You've left this world
Now, your pain will cease
Your hurting is over
You will rest at peace

O'er the sea your soul will go
To the land of your forebearers
That you know
Free to walk the highland hills
And look upon us, Ron , until
We meet again

We will see you in the gloaming
As you nod, to say all's fine
We will think of you with comfort
To strains of Auld Lange Syne

You are home now and are waiting
We will all meet once again
As we think of you with fondness
To a haunting pipes refrain.

FORTUNES READ the sign displayed
TRINKETS, CHARMS AND SPELLS
The store had not been here yesterday
shades of candles, books and bell
Drapes were hung from side to side
The windows all were dark
Where was this place a day ago?
Just yards from Salem Park
Gothic kids sat on the stoop
Waiting, hoping to get in
Were they wishing for an audience
Or to confess a mortal sin
The door was red, it's number black
The name of M. Laveau
Was etched into the window pane
It stood out like fresh, new snow
I thought "how kitsch", M. Laveau
New Orleans voodoo Queen
four hundred years since she had died
The best witch the world had seen
don't worry though, the address was
Not numbered 6 6 6
That would have been too hokey
Even my poems aren't that slick
My spider senses tingled
Just a line, not something real
But every now I get sensations
It's just something that I feel
I chose to pass the goth kids
pale, lethargic on the stoop
I figured something's coming
And I'm jumping through it's hoop
Something wicked this way comes
I thught as I went in
But, I was greeted by a little man
About four foot tall and thin
the bell rang loud behind me
As the door closed there behinda
and as the light diminishd
I was standing, slightly blind
The man just stood there staring
then he spoke, a tiny voice
"I know just why you've entered"
"Welcome, Billy Boyce"
I stood there, then I backstepped
How did this many know my name?
I knew it wasn't magic
It was just a parlour game
As my eyes became adjusted
I saw nothing in the room
Just this tiny little elfling
And some shelves, there in the gloom
I said, "I saw your sign, sir"
FORTUNES TOLD, and I'm intrigued
"Can you really tell my fortune?"
"Or are you playing on folks needs?"
"Not me sir, I'm just waitng"
"You see the mistress is not here"
"But, if some silver hits the counter"
"I am sure that she is near"
I thought again of M. Leveau
The Witch Queen, so long dead
But, the way he spoke about her
Seemed to fill me full of dread
I thought of charms and trinkets
But, the empty shelves displayed
Not a bell, a book, or candle
Just a scarf, just slightly frayed
"She can answer all your questions"
"Take the doubt away from life"
"She will open up your minds door"
"She will remove all of your strife"
He could see that I was pensive
I turned and saw something was wrong
Where I knew that I had entered
The front doorway, now was gone
He bade me sit, prepare my thoughts
The Mistress would soon show
I would not have to ask my questions
He said The Mistress, just would know
I thought, Ok, I'll play along
someone's gone to lots of work
But, there was no rooms or doorways
For the Voodoo Queen to lurk
He lit a candle on the counter
Not the window, like Elton John
He told me turn with eyes closed
And when I finished, he was gone
The man left just the candle
Some small match book and a key
Then the wind blew out the tiny flame
And I knew, I had to see
So, I funbled for the matchbook
Lit the candle once again
When the room was now alighted
I had that feeling once again
I knew I was not here alone
Someone else was here, but who
"would you like to take a seat dear sir?"
I just froze, what should I do?
I turned to face the speaker
A young lady, all alone
I just stood there, dumbstuck, staring
Like I had just been turned to stone
I sat as she requested,
In a chair, not there before
she said, "I'll tell your fortune"
"And if you want, I'll tell you more"
She said "you've many questions"
"I can read them in your mind"
"But, you must sit down and focus"
"This is going to take some time"
She spole to me of angels,
both the bad kind and the good
She told me of my watchers
Some who lingered closely in the woods
She told me things no one would know
Unless they'd seen them done
I felt like I'd been torn apart
Shot with a bullet from no gun
She said, "I am the one you think"
"Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen"
I said "I don't believe you"
She said "can you explain, what you have seen?"
I told her no, she had me there
But, why had she picked me
She said, "you have it backwards sir"
"It was your choice to see me"
Paul Prudhomme, New Orleans
The Saints and Dr. John
Katrina and a second line
All the people that were gone
She said "those thought have called me"
"You are someone who believes"
"You will bring life to my city"
"Before you make your choice to leave"
"through task and deed you will bring back"
"New Orleans from the dead"
"You will breath life to this wormy corpse"
"You will help her move ahead"
I told her "your'e mistaken"
"I believe you've got it wrong"
She said "I know of what I'm talking"
"You were singing my favorite song"
The Witch Queen of New Orleans
laughed and said I'd know just when
to start the resurrection
When to build this town again
The wind came up, the room went dark
I was alone in here once more
I again lit the old candle
Saw the thin man and the door
He said "you saw the mistress?"
I told him, she was here
He said " I always miss her"
I said "she'll be back I'm sure, no fear"
He said "you got your answers?"
I told him that I  was not sure
She told me things about me
That I did not know before
I said she laid a challenge
To bring NOLA from the brink
She gave me more questions than just answers
And I needed time to think
He said "I know...she works that way"
And then he bade me well
And the front door slightly opened
And I heard a tiny bell
I walked to it and turned around
I was the only one inside
Had I really seen this little man?
Was the Witch Queen just a lie?
I left the store, the goth kid was gone
I was on the street alone
Was this my imagination?
Or just a story I had known?
I walked a bit and turned to look
Down the street back to the store
FORTUNES TOLD was out of sight
M. LAVEAU was gone once more
I don't know how I'd bring it back
Would the Saints come marching in?
I think it's just up to the people
To breath life in this town again
Blues and Louis Armstorng
The French Quarter, savoir faire
Laissez les bons temps rouler
Listen to Marie Laveau and enjoy all that is there.

People run and people hustle
They push and pull and tug and tussle
For what?

Lines extend around the block
Full of people set to go in hock
For what?

A crushing, living, breathing mass
Who won't subside to let one pass
For what?

Weather good or weather poor
They only want inside the store
For what?

A tale is told of victor's spoils
Of all their silly, shopping toils
For what?

Black Friday shoppers spending all
Filling every shopping mall
For what?

I cannot grasp their need to spend
Tell me when will madness end
For what?

Four days left 'till Christmas
I'm trying to get home to you
I'm in Nevada in the mountains
With the sky an eerie blue
I'm driving past my limit
Awake on pills and joe
Trying to get back cross the country
Trying to beat the coming snow

Snowflakes burst like little bombs
On my windscreen in the night
I can't see where I'm going
My blades are frozen tight
I'm driving to the image
That is fading out of sight
I'm gonna get back home for Christmas
I'm gonna help make Christmas right

Three days now till Christmas
In the Dakotas, stuck in snow
My windows frozen open
And you should hear the winter blow
I'm not stopping 'till I get there
Although you seem so far away
I'm gonna be back home for Christmas
I'll be with you on Christmas Day

Snowflakes burst like little bombs
On my windscreen in the night
I can't see where I'm going
My blades are frozen tight
I'm driving to the image
That is fading out of sight
I'm gonna get back home for Christmas
I'm gonna help make Christmas right

Two days now till Christmas
In Minnesota, freezing cold
I've  drunk five thermos'  full of coffee
I've put my bladder right on hold
I'm blazing through the streamers
Right through the drifts, some ten feet high
I'm driving back to you for Christmas
I'll be back home, unless I die


Snowflakes burst like little bombs
On my windscreen in the night
I can't see where I'm going
My blades are frozen tight
I'm driving to the image
That is fading out of sight
I'm gonna get back home for Christmas
I'm gonna help make Christmas right

One more day till Christmas
I've crossed the line into our state
I'll make it home to you by morning
So, Christmas breakfast...it's a date
I've driven across the country
To get back home, where I should be
I'll be there when you both wake up
Waiting by the Christmas tree

Snowflakes burst like little bombs
On my windscreen in the night
I can't see where I'm going
My blades are frozen tight
I'm driving to the image
That is fading out of sight
I'm gonna get back home for Christmas
I'm gonna help make Christmas right

I watched her get onto the bus
I stood there in the rain
She was off to find her future
I'd not see her again

I watched them load her baggage
Like so many times before
This time I watched the bus leave
And knew I'd not see her no more

Fractured dreams, and broken hearts
Together fourteen yeas
The rain felt quite refreshing
Only raindrops, no more tears

Many times we'd played this game
She'd leave and then come back
If I had to give a number
I'd lie, 'cause I've lost track

She sat beside the window
Looking down, then straight ahead
She was leaving, not on her terms
But this time, my choice instead

Somewhere there's a waitress
I'll find her soon and grab a drink
A celebration bourbon
At least two, I should think

