Old Friends’ Dividends

Old Friends’ Dividends
27 March 2017

Like a flower’s lingering scent
I remember the time we spent.
Like the candle’s smell
After it’s been blown out,
Mentally I rehash and retell
Of us having dinner out.
We spoke of days gone by,
And remembering with a sigh
Gravy over bread as humble pie.
Contrast growing up in poverty
To us here and now eating out.
We could take the liberty
To order shrimp as it turned out.
Love and goodwill were traded.
A good time was had by all.
Sympathy and friendliness pervaded
The good-byes at withdrawal.
The memory’s been enshrined
To a special place in my mind.

This poem is written without capitalization or punctuation, making it vague like dreams.

Trance Expanse

sometimes a sensation of spinning

or a panicked feeling of falling

at sleep’s nebulous beginning

frequently floating, just lolling

or jumping to different scenes

interacting with family or friends

from co-workers to drama queens

to discuss with or make amends

sometimes they haven’t been 

seen or thought of in years

people come and go unbidden

existing in their own spheres

whether seeming real or sublime

in haziness, for all schemes 

there’s no sense of time

in the soft land of dreams

My Own Website

I'm letting everybody know that I've published my very own website. After getting frustrated that nobody seemed to know HTML, I took a class and figured things out on my own. The website is best viewed in Chrome or Firefox. If you don't like what you see, tell me. If you like my website, tell your friends.

http://www.unclealspoetry.com/

Dinner Guest for Breakfast

Dinner Guest for Breakfast
25 August 2013

I went for Sunday dinner at my nephew's,
Going to their friends' was confessed.
They had an invitation they couldn't refuse.
The friends' supper would be breakfast.
We would be having homemade waffles to eat
With the young family of Jacob and Nancy.
So we jumped in and drove down the street.
To their middle-class home, nothing fancy.
She was busy with the waffle maker,
I went and looked over the back acre.
After blessing the food, it was served.
The kid's plates were closely observed
To make sure they had enough in quantity
And inspected for parental seal of quality.
There was butter, peanut butter and maple syrup
To go on the waffles and eggs were scrambled up.
For the first time, in spite of reluctance,
Regardless of the prejudices I had,
I ate eggs and peanut butter all at once.
It really wasn't so awfully bad.
Perhaps it's a new way to get my protein,
A modification of my diet,
A variation on my usual routine.
Nah, I just thought I'd try it.

Sundown Out On The Town

Sundown Out On The Town

24 December 2011

I drove with friends over the bridge 

To Coronado. Below the ridge

We parked on Pomona and walked 

Past the Boathouse to City Hall 

Where we admired and talked

About the photography stall

Of yesteryear's Tent  City.

The fountain had organic styling

With hexagonal and itty-bitty

Cut rectangular tiling

Morphing into curved metaphors.

We crossed the street and

Passed thru Coronado Shores

To reach the beach sand. 

The low tide was out very far, 

Exposing a broad promenade.

We strolled down the sand bar

Watching the breakers cascade 

Down the shoreline. Next we 

Admired house styles amid

Decorations on the way to coffee. 

As we sipped our hot liquid,

We chatted and took in society.

Back out on the street with bravado

We went to a jewel of the local variety

Known as the Hotel del Coronado. 

There we admired the Christmas tree 

In the lobby, then went downstairs 

And outside by the ice skating locality.

On the west of the rink instead of chairs

We found a bench to sit on as time went by

For the sunset. From a cloudless sky, 

The sun leisurely sank into the ocean.

Back inside we listened to a chorus 

Who were dressed in Dickens fashion.

The holiday lights were decorous 

Against the darkening sky.

People taking photos had to ignore us

As we interrupted passing by.

After all was said and done,

The scene I give first place

Was the natural majesty

Of watching the sun

Going at its own pace

Sinking into the sea.

Visualization Affirmation

Visualization Affirmation

14 November 2011

Who’s that handsome dude in the mirror

With a golden earring in his ear?

Life is better this year.

Still wishing for money up to here,

But visualizing crystal clear 

Many sources, never fear.

From a product’s premier

Forging ahead in a career.

Also imagining someone dear

Who is loving and near.

Enjoying health and cheer

With many a peer

While traveling from here

Like the jet set tier.

Gratitude for Latitude

My friend James Kent publishes an online newsletter for his family & friends. It's called Ohana News. Each year he asks for contributions for his Thanksgiving Issue.

Gratitude for Latitude

4 November 2011

This year I’m grateful to get a pension

Meaning no alarm clock (That I savor.)

Which greatly reduces my tension

And contributes to each day’s flavor.

I’m glad of the serendipitous discovery

That chocolate, blueberries and walnuts

Improved my short-term memory

And boosted my brain out of its ruts.

I’m thankful to be in San Diego County

For the weather, Balboa Park, beach,

And mountains; meaning so much bounty.

I appreciate having friends within reach,

To socialize with gay men who

Think along the same lines as me,

Enjoy the same activities as I do

And add to my felicity.

Sick Trick

Sick Trick

13 July 2011

How often do we listen to the shrillness

Of conversations about illness?

There was the first grade tonsillectomy,

Then in junior high an appendectomy,

After the last child came a hysterectomy

And last month was a lumpectomy.

Complaining and comparing aches, pains,

Sickness and operations pays dividends

In the form of unintended secondary gains

By helping us stay in touch with friends.

Without a medical history to flout

What else would we talk about?

Conversations and Rations

I tried a different rhyming scheme in this poem.

Conversations and Rations

5 May 2011

I went to my friends’ for pizza night,

Looking forward to that weekly delight.

I dressed with the kilt-and-no-shirt look.

Other friends were there with foresight,

They brought mixed fruit and a book

About Lucrecia, the daughter of a crook.

After being married against her will

She started to write her own guidebook.

Her beginning battles were all uphill.

The tales of her deeds give us a thrill.

She became a master of misdirection.

It was like she had a license to kill.

Pizza was baked and came as a selection

One of green pepper and mushroom confection,

The other was pepperoni, all right;

All blending for a friendship connection.