Thursday, February 01, 2007

WRITER'S CRAMP

WRITER’S CRAMP

Roger A. Davis

Seems I don't lack for poetic subjects to write
Some have said I have unusual insight
"If he doesn't know the facts, he just fabricates"
Well, this comment is up for debate

Writer’s cramps and/or blocks are painful
Aspirin, the condition it does not dull
There is no E.R. room for needed help
Zilch, for trying herbology, like eating kelp

Robert Frost said, "A poet is a condition,
Not a profession"
I’ve got to agree to this, it is my concession
Yet, money sent "IS OKAY", is my position

This "condition" we have is kind of an itch
Gray matter mixed with subject matter
Then the brain takes the smatter
Relief comes, when words find their niche

So I'm here at my scratching post
Doing my thing as your blog site host
Please, if you have a prose suggestion
Make a comment and relieve my writer's congestion

If you don't give me ideas for the next addition
It will be family memories, is my suspicion
Another religiosity treaty?
Or, how about a country song? "Calico, My Sweetie"

Well my cramp seems to have relaxed
Now off goes this poem to Marge by email fax
So she can edit once more
A poetic gourmet meal for you, the starving poor

CUPID EXPRESS

CUPID EXPRESS

Roger A. Davis

Valentine boxes in grade school
We made them in art class
Red construction paper hearts tooled
Did you have a special lad or lass?

First crush was called puppy love
Cupid's arrow gave us the necessary shove
“Will you be my Valentine?"
Praying she would answer in kind

As teenagers, we upped the gifts, I.D. bracelet
Or class ring, or our letter jacket that didn't fit
Her present was an album or a 45
With "Our Song", hoping to keep the romance alive

Chocolates and roses are often used to express
A man's love for his cherished princess
A thoughtful card is included, too
Some use this day to ask for the future "I DO"

Going to mention February 14th in this rhyme
So, gentlemen, you won't by all means forget this time
I recommend no pots or pans for saying "I Love You"
Because, if I remember right, this causes a stew

Hugs and kisses don't expire
So, Cupid, ignite our passion with fire
Rekindle it with a roaring blaze
That will last for days and days

PASSING OF A LOVED ONE

THE PASSING OF A LOVED ONE
Dedicated to my chat room sisters

Roger A. Davis

The passing of a loved one
Whether it be sudden or prolonged
The result is they were here, now they're gone
The mystery of life is doubled pronged

Feelings of abandonment cloud our love
We question, "Why did you have to go?"
For now, life's journey is at an all time low
This grief has a brutal undertow

Friends give condolences for our pain
Yet, even with all the sympathy
The heartache remains
And each day seems like eternity

Those who believe in an afterlife have hope
Knowing one day a reunion, helps them cope
An eternal meeting on celestial shores
Being reunited at Heaven's doors

But what about the hurting today
Please, God, help us to remember it's love's way
We wouldn't feel this devastating loss
If our relationship was one of small cost

We hear, "Whatever I can, do let me know"
A hug, holding of the hand and a listening ear
Are better than lots of words with a pretty bow
Time will lessen it, but the loss will not disappear

For those of us who have never lost a loving spouse
We can't imagine the loneliness in that house
This poem is for three close friends who abide that way
I pray, you'll be comforted by what these words say

COLLECTING FEVER

COLLECTING FEVER

Roger A. Davis

I grew up with various strains of Collecting Flu
Edged weapons, 48 items by the age of 22
Disposed of this blade collection soon thereafter
Thinking this obsession had seen its final chapter

Nope, a Spyderco knife and dagger array by fifty-one
Plus an online knife store we ran that was real fun
It was called 4BESTBLADES.COM back then
Something about pockets knives, I yen and yen

I'm a member of the Kansas Knife Collectors Association
Wichita is the city of our monthly congregation
We discuss our yearly club knives, buy, sell and trade, too
Seventeen pattern pockets knives so far, Yahoo!

I go to gun and knife shows on some weekends
Where I’ve made a lot of razor sharp friends
Owned many types of guns, short and long
Revolvers, semi-autos and rifles, costing more than a song

It was at one of these shows I caught Netsuke Fever
Hand carved ivory art figurines, I became a true believer
Traded knives and spent cash, so as to acquire
Over fifty of these displayed, feel my brow, it's on fire

I specialize in animal netsukes at this time
Panda, elephant, turtle and a kangaroo
Lion, tiger and bear, just to name a few
And NETSUKE NUT is about my obsession in rhyme

Collecting Fever is not in any medical book
But it should be, eBay, just take a look
I have for my passions and placed many a bid
Like millions of other in this epidemic did

There is one collected item that gets daily use
My walking sticks and canes because of overweight abuse
Personally, I have made many a staff and cane
Have over thirty others, including a gun one I obtained

If you have an antidote for this Possession Bug
Better keep it under your polar bear rug
Because I like my, "Just One More"
Hey, can I buy that unique carpet off your floor?

