2025 Bonehead Poem

 

You gotta keep that rascal 

locked up inside

hidden from the motel ladies 

when your armor gets broken 

when the devil is chocking 

leave you stroking

with a lampshade 

on your head 

back office blues 

bloodstained shoes 

it's a rude awakening 

stranded in the middle of nowhere

sunrise over pine trees 

train rolling in the distance 

wishing for a welcome boxcar 

to carry you away 

a phantom through the forest 

all for a good cause 

with a tin of sardines 

and a bottle of wine 

register for a sing-a-long 

rejoicing in the harvest 

hanging your fate 

on the gallows of life 

tell me what the devil dreams 

nobody's privilege 

nobody's paperboy

nobody's wayward son 

countess of the sea 

lies next to me 

holds a tumbler to my lips 

gale wind blowing 

no way of knowing 

how long the shelter will last 

crumbling inside a movie 

ain't got no cutie 

no long term beauty 

can help your old soul 

your lode can't toss it 

with shoeshine gossip 

"the truth is riding this train in disguise"

humbly sorry 

dragged into your story 

impulse of youth 

cranked up 

with your truth 

unforeseen force 

led you down the alley 

side streets in foothills 

train tracks through Longford 

transported to another place and time 

stuck in your crawlspace 

in search of a new place 

shallow love not expressed 

with words of emotion 

some witchcraft potion 

kept the magic working awhile 

a loss for answers 

choreographed dancers 

can't keep time 

with the data flow 

tempo unsteady 

no one seems ready 

to tackle the task at hand 

good intentions 

never get mentioned 

what you created 

gradually inflated 

out of control 

like a runaway train 

in the Guildwood Happy Valley 

everyone has a home 

no one needs a loan 

when you have not wed 

sometimes to love someone 

you have to disappear 

they tried to get the story straight 

but could not stay awake 

To get to 70  

means you've had some luck 

haven't made any fatal mistakes 

Water it down 

when it gets too intense 

you just water it down 

What wrecked the family sing-a-long? 

Fly in My Ear Blues 

I saw grandma disappear 

out on the lake 

she always said 

drowning was her fate 

her parents went down 

in the Titanic 

on a clear starry night 

in the Atlantic 

the things in life 

that change your point of view 

make you want to walk 

in someone else's shoes 

How is it 

your place of growing up 

is more imbedded 

in your memory 

than places you lived in 

much longer in later life?

same with people

same with religion

same with sex

An appealing characteristic 

of Louise Brooks 

while seeking the truth 

denied her own denials 

much like we all do

Won't you please tell Louise

I'm down on my knees 

calling from the east coast 

since she left on that train 

nothing seems the same  

I'm hoping for the best 

whatever her quest 

 

