Circa April 9th 1929 - October 7th 2020
gratitude wells up inside me
middle grown child begat
reproductive assiduity Boyce and Harriet Harris,
who flashes back and forth
analogously hopscotching gamut of time
comprising thee dearly departed dada.

Affirmations galore
(regarding superlative traits)
beg to pour forth with utmost zeal
toward thee recently deceased papa
memorialized till eternity
as Earth turns round the sun
tracing an approximate orbital wheel.

Despite unpleasant days of yore,
when ye and mama did bellow
at nonestablishmentarian offspring (me),
an average dude with attitude (purse lips)
courtesy passive resistance
billy me, he idly exhibited his rebel yell
harbored aversion at receiving end
of parental red hot anger,

while sulking and swallowing pride
behind bedroom door
experienced paternal rejection
pitiful exemplar of mine de facto failure,
I fell short (just 5'10'')
of even nada so great expectations
immobilized by fear

to risk trusting instinctual ability
particularly livingsocial independently,
viz electric kool aid acid test
forfeiting, buzzfeeding kickstarting
requisite metamorphosis into adult
starkly aware how ye accrued
major accomplishments whereby
late twenties/early thirties

found thee owning successful career
at General Electric (as mechanical engineer)
proud homeowner (Lantern Lane, Audubon)
eventually purchasing property at 324 Level Road,
which latter abode ye did transform
into resplendent work of art,
where family and friends stood agape.

Examples of native talents included:
Begetting three progeny
expending blood, sweat, and tears
to craft multitude of projects;
i. amassing wood pile(s),
to stoke wood burning stoves

ii. designing Zayda trail for Teddy and Ruff
(two doggone mixed breed Border Collies
rescued courtesy Shari Todd Harris
at her Jacobsburg, Penna work site)
iii. constructing sauna in cellar,
iv. etching, detailing (ala fresco),
v. plus trimming living room ceiling,
vi. shingling (while fiddling) on the roof,

vii. tiling the kitchen floor,
viii. building a cistern for brethren,
ix. wood paneling many rooms,
x. building custom made toy chest,
xi. stringing up lights to increase visibility
driveway lit like Christmas tree after dark,
xii. partly assembled a kayak,

xiii. retooling - enhancing porch
(formerly slate covered),
where Morris dancers performed
at Amelie Beth Harris wedding
(upon which eldest adopted
hyphenated McGeehan
as her surname - ~ June 1990.

Multipotentiality oozed
from your every ****** cell
while please (Billy) me idle son
(yours truly) idolized ye
more'n he never did tell,
yet envied thee dear papa,
who exuded indomitable strength

even amidst most devastating loss
death of beloved Bubba, your soulmate
after she succumbed stricken with terminal illness,
whose grievous hardship
handwritten within notebooks
designated as Book 1, Book 2, and Book 3
accidentally discovered ex post facto,
when Amelie rifled thru personal materials.

Now week five after departure to Netherlands
I ask thee a question; Remember me?

One singular, (albeit married) male offspring
christened Matthew Scott Harris
praises of mine father, I sought to sing
poetically, cuz I feel honored
chance genetic dice throw
prayerfully finds ye now zipping off
upon trumpeting political left wing.

The sudden emotional
black hole (sunless) void
exploits, fuels, and generates
sadness begging, dredging, forcing forth
deserved accolades, which
reverberate, resonate and repopulate

at lightspeed prized papa stole by grim reaper
writhing, spindling, mutilating,
fondling, and agonizing absent presence
torturous reminder, viz mine mein kampf
whipsawing, sabotaging, and jackknifing
ability garden variety and generic son to function.

Hasta la vista August father - ferried I know not where
yet..., your distinct voice whispered my name I swear,
though infinite distance betwixt us unreachable ne'er
will thee be forgotten, a stupified melancholy daze
since ye departed inconsolable sobbing (mine) hear?

The finality of life, liberty,
and pursuit of happiness on Earth
writ small within constituent genetic material
seemingly, a lifetime away at birth
chronological dial spun ninety one
orbitz round nearest star well worth
fluke happenstance of events

begetting memorable times of mirth
starting while in utero
expanding mommy's girth
fast forward to meself being old fogey
settled by the crackling hearth
reminiscing treasuring dearth
of scant times with recently deceased papa.

The Princess and the Pea
starring Harriet Harris
courtesy Norristown, Pennsylvania Barn Playhouse
in the Park thespians
did bring down the house
whereby valiant prince
forever warmed her cockles and muscles.

Circa - approximately early
to late nineteen sixties,
     where yours truly
found himself surly,
particularly compounded
     if my parents,

where Mister and
Missus Santa Claus
played by Boyce and
Harriet Harris respectively

     failed to purchase
     for this sole son,
thee latest trendy
     toy, sans whirly
gig, gizmo, or
     fuzzy electric doohickey,
     BUT NOTHING girly.

Translation: Inxs of
     severe (incurable) envy
     infected Matthew Scott
most pronounced, asper
   quantity of presents,

     the gratitude receiving gifts
     meant diddly squat
if I counted less goodies,
     than either eldest,
     and/or youngest sister got.

This rancor kept
     under (ahem) wraps
though ironically, either
     sibling oohed and ahed
     over some fancy shmancy
     garment with snaps,

which this lad
     feigned ambivalence,
     indifference, or
     repugnance toward getup
     for young chaps.

No sooner did the
     last, (and usually
     biggest) boxed surprise
found these then kiddie
     fingers tearing into,
     when thine irritating
     nasal voice didst rise

above the melee "That's all,"
     or some variation
     on said theme blurted out
     as "FAKE" real lies
already, eagerly, and impatiently
     anticipating same holiday
     three hundred and sixty

     five days, hence unaware
     how fast "time flies"
now this soon to be newly
     minted sexagenarian eyes,
those memories of innocent
     naiveté, and bliss

     with sentimental nostalgia
     (envision: slight moisture
     around tear ducts), and
     aye close this poem
     with reminiscence dabbed
     with tissue sadness dries.

