
“East versus West Coast”
East versus West Coast.
Sensibility so close.
Liberalism
"Don't put things off…it may be later than you think."
Mattie T-Rex is a party animal.
He isn’t particularly short,
Nor, excessively tall.
He stands guard at the top of a North Shore hill,
And watches people come and go.
he’s witnessed, plenty of awkward first dates,
with tennis shorts full of trouser wood,
and cuffed jorts containing moist laps,
And sweaty petite feet, sock-less and shod in white canvassed sneakers.
Left on during the thrill,
For fear that the biology of stinky feet would derail the biology of smearing groins.
At that age, urgency supersedes a lot of details.
Ahhhhhh, summer!
Ice cream cones and cotton candy.
Holes in one.
Mattie T-Rex’s fatal flaw:
He couldn’t reach the clubs,
As his arms were too short.
He never played a game of golf,
Or swung a bat in the batting cages.
He just stood watch.
The Guardian of Saugus.
One time we saw a pink hat on his orange crown.
It was slightly askew.
It’s good to know that Mattie T-Rex still stands for freedom.
And he still parties like it’s 1999.
Weylu’s gone.
Hilltop gone.
Mattie T-Rex,
Still dreaming of a birdie on the ninth hole.
A very special thanks to Jeff M, who knows the true meaning inspired by such a mischievous title. Also, a shout out to Eva V, for having long enough arms to push me into where I needed to be.
40/40: Summer Poem Slam-a-bam is a project in which people have joined me for 40 days and 40 nights of on-demand poetry. They have submitted the concepts, ideas, and subjects; I’ve done the work.
Strength
change
adversity
starting over
love
childhood
future
healing power of laughter
parent for the first time
Change
parent for the first time
strength
healing power of laughter
adversity
future
starting over
childhood
love
Healing Power of Laughter
love
future
parent for the first time
starting over
childhood
adversity
strength
change
Love
future
starting over
adversity
strength
parent for the first time
change
healing power of laughter
childhood
Adversity
future
strength
starting over
childhood
love
change
parent for the first time
healing power of laughter
Childhood
healing power of laughter
change
love
childhood
starting over
strength
parent for the first time
future
Adversity
change
childhood
starting over
strength
healing power of laughter
future
parent for the first time
love
Future
adversity
healing power of laughter
change
parent for the first time
love
starting over
childhood
strength
A very special thanks to Paula H, for an abundance of words that change depending on your perspective.
40/40: Summer Poem Slam-a-bam is a project in which people have joined me for 40 days and 40 nights of on-demand poetry. They have submitted the concepts, ideas, and subjects; I’ve done the work.
I took a trip down memory lane,
To days in my rear view.
Now, none of us remain the same,
Life changed our point of view.
Those days, we saw the road ahead.
Certain, that we would win.
A future bright with no owed debt,
A treasure trove of sin.
We all hung out and busted balls,
All bastards to a T.
The Prescott schoolyard free-for-alls,
Still haunt my memory.
We lost a friend along the way.
In years there will be more.
Lifelong friendships? Who is to say,
How long they will endure?
Street corner kids just passing time,
Or time, just passed us by.
A passing thought of youthful prime,
Ends with a trailing sigh.
Of all the times both come and gone,
I will remember those.
Pearl Street Ramblers, Ramble On!
Until, we take repose.
A very special thanks to Jeff M, for threading the needle on this idea. The past is prologue, and full of both terror and hope. Our just desserts are awaiting for us, and the band plays on, or rambles on, as it were.
40/40: Summer Poem Slam-a-bam is a project in which people have joined me for 40 days and 40 nights of on-demand poetry. They have submitted the concepts, ideas, and subjects; I’ve done the work.
Standing backwards on a forward moving bus.
Time traveling.
The slack- jawed tension of the mob hangs on every blank face.
There are no dreams to be had on this bus,
None.
Just motion sickness and disappointment.
There’s no telling when we arrive at the terminal,
But it’s certain that it will be the last stop.
Life in upheaval.
A transformative moment.
Chaos brings order.
A very special thanks to Jennifer S, pithy punch packed compactly within a nutshell, I call my mind. Thanks for the bump. Life is fluid, becoming fluid to ride it out, helps greatly.
40/40: Summer Poem Slam-a-bam is a project in which people have joined me for 40 days and 40 nights of on-demand poetry. They have submitted the concepts, ideas, and subjects; I’ve done the work.
Once Upon A Time
An early arrival at 288 Bunker Hill Street for a Fourth of July Cookout.
Bubba, our maternal Grandfather, cleans the round grill top.
June rusted remainders of crusted Kraft Barbecue Sauced chicken.
A damp dish towel and an alien tool make busy until it is Marine Corp clean.
On the kitchen table sits a large brown Tupperware jug.
This jug will hold the Lipton Iced Tea, once water is added to the powder.
The scoop to get the powder makes a scratchy sound.
Eight scoops? Nine scoops?
Nine.
Our Father preps the grill for cooking once all the components are inspected by our Grandfather.