The bus went up the highway
I turned around and walked away
I took my phone out of my jacket
Found the trash, tossed it away

Fractured dreams and broken hearts
I was tired of the game
We'd fought and made up plenty
It always ended up the same

The bus, lost in the distance
In the can, the phone did ring
I laughed and sought that waitress
and the joy that drink would bring

Fractured dreams and broken hearts
The future now was mine
I know it was now over
And it was by my design

I found a bar and went on in
Ordered up two shots, then three
My past was on a greyhound
My future, was up to me

If someone says that freedom's free
Then, they don't have a clue
Of the things they take for granted
And the cost to me and you

Freedom has a price tag
And it's measured out in lives
of sons and missing daughters
In husbands and in wives

The cost of freedom's heavy
No dollar value can be set
Think of those who gave their life
When you next go thank a vet

Freedom is expected
But, freedom isn't free
Sacrifices must be made
If freedom we will see

The choice to fight is simple
It's something someone has to do
A soldier is a hero
He made his choice for you

Next time you hear somebody
Say they deserve all that they get
Take them down to the town legion
And let them say thank you to a vet

I cherish my freedom
Hard earned though it was
Through the abolitionist railway
And those who supported the cause

An African slave,
though free upon birth
I was sold as a slave
And was now bound to the earth

Run for the caves boy
Run for the caves
Run for your freedom
Or die here a slave
Run for the caves boy
Run for the caves
Run for your freedom
Or die here a slave

Late in the dark
I heard of the routes
To the new land of freedom
I was resolute

I would run for my life
Leave my family behind
I would run for the caves
And the new life I'd find

Bound to plantation
I was just something to trade
I would run for my freedom
The decision was made

From South Carolina
I'd head to the coast
I'd run for my freedom
I'd then be a ghost

Follow the signs
That was all that I heard
They know you are coming
Just remember the word

Stray from the darkness
A dead slave you will be
With the last thought you'll have
That you'll never die free

Boats on the seacoast
Up to Salem they sail
Look for the sign
And remember the trail

Make for the caves
They'll find you where
The water is highest
They'll come get you there

From there up to Salem
And one more step to go
Stick with the railroad
The way that they know

Make way when the moon
Is down low in the sky
If you're found in the meantime
It's a fact you will die

Freedom is costly
But, it is within reach
Make for the caves
At the north end of the beach

From New England go on
to the north or the west
Both spell out freedom
The end of your quest

Don't look over your shoulder
just follow the signs
They know you are coming
stay deep in the pines

Remember all those
Who have made Freeman Cave
Follow their symbols
And don't die a slave

There are people who will
Help you free from the strife
But, for now find the caves
And son, run for your life....

Run for the caves boy
Run for the caves
Run for your freedom
Or die here a slave
Run for the caves boy
Run for the caves
Run for your freedom
Or die here a slave

The doorbell rang
I answered it
And standing at the door
Were two men
In their uniform
I knew what they came for

I knew right then
I'd lost you
I was alone
And you were gone
The plans we made together
Were now dust
The plans were done


Friendly Fire, what the hell
I don't know just where to start
Friendly Fire, What Is That
It's left a hole inside my heart
Friendly Fire, that's ok
I can't get it through my head
Friendly Fire, not so bad
I don't get it...dead is dead


You were killed while doing nothing
On patrol, on a safe road
When a soldier hit the button
Dropping his bomb payload

Sixteen men and women
Killed on their side of the wire
But, it's ok, smile now...
They were killed by Friendly Fire



Friendly Fire, what the hell
I don't know just where to start
Friendly Fire, What Is That
It's left a hole inside my heart
Friendly Fire, that's ok
I can't get it through my head
Friendly Fire, not so bad
I don't get it...dead is dead

Do you still die as a hero?
When you don't die in a fight?
Do you still go on to heaven?
Do you still see the same light?

You survived your basic training
You survived the muck and mire
To go and be a victim of
Something called Friendly Fire

Friendly Fire, what the hell
I don't know just where to start
Friendly Fire, What Is That
It's left a hole inside my heart
Friendly Fire, that's ok
I can't get it through my head
Friendly Fire, not so bad
I don't get it...dead is dead

Funny how life works sometimes
And where friends enter your life
Friends who share your happy times
And friends who share your strife

Some times friends are always there
To offer some advice
Other times friends let you know
In words not quite so nice

They help to keep you grounded
Let you know when you've done wrong
They help to keep you centered
Friends are the best kind of old song

Some friends never meet though
They are friends through word alone
But, still you have a friendship
Though you don't talk on the phone

I have many friends like this
Who I listen to at times
Many of them are on here
Just reading all my rhymes

But behind the "like" clickers
Are the true friends who you know
Would shoot you with both barrels
If you ego...well..you know

I have to share a secret
I have one friend like I said
We met while up on facebook
Though a comic known as "Red"

She is a friend...no family
To both us, and Mum as well
And we know when life is over
This friend will not go to hell

She's important to our life now
And I am **** glad that we met
Though we've never met in person
But, we've had laughs we won't forget

Today it is her birthday
She doesn't look her age one bit
And I will not share the number
Or...I'll hear it....sure as ****!!!

There's frost on the pumpkin
My life is nearly done
I've caused a lot of heartbreak
And I had a lot of fun
I lived a life of excess
Lived like I was twenty one
But, there's frost on this pumpkin
And my time here's nearly done

I've done more
in my short life
than most folks
do in ten
there's nothing
that i've done
i wouldn't do again

nothing ventured
nothing gained
you've got to show
you were around
nothing ventured
nothing gained
before they
put you in the ground

leave a mark
large or small
just enough
so people think
do things
that create stories
you can laugh at
with a drink

nothing ventured
nothing gained
time is getting close
there''s frost
on this old pumpkin
there's no
petals on the rose

live your life
with feeling
make sure
they know you're here
be the one
that folks remember
don't live your life
in fear

There's frost on the pumpkin
My life is nearly done
I've caused a lot of heartbreak
And I had a lot of fun
I lived a life of excess
Lived like I was twenty one
But, there's frost on this pumpkin
And my time here's nearly done

It was a night like this
Back in old T. O.
When a woman froze to death
In the cold and frigid snow

I passed her in the morning
I saw her laying on the grate
With all she owned around her
I did not then know her state

It was early nineteen eighty one
The polar winds did blow
A woman froze to death that night
In the cold and frigid snow

It was right outside the local "Y"
The doors were locked up tight
She lay upon the heating grates
To make it through the night

Passers by ignored her
They just looked away instead
In the morning when I passed her
I did not know that she was dead

I think back on that image
Of her laying with her stuff
I ask myself "when will we stop"
"and say enough's enough"

The homeless are not garbage
Disposable, their not
A woman froze to death outside
Is this the best we've got?

A woman froze to death one night
And no one seemed to care
Life goes on with her now gone
As though she was not there

Like the woman back on Church Street
In the cold Toronto snow
The image now is frozen
Like the woman in T.O.

The Funny Man lies dormant
When the Dark Man come around
The Dark Man is oppressive
The Funny Man goes to ground

The Funny Man is hiding
From The Dark Man deep inside
The Funny Man can't beat him
The Funny Man has tried

The Funny Man's a rainmaker
Bringing laughter where it's not
The Dark Man is a monster
Full on vindictiveness and rot

The Funny Man is fragile
The Dark Man knows it's true
The Funny Man needs attention
The Dark Man needs it too

The Funny Man is worldly
But just what makes him laugh
The Funny Man is honored
When you get his autograph

The Dark Man needs no thank you's
The Dark Man has a goal
He will beat The Funny Man to a pulp
And The Dark Man gets his soul

The Funny Man is a fighter
He will give it his best try
But in the end The Dark Man takes control
And the Funny Man must die.....

I'm not too lucky when I gamble
I lose more than I win
I would probably do better
If I tossed my money in a bin

Gambling is not just luck
It's timing and some skill
Some gamble for the fun of it
Some gamble for the thrill

To define exactly what it means
To risk money that you've earned
Means throwing out sensible thought
And not heeding what you've learned

For example, I played poker
And I lost most every cent
I lost my mortgage payment
Now, I'm living in a tent

To win it back I chose to go
And bet double at the track
The first horse that I bet on
Fell and broke his back

The second horse was scratched
I was in for a bad night
My fifth horse only had three legs
And he could just turn right

The next one had a jockey
Who's eyes were badly crossed
I won't tell you how he finished
But, I'll tell you that he lost

To gain back my small pittance
I went to the greyhound track
My first dog had a rider
A small monkey on his back

In the third race I got daring
And I bet on number three
Once the race got started
He had to stop and ***

I picked a dog in the fifth race
Just because I liked his name
It was the best one I had ever heard
"I'MBETYOU'RESORRYTHATYOUCAME"

The odds were long but what the hell
I was now gambling just for fun
Not only did he catch the rabbit
My ****** dog had won

I think I've got the secret now
I know just how to win
If I get tempted to go back and bet
I'll throw my money in the bin.