No matter corporeal essence
     of Robert Frost bid adieu
from temporal plain approximately
     five and fifty plus years ague,
his rediscovered spiritual
     omnipresence suffuses anew

mine gnarly feeble exegesis
     denounce-able, deplorable,
     and despicable hue
Morris legacy of Robert Frost, who
nonetheless (auld choke king aside)
     doth rank as irreproachable amidst
     pantheon of deceased
     great poets, you

would agree, unless familiarity
     already yar aware
how the New England vantage point
     (approximately three quarters
     of a century) in the past
     his (WMGK) magic doth blare
infusing and injecting
     a much needed cheer

full dose of dare...
ring ling lee, (I spout
     je nais sais quois)
     in my attempt
     to be poetically debonair
(the only French known to me)
     in an effort to endear
homage Robert Frost,

     he whose flair
with words defy accolades
     and brilliance doth glare
with blinding profundity here
to fore lamentable, impossible, and
feeble attempt to emulate,
     a immortal one man brand
amidst pantheon of

     August American poets,
     the depth of,
     his writings doth expand
lovingly justifiably ineluctably
     historically gently fanned
this nonpareil poetic king,
     whose status grand
which feeble, ignoble,

     and laughable attempted hand
(spurred by facilitator
     at "All Poetry" website) island
did this impossibly
     elusive task, thus admit
admission aye feel duff feet head

     to write letting words flit
to and fro, hither and yon,
     that bind like true grit
with that esprit
     de corps cerebral impact
     that doth gently hit
ice suppose said task
     would be a breeze to an Innit

where he/she,
     would immediately synchronize
unlike myself, who ****
     not up to this task,
     as yukon up prize

thy dog gone ruff hewn effort -
     no (Chuck Norris) lies
attested as wretched - to by
     any gallivanting guys
hence aye desperately axis allies!

Penuriousness long did acquaint
yours truly, who feels loath
to lodge complaint
regarding series of unfortunate events
(Lemony Snicket be ******)
imposed monetary constraint,

now aghast with horror
(ain't no trick),
I unwittingly did faint,
only negative indebted interest accrues,
now if ever mister money bags I haint,
no gainsay purposelessness

to air principal plaint,
yet to fulfill personal daily quota
regarding poem writing
subliminally eases restraint
prompting good samaritan

deeds subsequent anointed saint
homelessness looms around
the corner crimping psyche
argh mental health depressed
courtesy poverty doth taint.

Seriously folks (especially Bugs Bunny),
I best **** sitter
turning over new leaf versus "fake"
gilded pretense success and posthumous
famous author doth leave me awake
nsync courtesy restless leg syndrome

shakes bed (lamb - spouse) like earthquake,
whereby thwack with her elbow
finds broken rib cage, when thus spake
Zarathustra bidding me to branch off
and leave writing... say kickstart
panhandling as faux grubstake

with global warming...
formerly deeply buried
untold bajillion dollars free,
for taking, thus best not forsake
golden, silver, bronze... opportunity

analogously swimming within monied lake,
or accumulate stash tall as Taj Mahal
and/or Trump Tower livingsocial footloose
and fancy free gourmandizing
till I resemble Mar-a-lago sized beefcake

recklessly splurging penny wise
and pound foolish
proudly arrogantly boasting
what cutthroat tactics can accomplish,
hmm... perhaps contemplating
on whim purchasing Greenland
for a song (infringing,

extracting, bilking... copyrights) swish
goes signature scribble to abolish
purposeless law meant as hedge
to sideline ruthless machiavellian brash
art of the deal done courtesy genius
eh... so what if the global
financial market doth crash, viz fillet of fish?

(I sit corrected for typing year 201, when most of America untrammeled by hordes of humanity, and probably far more similar to the garden of Eden, which approximate space/time continuum disparity only about twenty centuries ago, a place unimaginably wine ding with saltine, pristine Ovaltine NON GMO gluten and monosodiumglutimate free, and divine untamed wilderness.)

Many unsuspecting innocent lives
     unwittingly found themselves
     at ground zero
     with absolutely no time
     to bid loved ones adieu,
and thus with
     a metaphorically clangorous
     (aire splitting din – bedlam askew

n'er to be silenced),
     aye felt near ready,
     viz no haw wing,
     nor hem ming – waze
     farewell call to peace monger...
     and arm Matthew
nine one one when
clear out of the blue

a resounding handy
     dandy bell lose clue
asper, a fitting notion pain
     fully apropos to applaud motley crue
i.e. strangers risk
     king life and limb,
     would definitely do,
no matter where persons

     stationed come thee
     ex-tolling bells morrow,
     (whence thee fateful
     seventeenth anniversary
     twill dolefully arrive -
somberly dawning for
     survivors and/or next of kin -
     less than twenty four

     hours from now),
     sans unforgettable tragedy
     indelibly etched will be recalled
     in a blinding
     fiery stormy flashback,
    where significant lost lives will replay,
     when weaponized airplanes
     took a kamikaze nose dive

a dwindling cadre,
     qua first line of defense,
     emergency civilian and/or military
     trained personnel jumped
     into the blizzard decimated fray,
     whereat selfless persons
     scurried (helter skelter like)
     all abustle analogous

     to a outsize bee hive
where 24/7 news
     broad casters did air
(nee blast) round
     the clock latest bulletins,
     could not escape incessant blare
ring frozen like a
     life size like sculpture

     seated in favorite easy chair
hypnotized by the sheer colossal
     utterly incomprehensible dare
devilish a state of emergency,
     the then president
     (George Walker Bush) did declare
dumb founded, slack jawed,
     and wicked deed

     waiting for horror
     to be recanted as an err
roar overloaded sensory circuits
     exceeded threshold,
     nonetheless listeners and/or
     viewers forced themselves to hear
live coverage far more appalling
     than any night mare.

courtesy Matthew Scott Harris
sentimental memorialized mental archive

No matter mine eldest daughter
(born December 22nd, 1996)
starred circa within storied
Matthew Scott Harris family
rendition of Breaking Home Ties.

