I wanted half
would settle for a third
was unprepared for such bypass
cardiac surgery with complications
mea culpa could not resuscitate
but years of talk chemistry helped
really?
Define real
ly
cancel the controls
ignore the meetings
return the keys
erase the memories
forget the victories
empty your pockets
hang your head
or it will be removed
along with the contents of your locker.
Old Tim writes poetry now
in his heaven of retirement.
He’s had nice jobs
over the years but swears
retirement is better.
He’s forgetful now but never
suffers from writer’s block.
The words come so fast
his fingers fly like eagles
across his IBM Selectric.
The sound of a typewriter
is a concert for Old Tim.
When he types he swears he sees
Astaire dancing with Ginger Rogers
on a small black and white TV.
Says colored sets are a fad.
He would never own one.
He’d rather type and watch
Fred and Ginger dancing.
More at http://booksonblog12.blogspot.com.
Many a day I pause to think
of those who have passed away
to become nothing but ashes
as insubstantial as a handful
of sand or dull clumps of clay,
with even the humblest creatures
that animate the world around me
like the ants, butterflies and bees
possessed of more life than they.
Oh, that the deceased left ghosts
at least there would thus remain
some vestige of them to be seen
or that there were a high heaven
where their souls dwelt eternally,
not this complete annihilation
with no salvation or damnation
for these who have ceased to be
that now haunt only my memory.