give me a break
from the seas rough
I greed a bellyache
badly need to laugh!

for too long weathered
a stormy bumpy ride
I need a breather
bare a guffaw wide!

give me a break
give me a break
life is burdened enough

give me a break
not give a heartache
I badly need to laugh!

been too long bowed down
with the pangs of grief
needs himself this clown
a laugh’s relief!

long buzzed this head
with the groans of pain
this heart has bled
time and again!

*give me a break
give me a break
life is burdened enough

give me a break
not give a heartache
I badly need to laugh!

I'm scared that no one takes me seriously
That everything I say is labeled "dumb"
That they laugh when my back is turned
That I'm secretly "the joke".

I wonder if the people who get talked about
Know and don't give a sh*t,
Or are completely oblivious to it.

If it were me,
If I were the **** of those jokes,
I would crack
And crumble into shards.
And I surely would not make it out alive.

                            -m.m.

Sophia sits
on the end
of Mr Haff's bed
as I am at the sink
tidying his towel

shouldn't you
be cleaning
the other rooms?
I ask her

she looks at me
with her icy blue eyes

przelec mnie
she utters in Polish

I look uninformed

**** me
she translates

I cough and look
at the sink
a stain
by one
of the taps

this sink
needs a good rub down
I say

you not fancy me?
she says
ignoring my statement
about the sink

sure I do
but not here
not now
I say
wanting her
to move
so I can make up
and tidy
the old man's bed

why not now?
we should live
for the now

I am busy now
and this is not
the place

she pouts
pushes a hand
through her blonde hair

you take me
to pictures?
see film?

maybe
if you go
clean elsewhere
I say
hoping she'll move
from the bed

good film on
we can go see
she says

ok we can see it
but now
can I have
the bed clear?

she gets off the bed
slowly making sure
I see plenty of leg
in the process

there is your bed
she says

thank you

I go clean
other rooms?

yes
go clean
I say

tonight
after picture show
we have ***?

I wanted to stay in
to wash my hair
but sure ok
I say
wishing her to go

she smiles seductively
and wags her behind
as she leaves
the bedroom
of Mr Haff

silence and peace
and the impression
on the blue cover
of the bed
where she had sat
on the bed

I brush it away
smoothing it out
but the image
is stuck
in my head.

Miriam stands
by the camel

an Arab stands nearby
unimpressed
he holds a rope
tied to the camel

she smiles at me
with my camera

her red bikini
showing more legs
and arms
than the Arab guy
feels comfortable with

I aim
to get her central
her explosion
of red hair
matching that
of the bikini

she fiddles
with her shoulder strap

I wait
eyeing her
through the viewer
focusing
on her *******
as the centrepiece
everything else
to match around

avoiding to get
the Arab in the picture
but it's hard
as he seems to move
closer to her
as I aim once more
he says something
in Arabic
nods to her

I shrug my shoulders

she smiles at him

he moves in closer
his head leaning
to one side
as if someone
has broken his neck

she adjusts the bra
of the bikini
gets it comfortable

I look away from her
hold the camera
by my chest

when you're ready
I say

she does a twirl
in the sand
and back again
facing me

the sands hot
she says
burning my feet

well wear your slip-ons
I say

she goes to her bag
by the camel's back
and takes out
her slip-ons
and puts them on
the Arab watches her
with a dull eyed stare

she comes to the spot
on the sand
where she had been standing
and poses again

the camel seems bored
and looks
at the Arab
then at Miriam
then out to sea

I focus on her again
through the viewer
of the camera
she pouts her lips
puts her hands
on her hips  

I put the camera
by my chest

need to focus
no silly faces
or whorish gestures
I say

another Arab
a companion
to the other
passes by
gawking at Miriam
then stands by
the other Arab
then they both
look towards me

hope these to guys
don't want paying
she says

they usually do
I say
now settle
and pose

she poses her face
a weak smile
her eyes gazing
straight at me

where shall I put
my hands?
she asks

that's what you asked
last night
I say

she giggles
and stands
on one leg
the other trying
to balance her

pose now
I say

she puts both feet
on the sand
and becomes still
her hands in front
of her groin
as if she were praying

the Arab guys
were jabbering away
God knows what
they were saying.

my pre -Christmas poem for 2014

                 Christmas Teachings

Making out my list while sitting in my room
Thanksgiving is almost here and Christmas will follow soon.
Thinking about the decorations that I plan on putting out
Because decorating for Christmas is what I’m all about.
I love to see the children s smiles and hear their comments too
Of what they’re wishing for Christmas and what they plan to do.
Most are dreaming of bicycles and toys of every kind
While the parents are keeping track and watching every dime.
We were once those same children who waited patiently
To see what Santa would put underneath our Christmas tree.
To children – Christmas is of toys and being out of school
Yet they’re not being taught how Christmas came to be
Of how a child called JESUS CHRIST set mankind free.
If they was to take CHRIST out of Christmas
There would be no holiday and children would have no gifts
Or toys with which to play.
The birth of CHRIST is the reason we celebrate this day
The reason children get toys and the grownups kneel to pray.
He was born in a manger in a bed made of hay when the three kings came
They all knelt down to pray.
He was born the king of kings of that there is no doubt
He showed the world Love and Peace and that’s
What Christmas is about?
Love one another and share the Christmas joy
This is what we were taught by this little boy.
© LRAMS
I

Why yes, I dated Taylor Swift
And no, she didn't write a song on it
I'm not quite sure what that means
Unless it is she still likes me

That might be the explanation why
I catch her out of the corner of my eye
It makes perfect sense now I believe
That Taylor Swift is stalking me

When she found out that I like to rock
She went straight from Country into Pop
Any country bumpkin can plainly see
That Taylor still has eyes for me

When I'm out shopping at the Grocery store
And I catch her sneaking down isle 4
Taylor girl you can't fool me
Your not only here for the Pickled Beets

The other day my car dinged low on fuel
So I pulled in for Petro and to check the oil
You'll never guess who's pumping gas
Do you really even need to ask

And when it is I'm home alone
There's that ring of the late night call
With heavy breathing on the end of the phone
To the tune of Shake It Off

I'm a bit more worried than I am flattered
She seems these days Mad as a Hatter
Who after all this would not believe
That Taylor Swift is stalking me

She's as long and leggy
as the tallest Georgia pine
Goes right away straight to your head
like Elderberry wine

That sweet Georgia peach
Filling every Southern need

With a draw as smooth
as the cool Smokey Mountain dew
Lighting up the night sky
like Lightning bugs in June

Knows how to treat her man so well
That sweet Southern Belle

Like the waves of Saint Simons Island
Kissing the Georgia the shore
Keeps you coming back for more of that
Hard for any man to ignore

Settle for nothing less
Than a girl that's G.R.I.T.S.
(Girl Raised In The South)