Now interspersed with
following recherché trivia:
originally titled film made
during 1922 courtesy Sigmund Lubin,
and among “Pop” Lubin’s
Silent Film Empire
produced over 3,000 silent movies
spanning the two decades
of his film career

commencing with 1896
short film Horse Eating Hay
concluding with 1916’s
The Light at Dusk,
the final Lubin Manufacturing Company release,
his studio’s repertoire
ranged from educational films,
dramas, and disaster movies
to mysteries, comedies, and epic war films.

She "star student,"
who elected advanced placement classes
while diligent student at Harriton High School
graduated summa *** laude circa June 2015,
and matriculated at University of Pennsylvania

autumn of aforementioned year occupying
coed dormitory King's Court
English College House,
located at 3465 Sansom Street,
incidentally the first college house
to host a residential program.

Like Hill House,
said facility a freshmen-only house and
includes a dining hall on ground floor.

Our beloved progeny,
an 2019 minted alumna
relatively freshly minted
bachelor degree fortified
biomedical engineering graduate

confident, exhibits fierce political
(i.e. progressive liberal democratic opinions)
harbors piers sing quay zee
wharf fore did conscientious papasan go?

His fatherly duties
(he ably, eagerly and readily admits)
shirked, squandered, subsumed...
with marital infidelities
whereby precious energy and time,
(compromising spouse and offspring)
constituted posting and answering

(ofttimes linkedin private risque conversations
so that no family member could eavesdrop)
barring excellent outlook to access
locked bedroom door prurient exchanges
within which ****** flirtations,
(i.e. oral *******) occurred.

Understandable resentment bubbled forth
regarding promiscuous, salacious, vexatious...
in apropos overtures, plus covert canoodling
insync with chronic penury,
neither parent earned an income,
thus condemning two girls

living with refrain
***** deeds done dirt poor
overshadowed by threat
that Children and Youth Services (CYS),
would swoop down and
****** away our darling lasses.

No reconciliation forthcoming
between "Atalanta," predicated
upon her passion to run free and clear
and yours truly, who repents
atrocious, devious, hellacious... muckraking
whereby daddy's once upon a time
adorable angel, who easily
wrapped around her little finger
brings tears to mine eyes.

Twas only thru gentle prodding
"big sister" convinced youngest
to hightail to Bend, Oregon
under drafted legal guardianship
of me mine younger sibling
willingly and lovingly accepted role.

Circa April 17th, 2120, or 1820 military time,
yours truly attempted crafting id est feeble rhyme
far from madding crowd, nevertheless yet lovely
bones and flesh quite spry, still considered prime
(moost procreative, prodigious, and progressive)

stage, since (case ye didn't know) approximately
eight score orbitz round Earth's sun still noontime
chronologically analogous to protracted lunchtime
whereat the average offspring jetson or (daughter)

Born twenty years into twenty second century alive
and well (still hashtagged as precocious) with drive
to safely, sidestep, and surmount establishmentarian
archaic, formulaic, and mosaic Judaic/Christian give
wry master of words (me) take poetic license to jive
reasonably rhyming nope heart tickle early misthrive

moost definitely ***** deeds done dirt cheap (trick)
super tramping space cowboy lobbing power-drive
re: frequently innocent prelapsarian double entendre
(Jean Jacques Rousseau) Noble Savage he doth strive
even though hanky panky tinged entire his/her story,
**** sapiens animal husbandry hastily did wive.

Bajillion years after proto humans experienced woe
countless figurative early Brady bunched bro doggie
dimples encountered necessity to escape cohabitation
(marital covenant alien), yet quasi marital brouhaha
ofttimes witnessed altercation begetting re: thorough

out baby with bath water phenomena, which literal
cruel fate heavily peppered past (mine) accounting
lamely explaining Pink Floyd momentary status quo
upended accompanied courtesy lapse of reason no

definitive evidence to substantiate claim, yet I know
without shadowed doubt every friggin forebear (***
pining to savor manumission, versus cotton pickin)
back breaking stoop labor think indentured escrow
harking back to days of our lives (mainly bonobo

nasty, short and brutus creatures millenniums ago
unsung simian kindred beings suffering figurative
ruffled horse feathers nsync with bird in hand dodo
which latter species long extinct (as Dutch good eats)

now non sequitur (sea quitter) mine homeboys/girls
comprising Harris eventual clan (of craven lionized
"scapegoats" set genealogical precedent, and grew
some real winners gentiles, who commingled and
intermarried, and united proudly to kvetch as Jew)

eventually acquiring redeeming qualities conveniently
best caricatured as features exhibited by Mister MaGoo
invariably dear reader "fake" anecdote ye will poo poo
as well how storied and fabled coronavirus (COVID-19)

medical technicians reference quaint pandemic setting
figurative global stage brethren and sistern microbes
made webbed, wide world wish for said good ole days
cuz, communique done being crafted about six hours

marine hated, armies of beastie boys slain 2120 yahoo
the darndest, latest microscopic bugaboo nearly slew
entire population, hence envision terra firma with
divine providence absolute zero people as edenic
provenance (metaphorically offering tabula rasa view.

prepared a meal fit for (psst... me) a king

Actually professional cook
(trained since infancy)
long a staple of our family
since... oh way before
my bubba's zayda's time
naturally became (according
to rules of primogeniture)

the feudal rule by
which whole real estate
of intestate passed
to eldest son, i.e. yours truly
automatically included:
aide de camp, chambermaid,
essential frisson gourmet hotelier,
jack of all trades.

