Here lies the body of Nick O Tyme
Who never thought of crossing the line
Lived his life as quiet as could be
Only stimulant consumed was tea
Saved a lady from the path of a train
Regarding which he was true to his name
Results for him were not quite the same

Faraway moon
as a young child
I could see your smile
taste your cheese
see your old man
touch you with my finger

Fascinating moon
as a young adult
I could sense your pull
bathe in your romantic beams
pledge my love
reach for the stars!

Most faithful moon
in my waning years
as life's orbit decays
I am in awe of your loyalty
amazed by your true colors
reassured by your changing tides

Continue to reflect life's light
as other young children
see your beautiful smile
taste your curious cheese
see your kind old man
touch you with their imagination...

Continue to inspire us
as other young people,
sense your magnetic pull
luxuriate in your romantic beams
pledge their undying love
explore the universe!

Most faithful, fascinating, faraway moon

Clara Oswald Who
The Doctor's secret wife—who knew?
Returned from September's honeymoon
By way of last year's month of June

bold rolling thunder
lightning quickly strikes twelve times-
perfect 300

H e ' s   r e a l l y  
Nowhere, man—
Living life
Sans plans
Stuck on roads
Kicking cans
Buying time

H e ' s   r e a l l y
Nowhere, see—
Used to be
A maitre d'
For a cruise ship
On the sea
Finally escaped

H e ' s   r e a l l y
Nowhere, son—
An enigmatic
Friend of none
Playing hard
Having fun
Dying inside

H e ' s   a   r e a l
Nowhere cat—
Doesn't care
Where he's at
Growing old
Getting fat
Trying to forget


© 2020 by Mark Toney. All rights reserved.

time marches on
reality's fire consumes—
dreams go up in smoke

Dishonest weights, deceptive scales forsake
as chains of injustice rake the flesh
of the preyed-upon bleeding, amid wild
wolves feeding, soft sheep bleating,
protestor's pleading, jurisdictions cheating,
cajoling, wheedling, injustice repeating—
jurisprudence at the confluence
of affluence and influence

~undocumented lies exhumed
     unmitigated truth entombed~

They have their thumb on the scale!  We
have sussed every detail on the field of
debris, some so fiercely taking a knee,
others shot trying to flee!  "I can't breathe,"
"I don't care!"  Why don't they care?
Of what justice is meting beware!
One higher than the highest is watching,
waiting to signal the one riding to conquer
and complete his conquest.  What's the true
future view?  What more can we do
before we become past tense?

tragedies worldwide
flooding my senses daily—
fill my bag of tears


© 2020 Mark Toney.  All rights reserved.

Feeling deep regret for our misguided debt
Which gives us pause realizing the hurt we’ll cause
So let's raise our glasses to the lads and lasses
Who will bear the brunt on the battlefront

Foolish speed bumps in my life
Do you have foibles?
Human quirks?


© 2020 by Mark Toney. All rights reserved.

drove friend to doctor
counting wheelchair ramp spindles
~waiting for Godot



© 2020 Mark Toney

Crack house
**** mouse

kudos to Oscar
every best picture ever-
Hollywood Haiku

He can curse up a storm
make a sailor blush
Foul blue language
spewed out in a gush
Could strip paint clean
off a battleship
Exponentially worse if
you give him any lip
Rambling in sincerity's guise
but his worst 4-letter words
are all his LIES




© 2020 by Mark Toney. All rights reserved.

You say you love me but you’re not
You say you’re going to fight and give it all you got
You say you find it hard to breathe
You say you’re mad at me but I’m the one who seethes
You say you love me but you’re not (in love with me)

                    ~ Tears falling, relationship flailing, love failing… ~


You say you need a place to stay
You say you’re asking me to find another way
You say you thought about the debt
You say you’re leaving but it hasn’t happened yet
You say you need a place to stay

                    ~ The time, the hurt, the pain, the drain… ~


You say you overcame the jones
You say you’ve analyzed it to the bare bones
You say you finally found the cure
You say you’re righteous, clean, happy and secure
You say you overcame the jones

                    ~ Familiar lies, thin disguise, love’s demise … ~


You say you love me but you’re not
You say you’re going to fight and give it all you got
You say you find it hard to breathe
You say you’re mad at me but I’m the one who seethes
You say you love me but you’re not (in love with me)

                    ~ Tears fall, relationship flails, love fails…
                       Familiar lies, thin disguise, love’s demise …
                       This time, this hurt, this pain, this drain…
                       Time runs out… no more to gain. ~



© 2020 by Mark Toney. All rights reserved.

swift bird of prey soars
moment of truth elusive—
true nature concealed




© 2020 by Mark Toney. All rights reserved.