Everyday I walk the gauntlet
down the street full of despair
No one looking up at me
But, they know that I am there
Cardboard signs expressing life
Shadows and wratihs along the walk
I try to block out what they say
I don't want to hear them talk
I can't look down and notice them
I can not help them all
I can only walk and wonder
Just how far did they fall?

Last week a voice reached out to me
From a shadow no one cast
I recognized the voice, it was
A person from my past
"Mister, can you spare a bit?"
"I'm just down on my luck"
I stopped and stood and waited as
My very breath was ******

I knew this voice, it's owner was
A man I worked with once
Many, many years ago
Back at old A.F.T. Hunts
I turned and looked upon him
This old man on the side
His eyes looked clear on through me
He wouldn't know me if he tried

I reached inside and pulled a bill
five dollars I would give
I knew when he had everything
Now, this is how he lives
I thought before I gave to him
This could easily be me
I knew exactly who'd he'd been
But, he still did not seem to see

I told him to take care and then
I moved on down the street
Not knowing where'd he go to next
If he'd go somewhere warm to eat
I only knew it wasn't far
to reach the gauntlet of despair
But I think from then, I'd never act
As though they were not there.





       

Eyes so wide, and smile bright

You have affected me

You are just a baby

Who will not make it to three

Your skin is pale and gentle

The disease is taking you

There is no explanation

For what you have been through

Gentle child in the night

So soon you leave this earth

You now are with the stars above

And your life did have some worth

I stare up at the night sky

And see your smile bright

You're up there in the heavens

Shining down, you are a sight.

Darling little child

Your parents do not know

to take the news they're given

Their sadness not to show

Your life will be a series

of tests and will be short

You must be strong for your folks now

The ball is in your court.

You're down here for a reason

Though your lifetime will not last

You blink and you are happy

Blink twice and you have passed

Gentle child in the night

So soon you leave this earth

You now are with the stars above

And your life did have some worth

I stare up at the night sky

And see your smile bright

You're up there in the heavens

Shining down, you are a sight.

The strongest people living

I know are not of age

They speak of life acceptance

And they are not filled with rage

They know they'll never marry

That their purpose while they're here

Is to make the world a better place

And face it with no fear

They do not have a future

Of weddings and the like

Some may never,ever,

Get to ride a bike

Gentle child in the night

So soon you leave this earth

You now are with the stars above

And your life did have some worth

I stare up at the night sky

And see your smile bright

You're up there in the heavens

Shining down, you are a sight.

In you I find a calmness

I only wish that could be mine

And you have embraced it quickly

For you have so little time

I will not shed a tear now

I promise you I'll be strong

For you are my hidden backbone

Though, I will not know you long

And yes dear gentle Child

As I look up in the stars

I'll wonder, yes I'll wonder

Just which one you are

And as I stare up at the night sky

And see the stars at night

I'll will think of you dear child

And your smile ever bright.

**** it up, buttercup
Be a man and grow some
Next time go and say hello
And you won't be so lonesome

She's outa my league
She won't talk to me
Start talking to her
And maybe you'll see

Don't be afraid of your own shadow
Don't be afraid to fall
If you see someone you want to know better
Then peel your self off the wall
Perish the thought that they will not like you
You won't know 'till you try
The question to ask is not if they'll like you
the question to ask is why

Get in the game
Don't sit there debating
They're waiting for you to ask
Remember, young man
It takes two to tango
Get moving, that is your task

People need courage
That is a given
Esteem is a tricky dame
But, if you see someone
you want to know better
Get up and get in the game

Don't be afraid of your own shadow
Don't be afraid to fall
If you see someone you want to know better
Then peel your self off the wall
Perish the thought that they will not like you
You won't know 'till you try
The question to ask is not if they'll like you
the question to ask is why

Breaking the ice
Puts you one step closer
To becoming more than a friend
Just sitting in silence
And not being bolder
Leaves you lonely until the end

**** it up baby
Now make the first move
Did you think that they're shy as well
The two of you staring
In silence forever
If you don't talk...you never will tell

Don't be afraid of your own shadow
Don't be afraid to fall
If you see someone you want to know better
Then peel your self off the wall
Perish the thought that they will not like you
You won't know 'till you try
The question to ask is not if they'll like you
the question to ask is why

Are your goals incentive
To get you through your life
Is the end result a good one
Can you share it with your wife
Is it worth all of the struggling
To put up with the muddling
Of folks you just abhore
Of folks you'd soon ignore

Are your children on the sidelines
While you work away your years
Are they just collateral damage
As you work on through your fears
Do you ever think you'r losing them
That you may just be abusing them
Those children there
Show them you really care

Is it time to take a back seat
As you ride upon lifes train
Time to hand over the driving
Or are you to proud to abstain
Do you want to end up all alone
Go and throw the dog a bone
You're almost there
Nobody really cares

Take a step and join them
They're the ones you should support
Give up all the overtime
Or you'll end up in court
A lonely, hopeless businessman
Who always does the best he can
All alone
There's nobody left at home

Share your time with work and family
As you make your way along
Don't forget to hear the music
Don't forget to sing  the songs
It happens so **** easily
You only need to look at me
I stepped back
After a heart attack

Get priorities in order
don't forget just how to play
Don't put it on a bucket list
Go out and start today
The earlier you leave the race
The longer you'll be in this space
Come on...begin
The water's fine...now please jump in.

Well, I've been working out
With my doctor's written blessing
I had to make a real big change
I was having trouble dressing
He said to take it slowly
Try walking then move on from that
So, I did as he suggested
And you know, I still feel fat
I walked on past McDonalds
On past Wendy's , Burger King
I walked right up to Dairy Queen
You know, there's something in this thing
I hid all my remote controls
Now I get off from the couch
I WALK the ...oh say, 'bout 5 feet
see...I'm no longer a couch  slouch
I looked into the mirror
About three weeks into this
And although I'm not impressive
I'm sure something was amiss
I looked down at my stomach
Where I thought my abs should be
And you know, I saw a dent
Yes a dent, looking back at me
Why the hell's a dent down there
I called and asked the doc
He said keep doing what you're doing
You'll get a stomach like a rock
I said, 'I want muscles....doc"
I want those abs of steel
He said it will not happen overnight
Just think how good you feel
I thought, you know he's got it
I felt better with my dent
I guess maybe this doctor
and his ideas were heaven sent
I went back to the mirror
You know...I was feeling rather fine
But, beside my new found dent..
I looked and saw a line
A line, a ****** line
Is this good or is it bad
In two days I've found two body marks
That in my life I'd never had
I eat the things I'm told to
I've added holes to all my belts
I've added dents and lines and marks
And I'm looking rather svelte
It only took persistence
Just one step to get on board
It's nerve wracking getting healthy
I hope I make it ...praise the lord.

I wake up nightly just to ***
I start before I'm there
It might seem strange
But as I age
I really do not care

I wake up to the alarm clock
My back's sore and I ****
My hips are screaming meanies
My chest hurts near my heart

I stumble to the bathroom
Like I did two times last night
My knees are cracking loudly
My head don't feel quite right

My vision is all blurry
My right arm is all numb
Three fingers are all tingly
I've a funny feeling in my ***

My shoulders ache like crazy
I sound like rice crispies with cold milk
I stumble and I bumble
I move as smooth as silk

All of this together
Means I'm alive for one more day
Getting old is ******
What more is there to say?

It seems that every corner
Has a tribute for someone
A bouquet of dead flowers
For the dead, to think upon

Our town is  just littered
I'd say it has more than I like
Of those memorial statues
Painted white, eerie ghost  bikes

At night you know the spirits
Come back just for a ride
The bike, it is a portal
Bringing spirits to this side

To some they are needed
It helps them all to cope
But, to me it is just ghastly
That freezes all your hope

Ghost bikes keep you grounded
They stop you moving on
You aren't living in the present
Being chained to one who's gone

Put a parking lot for ghost bikes
At the cemetary with the stones
There you can sit and think in silence
Just you and all those bones

I know the bikes have meaning
But to me they just show pain
Move them from the public eye
It's time for ghosts to cut the chain

The ghost of Christmas past dropped in
You see. he was completely out of wine
He had two stops to make by three
so, he borrowed some of mine

He asked me how i was getting on
since, he came around that night
with Jacob and the other two
and took me on that flight

i told him i was doing well
but, i thought he had to know
i was succeptible to pnuemonia now
since they dragged me through the snow

it's just the nature of the beast
that you may get a cold
the younger ones, not quite so much
it's just that you were old

i asked him where he had to go
and who he had to see
he told me , Ebby you know the rules
but, i can give you guesses...three

the first place that i'm off to now
is really not that far
this one, used to be a beatle
peace and love is for this starr

i was surprised that it was Ringo
he said, he had to be reeled in
his ego grew a little bit
and to his boss that was a sin