Thus surprise meal of
mid/late afternoon May 17th, 2080
constituted: gluten free pasta
(celiac raged rampant
one generation to the next),
vegan cheese, V8 juice,
diced onions and garlic,
and steeped with special

ingredient – namely tlc,
not available anywhere
but, just enough
tender loving care to buzzfeed
the whole mishpacha,
which gathered from far and wide
every Sunday afternoon
since Moses parted the Red Sea.

How glorious to feast upon:
delicious smelling than tasting,
humongous apportioned
splendiferous concoction
conglomeration ofttimes referred

to as popslop,
which general household name
lacks culinary delicacy,
and honorary specificity.

The meal made manifold more appreciative
after a hard day's night sleeping
within an ornate bedchamber
comprising our lofty abode
upon groggily awakening each morning,
I betook sweeping view
out uppermost bay window

pleasant view of Schwenksville proper,
(which I accomplished
with flying colors
eight days a week)
experiencing vibrant dreams constituting
living social the life of Riley.

After adequately supping on repast
which if any leftovers got repurposed
for next sumptuous meal,
either one prepared later that same day,
or come the morrow promised taste buds
to experience out of this (Martian) world
another savory experience fit for none other
than king of schnorrers!

Contrary to popular belief
hen pecking mother goose,
nor her ilk of coterie of four
and twenty blackbirds
purportedly baked in a pie

completely groundless supposition
crust a stale rumor
circulating courtesy deluxe
twenty first century technological
and ecological (of course)
invidious rumor mill.

Whether the weather
necessitates to anchor
     myself as a tether
when the frankenstorm
     socks the east coast
     shredding terrestrial
     zone like soft leather
i may end up attired

     in esprit de corpse
     being tossed hither and yon
     to and fro like a feather.
If...the forecast imbues  
     meteorologists flooded with folly
making a mockery
     of humanity run amuck
     in panic mode - by golly

this mortal male will don himself as
     "the chief garbage" taster
     with a garland of holly
shuffling along the
     boulevard of broken
     tin cans and *******
     feigning to be melancholy.
This getup a throw

     back to a costume  
     adorned this papa when
     he attended grade school
eons ago, where corporal punishment
     prevailed in case  
     student disavowed any rule
such as smoking in the boys' room  
     cigarette such

     manufactured by Kent or kool
or lambasting any unlikable teacher,
     (whose bookish face) at
     receiving end of
     pranks rather cruel.
So...presume that Halloween
     will take place without any axe
of nature to grind monster

     brewing at sea
and picture this poet decked
     out dumpster diving
     for the most fetid trash
     and materiel with cracks
to be affixed upon
     a heavy duty sack
     with goop from

     sullied foodstuffs -
     a cause for glee
rotten meat infested
     with maggots, shards of glass,
     crushed metal cans,
     et cetera to the max
will be haphazardly splayed
     (Jackson Pollack like)

     on this sturdy cloth
     that will drape me
spurring a conga like of hungry beasts
     ready go pounce – menacing
     ferocious wolf packs
adding to the welter per helter skelter
     of decayed detritus distributed
     from head to knee

and a set of punishing
     pronged antlers spiking out
     in all directions upon
     ma noggin-hence to tax
utmost fear in passersby, and quite
     an abominable sight to see.

(on second thought lemme join anorexic club
until rib cage protruding taut and visible
doubling as drum to drub
synchronized with heart that goes lub dub).

She painstakingly lovingly doth strew
haphazardly she threw
leftovers together,
this snowy December seventeenth
two thousand twenty
thoroughly cooked in microwave until...
poor excuse for my meal appeared
with consistency of shoe leather.

Think of the missus not afraid
to experiment buzzfeeding me
questionable resultant glop pantomimed 
for my guessing pleasure
never in bajillion years
as amateurish Marcel Marceau charade
performance courtesy the spouse,

an entrée she gave - yours truly
immediately sought to evade
me subsequently evincing
horrific puckered mealy mouth
as though I swallowed hand grenade
figurative exploding oral cavity
feeble futile gesticulation inveighed.

Thus, methinks himself wise
to don cooking apron
please do not ask why
trumpeting self as master chef boyardee
so move over wife and allow husband to try
his hand (using skill - let) me prepare Thai
and/or other Asian cuisine dish,
cuz when free to potschke

(To fuss or "mess around"
inefficiently and inexpertly), I haint shy
to blend (indiscriminately) ingredients
ofttimes yours truly barley able to ply
boiling water since significant other
does not give this garden variety
and generic, gimlet eyed
gourmandizing guilt free
Earth friendly gumption goaded guy.

Every so often yours truly
gets so hungry, he could
(not neigh sayimself) eat a horse
(yours truly jest kidding hoof course)
truth be told, I only eat one meal per day
all day from son up to son down, me a force
tubby reckoned with,
who if he gives way to vice
event chew wooly experiences remorse.

Hum glad to share mine reasonably rhyming hook
twenty six letters linkedin amidst
various combinations, formations, permutations,...
allows, enables, and provides a look
into the mindscape of Matthew Scott Harris
doth show himself with steely dangling
nonsense with sense and sensibility he forsook.

(noah dee ya what activated the
followwing mumbo jumbo gumbo
potpourri.)

