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Nov 2023 · 112
Update
Neville Johnson Nov 2023
Let me give you an update
I’m over her
No need to think about her
I’m awfully sure
For our past is over and done
Tomorrow’s another day
Right Scarlet?
We’re moving on

I don’t write her name anymore
No yellow pads where I stay
I’m a cosmopolitan man about town
Who used to know this one fine lady

But I am over her
Sad to say, I never had a chance
OK sometimes I think about her
But that doesn’t mean romance

I’m in the kingdom of broken hearts
It’s no place you want to be
If you’re worried about being lonely
Please come and visit me
Nov 2023 · 136
Senti
Neville Johnson Nov 2023
Today I’m very senti
Angry and resigned
At all the things that went wrong
Now just lost to time
Memories that were never made
Relationships gone wrong
How my heart aches
To sing this so sad song
Still, if it weren’t for the good times
I would not have these thoughts
But that’s the way it is
The way it has to be
At the end of the day
The one to blame is me
Yes, I’m very senti
So tender is this heart
With a past that ever haunts me
I’m unable to outsmart
Nov 2023 · 129
The Lazy Poet
Neville Johnson Nov 2023
I’m such a lazy poet
If I can’t make an easy rhyme
Is that a crime?
If my metaphors and similes are not up to par
Does anyone really care?
And what about my topics?
Suppose they are mundane
Will that get me into trouble?
It’s such a crying shame
Words are only words
Thoughts that take shape
Grist for all us poets
No poem is a mistake
Oct 2023 · 239
City with Secrets
Neville Johnson Oct 2023
This is a city with secrets
Surely it knows I'm in love
With one if it's residents
Who is playing hard to get
I can't get enough of her
I want her yes I do
It's just a matter of time
And time can be so cruel

I wander its cobblestones
Thinking what to do
Step by step I plan my moves
I try to play it cool
But this city knows I'm in love
And that I'm no fool
For she's the one
The only one
As I wander through
Its nooks and crannies
Under a jaunty sky of blue

I know I'd be good for her
She's perfection to me
We could live so happily
In this city of secrets
I have got to win her
I know she'll understand
She is my future
I am her man
Oct 2023 · 105
Complicated Me
Neville Johnson Oct 2023
I can’t forgive or forget
Oh, the big word is regret
And who is to blame?
Me, the master of deception
Or you, who brought the rain?
Sadness, regret, blame, time
They were all involved
And here I am
Shaking my fist at the past
How do I explain?
What could’ve been?
Will never, never will be
Yes, blame can be assigned
Maybe it’s starts with me

Yet, here I am
The other one gone
It’s ancient history
I need to move on
I have to
I will
Good ole complicated me
Oct 2023 · 102
Two Seasons
Neville Johnson Oct 2023
There were two seasons
I sensed it the day we met
Before her and after her

Before her I walked alone
Before her I was sad
Jealous I was at the couples I saw
On the street, holding hands

Before her, I was serious
Then I rarely smiled
Life was an obstacle
A mountain to climb

Then the rainy season stopped
Finally the sun came out
I looked up and thought
It's time for change
That wind I caught

After her began the time she walked into my life
I refer to it as happenstance as the birds did sing
I mustered up my confidence, gathered my thoughts
Went over to the pretty girl and proceeded to get lost
Into her charms, so many I can't count

After her, after her, how my life has changed
After her, I no longer mind the rain
For I am with her, an umbrella we share
Made of love and kindness
Never the worse for wear

There are two seasons
Before and after her
Before I was lonely
Then came a love so pure
Oct 2023 · 92
Waves Crashing
Neville Johnson Oct 2023
Waves crashing
What do you want?
The end of the beginning?
Must it haunt
The love affair that never started?
The failure at that restaurant
You gave everything you had
No need to be ashamed
Chalk it up to fate
You’re home on the range
Just another dude with a lasso
Yet you’re waiting to be captured
Good life ain’t no hassle
There’s such joy in living
We see it every day
The waves keep crashing
Nothing gets in their way
Oct 2023 · 160
I Will Love Again
Neville Johnson Oct 2023
I will love again
I must and I will
For now I have a broken heart
Such a bitter chill
But I will love again
I know that I can
Got to get a move on
Got to have a plan

