What Happened?

50 years without improvement!

Is that possible?

Only if you live in a different universe,

One with flexible time.

How can a 43 year old be a 50 year problem?

Only if you’re really bad at math,

Or the gears are wearing down

And the engineer doesn't remember how to change them.

It's kind of funny,

If you’re observing from a safe distance,

Say the other side of the room,

Less humorous if you’re the engineer.

Observing aberrant calculations 

When it's your blackboard and chalk,

Attests to a certain fragility of process

And suggests giving up chess for checkers.

There is nothing wrong with checkers.

It uses the same board as chess.

Of course the pieces are not as diverse

But it's a nice way to idle away a day.

Stand Your Ground, The Mind of a Racist

I believe that marriage is reserved

For heterosexuals.

Homo’s can live together,

But that should be conditional.

It strikes me as perfectly reasonable

To expect that the flagrant sinners,

Who choose to live in moral decadence,

Conduct themselves with utmost decorum.

Certainly it is not too much to expect

A quiet, reserved, disposition from people

Who have shown such disregard for normalcy.

I have personally observed some very nice Gays.

Still there are always belligerents

Intent on making trouble:

Parading, holding cities hostage,

While they display themselves in a most disgusting manner.

I don't know if homosexuality is curable.

I do know that their sexual behavior

Resulted in the AIDS pandemic that still endures.

Why don’t they recognize God’s disappointment?

   

Compensation

I offered Jim a job.

He was to manage our Sunnyvale store.

Jim wanted more money,

Explained his living costs.

I was unmoved.

I thought the job was worth my offer.

His costs did not change his worth.

My offer did not change.

His choices had not been good,

Take the job or remain unemployed.

Perhaps I could have been more generous,

But there was no need.

Everyone shared in bonuses

That were based on store sales.

Owners did not share,

But received 75% of the profits.

With hindsight (the only game where losing is not allowed)

I’m not sure I’d have handled employee wages differently.

Strange that I negotiate with myself so many years later.

Guilty conscience?

Dining Out

It was probably my casual attire,

(OK, no one has labeled me fashion sensitive)

That suggested he needn’t rush.

He continued folding napkins and ignoring us.

I had in mind to suggest

He stuff the napkins up his ass,

Instead I offered myself a warning:

Don’t let the sucker ruin your dinner.

How nice, look at this; 

Giving up napkins & a view of the bar TV

Just to give me a seat in his restaurant.

Christ, Jerry back off.

We walk past empty tables

To get to the back of the place.

 And will you look at that:

Table set for twelve two feet from ours.

I could have worn an upscale jacket.

That might have gotten me better service.

I can change jackets, 

Skin tone will take longer.

Toast

When Ray arrived we paused,

Raised our glasses,

Saluted Oscar,

Then dealt the next hand.

I remember all those people

With tributes to Oscar;

His grace, wit and humanity.

A very good man.

Eight guys socializing around a poker table.

It’s a no-harm game,

Chances are the big winner 

Will clear enough to cover gas cost to get here.

I don’t see these guys during the month,

But for the next three and a half hours

Tiny truths, safe and respectful,

Offered as humor, float over us.

Did I mention Oscar had a great voice,

Resonant and mellow?

Here’s to you, my man.

You wont know this tribute, but I’ll remember.

Reading Poetry in the Park

It looks safe.

A small inconspicuous shady patch,

Reserved, once a month,

For an hour’s worth of poetry.

I hope to hear thoughts that transcend

My closely held view of yesterday and tomorrow.

Someone may offer another universe

Made accessible via some other poet's verse.

We six intrepid writers,

Accompanied by four spear carriers,

Approach the poet’s art

From mutually alien planets---

Therein lies our potential:

How close to honesty will we stray,

Trusting our audience to allow

For thoughts possibly repugnant, or incomprehensible.

Halfway through our one hour journey

I feel comforted by the ease

With which we avoid explanations,

And attend only to the spoken word.

A Vote For Civility

Before the moderator was introduced,

Before the debate could begin

A cautionary note was inserted by the host:

Tell us why we should vote for you.

Do note spend this limited time

Assailing the opposition.

You are tasked with relating a story

That will persuade us you are a viable candidate for the job.

To my surprise the two candidates followed the admonition.

Questions proffered by the moderator 

Received relevant responses.

The audience of 50 heard rational and reasoned answers.

Each candidate presented a closing argument.

A vote for an endorsement of either candidate fell short.

All told a good, if microscopic, day for democracy.