Within this cavernous mounting,
and hollow belly aching
numb skull dud jar re: o' mine
mailer daemons craw ling
besieging, bemoaning, and
begrudging silence, a sibling
heart of darkness changeling
swapped within freshly

     earthen grave dug -
corpse heard feebly echoing
sound of deathly hallows heaving -
off vitiating undertakers jabbering    
rodomontade synchronized tolling
tintinnabulation subterranean spilling
repercussion, repeating,
     resonating, reverberating,

where fecund imagine nation
     of mine be whit ching
usually thrives amidst long fostering
     linkedin lovely double crossing
bones (of yours truly) ordinarily inundated
     nonstop ear writ hating
brothers Barnum and Bailey ringing
sear kiss clangorously leavening

with plethora yeast heard dough ping
pong of competing
ideas grotesquely aping
charade, facade holographing
instagramming, jangling,
kindling ludicrously masquerading,
but now at this moment
     drawing nothing but blanks

     that only bring stint ting
lee reddit (Matt Scott) tickled
     yule us *******, where
     gray matter sluggish plea zing
the missus, who asked
     herb huzz zah (pair sight feeding)
insinuating yawping lovey
     dovey mulcting quivering

consternation droning, mocking
     twittering bird like,
     while (I) sought
     out (on a broken wing),
and pitiful prayer, squeezing
my trap pea zoid cinched cerebral
     cache sheared thinker
     watt bright idea
     to write vapid lee intra sting

poppycock to unsuspecting readers
mush doo doo about no thing
substantial, cuz no fanciful, nope
     not even a sing
gew(gaw) lure idea lamely, grandly,
     nor blandly forthcoming,
     which mental impasse,
     wretchedly, viciously, unduly

     thoroughly, roundly severely it ching
most unbearably torturing
of any crisis assaulted, experienced
     and/or imagined by scriveners xing
themselves setting themselves like yang king
doodles precariously balance sing
their quotidian ying.

Ah... nothing more enjoyable than acidic gastric fluid flowing backward into esophagus, resulting in heartburn, disrupting pleasant dreams, nor unsure how successful literary endeavor crafting poem regarding aforementioned will yield.

While deeply asleep
during late afternoon siesta
above name named date/time,
yours truly immediately awoke
with a start, at strong violent

urge to upheap
I made little or no bowed peep,
but sat bolt upright stock still
tear ducts activated eyes
as if ready to weep.

Sadness less pervasive than fright
since reverse peristalsis uncommon
within body electric regarding plight,
which analogous volcanic eruption
albeit bubbling magmatic flow slight

reverse peristalsis found yours truly
on par with fire breathing dragon ar
goo ably momentarily nonplussed -
while dry cough minus gushing lava
gratefully only smoldered before sim

ring upper gastrointestinal tract did
allow, enable, and provide mouths
full of distilled water quench sudden
unquenchable thirst relieved result
ant unpleasant aftertaste (no pun

intended), yet distilling humor helps
me weather, manage, cope... with
unexpected physiological fee nom
mina - shot straight up within digest
heave tract, and did lament this rick

hitty packet of muscle and bone aft
times susceptible to disheartening
woebegone news afflicting this non
Norwegian bachelor farmer, whom
if the missus cooking triggered bout

unleashing bit torrent of unsavory
plate tectonics, perhaps indicative
of continental drift shrunk down to
miniature, where fault in thee stars
must be held in contempt of court

if for no other reason, I just wanted
to incorporate said phrase, tip here
me got some legal lear'n, when truth
Philly admits he seems to know less,
the he learns, which prompts me to

posit emphatically that ignorance iz
equivalent to bliss, thus presenting
quandary how kin this pronouncedly
reasonably intelligent garden variety
**** sapiens unfetter himself with

cumulative knowledge without reek
horse to invasive surgery such as...
prefrontal lobotomy, or te deum down
smarts some unknown cyber surfer(s)
could easily misconstrue as vainness,
smugness, quintessential pomposity?

Upon awakening earlier today
(May 26th, 2020)
felt utterly fatigued without fail
tormenting dreams found yours truly
jangled, harried and
frenzied across broadscale
valiant effort to remain awake
exerted to no avail.

Exhaustion pounded noggin
on par seeking Holy Grail akin
to punishing, pounding,
and piercing clangorous din
unstoppable even after hypothetically

downing entire bottle of Excedrin
recourse I would never resort,
cuz even overdosing once
would be one time to often
nobody except grim reaper would grin.

Stone cold dead would definitely,
(albeit permanently) obliterate
intolerably anguished fraught
mine agitated groggily horrid mental state
suicidal temptation untenable solution
to quiet and annihilate

these every now and again
catastrophic dreams severely dislocate
entire body, mind, and spirit triage
cuz surviving kith and kin plus spouse
would never exonerate
me mortal soul forever cursed mate.

Impossible mission to shrug off
unpleasant wakeful spate exerts
severely debilitating stranglehold
when peaceful night sleep severely
compromised as aforementioned and told
invariably entire day foregone as
hopelessness, purposelessness, uselessness...
wracks corporeal entity (me),

where I wanna fold
these lovely bones into fetal position mold
or hanker to grip hold
of torturous fifty shades of gray matter
wildly renting asunder
as futile lesson to scold
monstrous, odious, rapacious,
and villainous unbearable chokehold.

Reading and writing' and rithmetic
taught to the tune of the hickory stick
academic arduousness long since did abate
oppressive during early school days
considerably more inviting of late
experiencing tormenting
mailer (male er) daemons
catastrophic, dynamic,
enigmatic ferocious ghouls

peppering, pillaging, polluting
pulverizing my pate
possibly linkedin as adverse side effect
the downside prescription medication to sedate
and calm panic attack depressed riddled noggin,
which pharmacological Selective
serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
are most commonly prescribed antidepressants.

Prozac prescribed as antidote
to curb moody blues lessening sadness I emote
and/or stemming prolonged bouts of sinking feeling
analogous to going down within sinking boat,
and more often than not typical day
less fraught as if cerebral cortex smote
with agonizing turmoil, now that's all I wrote.