He seems like Hercules grabbing the grill by the tripod base, and twirling it in measured flourishes, carefully wrapping the grill reservoir with aluminum foil to contain the Kingsford Charcoal Briquettes
Once all the preparations are made, the coal can be loudly nuggeted into the bowl and charcoal lighter fluid added.
Large wooden matches are like wizard wands striking explosions and teasing dancy, before the flame appears over the charcoals, as if Prometheus himself touched them.
Couldn’t eat until the goodies were cooked, and couldn’t cook until the charcoals burned white.
Hours later, with bellies full, we’d walk up the Hill to Sawyer’s Lot.
The fireworks would happen around 10ish.
Lawn chairs, portable transistor radios, kids on Daddy’s shoulders, vendors selling glow sticks; all made it a scene.
Arthur Fiedler and John Williams did their best to add sonic emotions.
Then we’d go home and dream of glowing coals and exploding shells on the Boston horizon.
Nowadays
We wake up early for a Fourth of July Cookout.
Travel to a friend’s house, with promises of pools and inflatable water bouncy houses.
The traffic draws us out of our merriment.
We just can’t seem to get there.
The kids take turns trying on bad moods, and insisting upon being heard.
The baby is/was sleeping.
We missed the exit.
Everyone has to pee now.
Finally, we get there.
Bathroom is full.
“No, you can’t go swimming until I put sunscreen on you.”
“But, Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaddy!!! We never get to do anything!”
Eat as fast as we can, so we can chase the kids.
It’s time to go.
“No, Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaady!!! We never get to do anything!”
One, maybe two fall asleep, but not all three.
Oh, wait, just as we pull into the driveway, the third is out cold.
“Wake up! We need to get ready for night-night.”
With full bellies, we walk up the stairs to put the kids to bed.
Clothes strewn across the floor, toothpaste squeezed across the sink for no apparent reason, eight books selected for night-night.
Over on the Esplanade, Keith Lockhart conducts the 1812 Overture, just as we begin our war to finally get them all into bed.
For the first of many failed attempts.
Then we come downstairs and dream of glowing coals and exploding shells on the Boston horizon, and fall asleep on the couch.
A very special thanks to Michelle A, perspective is important. Perspective of time helps us to value what we have and also what we once had. As much as we enjoy in our youth, someone else is ultimately responsible for cultivating and guiding those experiences, if we are lucky.
40/40: Summer Poem Slam-a-bam is a project in which people have joined me for 40 days and 40 nights of on-demand poetry. They have submitted the concepts, ideas, and subjects; I’ve done the work.
There was this guy, and he set out a goblet and a mason jar at the end of his driveway during every rainstorm.
I thought it odd, at first.
But then, nothing would happen.
The goblet and Mason Jar sat there, until the residual rain
evaporated.
Every single time.
Every storm.
Then I remembered a time I traveled to Montreal, and saw first rate mischief occur in a dark club.
There were not goblets or Mason Jars, but I did see a chubby twenty-something dude rolling an amber liquid around a Brandy Snifter.
Then I saw a she, speaking tersely to the young dude.
She had a coiled curl cemented to her forehead.
Whatever she said to the dude, he took it in stride as she turned her back to him.
Then his countenance changed malignant, and he turned the Brandy Snifter full of amber liquid upside down over her head.
The liquid ran all over her hair and seemed to find her anger.
She screamed as she realized it was urine.
The last thing I saw on the bar was that Brandy Snifter, with a smidge of Amber Liquid left as a phantom.
I wonder if the pee was warm, and if it would have made a difference if it was in a goblet or a Mason Jar?
A very special thanks to Lisa S.K. Your suggestion filled my vessel and brought me backward in time. My cup runneth over.
40/40: Summer Poem Slam-a-bam is a project in which people have joined me for 40 days and 40 nights of on-demand poetry. They have submitted the concepts, ideas, and subjects; I’ve done the work.
I purchased a merkin, allegedly owned by Marylin Monroe.
It was bigger than I thought it would be.
When I got home, I opened the box.
Light brown, soft and fluffy.
Brought it to my cheek.
Kissed it carefully.
Marilyn.
Flavors, and colors, and texture, and size.
Prescription pharmaceuticals, excess supplies.
Taken with water, eight times a day.
Side effects vary, hard to keep straight.
A pill for my goiter, and one for migraines.
Another for swelling, and varicose veins.
One for high blood pressure, one because I can’t sleep.
One for my prostrate, so I’m able to pee.
This little one here, that’s real hard to see.
I take twice a day, for anxiety.
At CVS, they all know my name.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield, waive my co-pays.
A Molotov mixture of medical means.
Sustaining my health, or so it would seem.
What would happen if I suddenly quit?
Could I reclaim my body from this sideshow regiment?
The doctor keeps adding and adding more pills.
She’d take my Zoloft if she got my drug bills.
Pharmaceutical philanthropy at the swoosh of a pen.
Open up, throw it back, and swallow again.
A medical marvel, squirreling pills is my talent.
My long term prognosis: medicinally challenged.