. Exposed me to the world Sometimes enlightening, sometimes shocking There was nothing you wouldn’t reveal You organised my life, gave me direction. Connected me Provided for my base needs. Oh the sweet ***** *** But you were aloof For all that you offered, you were indifferent to the price For the good there was bad. For freedom, I gave you control The world cost me community. Truths cost innocence Exposing, I was vulnerable. Revelations rent me disturbed As my go-between none could see me but through you You took my connections and reset them. Manipulated my self-esteem Self-esteem I relied upon With you as my medium, misunderstandings became commonplace Relationships once solid showed cracks With disconnect you scrutinised these divides, and made them gulfs Analyses became autopsies, on associations seemingly dead So be it. I’ve seen enough. I’m too far down this path I wouldn’t know how to change it. How would I even attempt to? But I knew once Maybe the problem is you. Your heavy on me once more, like that brick I appreciate all that you’ve done for me, but there are some things you can’t I must wrest back from you my connections with community The bond with those important to me You can have the world. It’s fame, flattery, insults and disgrace I just want you to make a call I gotta phone a friend

35

At first I didn’t understand you, in time I came to accept and embrace you. Oh the times we shared. You impressed and amazed me. I wanted to capture your substance, your flavour, your artistry. You helped me express myself, my habits, personality, preferences. Even weaknesses. You sated me. Physically and extravagantly. I devoured you. And yet I desired more. To have you alone was not enough. I became boastful. I tarnished our experience by gloating unreasonably. Our moments reduced. Familiarity gone. My appetite had consumed our love. Alas we were nauseated. The affair had run it’s course. It wasn’t you who changed. It was me. It was gluttony. I will heed the lessons I’ve learnt. Content myself with intimacy. Not braggadocio. And I’ll fulfil myself again. It’s my desire. I may even over indulge. For I am weak to the pleasures. But it cant be with you. It will be exclusive. I WILL be exclusive! Each meal I’ll sit and reflect on the times we had, but know our shared moments are gone. Goodbye food photography. You will be posted no more.

0

Feb 19, 2017

Feb 19, 2017 at 5:56 PM UTC

brian-mangels

A Recipe for Disaster

At first I didn’t understand you, in time I came to accept and embrace you. Oh the times we shared. You impressed and amazed me. I wanted to capture your substance, your flavour, your artistry. You helped me express myself, my habits, personality, preferences. Even weaknesses. You sated me. Physically and extravagantly. I devoured you. And yet I desired more. To have you alone was not enough. I became boastful. I tarnished our experience by gloating unreasonably. Our moments reduced. Familiarity gone. My appetite had consumed our love. Alas we were nauseated. The affair had run it’s course. It wasn’t you who changed. It was me. It was gluttony. I will heed the lessons I’ve learnt. Content myself with intimacy. Not braggadocio. And I’ll fulfil myself again. It’s my desire. I may even over indulge. For I am weak to the pleasures. But it cant be with you. It will be exclusive. I WILL be exclusive! Each meal I’ll sit and reflect on the times we had, but know our shared moments are gone. Goodbye food photography. You will be posted no more.

17