Frenzied anguish precipitated Matt chew
Scott Harris, with
     unrelenting, unescapable,
     and unbearable despair, grew
wing by leaps and bounds,
     which fraught gloom didst hew
mindset equalled nought
     (Gordian knot) i.e.
     zero ambition tubby

     alive, and concomitantly
brought if only you knew,
wrought unbearable toxic brew
to pinpoint the exact clue
how being penniless I do
attest, this compounded zilch money
agonized by quite
     a stack - more'n a few

monthly bills past due,
thus aye rue
min hated, the least loo
***, and most painless
     final solution of this Jew
wish atheist, (these
     utterances absolutely true),
no "FAKE king," trump

     petting, yawping foam
     minted psychosomatic ague,
whereat mine mental state hue
mon gust lee off kilter,
     with hum moo
zing thoughts of
     palm lee strangling myself,
     (or hiring sum

     handsome fist responder to slew),
me the way - no
     cho king) till I go
totally tubularly blue
in the face, em
     barking on undo
wobble decision, said permanent
     exodus from life,

     this scribe dost view
as last saving grace,
     this self woo
man eye zing,
     (nada so amazing),
     ye might poo poo
such drastic desperation,
     non heroic measures stew

pa head and er ration
     hubble grim foray
     exacerbated predisposition
     to panic/ anxiety attacks,
     the alluring temptation
     hi with Andy Lee drew
to bid bid adieu
to hard scrabble existence,

     and in summer re: goo
winter becoming cremated powder,
     (with urn nest to dog -
     un woof hoot

     table Sirius ness), wharf few
if any tsuris -
     (Yiddish for aggravation),
     NO ash lee zero distress,
     would upend resting
    in a bajillion pieces.

Since time immemorial
happenstance bestowed **** sapiens
ability to become self aware
double edged figurative sword
allowing, enabling, providing...
forebears of yesteryear
to marvel at life, and
reckon with death,

which mixed blessing
confronts twenty first century
man/womankind with dilemma,
albeit reconciling mortality
linkedin with consciousness
heightened, tested, under_scored...
particularly at demise dearly departed
inadvertently affect

upon surviving family members
hijacking, offsetting, upending...
fracturing emotional composure
prompting immediate questions
regarding purposefulness living
nee, being born essentially to die
predestined to pass away
identical fate decreed upon

all animals and plants
bolstered by believing deity
foreordained every creature
past, present, and future,
yet most pronounceable afflicting
non denominational, non
religious, non sectarian
case in point Unitarian,

vis a vis visa versa secular humanists,
especially nonsensical poet wannabe
riddled with perplexity
about nature of being alive
wondering what explains
essence constituting individual fluke
finding meaning scuttling
across world wide web

hither and yon, to and fro
dumbfounded at futility
absolute zero adequate answers
(again, unless one subscribes
to codified doctrinal dogma
i.e. religion, faith, creed...)
I attest as garden variety primate
baffled, flummoxed, nonplussed...

why chance genetic dice throw
gifted me finite time
solely to contemplate
(more than just my navel)
meaningfulness analogous
to scrutinizing Möbius strip

unable to identify
inscrutable mystery
defining random existence
specifically essence
happenstance/circumstance begat me
Matthew Scott Harris.

With eyes closed,
particularly after never
mine lips ne'er touching drink
I experience replete surreal visualizations

vividly pronounced heightened, augmented
mental journey virtual realistic brink
particularly the following link
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=1ZYbU82GVz4

yours truly (i.e. me)
enters sweeping dream state,
whose (ahem this modest) great human
experienced way after hundredth wink
no mean feet recherché special effects
haint no rinky ****
trick the average kindergartener could think,
quite the contrary skeptical reader!

Impossible mission yours truly,
could never describe for dogness sake
no,... NOT even after I make
transition back into webbed
oft times trumpeted as "fake"
wide world of consciousness

mere seconds eyes of mine ache...
dumbfoundedly blink awake,
yet cerebral impact analogous
exiting hypothetical dark cave
eyes painfully adjust to light
no mutter me noggin I soberly shake

Socratic dialogue - described
even today (across swaths,
where silently occur
metaphorical tectonic Earthquake)
of college/university students far and wide
with mooch hoopla and rave
communicated, viz out fancy schmancy

rhyme nor reason courtesy
one cereal lactose intolerant flake
courtesy within Plato's Republic
(worth rereading even
non political science majors ought
to give revered literature fair shake.

'Course aye haint here to lecture
but moostly strive to enlighten
hmm... methinks most likely bore
extemporaneously spewing pablum
also aiming to appeal toward
self accomplishment less or more

before tonight April 23rd, 2020
becombs tomb morrow,
with unbeknownst notion I explore
which aspiration to craft daily poem
constitutes what endeavors apt (guaranteed)

to find thee into deep sleep
cocking mine ear to hear ye snore,
no matter bajillion miles away your
respective dwelling from mine -
now (at long last), similar to the night before,

(Christmas), I hightail out - with minor confession
where Matthew Scott Harris doth
strive to become substance of legendary folklore
(hence no need to utter vamoose)
with cheery bonjour!

(Nsync with variations on a theme:
various and sundry
pseudo lurid fictitious escapades)
mostly I did merrily wet
whet madness aye ever did dream.)

The missus personal trappings
strewn helter skelter
every perilous step fraught
with danger analogous
riding as passenger
with death cab for cutie
'course thy quasi bohemian rhapsodic Queen
of denial feigns ignorance
attributes hazardous condition

linkedin with accident prone
little lord Fauntleroy's
double doppelganger, me
trumpeting pet husband,
her unrequited germane Liebchen
willing to risk life and limb
doting hand and foot
as proper husbandly duties.

He (ahem... me) exhibits drama
whimsically visiting slapstick pantomime
especially pretending to remove sneakers
pulling with all my feeble strength
off little feet of wife
half-heartedly struggling,

lamely denouncing marriage
nevertheless conveying jollity
regarding marital entrapment
er... rather unbridled wedded bliss
constituting fits and starts enduring
about two dozen years.

I reciprocated amorousness,
whether toward MaryAnne,
(his long ago coldly dismissed
sagacious enchanting first paramour,
(half a dozen years my senior),
whose astrological forecast
accurately predicted promising
acquaintanceship/relationship
potential soul mates
(two score years ago -
gone to naught),
which latter aforementioned humble lass

decried he fomented
incessant emotional grief,
he cruelly (albeit unwittingly)
doled out nothing
but lackluster lovelessness
attributed to identical zodiac signs (Capricorn)

(matter of fact shared same birth date
January 13th - six years age difference)
stubborn misconstrued perception,
whereby fancy free and footloose
selfish nasty short brute nevertheless
deemed himself undeserving of love - humph!