The second place he had to go
he needed wine for the bar
because he was going out to celebrate
and he brought a good cigar

He said this one, he's off his head
He's gone back fifty years
There's a lot of things he needs to see
So, with your wine, I'll need some beers

If everything goes as we hope
And he can make amends
He plans on calling Cuba
And saying...it's time that we were friends

Captains courageous
Out hunting for whale
Ghosts on the water
Still under sail

Whales are all gone now
Time goes so fast
Ghosts on the water
Still a'fore the mast

Yesterday beckons
But no one can see
The ghosts on the water
Still sailing the sea

Hunting for schools
That no longer exist
Ghosts on the water
Sail on in the mist

Captains courageous
Out hunting for blue
Souls lost in stasis
A captain and crew

Looking for something
Fighting waves and the gales
Ghosts on the water
Still under sail

A sailor's adventure
Going where the wind blows
When will the sea bite?
Nobody knows

Ships nonexistent
Hunting whales also lost
Ghosts on the water
Whatever the cost

You can hear them if you listen
When the wind blows in the night
The people who once lived here
Who are gone now, out of sight

The buildings, many shuttered
Housed ten thousand at it's peak
Now empty, vacant, skeltons
Once vibrant, now, so bleak

Silver once was mined nearby
Thousands flocked here for the chance
To strike it rich, be wealthy
Uninvited to the dance

For all that comes with promise
The devil comes as well
With money comes temptations
As the small town starts to swell

Business and homesteads
Spring up where once was none
Lawlessness is rampant
The law is by the gun

Saloons, hotels, and harlots
Soapbox preachers, grab your purse
We all cannot be winners
That is just the boom towns curse

Like a zephyr in the desert
A boom town changes in a flash
Prosperity will vanish
And so does all the cash

The boom town dies as quickly
As a flower in the snow
Scattered now back homeward
With nothing left to show

The earth takes all she's given
The buildings may still stand
But, the mines are all now empty
There's no value to this land

Listen to the voices
The wind let's them sing out
You can hear them in the darkness
That's when the locals all come out

A ghost town is a relic
It shows the best and worst of man
So, listen to the wind now
Hear their stories if you can

Contracts, don't need 'em
Not worth their weight in sand
Make a deal with me, it's good when
I shake you by the hand

A bond that's like no other
Only two good men can make
Is formed when they agree and
They give their hands a shake

Give me your hand brother
Grip it nice and firm
Look me in the eye son,
And this is where you'll learn
A man with a strong handshake
Is a man who'll seal the deal
So, grab my hand, hold firmly
And show me what I say is real

No fancy city lawyers
No judges making deals
A handshake strong and firm
You know the deal is real

Two men, their reputations
Out there laying on the line
Committed by a handshake
And to me, that is just fine

Give me your hand brother
Grip it nice and firm
Look me in the eye son,
And this is where you'll learn
A man with a strong handshake
Is a man who'll seal the deal
So, grab my hand, hold firmly
And show me what I say is real

I looked and saw frost on the pumpkin
Strange because it's July
I don't understand the frosted pumpkin
Can someone tell me why?
I've never seen it this cold in summer
Our old lows are now our new high
I looked and saw frost on the pumpkin
I still cannot figure out why

Birds flying over my back yard
Drop from the sky, all stone dead
There's no reason for this strange occurrence
So, I blame global warming instead
Crows and pigeons drop like missles
Hitting ground and just missing my head
What with this morning cold frost on the pumpkin
and now birds are dropping stone dead

You ask and they tell you don't worry
There's nothing to fear in the sky
It's normal that things like this happen
Things are all born just to die
Global Warming you must be quite crazy
It's a fallacy, it's all in your head
Don't worry about the stock market
Worry about birds hitting your head

A spot has appeared on my rib cage
Just a spot, nothing much, nothing strange
but, since I saw frost on the pumpkin
I keep watching the spot for a change
I used to play out in the sunshine
Now there is a scale, a safe range
I've a spot that just seems to get bigger
I think that my spot's started to change

Water is bottled in plastics
It's not safe to drink out of the tap
the rivers and streams are all dry now
And the trees hardly have any sap
The fish are all farmed in a warehouse
Where they don't swim upstream they swim laps
You can't swim around all the beaches
For the oil wells may blow a cap

You ask and they tell you don't worry
There's nothing to fear in the sky
It's normal that things like this happen
Things are all born just to die
Global Warming you must be quite crazy
It's a fallacy, it's all in your head
Don't worry about the stock market
Worry about birds hitting your head

My grass is a nice shade of brown now
I used to know my grass as green
But, they ban using water in May so,
The weeds are the only green thing that's seen
Pesticides, they are all natural
The government does not say what it means
You can go to the Parliament buildings
Because that's the only grass that is green

Dead birds and frosted up pumpkins
Dry rivers and lakes and dead grass
Say a prayer for them all this next Sunday
and an extra one too at the mass
There is no reason I know of
Don't worry, it will come to pass
That you will have to go to a museum
To see a live bird and green grass

You ask and they tell you don't worry
There's nothing to fear in the sky
It's normal that things like this happen
Things are all born just to die
Global Warming you must be quite crazy
It's a fallacy, it's all in your head
Don't worry about the stock market
Worry about birds hitting your head

Alice was walking
At the back of her yard
when she spotted a gnome
well....standing guard
she knew she was gnomeless
she had a ball and a stone
but there in her garden
was a short, stocky gnome
he knew that she saw him
he tried not to blink
he stopped all his breathing
this'll fool her i think
she walked down the garden
stopped ten feet away
looking close at this person
who was dressed in green gray
she thought, this is crazy
a gnome in my yard
it was then that he moved
and he held out his card
she looked at the writing
it did her no good
it was written in gnomish
and only gnomes understood
the stare off continued
and then she asked loud
who are you, you gnome you
standing so proud
he said, i am biffles
at your service i am
in the back of your garden
here in East Ham
she said, why my garden
what is special to you
about my dear roses
and my runner beans too
he said, that a meeting
of the higher up gnomes
was being held there that night
there were elves and some pixies
and some twenty odd sprite
they were there all around her
though they couldn't be seen
watching her closely
in ten shades of green
well, biffles ...young sir
what is your job while here
you aren't at the meetings
what do you do my dear
i am sargeant at arms
when we're here or at home
i guess you could call me
(wait for it)
yep...i'm a guardin' gnome

The world is now in mourning
For our Queen who has passed on
A son succeeds his mother
A mother who has gone

A King who stood in waiting
Learning lessons from the past
A Prince while on the sidelines
To whom the mantle now is passed

Another one is watching
For his turn the Prince will wait
The King is King through bloodlines
The Queen was Queen by fate

So, once the mourning's over
Let the church bells ring
The Queen has gone to heaven
And so...God Save The King

Grab the keys
The truck is full
Let's head out
hit the road
It's Friday
Time to party
A teenage
secret code

Tweets are out
Friends are set
It's party time
tonight
We're going
out in secret
We'll be home
Before daylight

Going on a back road ride
Deep into the night
Going on a back road ride
It will be out of sight
Going on a back road ride
Won't be back until the morn
Going on a back road ride
In the fields beyond the corn

We're teenagers
It's what we do
It's how we find
out who we are
Like our parents
did before us
We're following
Our star

We learn
about each other
We learn
Where we should go
We set a path
Into the future
With the star
From long ago

Going on a back road ride
Deep into the night
Going on a back road ride
It will be out of sight
Going on a back road ride
Won't be back until the morn
Going on a back road ride
In the fields beyond the corn

She gathered her belongings

Checked her purse for her house keys

She was going outside today

She was gonna see the trees

The colors now were beautiful

The leaves had all now changed

She was going out alone this time

It was going to be strange

She was looking at the painting

Mother nature had laid out

Of reds and golds and browns and such

And so, she chose to venture out

She checked her purse again to see

That her house keys were inside

She was going out by taxi

She was going for a ride

From where she lived she saw no trees

She only saw more walls

In fact she rarely ventured out

She never went out in the halls

For forty years that she'd been here

The neighborhood had switched

From one with houses and nice trees

To one that looked bewitched

She moved here back in sixty two

The new hi-rise on the block

There were parks and it was nicer then

You could go outside and walk

But the years went by and things, they changed

The old houses all came down

New hi-rise buildings all went up

It had become a low-rent town

There were no more parks to go  to

The street lights, most were dark

You couldn't walk alone past five

You no longer heard dogs bark

The gangs moved in, but still she stayed

She wouldn't move, this was her home

Her husband died in ninety four

And now she was alone

She would not leave, this was her place

She was the first one to move in

She wouldn't leave when her Georgie died

And she would not  move for them.

