The Poetry Marathon

Closet turns into schrank, placard, aron, and armario,
all masculine nouns in German, French, Hebrew, or Spanish–
but deconstructed, différance in hiding places vanish,
even if labeled armoires, lockers, or just cupboards,
yet a clean, tidy closet is often its own reward,
while secrets festering deep inside are often abhorred.

“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” ~ Matthew 10:42 (NIV)

Giving those in need a cup of fresh water
regulates their body’s temperature,
helping speed the stomach’s digestive process,
flushing toxins from the blood stream and kidneys,
moistens tissues and protects vital organs,
carries much needed oxygen to the cells,
and dissolves minerals and vitamins–
as also reflecting well on the giver.

A proud Longhorn stood in a Palo Duro meadow,
feeling very self-possessed, a very fine fellow.
Having climbed high, he bellowed out that old time, un-P.C. tune,
that U.T. grads oft whistle morning, night, and afternoon
as if to declare it matters not what song you sing
if you sing the tune in style and don’t forget the bling.
For you’re sure to offend folks whatever you say,
So above all sing loud and proud and have a nice day.

Whether enjoying blood-pressure improving picked beet
or chowing down on nutrient dense, low in fat elk meat,
catching copper-rich crawdads from a Louisiana bayou,
or leaving your car in the carport is what you do,
such simple habits will expand your life and health span.
As for wearing a warm jacket only when its cold,
feeling the cool is really a hack to behold.
And if you’ll take a little folk medicine advice,
a little cinnamon sprinkled on your toast is quite nice.
Moreover, that pesky, old hand tremor can be cured,
and bursitis elbow pain doesn’t need to be endured
since you don’t really yet need to kick the bucket,
whether living in fabled blue zones or Nantucket
if a night you only burn a low-watt blue lightbulb.

When charity fails, and mind-numbing drugs fall short,
When our closest friends refuse to speak from their hearts,
When light keepers pray for a push, but fail to plunge,
When we’ve really failed our worst faults to expunge,
When singing dirges means we’re just keeping time,
there’s an amazing grace sinners should keep in mind:
Long ago, there’s a tree that my Lord Jesus climbed,
His sacrifice was complete for each one of us,
so when hope is dimmest, His mercy more than kind,
so come to Jesus, finding true hope in your trust.

Waiting to sit down on a most inviting swing,
if surrounded by a sunflowers is your thing?
Grab a cold iced-tea or some sparkling water,
and you’ll find this sunny scene is made to order.
So, take a chance on this set in Kansas romance.
Like Dorothy in Oz, go fling the time away,
unless from summer allergies you oft fall prey,
or summer’s temperatures are alarming,
then you really won’t find the scene so charming.
But if you can count the flowers like your blessings,
you will find summer’s tableau most suggesting.

Hemmed in by measureless cold expanse,
rimming a circular plane, pole to pole,
Flat Earther-theorists Online now advance
a flat disk that has some climate control,
hovering above boundless depths below,
for which the fallen lack any control,
highlighting the first of all Freudian fears,
the fear of falling all felt their first year,
while a miniature sun and moon float
above land encased by an icy moat,
and stars twinkle like in a kid’s drawing–
a nightmarish scene that’s quite annoying.
There’s no base that the earth now sits upon,
and humankind is stuck here, quite alone.

The worst thing has happened of all our fears
Our little one, our child, has disappeared.
She was safe and secure, and tucked away,
home from middle school one September day,
alone–yet she truly wished to belong,
but now she’s gone, what could have gone so wrong?
She knows don’t open the door to strangers
and can use her cell phone if in danger.
Has she found someone seeking to groom her,
An older “friend” to whom she can defer,
or at fourteen, perhaps budding romance–
a Cinderella, once a lifetime chance?
We’ve called the cops, so perhaps in due time,
they might solve a so-called “victimless crime”.

Guard against the true melding of our minds
when life’s journey does alteration find
that impedes each one’s separate peace
as we hasten to add now each to each.
True togetherness needs separation
since joining nourishes our equation.
For each one’s strength adds a double measure
as treasuring difference adds pleasure.
We thus seek to refine each self through time–
striving to differ but be of one mind.
For each has faults the other might amend,
erasing these flaws while remaining friends.
Our commitment will in time stronger grow
as we continue to cope with life’s flows.

Sitting with legs crossed,
centered in two concentric
circles before the
bottom drops, throwing
settlers into disarray.
Life’s often like that.