Goodbye to your picture
No more shall I go
To places where your memory lives
No, no, no, no, no
I'll be up, and at em
You won't defeat good times to come
Get between whom I shall meet
To take your place
Wherever she shall be
I will love again
Someone waits for me

It happens to all of us
That much I know
I'll live in the present
Just take it slow
We are over, which is sad
There's a whole life to create
I will love again
Next time, make no mistake
Sep 2023 · 257
Bronco Comes to Town
Neville Johnson Sep 2023
Bronco is adrift in the city
But walks a straight line
Some slicker said he liked his costume
Bronco doesn’t mind
He got it that no one wears spurs in Durango
That’s just fine
He’s moving along with the times

He’s in town to find a wife
They met on the Internet
Emily teaches the second grade
Hasn’t met her dude yet
She grew up on a farm
Where there isn’t much shade
Attractive she is, prim and petite
They are each out to find that someone to meet

Arriving is Bronco with no swagger there
He takes his hat off, brushes his hair
Rings the doorbell, he could swear
He’s never seen anyone prettier before
She invites him in, he sits in the easy chair
The dinner she’s made is succulent and sweet
Magic is in the air, “Ain’t life a treat,”
Bronco says to himself and almost clicks his heels
He’ll be back next week, will soon seal the deal
Sep 2023 · 122
The Race
Neville Johnson Sep 2023
Getting old means looking forward and looking back
It’s just the way it is
We must face the facts
Remembering what was good
Yes, those were the days
There are more to come
Bring them on, we’ll be unfazed

Notwithstanding sorrow
Which exists for us all
We remain optimists
To be in the thrall
Of our common human endeavor
As time races us and we race time
To an end we cannot define
Sep 2023 · 102
I Go Where She Goes
Neville Johnson Sep 2023
I go where she goes
That's where I need to be
By her side all the time
Yeah, that's me
Why? Because I love her
She's better than the best
We have fun, we always do
So lest you be concerned
We're on fire all the time
It's burn baby burn

I go where she goes
It's just her and me
Traveling though the stratosphere
Yes and easily
Two wanderers
Adventurers
Lost in ecstasy

I go where she goes
For sure and always
Incandescent is our love
So beautiful these days
Sep 2023 · 106
Sale
Neville Johnson Sep 2023
There's a sale on me
First time on the block
You can have me forever
If that is what you want

All you have to do is love me
As I will do for you
You can be my one and only
Exclusivity assured

I've been down and lonely
I had one who went away
This broken heart is on the mend
Hence there is this sale

But you must treat me gently
As we frolic in the sun
Make it last forever
Be my only one
Sep 2023 · 101
Time for Another
Neville Johnson Sep 2023
What happened to us?
Those days that seemed to live forever
Maybe in our minds they do
But not in reality
Remembering
Days of gracious sunshine
But there came another day
Then another year
Another decade
As we all head towards sand
Those days were once these days
Those days are gone
But they haven't gone away
They're just part of life
The dreams have not died
They're just not around
Just waiting for you and me
To recognize that time
When well-spent
Never goes away
Some days, some times
Live forever in our minds
We are all time travelers
Never left behind
Just pushed, shushed along
What happened to us?
We moved along
Loving the times
The times when we all got along
Yes, we're all still here
Making time
Doing time
Time, our new and old friend
Time as we move along
Sep 2023 · 103
Make Them Go Away
Neville Johnson Sep 2023
I don’t want these memories
Make them go away
They don’t do me any good
I just want to say
Good riddance, begone
She’s not around here anymore
These memories don’t belong
In my thoughts, let alone my heart
I don’t need to sing a sad song
I’m looking for happiness
New memories to come along
Some wishes don’t come true
Time to say bye-bye
Tomorrow is another day
No more time to cry
If I did my best, that’s all I can do
It’s why I want to say
I don’t want these memories
Make them go away
Sep 2023 · 86
Moments
Neville Johnson Sep 2023
All in all, life’s been good
But there are certain moments that stand out
When time stood still
When it was that outstanding thrall
Of peace in our time of love
Lying in bed
Certain of our future
Holding each other close
These are the moments I remember
Those moments stand out
Sep 2023 · 108
Mr. Now and Then
Neville Johnson Sep 2023
I'm so happy to see you but I always leave sad
For I know I will miss you
Me, your former lad, now just your friend
I still love you now
Just as I did then
That's the way it is
I'm Mr. Now and Then