DOMESTIC SPAT

DOMESTIC SPAT

Roger A. Davis

I have a chronic case of foot in mouth disease
Sometimes speaking what I thought would please
But the interpretation by my wife
Occasionally causes domestic strife

So instead of an apology
Unjust misunderstanding, I blame
Or claiming, "You’re just moody"
As a response, nothing untamed

You would think after 36 years
My avoidance record would improve
Hate to admit I still cause many tears
Think before speaking would sure behoove

Justifying produces battle escalation
Being one’s own defense lawyer is to err in this situation
The solution: throw oneself on the mercy of the court
It may take a day or two before restored support

Especially using phrases, "You’re like your Mom"
Or, "You’re not perfect either," do I hear a war tom-tom?
I've got to quit adding fuel to the fire
And let the bad feelings expire

Now, I realize we'll have many spats still
Yet, when we do mess up and take the bitter pill
Our love for each other will help us overcome
It is to remember, good times outweigh the bad’s sum

So when you have a War of Words Fight
Here's hoping you have the necessary insight
To know that being right had better be a silent win
Be first to eat the humble pie and let the healing begin

CASE OF THE MISSING SOCK: #398

CASE OF THE MISSING SOCK: #398

Roger A. Davis

I got the call about half past 8
Most people notify us when it is too late
Police have a 3 day missing policy
But the owner of this lost argyle sock
Without hesitation, phoned me, Holmes Shersock

Dr. Hose and I arrived at the scene of the crime
Just in the knitting needle of time
For Mrs. McCurry was unloading the dryer
Thwarting our forensic circumstances of dire
You see, most dryers have rap sheets of priors

Hose interviewed the witnesses of this darn deed
While I let my powers of deduction get me up to speed
I examined the other of the pair
The diamond pattern in blue contrasted with red
Oh, what do we have here, a small tear?

It was pretty clear who the culprit was
Just need to check the dryer lint fuzz
Pulled out the trusty magnifying glass
As I expected, no argyle filament detected
Mrs. McCurry is the guilty lass

When husband, Angus McCurry, wears the Clan kilt
He adorns those argyle Clan patterned knee-high hose
Strapping on his Scottish dirk to the sock, he tore it with the hilt
Maggie, having no darning skills, chose to dispose
In her shame, the dame said, "The sock is in the Thames silt''

After getting our fee for the case solved
Heading to the hansom cab, I noticed a curious sight
Dr Hose wore a blue sock on his left and yellow on his right
He confessed to a suspected washing machine involved
Another mystery to solve, case #399

OUR MELLOW MOM

OUR MELLOW MOM

Roger A. Davis

She had four kids in five years
Can you imagine all the caring and wiping of tears?
Her early hobby then was dressing chickens
Imagine all the meal fixin's

Bobbie Jean is Queen of Novels Read
Always keeps some near the bedstead
Many years, a Book-of-the-Month-Club junkie
Also her daughter, Joy, her librarian flunky

I can remember Mom's, "Joy of Cooking" book
Wow, fried chicken, carrot cake, what a cook
On Sunday night, she ate popcorn in a metal bowl
This was her time off from kitchen patrol

During our formative years, she was always there
Mom and Dad made such a romantic pair
Kissing and hugging on the couch
They never seemed to grouch

She plays bridge and solitaire
And she is more than pretty fair
Her grandkids remember her being so much fun
And with four great-grandchildren, she’s not done

Our Mom is not even a little bit pushy
And doesn’t go in for the mushy
Yet loving and loyal is she
Our Mellow Mom, Bobbie

SECOND HAND FUTURE

SECOND HAND FUTURE

Roger A. Davis

Our lives have only so many ticks of the clock
And with this timepiece, no pawn shop where to hock
The second hand circles night and day
Whether we are asleep or at play

Some refer to it as a biological clock
When born, the stopwatch button is pressed
Our heartbeat is its tick-tock
Until it stops from life ending duress

Quality time is enjoying the gift of serenity
Not worrying about another hour gone
But having your character shaped for all eternity
Where time is not measured, it just goes on and on

Sometimes I find myself wanting, a hurry-up mode
Like waiting for Peggy when she grocery shops
Also, when my burden is a heavy load
To the point of praying for my heavenly zip code

Make the most of time while the clock hands spin
Be there for your family and friends
Savor the moments, even of those not so nice
Because, it is the sum total that makes life suffice