Addeneum: Approximately four decades
re: one quarter century after
aforementioned baptismal initiation
love stricken paroxysm
forty fifth president of United States
took (i.e. plagiarized) many pages courtesy,
cruel playbook authored
by Matthew Scott Harris,

who left trail of heartbroken sage woman
commander in chief deliberately stoked,
née sparked long
simmering smoldering, and stewing
long festering white supremacist altercation
fiendishly igniting racial conflagration
exploding during late spring 2020.

No matter no child left behind kibitzing
(yours truly as boy plucked petals
off daisy reciting "she loves me,"
"she loves me not"...
cupid loosed an arrow
into boyhood neighborhood sweetheart

she innocently bespoke
"I wanna marry you,"
when uttered courtesy Sherry Jones,
a little girl who lived
approximately three doors down
along cul-de-sac within Apple Valley
perpendicular to Lantern Lane,
or more age apropos,

when young gallivanting
purported vestal ****** ladies
nonverbally signalled
libidinal proclamations of emancipation,
as demurely expressed
lest unlucky (chaste into)
precocious ******* proclivity
suffered the punishment
of being buried alive.

Now back to present day,
when our old geezer,
the prototype garden variety
male of present poem -
any resemblance between general referenced
fella and living persons purely coincidental.

He (yours truly) easily qualified as
overly cocky whippersnapper,
i.e. young buck and/or Casanova wannabe
experienced bit torrent
hormonal secretions gushed
particularly in close proximity
wherein wafted pheromones -
think a waif faring ingénue.

As evident and quite obvious,
I fabricate (prevaricating
my signature trademark)
rather than stating bland reality stark,
yet will plainly explain issue
in summary essential rhyme
without reason constitutes
nothing more spectacular than
garden variety generic pockmark
excised pustule ofttimes hallmark
of teenage/ pubescent pimply benchmark.

Some dude from
     vinyl city revs engine
     of his dirt bike to the max
     blasting the air
testosterone roars throughout
     his every bone and fiber
     broadcasting deafening
     nauseating mating clear

**** sapien primal
     (atavistic urge) culled dear
ring lee from bajillion
     years old genealogy,
     sans chromosomal
     blueprint in heir
writ tens of thou
     sands sieve generations

ah...momentarily, there
     pervades a stillness,
which golden imponderable
     silence savored heavenly,
     gloriously, and fully with delight,
unsure when the next fume ming
     fuel blast will excite
the truant high

     school kid delinquent
     stinting precious
    education, viz flight
o' fancy to race beginning
    at dawns early light
ear splitting unmuffled
     noise pollution,
     where exhaust smoke billows

     akin to tethered kite
blending with rarified
     atmosphere height,
as wisps snake
     skyward eventually
     getting dispersed amidst bright
amidst soundcloud
     clear out of sight,

which brief interlude of quietude
     near painful silence to bear
ah...thank dog the
     wind in the willows

     soon replete with blare
ring blitzkrieg bomb
bard ding doth declare
ring foolish time
     wasting youth

     desultory cavalierly,
     blithely and aimlessly gear
rill less lee spinning away life
     with nary a blues clues care!

Not by choice this average
     bonehead configured Earthlinked
     went kicking, and screaming
     into refuse bin
naturally (no questions asked,
     nor guffaws uttered) with chin
clamped tight, since the missus
     (by some rare, min

ness school, one in a
     bajillion chancy pin
in a haystack fluke
     of circumstance) sin
gull handed dropped,
     the entire set of keys (YES) vin
**** heave lee into
     the morbid, horrid

     and fetid weeks old
     garbage filled dumpster,
     this an absolute zero - no win
ning situation, roundly pitched
     against a cosmic malicious yin
hmm..., a hunch shot
     thru my mind, that she,
whose first name simply Abby

blithely, casually,
     and deliberately tossed
     the only set of keys free
lee (for sole access
     to our apartment, plus
     the singular way to start our car,
     a 2009 Hyundai Sonata

     as if that makes sum difference),
     and with her sinister glee
fully, excitedly, and coquettish lee,
plus maniacally, preternaturally,
     and snidely wanted me
to sink deep into the
     junk yard rabid dog gone,
     maggot and rat

     infested stinking pit pre
venting no more violent
     fisticuff altercations getting re
tally lit tory revenge e'er since
     (I readily, stoically,
     and tacitly admit),
     this blowhard good
     for nothing husband drunken deal

O meg odd, Sigma Epsilon
     former frat boy,
     who weathered
     volleyed unspooled evil
epithet laced expletives  
both of us suffering fools dell
lose hen null, asper
      this match made in hell

yourr truly inflicting (measure
     for measure) un intel
ledge gent till hurtful heaping
     glomming pell mell
     more'n a death knell
feline times nine
     lifetimes of misery hard sell
tum ma crony's, a

     worthless corny soul
     shucked aye tell
     each of our base grotesqueness
     equally receiving our
     deserved respective weltanschauung
headstrong shouldering keel well
ling kneecaps, and toes
oven angry papa

     no match for an absurd
albeit, one petsmart mama bird,
twittering cruelly, emasculating    
my manhood, curd
dill ling, and excoriating
     thine ego, gird
ding mine entire being
     with accursed damnation heard,

this side of Schwenksville, Pennsylvania,
     sans her blistering, unswerving,
     and weltering wicked wrathfulness,
     yawping fiendish zeal,
     she malevolently espoused
     with every scathing word.

This revolutionary fella followed by
Adams family patriarch,giving rise
twin heir (plain lee gifted "Renaissance
Man") Jeff force'n without hemming

and hawing, subsequently conceding
nexus (nor horse drawn Lexus) of Colonial
power to Madison, thence Monroe
buttoned up as suitable candidate after
which younger Adams elected.