Ah, those nights of passion
We went soul to soul
Inseparable we were
A love that made us whole
We were each other's best friend
You still bring out the best in me
So says Mr. Now and Then

     I'm a lover without borders
     A lion with no pride
     You wouldn't know it to look at me
     But deep down inside
     I know I really blew it
     That there is nothing I can do
     I can look but cannot touch
     The incomparable you

I know you know I love you
You said you still love me back
But you're with him and so secure
He'll never get the sack
I can wait and wait
Like Robin Hood in the glen
I know I'll never steal your heart
But I will still try every now and then

I know we will never be what we were again
Still I still love to see you every now and then
Aug 2023 · 102
Ice Cream Memories
Neville Johnson Aug 2023
Ice cream memories
Sunday afternoons
Bicycles and swimming pools
No work or school
Friends and neighbors
Just having fun
Those were the days
We sure were cool

That tomboy Diane
Sure could hit the ball
Our club was named The Eagles
We had it all

We had our own tee shirts
With baby blue design
Diane sowed the insignias
Looking mighty fine

We were the best
Then Diane discovered boys
You can guess the rest
Goodbye to those joys

When I have a bite of gelato now
I think of yesterday
Diane is my first love
And though she’s gone away
Her sweetness is
An ice cream memory
Of those happy days

Here’s to Diane
Wherever she may be
My dear playmate
And what used to be

Long live The Eagles
Lucky, lucky me
Aug 2023 · 116
Misty
Neville Johnson Aug 2023
I was 22, she was 20
They were glory days
The time when we were one
I get misty thinking of her
Her kindness and the sass
The many merry times
Her famous laugh
The softness in her touch
Even the bad times were pretty good
When she said I’m mad at you Mister
Believe me I understood
What we had was golden, irreplaceable
It’s why I sing about her
She’ll always be my girl

Here’s to her in the yesteryear
And for what is left today
The very best of memories
Why I’ll always say
I still love her
Yes, I always will
It’s why I sing about her
She’ll always be my girl

So when I get misty
It’s not by choice
But because that often happens
When I recall her voice
Jul 2023 · 133
Still Cool
Neville Johnson Jul 2023
We were all head honchos
That was way back when
With youth and vigor
We thought we could do anything
We almost did
But life caught up with time
In the middle class we hid
Making our way
Fighting to make a life
Some broken hearts along the way
I don’t miss the strife
I look back in dismay
At the love I have lost
The ones I still think about
Measuring the cost
Those ships have sailed
Gone to foreign shores
Memories are our buried treasure
One way we keep score
You can’t be indifferent to what really matters
We keep searching for more
Life is an adventure
Love is the fuel
We may no longer be young
But we’re very much alive
And dare I say cool
Jul 2023 · 149
Partners
Neville Johnson Jul 2023
She’s my partner in life
My partner in love
My dear loving wife
Sent from above
It’s the seventeenth year
Our anniversary
Good gosh almighty
She’s sticking with me

So I tell her she’s stellar
How I’ve come to be
Enthralled by her magic
Her mystery
The arc of our lives
Her mastery
Of the loving arts
So soft is her touch
As she rules this lair