The police checked in on her each week

They begged her not to stay

There were shootings, muggings all that stuff

But each time she told them "Nay"

For eighteen years she'd never left

She'd never been outside

Her groceries were delivered

And every week she'd tried

To leave her little prison, that had become her cell

But every time she tried to leave

She'd look out and she'd see hell

What kind of life did she now live

Where she couldn't see the cars

She'd had two pairs of blackout drapes

And her windows all had bars

It was not what she had started with

But, still it was her home

But she never ventured out of it

She just always stayed alone

At night she'd hear things and she'd cry

to get herself to rest

For once she knew this neighborhood

It was her city's best

But today, she'd made her mind up

She would venture out that door

She would take herself out to the trees

She would go see them once more

once more she checked her handbag

And she found her keys were there

And then she put her purse back down

And she went back to her chair

She'd never go outside again

No trees would she 'ere see

She would stay inside her unit

Behind the bars in five oh three
..

just going sideways
won't get you to the top
you'll meet others going sideways
and at some point you'll just stop

really, going sideways
means at the bottom you must be
i can move you on from sideways
if you'll just listen to me

it's time to make a change now
time to make a change
you don't exactly know how
but, it's time to make a change
going sideways gets you nowhere
so, it's time to rearrange
so, hang on tight
it's time to make a change
rearrange your life and make a change

do something different
that you have never done
go on out...just somewhere
and try and have some fun

increase your interactions
maybe even try to smile
instead of always driving
maybe go and walk a mile

it's time to make a change now
time to make a change
you don't exactly know how
but, it's time to make a change
going sideways gets you nowhere
so, it's time to rearrange
so, hang on tight

you'll find others going sideways
so, grab them for the ride
it's better moving upwards
instead of side to side

your life is an adventure
and you'll find out you will grow
if you switch the sideways shift
and upwards choose to go

it's time to make a change now
time to make a change
you don't exactly know how
but, it's time to make a change
going sideways gets you nowhere
so, it's time to rearrange
so, hang on tight

Behind the evening's golden glow
The skies are hiding early snow
The road leads homeward toward the glow
Day is done, it's time to go

The gold shows ending of the day
The clouds show snow is on the way
Time to ride and not to stay
I've got to put this one away

Amber fills the autumn skies
Signalling the storm behind it lies
It's time to say our fair goodbyes
And be serenaded by coyote cries

The golden sheen is the sign
Your day is done, as is mine
I'm heading west along the line
Back to the ranch "The twisted nine"

A golden glow before the clouds
filled with snow, a winter shroud
I know the wind is getting loud
So I am off to beat the crowd

Behind the evening's golden glow
The skies are hiding early snow
The road leads homeward toward the glow
Day is done, it's time to go

His light is out
But, the sky is brighter
Prisoner 46664
The Worldly fighter

His battle over
The fight still on
Prisoner 46664
His being gone

A man of compassion
Now at rest
His Legacy now
Will be the true test

His body is resting
His light in the sky
A man of the people
No Madiba....No Cry

Our family got the news today
Our bubba's gettin' hitched
Young Daisy Mae, she's near fourteen
Got our boy bewitched
He's sayin' that he loves her
He's making her his bride
She's the first to get him this close
Though not too many tried

We've got to get things ready
Send invitations and make candles
We've got to get the good jars out
The one's that still have handles
The minister is on alert
We've got to make some shine
Grandpa says he'll make some up
But, it will not all be mine

Gonna have a wedding, a real old fashioned bash
With all sorts of kissin cousins drinkin from their secret stash
The food will be impressive, there'll be turkey, pig and cow
The family won't get bigger, since we're related anyhow

This time there'll be no shotgun
Like the last time for old Ben
This time the guns are empty
Not the way they were back then
The banjos will be tuned up
There'll be music in the air
The cops won't try to stop it
I think most will all be there

The ladies will be planning
Just how to serve up all the grub
While Bubba has to find a suit
And therein lies the rub
He's never worn a suit at all
Not even for a day
He's only dressed in coveralls
And that's how he's gonna stay

Gonna have a wedding, a real old fashioned bash
With all sorts of kissin cousins drinkin from their secret stash
The food will be impressive, there'll be turkey, pig and cow
The family won't get bigger, since we're related anyhow


It'll be a **** dang doodle
A hell of a good time
It'll only be completed
When they run out of the shine
there'll be singing and some dancing
Underneath the harvest moon
We can't wait for it to happen
It cannot come too soon

There'll be readings from the bible
Which the minister will read
And as good holy Christians
Everyone will heed
There's sure to be some fighting
Before the couple say "I do"
I mean, they are both cousins
I'm gonna go...aren't you?

Gonna have a wedding, a real old fashioned bash
With all sorts of kissin cousins drinkin from their secret stash
The food will be impressive, there'll be turkey, pig and cow
The family won't get bigger, since we're related anyhow

The big time's coming
Can't you hear it in the air
You know the big time's coming
It's close, I'm just not quite sure where

The road to the top of the mountain
Takes time and that's a fact
But, we're heading up the mountain
We're heading forward and not back

Little clubs and back road bars
Pick up trucks and rented cars
Watered drinks and cheap cigars
That's the road we're taking

Playing hard for not much money
Looking back it seems so funny
Touring ***** without my honey
Watch us close...we'll soon be there

The big time's in our future
We'll make it soon enough
We don't need The Voice or Idol
We'll make it cause we're tough

We play our tunes and covers
If we don't know it, we will learn
We're on the road to hit the big time
We'll be on top when it's our turn



Little clubs and back road bars
Pick up trucks and rented cars
Watered drinks and cheap cigars
That's the road we're taking

Playing hard for not much money
Looking back it seems so funny
Touring ***** without my honey
Watch us close...we'll soon be there

Fighting through the work week
Friday night is coming
Gonna have a party
Do some drinking and some strummin'

Bury all my stresses
Put them all away for now
Gonna have a party
And I'm gonna have it now...

Gonna have a party ..party time is here
Gonna have a party with some barbeque and beer
Having all my friends round, making noise so  you can't hear
Gonna have a party with some barbeque and beer

Watching as the clock moves
Slowly at the end
It's almost five o'clock
Then I'm gonna party with my friends

Waiting for the weekend
Gonna party right on through
But first, we gotta get there
Then you know what we will do...

Gonna have a  party..party time is here
Gonna have a party with some barbeque and beer
Having all my friends round, making noise so you can't hear
Gonna have a party with some barbeque and beer

I remember the advice
I remember every word
Grandad sat me down and said
Kids should be seen,  not heard
Always turn the other cheek
Unless he hits you first
I'll always wash your mouth with soap
If I find out you've cursed
Always treat folks with respect
Be polite and never smoke
Always use good manners
And don't tell ***** jokes

He smiled when he said this
A little twinkle in his eyes
Don't believe a word of these
They're all confounded lies

No one learns a thing at all
By doing what they're told
I'm talking from experience
Listen son...I'm old

Read the good book daily
But, just use it as a guide
Remember, they're just stories
Not hard rules to abide

Grandad always had a drink
and his pipe was always full
He'd always wink at me
When he was spouting bull

Rules are to be broken
That's just how you learn
Respect is not a given
It's something that you earn

He'd let me sip a little beer
And sometimes smoke the pipe
But, he always took his hanky out
And gave them both a wipe

One thing Grandad always said to me
You always must be clean
People care about where you're going
They don't care where you've been

Grandad gave advice for free
Not the same as mum and dad
The advice I got from granddad
was the best I ever had

I'm almost 84 now
And I'm still breaking all those rules
I've found that those who never did
Ended up a bunch of fools

Remember the good book is for guidance
They're just stories someone told
You can learn more stuff if you listen
To someone who's grown old.

