Poetry comes in many themes and schemes
Don't care much for long winded written ostentatious verbosity
Full of riddles they expect me to unscramble
To quote "Bukowski" :
" An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way
An artist says a hard thing in an easy way"
The best for me is:  Enigmatic prose
Well structured ...That I can then define as Art
If I entertain you with what I write
Then you may decide if it is Poetry
And then If... i am a Poet

An old friend asked for my company
To visit a friend across the Utah Nevada line
We walked into "The Turkey Ranch"
About a dozen "Rubenesque" shaped lady's
Lined up near the Bar
They came in all flavors
(According to the sign)
Chocolate, Vanilla, Herry Berry, No cherry
"Hey Handsome - Buy a lady a drink"
I ordered a whiskey on ice
She had -  "What he's drinking"
Twenty bucks for my shot of whiskey
And her shot of Tea
(It went on my buddy's Tab)
My buddy and his friend went to her room
In the back
They were gone for an Hour
(Good thing he had a Tab)
I noticed he had a limp when they came out
As we walked out into the bright afternoon light
I asked him - "Why you limping Pete?"
"Ahh - She bit me on the cheek to remind me
"We have a date next week"

Cocoa butter -  cold saltwater
On her lips - her fingertips

Her mouth on mine
I could taste a fine white wine

In the moonlight - on the beach
I loved her long
On her colorful Sarong
There was no place I couldn't reach

On the sand - I loved her deep
We both made promises we wouldn't keep

Ran into an old friend  - uptown Friday night
She'd had too much Tequila - Must say she looked a fright

"I'm feeling  old and tired; don't care to be alone'
She asked me if I could -  'would I take her home"

Her directions led us home - to the wrong side of the tracks
To a place  that long ago I swore -"I'm never coming back"

"Do you remember hon ... you gave me my First drink"
The tears came so heavy -  I was afraid to blink

Those last words she spoke - still searing in my brain
The pain so hot - I thought I'd go insane

"You drunks say the coldest things - but blame me if you will'
' I'm gonna need another shot to rid me of your chill''

"For old times sake,'  I said - 'I think we should go 'Slumming'
"Down to 'Old Town' -  like when we were just sixteen'
"And you were the prettiest girl that heaven ever seen"
"I don't know' she said - 'It's not like I remember'
'The lights are brighter now -  the streets are nice and clean'
"Not like when we'd get our kicks...
Watching Hoochie Mamas hooking up with Tricks"

"And you, I asked... 'What do you remember most
About those endless nights?'
"When our minds bemused of reason - reason took to flight"
Sober now, she spoke softly ... of times I see in dreams
She said ..."I remember the Poetry you wrote for me...
So long ago it seems"
"On the walls down there in 'Old Town'
" Like OUR lives... now crumbling down"

You left our mother a hat full of your songs
Our Pretty Sister - a wish upon a star
Little brother - a stringless guitar
Your other boys - your good looks and some charm
We've never had to bend a pretty lady's arm
With none of this - we've made it pretty far

I don't remember when you left  - Dad
I guess I was too young
I've never heard a word you've said
or heard a song you've sung

Like you I was a soldier
Unlike you - I never left my Post
You should have been there for Her
Our Pretty sister - needed you the most