My partner, my lover
My best friend is she
We’re on the right course
The way it should be
Jul 2023 · 123
My Disappearing Angel
Neville Johnson Jul 2023
I guess I did not know her
She sure had me fooled
Those walks and talks
Those kisses
Enough to burn this city down
All a man could want
To be satisfied
Then, in an instant she was gone
This mirage who cornered me
My disappearing angel
It used to be lovely
I shake my head in anger
With a dose of what was that
Once upon a time is all it was
My world went flat
So she indeed is gone
But still in my thoughts
That tawny breath of sassiness
Who made the difference
In this ordinary life
Who means everything to me
Life goes on, but our love does not
It is just not meant to be
Jul 2023 · 108
Him
Neville Johnson Jul 2023
Him
When he entered the room
Her heart did quicken
So self-confidant she thought
His look so pleasing
There was an aura  of nonchalance
She surmised
She couldn’t help but stare

He’s the perfect stranger she thought
The kind you don’t find everywhere
So she intentionally bumped into him
He took it from there

One thing led to another
It’s still going on
Jun 2023 · 654
Trouble
Neville Johnson Jun 2023
Trouble is my business
The name of my game
I fix problems
Don’t assign blame
Keep it under my hat
I don’t complain
I go about my business
Sunshine or rain
If there is trouble
Trouble is my name

I don’t look for it
But if it comes to me
I know what to do
I got the beat

I’m a tiger in a tornado
I am the wind
You don’t want to mess with me
I always win

Trouble, trouble, toil and trouble
You know the drill
My compatriots will call on me
When there’s a need, they will
Jun 2023 · 85
Real Tears
Neville Johnson Jun 2023
Those were real tears
Those I cried for you
I went all the way to see you
Then you told me we were through
I had never wept like this
Not before or since
This prince became a pauper
He has been ever since

When you give your heart to someone
When your hopes are on high
When you give everything you’ve got
When you don’t wonder why
For you know in your heart
Truly, she’s the one
Only to find out it’s over
Over with and done
It’s a mountain of heartache
With so much more to come

That’s when the real tears descend
They burn through your soul
Sleeplessness is de regueur
You lose control
Overcome by sorrow
No longer whole
Just feeling empty
About what could have been
Never will it be
For the future is foreclosed
Deliver that woe to me
Jun 2023 · 107
Wild One
Neville Johnson Jun 2023
She’s a wild one
But that’s all right with me
Saucy and elegant
I guarantee
You’ll be entranced
It happens regularly
To anyone who meets her
You see
I’m in love with her
Yes, and she with me
Fine turned into dandy
As I live and breathe
Got me a wild one
And she got me
We could be one
The wild one and me
We could be one
Wait and see
Jun 2023 · 244
There Was Someone Else
Neville Johnson Jun 2023
There was someone else before Jennifer
But she’ll never know
There’s no need to tell her
What good would it do?
That was a lifetime ago
It’s over with but not done
The heartache will last forever
Still, he’s moving on
Sandy is her name
She with the golden hair
Unfortunately, she was married to another
There’s never any good ending to an affair
So Jimmy has moved on
He’s now with Jennifer
What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her
Their future appears sure
No more Sandy
Jimmy is moving on
He’ll stay with Jennifer
May 2023 · 169
The Blue Highway
Neville Johnson May 2023
I drove the blue highway
On my way to fields of green
Hoping to meet my true lover
Enter Barbara, that’s her name
We met in Canada
At a campsite in a park
She was on her way to somewhere
There were kisses in the dark
Promises to remember
She was supposed to come my way
I was then at university
So hoping she would stay
But she never came
I had no way to contact her
Somewhere our magic still exists
In the great ether
Those moments I shall remember
Forever and a day
The time I thought I fell in love
On the blue highway
Barbara, where are you?
Can you hear what I say?
May 2023 · 204
Mine
Neville Johnson May 2023
Is it ok to give you a hug?
Tell you how great you are
You were amazing today
Such a star
You look so good
You’re so gracious
Charming you are
Everyone adores you
And you’re mine
May 2023 · 142
Lattes in the Morning
Neville Johnson May 2023
Kisses in the rain
Walks along the shore
Lattes in the morning
That and so much more
Sighs that were simultaneous
We could not believe our luck
Life was a dream to live
For we had found each other
No way would we be stuck
In love’s doldrums
With the wind at our backs
It all turned out perfectly
Yeah, we can relax
The road goes on endlessly
Our endeavor so sure
To make the best of our true bond
That’s what we ensure
Apr 2023 · 149
The Goodbye
Neville Johnson Apr 2023
It came is such a shock
That final goodbye
What, our relationship ends for good then and there?
Left to die?
Just a brief goodbye?
What am I supposed to do with these memories?
Not to mention our hopes and dreams
What am I supposed to do about us?
Now blown to smithereens
This is the problem with human relations
So fragile is this world
That thing called love
Hello sadness, bye-bye girl
How easy it is to hurt someone
What is the remedy when love is lost?
I had it all planned out
In a puff of smoke my plans were tossed
Apr 2023 · 108
The Kiss
Neville Johnson Apr 2023
A kiss, the kiss,
Our kiss
The simple expression of a complex thought
In a word, love
Trust is a must
Along with touch
It’s such a mystery