"Your father wants to talk to you"
"He said he'll meet you at the club"
I thought, I haven't done much wrong
And therin lies the rub
Sixteen years old, the time had come
For the old many to do his duty
He was gonna tell me just the things
To help me land some ******
I changed my shirt, got showered quick
And drove off to meet my dad
I always wondered what this'd be like
You know, it made me kind of glad
Most things I knew, I got from friends
And most I guess was wrong
My mum said, "He'll buy dinner"
So, I guessed the talk was long
I'd seen Playboys, Penthouse, Hustler babes
they all set my mind ablaze
I think I saw a **** girl once
Not sure though, there was haze
I parked the car and grabbed my clubs
Met my dad on the first tee
He said "Boy, I'm glad to see you're here"
"I'll be back, I've got to ***"
I said that Mom informed me that
It was time to have the "talk"
He said "I guess we'll take a cart"
"We can't have the chat and walk"
I waited for the first big point
Information that I'd need
You see, the stuff I'd heard till then
Was nothing good or that I'd heed
"Son"....he said and cleared his breath
Here it comes, the talk had started
"Remember to excuse yourself"
"so no one knows you've farted!"
What the hell was that I thought
Maybe he was warming up
He took another sip of beer
But, he would not put down the cup
"Son, this is not easy..."
"There's alot I want to say"
I thought OK here goes
Today will be the day
"Never...never leave de-icer"
"In the car on an icy winter day"
"It won't help you inside the car"
"And you;ll still need triple A"
What? I thought...that's not the talk
This would not help me get laid
"Son, always put some cash aside"
"Every week when you get paid"
"Dad, are you sure this is the talk"
"The one we're supposed to do"
"I thought this was about having ***"
"That's what I had thought...did you?"
"Son, you have to give me time"
"I'm new at this you know"
"I'm sorry Dad, It's just....I thought"
"We'd talk of strippers and of hoes"
"We'll get there son, just give me time"
Then he hit me with a thought
"you can use an old banana peel"
"to clean shoes stained with salt"
salt stains, savings, locked doors, farts
This was not what I expected
But, at least he was here, out with me
And his duty was not neglected
"Dad, I know most of this stuff"
"And I know this is quite tough"
"But, I thought we'd speak of other things
"Like treating women soft or rough"
"****, son....I can't tell you that"
"Your mum would have my nuts"
"I can tell you lots of other things"
"If I did, she'd whip our butts"
"Now, listen close I've more to say"
"It's how to remove a broken light"
"You can use an raw potato"
"Stab it then you turn it right"
"Thanks, dad....but, I'm gonna go"
"As soon as we're done nine"
"I'm gonna go out to the mall"
"You can go and drink some wine"
"I appreciate your candor"
"And Dad, thanks for the advice"
"But, most of this you've said before"
"And now I've heard it twice"
"I'm sorry son, I tried my best"
"But if it's the *** talk that you want"
"I guess I'll have to do it"
"It's just not knowledge that I flaunt"
"Listen close, I'll not say this again"
So, I pulled the golf cart off  to the side
It was finally gonna happen
I hope the talk was worth the ride
He took a breath and stared at me
Then in one almighty rush
Came a word barrage like none I'd heard
It was an awful aural crush
"NEVER DATE TIJUANA HOOKERS
THEY WILL MAKE YOUR THING GO GREEN
THEY DO NOT ALWAYS SHOWER
AND MOST ARE REALLY MEAN
WEAR A ****** WHEN YOU DO IT
ALWAYS CLEAN UP WHEN YOU'RE DONE
NEVER TELL A GIRL YOU LOVE THEM
UNTIL YOU'RE SURE THAT THEY'RE THE ONE
YOU'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND EMOTIONS
I'M 52 AND I DON'T YET
AND IT'S EASIER TO ENTER
WITH FOREPLAY TO GET HER WET
NEVER TELL YOUR GIRLFRIEND
EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT TO DO
AND ALWAYS  ASK "CAN WE MAKE LOVE?"
AND DON'T SAY "WANNA *****?"
The Old man, sat, exhausted
I just sat there, stunned as well
He got the talk done in one big sentence
It was something that I would not tell
We'd bonded at that moment
Father, Son had reached a stage
Where we both could not return from
We both had turned the page
I hugged him close and shook his hand
I thought, this talk could not be nicer
"Dad" I said...."Please tell me more"
"Where should I store the lock de-icer?"

I'm sure the day will come
When you'll look back in time
And think of all the hearts you broke
And one of them was mine

You won't look back regretful
I'm sure you will not remember when
My heart was in your orbit
Along with those of other men

Broken hearts and empty beds
Are littered in your wake
You've done more damage than Katrina
And just for your own sake
You're nothing more than selfish
Although I used to love you so
I am grateful for the blessed day
That I grew up and made you go

Loneliness is awful
No one around as you age
You may still be an actress
But, you're the only one on stage

The character you're known for
Is a nasty one I fear
A heartbreaking shrew witch
to put it kindly dear

Broken hearts and empty beds
Are littered in your wake
You've done more damage than Katrina
And just for your own sake
You're nothing more than selfish
Although I used to love you so
I am grateful for the blessed day
That I grew up and made you go

I know men that once did love you
They are doing better now
There are more than I imagined
Stand on up and take a bow

Feelings of resentment
Not from this well mannered guy
I just thought I'd take a moment
To write this and say good bye

Today my world is darker

There's a shadow on my mind

We lost another fighter

But, that's what God designed

He took our friend too early

We weren't set to let her go

But she's in a better place now

And we have to let her know

We are thinking of her always

And her fight, we'll carry on

Her battle against cancer

Is still a battle to be won

Tonight, the sky's a little brighter

Ruth will smile on our world

And her star will get much stronger

As the darkness is unfurled

We all feel slightly empty

Because we couldn't say goodbye

But, there's ways to overcome that

Just open up and try

We'll surely miss her smile

And the way she made us feel

I know this happened, quickly

It all just seems so **** surreal

But, keep her memory close now

She would not want us to fret

For in truth, she's the bestest Angel

That heaven's ever  gonna get

We know we all will miss her

And you know this is the truth

She's is no longer in pain now

It's time to say goodbye to Ruth.

It was a Saturday afternoon
The legion branch was full
The band was playing some old twangy country song
The front four tables were singing along
Up at the bar
A steady line up of Nevada players
hoping for another jackpot
to cover another few beers
And to make the afternoon last
Nothing worse, than having to milk
a weak draft for an hour
Until the men came back from horseshoes
About three o'clock
the branch livened up as Jimi McGonagle arrived
grandson of the past president
and general all about me, *******
He was strutting around
showing off his new tattoo
No different than his other
thirty or so, but it was new
and it was Jimi McGonagle
so everyone wanted to see
He was proud he now had eight peacocks
All up one leg....there's a joke here
But, even I won't go that far....
The crowd swarmed around him
But, in the back corner
The table....I mean THE TABLE...
didn't move a muscle
In fact out of the three individuals at THE TABLE
Two continued with their dart game
while the third just chuckled, let out a loud
HARUMPH
and went back to his screwdriver
with the quickly melting ice cubes
famous at all legions for helping water down the drinks
Jimi, heard the HARUMPH and looked back
The old man took a slug from the glass
and HARUMPHED louder
Jimi, perplexed, came over to see what was the matter
"Don't like my tattoos Mr. Stein?"
HARUMPH..."they're fine, if you like that kind of thing"
said the old man, knocking back his glass again
"Gives me eight peacocks on my leg now" said Jimi
Again, no response from me on the possible joke here
"cost me almost $700 bucks to get this one done"
"HARUMPH" said the old man....
"What is wrong with you Mr. Stein?"
"Don't like it?"
"Like I said...."
"I know, I know"....said Jimi
"Got any ink?" asked Jimi
"Yep" answered the old man, as a fresh glass arrived
He took a slug...
"So?"...said Jimi, "Is it any better than my peacock?..
"Maybe..maybe not"...said the old man
"It just depends"
The crowd had moved away and was dropping back to the bar area
"Can I see it?" asked Jimi..."What is it?"
"'tain't much to speak of...but I'll show you"....
"Just quit strutting around and sit....and I'll have another screwdriver"...
Jimi sat, and the old man looked him in the eye
"Don't have much colour, like your'n do...don't have any at all"...
"But, a tat's a tat, and you want to see it"...."You sure?"
Jimi nodded, ordered the drink for the old man
"HARUMPH"...said Mr. Stein
He unbuttoned his shirt cuff on the left side
and rolled it up, with his big, beefy, work worn hands
"There she be" he said
"Where", said Jimi
"There'n, on my wrist....just there"
"All I see is a number, an old, worn number"
"That'd be her" said Mr. Stein...."It's all I got, and it's all I need"
"What is it?" asked Jimi
"It's who I am...who I was reduced to"
"It's my curse, and my strength"...
"I was 17 when I got this in Hammelburg, Germany"....
"It was 1943 and we were rounded up"
"and sent to the camps...we were some of the last jews"
"they missed us in the first go round"
"gave me this...don't need another one"
"It's me...this number....it's me"
"Yours are nice...colourful....but are they you?"
"Mine is me"...
"You can see...I have ink....only one....don't want anymore"
"Can I sit a while?" asked Jimi
"Sure, son"...."you can tell me 'bout them silly peacocks"
"Bartender....two screwdrivers"
...and so developed a new and deep friendship....