Yeti
SETI

strange and foolish quirks
trivial human foibles-
speed bumps in my life

wasting well water wishes
while in waste water wading
waiting waist-high wailing
weeping, wailing—
what a waste!

wasting well water wishes
while we're waxing waning
waning waxing waging
waging, waisting—
wherewithal!

wanting well water wishes
while whole world watching
watching wishing wanting
wanting wishing—
worldwide!

welcome well water wishes
while watching winning wanting
wanting watching winning
winning, winning—
wonderful!

whew!!


© 2020 Mark Toney.  All rights reserved.

~ when love precipitates, selfishness evaporates ~




© 2020 by Mark Toney. All rights reserved.

childhood memories
daddy says get the lead out—
pencil tip shatters

vernal equinox
pollen proliferation
spring rebirth affirmed

busy bees buzzing
beautiful birds building nests
winter gloom erased

dormant seeds take root
blossoms bloom birdsong elates
spring nearing its end

summer solstice comes
verdant landscape sandy beach
families frolic

short summer showers
heat and humidity reign
sunlight lingers on

temperatures lag
cheerful chirping of crickets
last gasp of summer

autumn equinox
turning leaves migrating birds
early morning chill

leaf peeping pastime
harvest cornucopia
real time falls behind

fall’s first killing frost
season of melancholy
cold of winter near

winter solstice comes
bare trees long hibernation
don’t risk bleeding lips

gardens lie fallow
field mice attempting entry
long dark frigid nights

snowfall slowly melts
winter giving way to spring
first mosquito bite

We're so fragile, I can't even think...

My love was dear to me and to the family,
Then came the enemy—Death.
I know the day is near when Death will disappear.
We'll welcome our loved ones again.

But we'll have to wait 'till then.
Death is the wage of sin.
Yes we'll have to wait 'till then.
Death is the wage of sin.

We're so fragile, I can't even cry...

It's so unfair and most difficult to bear
Fighting thoughts and emotions that won't end.
Pray for the day God will wash tears away
And our loved ones will be in our arms again.

But we'll have to wait 'till then.
Death is the wage of sin.
Yes we'll have to wait 'till then.
Death is the wage of sin.

We're so fragile I can't even speak...

One happy-go-lucky senryu
Was caught impersonating a haiku
They levied no fines
But deleted two lines
Now she's a stick-in-the-mud monoku

anyone know why
some poems are double posted
through no fault of ours?

haiku loves nature
senryu human nature...
tanka expounds both
no matter how much I learn
I only know a whisper

Hale-Bopp’s fly-by
midnight stroll St. Simons beach-
lovers gently kiss

Hindsight 20/20
Writer's block
My glass is empty!

Creative process
Transparently fragile
Must find my muse!
Must be mentally agile!

Struggling through
But no inspiration
Need some relief
From brain constipation

Finally!
Oh, what a thrill!
My muse returns
My glass starts to fill!

From immovable object
To unstoppable force
Manipulate physics?
My muse can of course!

My glass is now full
I've just posted my poem
Alas, glass now empty
My muse loves to roam


© 2020 by Mark Toney.  All rights reserved.

as Spring renews life
your kind words written to me-
my joy is renewed

HEAR the quiet sea
SEE the man looking for me
ME hiding from him
HIM with simple eye
AYE his words I hear
HEAR the quiet sea

THINK the time has come
COME take life's water free
FREE yourself from sin's grip
GRIP hold of the real life
LIFE everlasting at last
LAST days require us to think
THINK the time has come

LISTEN to words inspired and true
TRUE faith follows the thing heard
HEARD faith without works is dead
DEAD we are to our former sins
SINS forgiven by means of Christ
CHRIST one to whom we must listen
LISTEN to words inspired and true


© 2020 by Mark Toney.  All rights reserved.

After but a moment,
Drowning in a sea of confusion,
All hope dashed against rocks of despair,
Her firm resolve culminates in
V I O L E N C E . . .
S i l e n c e...

"For the one who has died has been acquitted from his sin."—Romans 6:7

After but a moment,
The maiden awakens
To peaceful surroundings.