We live to love
We love to live
Seeking true harmony
With the one I love
I’m secure and strong
Hope guides her and me

But it’s that kiss
That daring, darling kiss
So hungry are we
For each other, forever
Each other’s guiding star
Apr 2023 · 123
Banking On It
Neville Johnson Apr 2023
I’m in love with the teller, but how do I tell her?
I try to deposit my interest
Obtain some currency
But I always withdraw
I come up short
This deficiency will not last
On account of my ardor
Wait and see
Mar 2023 · 141
The Robber
Neville Johnson Mar 2023
Love doesn’t wait around
It didn’t for me
When my inamorata
For whom I had waited so long
Announced she was ready
Ready to be with me
I delayed, chuffed at her delay
Three weeks later she was gone
Married a business manager
Took me many years to get over her

Then there was the time I was a two-timer
Stupid me
I didn’t push enough to see which one was real
My true love left me with that last great photo
It’s all is that’s left is to conjure up what might have been
So take it from me
Be on your game
Because love is no game
That love was taken from me
I was robbed by my indolence
That robber is me
Mar 2023 · 106
The Rain
Neville Johnson Mar 2023
The rain falls gently
Softly soothing the sadness
As time goes by
A crackling fire
A happy tabby
A glass of Chardonnay
Everything I need
Except her
And what has come to be
Will she return?
That I’d like to know
Gone for good?
Or just the ebb and flow
The ups and down of any relationship?
I just don’t know

So I like the rain
At least it’s there for me
I stay inside
Inside with my thoughts
And memories
Watching, waiting, hoping
For the doorbell to ring
I’ll have another sip of wine
Try and think of other things
Mar 2023 · 121
She Can’t Hurt Me Anymore
Neville Johnson Mar 2023
She can’t hurt me anymore
I have no more tears to shed
If that means being alone, then, so be it
I know what’s ahead
Oh good times will come
I’ll just wait and see
I’ll get a new baby
Someone who will be
In my corner
In my heart
Who will be there to stay
So she can’t hurt me anymore
It’s a brand new day
Feb 2023 · 159
The Story of Ben and Agnes
Neville Johnson Feb 2023
Ben is a baker with a twinkle in his eye
He can sure make a cake
Seth is a regular customer with a sweet tooth for his fudge
He loves the jocularity and wit of sweet Ben
With his chef’s hat he is jauntily attired
As he seems to live life as a whim
Seth has a daughter, sweet Agnes
Pretty as sugar is sweet
So he has the notion to create a magical potion
He needed them to meet
Seth sent her in on a many a foray
To retrieve pastries he so likes
Ben eventually took notice and he began to like
This darling girl in ringlets and pearls
She was such a sight
One thing led to another
It’s fifty years on with many grandsons
And their youngest, a granddaughter
She comes around with regularity
Helps with the baking and always says “please”
Feb 2023 · 283
Wait and See
Neville Johnson Feb 2023
Red heels in a white dress
She is a sail full of wind
Propelling us to the Cape of Good Hope
So much within my heart
I’m taking the chance
A vision she is
Of ecstasy
This is nirvana
I am in