Gram had an old piano
It sat in the front room
There was a scorch mark on the top
Made by a cigar from the past
It always sat there silent
I never ever saw it played
But, I heard of all the parties
And the music from gram
She told us kids "don't touch it"
"Just leave it all alone"
So, we left it like she told us
We did as we were told
Even though we'd heard the stories
Of the music and the parties
And the fun that used to be
We watched as Gram would sit
Close her eyes, and fade out
To the parties and the music
And the good times of the past
She'd leave us to our own devices
Of which one, was not the piano
She told us it had been there
Since about nineteen sixty four
And to me, that's a long time
Especially for a piano to not be played
It had to be out of tune by now
But, we'd neve know
She'd tell us of the parties
How the neighbors would drop by
How the music would be lively
Then, she'd fade off once again
Back to the parties and the past
There were mice living in the piano
At least if not now, there once were
You could see droppings in the corner
And the scratches by the pedals
But, we never saw the mice
I guess they knew the piano was out of bounds too
As we got older and time passed by
We wouldn't go to Grams place as much
And she never moved the piano
We would still hear the stories
Either on the phone or during the visits
Both were more infrequent as we all aged
We knew she'd fade off
Sometimes during our chats on the phone
Sometimes during our visits
Back to the past
To the parties and the music
Gram passed last year
While she was sitting in her chair
She went to the past
And stayed there while I was making tea
I ended up with the piano
I can't play, not that I ever would
None of the other could either
But, I was the oldest
Now, every so often, I'll fade out
Back to the stories of the parties
That I never went to
And I think about the music
That I never heard
But, I remember how she said it was
How it must have sounded
The fun they had
The fun she was reliving
Grams piano sits in my house now
In the hall never played
It sits with its memories
Announcing what we all had missed
It sits, silent, and it's me who shares the tales
To all who will listen when they visit
I got Grams piano and I didn't get the mice

You know when you are growing up

The stages you go through

Make you the way you are

They help to make you...YOU

The people who you deal with

Whether family or your friends

Are very influential

And they're with you 'till the end

But little things they tell you

Might  get on your last nerve

You know you sometimes hate them

And it's not something they deserve

I miss my Grandad fiercely

Now, more than before

I wish I'd listened closely

And I wish I'd listened more

You know the tales that old folks tell

The one's we love to hate

Like "you've not got it hard boy"

"You've got it ****** great"

We all know about the walk to school

The uphill walk both ways

About how they only had an orange

And it had to last four days

You know they meant the best for you

But, that's not how it came off

You'd love to go and visit

But, you also loved to scoff

Times were always harder then

You never knew what you had

At least that was the feeling

That I got from my Grandad

They all got married younger

They were stronger in their minds

We were lazy, non-commital

To hard work, we were blind

So, every time a visit

Came around, I'd ask to stay

I'd rather be at home alone

Than with Grandad for the day

But, one day changed my feelings

I learned what Grandad was about

When I went there for a visit

And my Grandad took me out

We went out for a road trip

That my parents did allow

And that road trip still stays with me

My eyes were opened....wow!

He knew I would have rather

Stayed at home and not been there

But, I went out for my parents

And he knew I didn't care

First he took me to a building

"I'm just here to quaff a brew

And while I'm sitting with my cronies

There's something you must do."

I didn't know it was a legion

And he handed me a book

He said this was a memoriam

And that I should have a look

Each face I saw stare back at me

Had died before their time

They went to fight for freedom

Not just theirs, but yours and mine

Mere children when you think back now

And how they went to war

They would forever be this young

And would not age forever more

Grandad said, "We're going"

"We have another stop"

And it was at this destination

That the other penny dropped

He took me to a statue

In the park, so resilute

It was stone and bronze and copper

And my Grandad did salute

The cenotaph he called it

I'd not heard that name before

He said it was a monument

To those who'd gone before

The names and the young faces

That I'd seen that afternoon

Were honored by this edifice

That stood like a Roman Ruin

"Each town" he said gave their young men

To make sure  Freedom reigned

"And each Legion has a book like ours

So we don't forget their names"

I stepped back from the statue

that honored our towns dead

He said, "do not salute"

"you can stand and bow your head"

That day, My Grandad reached out

And he made me understand

All those things he'd told me

And what it takes to be a man

Now, years have passed and he is gone

I miss him every day

"We walked up hill both ways to school"

I'd love to hear him say

Forty years have come and gone

Now, I'm a Grandad too

I've two grandkids I'd love to see

And, I hope they'd love to see me too

But, just like me when I was young

They want to live their life

They'd rather spend time with their friends

Than with their Grandad and his wife.

My son dropped by the other day

And the kids came to say hi

I'd love to see them more than this

And that's the reason why

I loaded up the car with them

"I' won't be long my dear"

"We're just off for a short road trip "

"Just to go and have a beer"

She smiled, she knew the reason

And I know that she is glad

For I want them to be proud of me

Like I was, my Old Grandad.

I'm no good in a kitchen but, I can cook stuff all the same
Around here, say "the recipe" and most folks know my name
It hasn't changed in fifty years, and folks still drink it up
I've been making it with my granddad since I was just a pup

I"ve been racing cars through out these woods since before most learn to drive
I've been chased by cops and revenuers, I surprised I'm still alive
The funny thing, they know the route, and I always make the border
Because if they ever caught me, I would just cancel their order

Magic comes from our hard toil
Once it travels through the coil
We cook it slow on a low boil
It's cooked according to old Hoyle
It's magic in a glass
And it'll put you on your ***


In all the years that we've been cooking we've only moved on twice
Not because the cops found us, but because of all the mice
Grandpappy started cooking when the jobs round here dried up
And me, I've been his helper since I was just a pup

Everyone's on credit, we all live on iou's
There's still no jobs around here, there just isn't no good news
But, if folks round here need healing, we've got magic in a jug
Our granddads old elixir is a moonshine mountain hug

Magic comes from our hard toil
Once it travels through the coil
We cook it slow on a low boil
It's cooked according to old Hoyle
It's magic in a glass
And it'll put you on your ***

I remember my old Grampa
And the way he used to look
He had so many stories
He was much better than a book

I remember on our visits
While the folks would head outside
Gramps would get us grandkids
And take us for a story ride

He'd hitch up the hay wagon
We'd get up and off we'd go
Then gramps would start to talking
And so began the show

He'd tell us all the stories
Of our folks when they were young
Some he had to censor,
And sometimes bite his tongue

Now, Grandpa told the stories
Whether we were in or out
And we'd all sit and listen
To what they were all about

When we'd gather by the fire
He'd pull up his rocking chair
He'd have his pipe and all us grandkids
And his dog, Whiskey, always there

We'd all sit in front of Grandpa
We'd want to take in every word
And he would speak up louder
To make sure that we heard

He'd tell us tales of Cowboys
Of bank robbers and the trail
Of how the west became the west
And how his horse once lost his tail

The folks would gather round too
When it was almost time to go
But, Grandpa, being Grandpa
Wasn't set to end the show

See, he'd told the tales forever
To our folks and all their friends
You could tell that some were truthful
And in some the truth....well....bends

The older ones among us
Knew deep down that most were fake
But, to see old Grandpa work the room
Man, that man just took the cake

We'd get together monthly
All us kids stayed close to home
We weren't like lots of others
Who had that built in urge to roam

The stories, we'd learn later
Were mostly from TV
He'd be talking of those cowboys
And of how things used to be

A few years back we lost him
His dog had up and died
Gramps old heart was broken
He couldn't take it, though he tried

My brother tells the stories,
Not as good as Gramps at rhyme
But, the kids all hunker round him
I'm sure that he'll be good in time

We still go on the hayrides
Tell ghost stories now instead
To all us grown up grandkids
We still hear grandpa in our head

Each month we get together
There's near a hundred now in all
The kids go with my brother
And he tells tales ten feet tall

The stories are consistent
Of old cowboys and the west
I can close my eyes and listen
And still like Grandpa's versions best

I remember it like yesterday
We came together one last time
To not be there for Grandad Bill
Would surely be a crime

For three months now, he'd not been well
And the end was getting near
We would all be home for Christmas
Grandpa Bill's last one I fear

The tree was in the corner
Like it had been for so long
To see the corner empty
Well, boy, that would be wrong

Aunts and Uncles gathered
Cousins, twelve more than before
The whole house went so silent
When Grandpa Bill came through the door

He looked so frail, not who I knew
With two canes to help him walk
This was not the Grandpa of my past
I was afraid to hear him talk

His chair was by the fire
And he spun, and then sat down
In a voice, barely a whisper
He asked for his old dressing gown

"The cold is goes on through me"
"I don't want to catch a chill"
"This won't be my last Christmas"
"Or my names not Grandpa Bill"

He poked softly at the fire
Got a flame, an orange sail
Then his eyes, his eyes....they twinkled
And he told a Christmas tale

He spoke of being younger
Much younger than we were
And of how Christmas was so different
And of trees of spruce and fir

He spoke of sleigh rides in the mountains
Of making snow men in the yard
Of staying up to watch for Santa
You never did...it was too hard

His voice, it gained a power
It grew stronger as he spoke
I saw life come into Grandpa
As I ignored my *** and coke

Grandpa Bill was happy
This was his family after all
And at least for this short moment
We listened to his tales...so tall