"...Why are you causing noisy confusion and weeping?
The young child has not died, but is sleeping."
"Then, taking the hand of the child, he said to her, 'Tal'i-tha cu'mi,'
which, when translated, means: 'Little girl, I say to you, get up!'"—Mark 5:39, 41

Her eyes slowly adjust as
Her recognition rushes
With audible cries of joy:
"My Mother... My Father... You look so much younger, you do!
My Brother... and the others! Could this really be true?"

As the sun shines, our eyes rain thousands of tears
For the thousands of years of exquisite delight before us.

"...and he said that something should be given her to eat."—Mark 5:43

She feasts on curing fruit, and does willingly stoop
To drink from the river of water of life.
"In the reflection I see
What could have been,
What should have been,
Yes, what now is true for me!"

Oh, Vanessa, what grand, joyful reunion!
Love...
Joy...
Peace...
Innocence of youth reclaimed!

Please sing me a new song, my darling girl.
Please sing me a new song again.

"Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming
in which all those in the memorial tombs will
hear his voice and come out..."—John 5:28, 29

Some cry climate change
Other's say they're deranged
As the conflict evolves
All our lives are involved
Who's right or who's wrong?
What's the difference?
What's the true future view,
Is there more we can do,
Before we become past tense?

We ask what, what of our children?
As they grow and we show them
A future with no guarantees
What, what of our children?
Why do they have to pay for
Our past generations' misdeeds?

There's so much confusion
Over lies and collusion
Years teaching them right
Lessons lost overnight
They see others lie with impunity
What's wrong becomes right
Simply blow out the light
Darkness perverts civility

We ask what, what of our children?
As they grow and we show them
A future with no guarantees.
What, what of our children?
Why do they have to pay for
Our past generations' misdeeds?

No!  What of our children?

What?  Why do you lie?
True science deny!
What of our children?

What?  Why do you fight?
Wrong becomes right!
What of our children?

What?  Why do you hate?
It's almost too late!
What of our children?

What of our children?
What of our ...?
What of ...?
What ...?
?

There was a young math **** named Herbert
Who fancied himself a tax expert.
Touting tax tips he tried,
Till terribly tongue-tied;
No more will he overexert.

tragedies worldwide
flooding my senses daily...
fill my bag of tears

happy
*****

Me my true love did decry
Cry

She on whom I did rely
Lie

Now I see her walk on by
Bye

A bitter adieu—
Bid her adieu




© 2020 by Mark Toney.  All rights reserved.

~A parody inspired by "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost~

Two drunks converged in a crowded bar
And sorry that I knew them both
And be one patron, long I stared
Looking out for each I really cared
As both of them bent I swore an oath;

I helped the one, and deemed it fair
He having perhaps the better claim
His eyes more glassy and worse for wear
Though the other also was passed out there
In reality both wasted about the same.

And both next morning equally lay
In heaps their missteps left them in.
Oh, I wished them both a better day!
Yet knowing how wine can make you stray,
I concluded they both would repeat their sin.

Forever I’ll be telling this with a sigh
Everywhere ages and ages hence:
Two drunks converged in a bar, and I—
I helped the one most weakened by,
Stirred but not shaken in diffidence.


© 2020 by Mark Toney.  All rights reserved.

Our children see others lie with impunity
Simply blow out the light, darkness perverts civility


© 2020 by Mark Toney. All rights reserved.

curious humans
nations working together—
toilet paper wars



© 2020 by Mark Toney. All rights reserved.

help stop coronavirus - public service senryu

real danger that lurks
moments of forgetfulness—
wash your hands often

real danger that lurks
moments of forgetfulness—
cough into elbow

real danger that lurks
moments of forgetfulness—
stop touching your face

real danger that lurks
moments of forgetfulness—
stay six feet apart

real danger that lurks
moments of forgetfulness—
feel sick then stay home


© 2020 by Mark Toney. All rights reserved.