That someone is so lovely
Staggers me
That she can love me
I cannot believe
But luck has met opportunity
I’ll take the bet
I’ll be at my best
You ain’t seen nothing yet
Wait and see
Feb 2023 · 137
House of Blues
Neville Johnson Feb 2023
Welcome to the house of blues
I’m the maître d’
Have a seat anywhere
Some people never leave
Most don’t eat
They just drink and stare
Order up a double
Swirl the ice around
They are troubled
Very down
But so aware

Maybe jazz will soothe
A standard the pianist plays
The clientele get lost in thought
In dreams of yesterday
After all, it’s the house of blues
Where they come to stay

Welcome, have a seat
It’s like this every day
Jan 2023 · 133
Juror Number 1
Neville Johnson Jan 2023
I object to all the attorneys
All they do is fight
The judges are too crusty
Trials take too much time
Just plain crazy are the clients
The clerks too often mean
I’m so tired of going through pat-downs
And being screened by those **** machines
Me, I’m a juror, no one cares for me
I don’t want to be here
Justice ain’t easy
And the subject, human misery
That’s what I evaluate
Look at those with whom I must agree
As we deliberate
But after all, this is democracy
And the great leveler is the jury system
This is public service
The price of being free
So all in all, I can’t complain
It is an honor here to be
Jan 2023 · 135
That Was Then
Neville Johnson Jan 2023
Sometimes I wonder what might’ve been
It hurts to remember what we had back then
I still think of you, I can’t help myself
We were one in a million
There is no one else
Who has touched me as you have
No, nobody else
We could’ve made it
I’m sure of that
Though we live apart, you live in my heart
Consoling in a way
Still, I will always miss you every day
So, I send my love to you
Though you’re so far away
We could have made it
Way back when
But this is now
And that was then
Jan 2023 · 723
All in All
Neville Johnson Jan 2023
Love is real
Love is all
Effortless cool
She’s got it all
All for me
All for us
All in all
Jan 2023 · 115
House of Love
Neville Johnson Jan 2023
This is a house of love
I love so
First, because she is in it
Second, me too
It’s easy living
Sunshine coming through
Delicacies to savor
Who knew life could be so kind?
Two fireplaces
My, my, my
In her loving arms
No need to go anywhere
We’ve got it made
In this love we share
Jan 2023 · 139
Wordplay
Neville Johnson Jan 2023
***** Nilly and his best friend, Nick Name headed towards Malibu where they were to meet Hope Chest for tea. Uh oh, Nan O’Second insisted on going and then spoiled their plans because she wanted to bring Jack Russell. They ended up having donuts where they ran into Deb Enture, who was cooking up some deal with Sue Ffle.
Gus To was in the parking lot where he backed away from Ty Rade, who was his usual self.  Dan Druff and Stanley Cup attempted to intercede but were thwarted by Mo Mentum who halted their efforts.
Then, lo and behold, Ruth Less accompanied by Miss Ann Thrope shouted invective at everyone. This upset bystander Heidi **, who turned and left with Grant Writer. Ed U. Cated just sat in his car and put moves on Claire Voyant.
I always do this at the first of each year.
Dec 2022 · 575
It All Turned Out OK
Neville Johnson Dec 2022
It all turned out ok
Here we are
The plans we made
Have all come true
I owe it all
I know it all
Is due to you
Oh, Cindy
It’s been quite a time
Rolling down the road of life
With lovin’ on our minds
We just keep keeping on
Smiling all the while
Optimistic is our characteristic
Sometimes flying blind
Oh, Cindy, isn’t it great
It all turned out OK?
Dec 2022 · 118
This Is the Scene
Neville Johnson Dec 2022
This is the scene, the place
Where my tears did fall
This is where she broke my heart
If I must recall
That dreary day so long ago
When she told me we were through
“I could not wait any longer,” she said
It was such bad news
I’d never cried before, not like that
She was someone I could marry
So I thought
Instead I went kerplat
Down and out
Into the land of funk
Somehow I made it out
Here I am back today
Ruminating, researching
What was that about?
It was a long time ago
But the wound still smarts
Life is not perfect
Ask those with broken hearts
Some never mend
They just go on
Take me for example
For I am one
Dec 2022 · 594
Wind
Neville Johnson Dec 2022
Our romance was a gust of wind
And so we flew away
Spent time in heaven
Too bad we could not stay
I shall remember it forever
And miss it just as long
Be thankful for what we had
We were and are a song
That only we could sing
More than just a memory
A feeling in our hearts
It hurts too much to grieve
Dec 2022 · 112
Kisses in the Wind
Neville Johnson Dec 2022
She sends kisses in the wind
Hoping they will land on her true love
Wherever he may be
She knows he is out there
Just not where he is
But they will meet
When or where we shall see