We knew that what he said
Was filtered, and cleaned up
The truth, well....it came later
Once Grandpa Bill had drank a cup

After tales were told and argued
As to who said what to whom
We quickly brought out Christmas Dinner
And we filled the dining room

Grandpa Bill just sat there
A big smile on his face
He looked at all around him
Grandpa Bill was in his place

The jokes and stories lessened
As Christmas Dinner came and went
Then Grandpa Bill walked to the bedroom
An old man, now gray and bent

He said he'd have a lie down
But, not to worry about the noise
"My hearing's not the best no more"
"So, let the kids play with their toys"

Grandpa Bill's last Christmas
Ended with him in the bed
He passed while he was sleeping
After all of us were fed

I won't forget that Christmas
So many years have passed
For I still tell Grandpa's stories
And leave the blue ones...till the last

Grandpa Bill is not forgotten
His chair sits empty, as it should
And the tree....it's in the corner
Where Grandpa Bill said.."It looked good"

The other afternoon I got a message
From a friend about my latest musing
He said he didn't understand the poem
And in fact, it was confusing
He told me how he'd read some others
And they made no sense at all
And he said, he'd fix my problem
And he gave me a number to call
As one who likes a challenge
And not one to turn away
I phoned the gifted number
That's why I'm here today

"Welcome to the Group Encounter
It's group therapy for beginners
Your problems we will fix
And will help make you all winners"
At least that's what the sign said
I felt like I was being led to slaughter
But, I told my friend that I would go
And if I say yes....I gotta!!
The room was bright and cheerful
No silly signs upon the walls
I saw nothing else of much importance
There were no chairs, just *****
Eight people came, we took attendance
Which I found funny, since no one knew
Our real names, or our problems
I stood behind a ball of blue
The leader was a man...a doctor
He said it was good to see us all
I smiled back, and gave a greeting
I remembered the silly sign out in the hall
He informed the group that at this meeting
We didn't have to say a word
I thought that wouldn't help me with my problem
But I might learn from what I heard
"My name is Bill, and I'm an addict
came a voice so soft and meek
I like ******* and thighs and *******"
"Bill, you say that every week"
For those of you new to our meeting
Bills a butcher, not a freak
He always says this as his welcome
I made a note...Bill's help..don't seek!!
"I am Julie, I'm an addict
I drink all day and through the night"
Now, we're talking..I was thinking
Here is someone who's not right
"Hello Julie"....we all answered
I was anxious for her tales of *****
But, what a downer was old Julie
She just drank milk, her tale's a ruse
Julie really didn't drink much
She just needed to get out
Her mother thought she was a loner
She's sit around the house and pout
Bill the butcher and our lactaid milkmaid
really made me wish I'd not
phoned the number from my buddy
Some magic beans...that's what I'd bought
I stood and looked upon the faces
I'll make up something for their ears
I stood and said "My name is Shecky"
"and what I'll say, will bring you tears"
"I'm an addict, a man of knowledge"
"I have to know what makes things tick"
"I know this meeting's for beginners"
"But, I am here because I'm sick"
I told them that I liked dissection
Like Bill the butcher, only more
I described a surgical procedure
And two folks ran right out the door
I smirked a bit, my act was working
I had them wrapped, intent and deep
Now into their heads, I would start working
And in I'd run, I would not creep
More tales of blood and carnage
Sent two more people on their way
The lactaid milkmaid made her exit
I thought for sure, she'd be one to stay
I talked for oh, say forty minutes
The doctor, stood, his mouth was wide
The others too, sat gobs wide open
I think a small dog would fit inside
The doctor said, our time was over
He'd pulled me over for a chat
"I think you need more than you'll get here"
"Did you really do that to a cat?"
I just grinned, I'd had some fun here
I'd not return, that much I knew
The night was not a total loss
On my exit, Bill said I could be a butcher too!!
I called my friend when I got home
I told him of the night of fun
He listened close to what I told him
And he laughed loud, at what I'd done
He told me he had learned his lesson
And my meetings tale was most amusing
From now on, he'd not dissect
And not look deep into my musings
I said my words were there to look at
To confuse your mind is not my task
But, if you like what you have read...please
click "like" or comment....that's all I ask.

I'm a graying aged gunfighter
Time to get out of the game
I can not see to shoot my gun
I can not see to aim

I used to be the best there was
The top of every list
Now I can't hit a **** barn door
I shot at one and missed

I could out draw anyone
Who faced me on the street
Now, I'm more than likely
To put a bullet 'tween my feet

I play a little poker now
Spend my days just passing time
I break even mostly
The way I play, well, that's a crime

No one round here knows me
They don't know about my past
To them I'm just a codger
I don't do one **** thing fast

I noticed things were changing
Ten years back I'd say
I had a gun fight in Dodge City
And it didn't go my way

I threw down with some punk kid
He was drunk and really ******
I got my gun stuck in my holster
He fell down, he shot, he missed

I walked to him now laying
In the street, out cold, not dead
I took his gun and holster
And then went home to bed

A gunfighter of substance
Would have killed me where I stood
Was I lucky he was drunk then?
Or was I losing it for good?

I packed my stuff up in the morning
I left the town later that night
The next fighter might be sober
And I'd not survive that fight

I took off for the desert
Made plans just where I would go
A state where I could hide out
Where my past, no one would know

On the way I stopped and practiced
Shot some cactus and some trees
I was shooting though at rabbits
I can't survive here eating these

One day, a rogue coyote
Came and took me by surprise
I shot a tree, it fell on him
I aimed between his eyes

The sooner I got settled
The safer I would feel
Too much longer in the desert
I'd end up some varmints tasty meal

I rode on in to where I am
I can't tell you just what town
I've got to keep it secret
Or I may just get shot down

I have a small room at the hotel
I play cards to pay the rent
I speak with a slightly muddled accent
I try to be a southern gent

I've been here now for near six months
The town is growing fast
So, my time here might be cut short
With the future, comes my past

For now I just play poker
An old gunfighter at heart
One day I know they'll find me
I'll go to boot hill in a cart

I'm an aged old gunfighter
There's not many still around
I'm hiding now from my last gunfight
That will put me six feet in the ground.

I march to a different drummer
My life it is my own
I'm an explorer of experience
That is how I'm known

I've seen snow in South Dakota
I've been on the Vegas strip
Had barbeque in Kansas
My life has been a trip

I'm a gypsy of the railways
I'm a legend in my time
I move on in a boxcar
Brother... spare a dime?

I've been through all the landlocked states
Five provinces as well
I've seen Niagara Falls all frozen
I've seen it flowing fast as well

I've had margaritas in Key West
And Bourbon in Kentucky
Craft beers out in Oregon
In my life I have been lucky

I travel on my stories
Feed myself with all my tales
I'm an explorer of experience
I'm a gypsy of the rails

I never stick around too long
I don't wear my welcome out
I come and see just what I want
That's what life is all about

I've railroad friends in Texas
Some up in BC too
We've shared drinks in San Diego
And had a great Alaskan brew

I'm not one to live by your rules
I find my rules suit me fine
I'm an explorer of experience
And I'm riding on the lines

You can find me down in Georgia
Or eating spuds in Idaho
I never know just where I'll be
Until my ride begins to go

I'm a gypsy of the railways
I'm a legend in my time
I move on in a boxcar
Brother...spare a dime?

Nothing's changed since '56
When the station went and shut
Ninety years of passengers
Closed without a but.....

I know it isn't empty
though no train stops there no more
I can hear the spirits rustle
As they pass on through the open door

They've been waiting on the platform
Since nineteen fifty six
Some don't even know it's closed
They think their watch is playing tricks

They travelled on it living
They travelled on it dead
No train comes on through Hadlow Road
It takes another route instead

The ticketmaster checks the bags
of the ghostly, spirit hoard
Waiting for a long gone train
One that none of them will board

You can hear the spirits sometimes
Waiting on the platform for the train
One that they all used to ride
But, never will again

Hadlow Road Station is closed
And it won't be used again
But, the spirits there are waiting
For a long gone ghostly train

Have you ever had a hair day
Where things just won't go right?
You looked okay last evening
And not bad late last night

You wake up and it's frizzy
Kind of going everywhere
It's like someone took a cattle ****
And then they  ran it through your hair

You comb it down and it gets puffy
Even worse than from the start
You look again, you've got an afro
And you can't even find the part

You gel it up and instant *****
You look like mafioso ****
You now choose to go *******
And you use gel as thick as gum

You look like an unwashed Donnie Brasco
Hair all limp and full of grease
But at least it's not all puffy
You've lost the part but have a crease

You wet it down and nothing happens
the water beads on all the goo
You choose to go and have a shower
In fact you choose to go have two

The only reason that I wrote this
I tell the truth, this ain't a fib
It's just that when I woke this morning
I looked the same as Barry Gibb