Thirty four followed Jackson's club
trumpeting (some Obama nib bully)
bushwhacking their way predicated
on faulty Algorithm, charming
charismatically with hint of Clint

like glint in eyes, blinding populace,
sans ray gun (Reagan), Car Tour ring
with peanut gallery in tow, affording
(unpopularly pardoning unfashionably),
a Jerry rigged nixed son, followed

by John's son tainted by stain of Vietnam,
but with said Southeast Asian debacle,
one ken heady (sporting thick styled hair)
inherited an internecine conflict, essentially

precipitated, when Eisenhower hardened
political stance against any allies of the
Soviet Union, (sans The Viet Cong), and
pledged his firm support to Diem
and South Vietnam.

Now with preceding administration, one
harried true man unleashed advent of atomic
spectra upon Hiroshima, and Nagasaki, this
purported preemptive measure scary ruse

felt to thwart exaggerated Japanese government
threat (military intelligence) scheming to
wreak untold havoc upon American troops
within the Pacific theater of World War II.

The former horrific decision controversial,
then and to this day Hoover expert historian,
diverge, asper corroborating the necessity
to usher in the Cold War, yet majority foreign

policy wonks might grudgingly attest that
said thirty first commander in chief did maintain
a Cool Edge throughout onset when doomsday
clock began countdown to Armageddon,

an unimaginably blaring, deafening, earsplitting...
cacophony distant rumbles heard, nonetheless,
no Hard dinning ghoulish nightmare (potentially
obliterating all life on planet Earth) haunted

Wilson, nor Taft, only gunboat diplomacy
mere child's play exhorted, less catastrophic
comparison, when Teddy Roosevelt wielded
"big stick schtick" namesake corollary to the
Monroe Doctrine in 1904...ad nauseum.

What pride and joy for me to delight,
albeit vicariously upon receiving invite,
sans commencement at
Redmond Proficiency Academy
on May twenty second at six o'clock at night,
which arrangement to Maurice silly revel

from afar, viz pomp and circumstances quite
emotional, ah...I can feel exuberance
listening to Sir Edward
Elgar - Pomp and Circumstance
March Number 1 - right
amidst envisioned glorious sight,

this prodigal beloved
young lady Marleigh Dunning, aye write
a precious prized progeny,
with modesty all agleam
no doubt with beauty, she twill beam
dazzling full house, electrifying audience

asper her due smarts, i.e. creme de la creme
top honors, and accolades galore
relishing hearty applause, and teary eyes
left for this estranged bro attempting to dream,
how proud such progressive parents
Andy (by the way belated happy birthday),

and Shari dear sister my apology, harried self esteem
(mine), who nonetheless takes stock,
how promising success story doth appear
will take said niece far and wide,
which **** kid will quick buckle down and clear
as pitch perfect cerulean sky will engineer

experiential opportunities, whose cerebral gear
far and above this average hear
suit uncle late in his existence
admires brilliant storied
future awaiting thee
acquiring an equitable salary

persevering toward passion,
vis a vis art history
with a minor in chemistry,
abundant wit and wisdom
so blessed born free

to choose bajillion options
soon to matriculate at Ivy
League school, perhaps
becoming rich and famous
as hordes of paparazzi
furiously jostle and elbow

to savor opportunity
as demure, genteel, as ideal
exemplar of female human poise -
ladies and gentlemen the renown Marleigh,
whose shining moment under klieg lights,

this financially strapped poet
unable to rejoice in person, qua special day
duet to a pinched finances
arising when Hyundai Sonata,
thrice necessitated monetary outlay!

Cabin Fever door closes five dollars,
a-Bag Used Book Sale
Sunday, February 23, 2020
hence less than twenty four hours
before avid readers bewail
foregoing scampering across Hillandale
vital poetic proclamation

yours truly doth broadcast,
albeit apologize short notice,
while courtesy warden
at Highland Manor Jail
gave scant time regarding
voluntary convict generic male
i.e. hastily dash off important message
pinch hitting talking head (me)

hammering metaphorical nail
if able, eager, ready and willing to hightail
body electric charged without fail
Lower Providence Community Library
50 Parklane Dr, Eagleville, PA 19403
buzzfeeding, grubhubbing, ripsnorting...
adieu, I in track ably rant and rail

take rucksack in hand
aforementioned (mere pennies on the dollar)
golden opportunity doth avail
to appease hunger for knowledge
pinteresting plethora reading material,
cuz ordinarily soft and hardbound books
cost fifty cents and one dollar
respectively without fail.

Analogous with General
George Armstrong Custer,
whose ***** deed done dirt cheap -
a vindictive haughty Civil War buster
subsequently sabotaging his military luster
received deserved comeuppance -

(strictly mine opinion, which
don't find me to cringe nor fluster),
yea for Indigenous Americans courage to muster
said brainstorm idea burst thru mine
fifty shades gray matter like... gangbuster.

Any Noah Ark kin sawed
Pacific intent to sermonize
merely interject personal opinion gussied up
with reasonable rhyming guise
creative freedom of speech, I tactfully exercise
when airing similar perspective (such as...)

if election results constitutes Democratic
securing commander in chief prize
Tuesday November 3rd, 2020 where cries
of hallelujah and huzzahs
(maybe bajillion hosannas
thrown in for good measure),
no extra mayo to relish nor fries

brief political predilection
(fingers n toes crossed hopeful prediction),
which trump petting one
ordinary Joe Schmoe buys
him cautious optimism, as myopia doth apprise
how democracy going to hell in handbasket
linkedin lockstep as global governments

webbed publics militarize
against youthquake (me = aging, livingsocial
media professing, wheezing... no lies
long haired pencil necked geek baby boomer)
proclaims Matthew Scott Harris approves
bad mitten (din) age and persiflage
the aforementioned broadcast before he dies.