He must be kind, she knows
Fundamentally
And a good lover
Who will be discreet
Like rock and pop music
And food from the street
The definition of class
Definitely

She waits
Patiently
She prays
He will be
Soon to arrive
She is ready to give her heart
All to him
Immediately
Dec 2022 · 111
She Won’t Go Away
Neville Johnson Dec 2022
I don’t want to talk about it
How she broke my heart
I should have seen it coming
I’m not that smart
The big what if?
I was besotted
Entirely enthralled
It was fun while it lasted
We had a ball
And yes, she still lingers
When I get past the pain
Especially on days
When all it does is rain
When I reminisce
And try to explain
Why she didn’t love me
It seems so strange
For I did everything I could
My best for her
Too bad our romance
I could not insure
Forget the lovers’ dance
Then there’s the anger
She did lead me on
No, I don’t hate her
Though what she did was wrong
I still think of her
I still say her name
When I’m by myself
I should be ashamed
But she got to me
She won’t go away
Dec 2022 · 123
Cowboy Love
Neville Johnson Dec 2022
Being divorced is not very much fun
Two kids, no dad, life on the run
A king-size bed with two pillows
But she’s sleeping alone

On a whim she headed East to the West
The Cowboy convention in Tucson
With her new boots and hat
And old friend Laura Lee, wearing a vest

This Hollywood screenwriter has seen them all
Jive city slickers with cell phones and new cars
It had been so long since she’d really been kissed
Her love life needed a punch, it could not make a fist

Samuel Dawson was born on and still lived on the ranch
He rode fence, chased cattle, is one studley man
With a soft streak as demonstrated by his craft
He works wonders with leather, why it was art

He too was lonely, this singular man
He’d cleaned himself up since his wife went and made other plans
For he had deserved it, so he sat hoping to sell
Wishing he’d find that artesian well

Stop the action, let me set the stage
There he sits at his craftsman’s booth
Underneath the canopy in the hot afternoon sun
Here comes Rebecca meandering along
She lingers and fingers his feathered and leathered strands
He smiles and she notes his mustache and tan
They talk, she will not turn away
Laura Lee shouts, “Let’s get on the way.”

This is where the story begins
One cowboy love that has no end
She’s still a writer on fine TV shows
Sam is the wrangler, whom everyone knows
Loves a lady who fancies parasols
On hot Summer days, who now rides a horse
Who no longer leads a half-finished life
Where western handicraft is everywhere in sight
And their love is on course

Some don’t understand, some don’t want to know
But bridges are built wherever you go
Even on land with no river in sight
When a cowboy finds love he succumbs without fight

The ranch is now located in Southern Cal
The fence he mends is picket, see for yourself
For I know them, and please call me Sam
She’ll be home in a few, I’m her lover man.
From my Cowboy Poems collection
Nov 2022 · 374
Cinnamon and Clove
Neville Johnson Nov 2022
The aroma of cinnamon and clove wafted from her cup
That and the smell of perfume let me know I was in the right place
This was the room where it all began
I’d seen her come in before which is why I was there
I intended to run into her
I tried not to stare
For she is a beauty beyond compare
And I am a connoisseur
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