Poems with a Message
( I hadn't talked to my friend Ivan for
a couple weeks - and I was surprized
that he hadn't contacted me - finally
he left a message and expressed
his frustration that I hadn't contacted
him. )
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Phone Message for Ivan: July 3, 2003
Hey Ivan - You finally found a dial tone.
and left a message on my phone.
You are right Ivan when you said
I might be alive or I might be dead
I might not even be a member of the human race!
That�s right! I�m an alien from Outer Space!
I�m an alien and I am quite a Fright!
I sleep days and I am up all night!
So I thought I would respond to your friendly �Hello�
�cause I am really not a bad fellow.
In fact, I was going to call you late last week,
but then my water bed sprung a leak -
I was going to call - but then there was the fire -
I was going to come over - but I had a flat tire -
So Ivan - let me off the hook!
I would�ve called - but I lost my phone book!
So there you have it - right to your face!
I lost my phone book - - and I am from Outer Space!
Care Package when Paul was
at the Oneida Christian School
in Kentucky.
ONEIDA CARE PKG
Peanut Butter Crunch Bars
Might not go very far
With Cookies and Jelly Beans.
And it is yet to be seen
If it is possible to eat a Potato Chip
If you don�t also have a Tub of Dip.
But maybe it won�t go down too Bad
When you remember it�s from your Dad.
I hope this poem does not; you annoy -
Its the best I could do back here
in Illinois.
- Your Dad
The water line buried beneath Ivan's front yard had
Burst and Ivan was determined to do all the work
himself - I felt bad sitting in my air-conditioned
living room - thinking about my friend toiling out
there in the Hot Sun - But I had helped from time
to time - So this was 'His thing'.
To alleviate my conscience - I wrote this poem.
My only attempt at 'Free Verse' and meant to
harken back to the flowery poetry of the "Old South'.
_____________________________________________________________
Ode to a Hole
A Hole - - A Hole - - Deep and Vast - - found in the middle of your yard.
Deep and dirty this hole appeared in your yard my son.
It must have been hard to build such a hole - hard in the yard my son
Not much fun toiling in the hot hot sun - hard diggen� - you betcha� - in the sun
I got on the phone and called �Time & Temp.� to find out what the temp was.
Hot! Said they to me. . . Hot, Hot in the afternoon sun - especially
for any one that has diggen� to be done.
I changed the channel and took a moment to meditate on holes and diggen�
and the sun.
I know - - I�ll sit at my computer and write ! " What will you write my son? "
Of toil and strife and the � diggen� life, and holes and labor and
the hot, hot, Sun.
Why ? Why will you write of such things my son ?
Because - - I think - - it will be �kinda� fun.
( JD )