TELEMARKETER TERRIKA

TELEMARKETER TERRIKA

Roger A. Davis

We hear her voice come on line after a pause
Right away we know it's a "buy this” appeal
And we are sure of this because?
A Pakistani accent puts forth the spiel

Terrika's mother language not being In-gish
There's no understanding what's on her serving dish
Very quickly I say, "No comprende"
Then hang up without, "Have a good day"

Another facet of the telemarketing scheme
Is the automated recording sales team
That makes it easy to slam the receiver down
Knowing you won't cause an international frown

You get all types of phone sales pitches
But it's the timing that causes the daily glitches
When trying to take a needed shower or nap
10 rings, better answer, might be a mishap

Oh yes, it was an urgent request
Three nights free, please be our guest
Or a real emergency call
A fund raiser that I've never heard of at all

When they call again, with these lines, let's begin
"Please, can I have your name and home number?
And when you’re about to eat or slumber
Incessantly I'll call and cause you chagrin"

Everybody needs to be able to find honest employment
But does a phone solicitor have any job enjoyment?
Could be their weekly sales commission check
My opinion, the person is a few cards short of a full deck

WIKIPEDIA TRIVIA

WIKIPEDIA TRIVIA

Roger A. Davis

When young, we had a set of World Books
Read articles, viewed maps, gave them lots of looks
"P" and "S" were my favorite volumes to browse
Found words like polled; 'hornless' cows

After obtaining my sociology B.A. degree
I didn't do much formal study
From 1980 to the present day
My continuing education comes in a novel way

I call it C.O.D.: Culture Osmosis Deluxe
Contact with relationships, places and the media flux
It is like, you are who you hang around with
Sum of our lives poured through the soul's sieve

Most of my exposure to the outside world comes by PC
Some casual contact through shopping, family gatherings and TV
My C.O.D. learning is mainly books and cyberspace media
And, yes, my favorite is Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia

Being a memory trivia buff
I like the short and multiple linked articles
It seems I'm not able to get enough
Reading one, you can't help click on other particles

Before you know it, subjects are many WIndows panes
And you have entered Wikipedia's common user brains
A place where you can put your two-cent edit in, too
The drawback, some facts may be contributed by a cuckoo

Wikipedia is a haven for trivial pursuit
Example: type on Google, coot
First link, Wikipedia, coots: water bird
Another linked article, omnivore, a self describing word

If you can't go back to school to advance your education
Give some thought to your C.O.D. maturation
Expose yourself daily to a good book and loving relationships
And it would be best to take actual vacation trips

SISTERS ACT 2

SISTERS ACT 2

Roger A. Davis

I have some childhood scars that are cruel
Caused by hair preparation before school
Mom combing out the tangles of my sisters
Yells of agony gave my ears permanent blisters

Connie and Joy, all kidding aside
You have brought the family much pride
Connie's early scholastic behavior
Joy's puppet ministry for Our Savior

We adore Connie's fabric and paint murals
Our Cheyenne village is without question
The favorite of our art collection

Joy has a long history of being there for the youth
They seem to know she tells the truth
Here's a grandma who is never aloof

Going to close this poem on two upbeat thoughts
We played a lot when we were tots
From Monopoly, dolls and Jacks

But here is the lowdown on the facts
Number 1 is we had tons of fun
And 2, Thank you, God, for my loving Sisters’ Acts

NEWBORN BABY

NEWBORN BABY

Roger A. Davis

I heard Mom say, this was the best time of her life
The attentive moments she got were rife
My Dad's consideration for her and my health
Was to her, greater than his providing daily wealth

He said she was so pretty with a special glow
Even before in her womb I started to show
Family and Grandparents made a continual fuss
Like carrying to term was a group effort, not just us

They had been wanting for me for more than a year
So waiting 9 months they thought it would be a snap
But when due date came and I didn't appear
By ultrasound they knew I was a wayward chap

Two weeks passed, then they had to induced labor
To everyone's joy, I became the community's newest neighbor
Mom was a queen reclining on her hospital bed throne
They were so thankful, a little prince of their very own

Here I am cuddled and nursing at Mom's breast
Soon I'll be burped and rocked to rest
Dad will visit soon to take us to my new room
But my attention now is on Mom's loving heart
As it beats, boom, boom, boom

At home now and still can't do much for myself
But it won't be long and I'll be into the toys on that shelf
Pampered with clean diapers, mobile and cozy bassinet
Got it made for now, all my needs are met

I like being a newborn baby for the most part
Seems I had an advantage, a 2 week late start
Everyone's so glad that it is finally through
My crying and such is no big to-do

I hope some day, as my mother's son
She can know again that time of being cherished
By acts of love that I have done
With the help of God's loving Son