The 5 precautions are part of a public service announcement Google is running.  May we all keep ever vigilant in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

asylum seekers
abandon hope who enter-
Don T's inferno

Your own terminal illness
Though you have reasons to dread
think good thoughts instead
Your own terminal illness
Though you have reasons to fear
keep your loved ones near

  Can’t sleep at home
    feeling all alone
    Thoughts do roam in
    dark places unknown
    Thoughts of no tomorrow
    fuel uncontrolled sorrow

  Overwhelming stress
    from so many tests
    Under duress
    with no success
    Lost hope of recovering
    Now death is hovering

Don’t stay discouraged
Face it with courage …

Your own terminal illness
Though you have reasons to dread
think good thoughts instead
Your own terminal illness
Though you have reasons to fear
hold your loved ones dear

  Can’t sleep at home
    feeling all alone
    Thoughts do roam in
    dark places unknown
    Thoughts of no tomorrow
    fuel uncontrolled sorrow
    Lost hope of recovering
    Now death is hovering

Face it with courage …
Your own terminal illness

  Don’t stay discouraged
  Face it with courage
    Beware of rancor
    Hope is an anchor
  (Don’t stay discouraged)
  Face it with courage
    Hope is an anchor
    Face it with courage …


© 2024 Mark Toney

Crazy COVID-19 has us all in a tizzy
Too much information making all of us dizzy
Most who’ve been exposed self-quarantine
Running out of toilet paper making us mean
“Social distancing” is the phrase du jour
Scientists now scrambling to find the cure
Hurry!

(Chorus)
COVID-19 apolitical
Proper testing so critical
Slow response hypocritical
Naysayers hypercritical
Division and strife
Don’t take my life
Give it back!

What started out in China as an epidemic
No respecter of nations totally pandemic
All around the world countries shutting down
Even New York City looks like a ghost town
Is there no end to this viral mess
As our way of life’s forced to evanesce?
Scary!

(Chorus)
COVID-19 apolitical
Proper testing so critical
Slow response hypocritical
Naysayers hypercritical
Division and strife
Don’t take my life
Give it back!


© 2020 by Mark Toney. All rights reserved.

Are you desperate to be right all of the time?
How much better at day's end to be found kind!


© 2020 by Mark Toney. All rights reserved.

"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." ~Mark Twain

A
Baby
Cries,
Demanding,
Emphatic,
Forming,
Growing,
Having
Intelligence,
Joy,
Kindness,
Love.
Mounting
Neuroses,
Outrageous
Propaganda,
Quickly
Remove
Simple
Truth,
Unleashing
Violence-
Wanton,
Xenophobic.
Youthquake
Zeitgeist!


© 2020 by Mark Toney.  All rights reserved.

The alarm blasts me awake
From a fitful night’s sleep,
Another day of bills to pay
And promises to keep.
Dropping Patanol in my eyes
As I attempt to slowly rise,
Feeling distinct deja vus
As my morning coffee brews.

And I make a mental note
To try and get more sleep
Then just as quickly forget
As I leave the room to eat.


Sitting at the breakfast table
Where I find that I am able,
To spend a few, quick minutes,
And rummage through the obits.
Is there someone I know?
And then right before I go,
Count how many are my age
Before I put down the page.

And I make a mental note
To eat less and workout more
Then just as quickly forget
As I rush out the door.


I arrive at my job.
Turn my office doorknob,
Begin my daily routine
Taking breaks in between.
And my boss storms in mad
Says “You did something bad!”

And I make a mental note
To do better next time
Then just as quickly forget
When I leave at closing time.


Returning home feeling famished
I notice some damage
To the roof and the doors
And the siding and floors.
And the gutters are hanging
And the shutters are banging.

And I make a mental note
To make time for repairs.
Then just as quickly forget
As I climb the porch stairs.


I finally make it inside
And after eating decide
To relax in the den
Before my favorite show begins
Then I notice God’s Word
On the table undisturbed.

And I make a mental note
To take time to read God’s Word. . .

Hey, wait!  I can do this now!

So, I open up God’s Word
“faith follows the thing heard”
And I understand the hope
That allows us all to cope

And I make a mental note
To read, meditate and pray.
The Holy Bible gives us courage
So we can face another day!

When my muse ignites
Verse that excites
Then you have me
Dead to rights—
I'm a poet!




© 2020 Mark Toney.  All rights reserved.

suddenly appear
unsuspecting carriers—
Coronavirus



© 2020 by Mark Toney. All rights reserved.

I just feel regret unspoken
I just feel the pain
Since the day you left
My life has been a broken shell
A living hell

I just feel regret
I can't believe I let you go
It was foolish pride before the fall
The day you left when I lost all

I should have said I loved you
I should have made you stay
But I just stood in silence
And watched you walk away

And now I'm only left with my regret

Years have passed
My thoughts they haunt me
What we could have had!
Memories live in my head
But they're not real
And I feel dead

I should have held you closer
I should have made you see
The feelings I have for you
Just what you mean to me

But all I'm left with now is my regret