Mobile Friday library 

The echo of your words 

yawning face of the absurd

betting on the race to show 

praying for the storm to go 

all the mishaps over time 

all the lies became entwined

squandered opportunity 

broke the continuity

time whistles through 

the free-form world 

all the bad decisions made 

lost love 

pushed into the shade 

The ghost under Granville Street 

passed through the hotel at night 

Some of it was self induced 

some of it was handed down 

looking over your shoulder 

young ones getting older 

move too fast to see them

time at a premium 

sat through the double feature 

stories of a creature 

searching for the exit 

searching for the next meal 

when you're eighteen turning forty one 

moving forward 

stepping back 

climbing while falling 

history repeats the cycle 

we flatter ourselves 

another round 

March Lulu thank you 

slipping through the selection 

March Lulu thank you 

we're moving in a new direction 

noisy without a sound 

can you turn your life around 

love lust in the sand 

March Lulu ride 

heading out with the tide 

Last paperboy on the beat 

through rain and snow 

pulling a wagon 

down the street 

Three thousand reasons to leave you 

three thousand reasons to stay 

Love maintains a witness from the fold 

and there's no harm in being told 

it's all a delusion 

without inclusion 

love maintains a distance from the past 

Marvel at the sites 

while navigating the gravel 

just sitting back 

watching the town unravel 

March Lulu 

thank you 

we're moving in a new direction 

we're wiring for sound 

spreading speakers all around 

March Lulu 

thank you 

we're moving in a new direction 

money does the talking 

silence does the walking 

March Lulu 

thank you 

we're moving in a new direction 

baby, the silents are fading 

baby, the silents are fading away 

it's time to turn the page 

talkies are all the rage 

March Lulu 

thank you 

we're moving in a new direction 

high fidelity 

is the new reality 

March Lulu 

thank you 

we're moving in a new direction 

She was Doubleday gorgeous  

He got married but didn't know it 

Far from being a good thinker 

Ralph was projected to remain in his room 

for the rest of his days 

there came a point in his advanced years 

when things quietened down 

When you're old and grumpy and grey 

when you're young and dumb and gay 

when you're married and divorced 

when you're driven off course 

when old ghosts still haunt you 

when you're pardoned and convicted 

when your freedom is restricted 

when you're getting no kicks 

when you download a fix 

when a virus makes headline news 

when you're out of milk and honey 

when your children all want money 

when the writing is on the wall 

when your health takes a fall 

when the locals get suspicious 

when you act like you're dead 

when you can't get out of bed 

when you grab the live wire 

when the sky is on fire 

when the buzzards are circling  

when you're young and on fire 

when you sing in the choir 

when you're old and upset 

when you lost your cigarette 

when the daily news consumes you 

when you're born with a spoon 

when you live in a cartoon 

when drones fly by 

when sirens wail by 

when the herd stampedes 

when tears fall from the clown 

when you can't escape the merry-go-round 

when your head's in a cloud 

when you're lost in the crowd 

when you abide to the curfew 

when your dreams go around the bend 

when your phone is your best friend 

when you know too much 

when you feel out of touch 

when the blues latch on to you 

Before we depart 

turn wine boxes into art 

display them on the bleachers 

for all the wayward creatures 

don't make such a fuss 

we're all on this tour bus 

Drink lots of water 

breathe lots of air 

we came and went 

to no fanfare 

with just a spark 

we left our mark 

love and squalor 

around the collar 

motivation 

for the crew 

it's up to you 

big plans 

in traffic jams 

you get the itch 

to find the ditch 

you daydream 

a film scene 

love and squalor 

around the collar 

invitation 

what's new?

it's up to you 

we sold the farm 

and all it's charm 

moved to the city 

it wasn't pretty 

rented a loft 

to start us off 

love and squalor 

around the collar 

education 

to pull you through 

it's up to you 

imagery 

autumn tree 

you walk hard 

around the yard 

broken fence 

neighbours tense 

love and squalor 

around the collar 

preparation 

find a clue 

it's up to you 

time will show 

where we go 

on the quest 

of righteousness 

no remorse

obstacle course 

love and squalor 

around the collar 

generations 

echo through 

it's up to you 

Feel free to choose insanity 

let go the plight of youth 

when economic security 

were dimes in a phone booth

Activity to make amends 

One moment you're yellow 

then you turn green 

next you blink salmon 

trapped in kerosene 

flapping like a bird 

spreading the gospel word 

riding shotgun 

through the badlands 

They get around without a pause 

those crazy tourists with a cause 

they carry sweet memories 

luggage full of souvenirs 

We were racing through Rochdale 

trying to score an ounce of hash 

The bitterness seemed to last forever 

something stung them deep 

I was a confused kid 

now I'm a confused old man 

Those days were strange on earth 

obligations to protect the turf 

some welcomed diversity 

others pressed for anarchy 

the piper's dream got so extreme 

used the web to recruit their team 

They spoke with no words 

they spoke without thinking 

It's unfinished business 

in a dog eat dog world 

a cry-baby generation 

whining, lashing at the slightest 

She said I believe we are in danger 

I believe that we are all lost 

Speaking without conviction 

pulpit on the veranda 

truth and lies 

there's no distinction 

every word 

propaganda 

Some day tomorrow won't come 

that's when you're done 

Why were we invited here 

this sham of a party 

sunshine girl 

with her photo on the mantel 

You know you blew it 

you say oh well 

if you live and learn 

time will tell 

impulsive youth 

a crying shame 

one mistake 

change the game 

freedom calls  

so does love 

Keep a diary 

make sense of time 

while others find life a blur 

What do you do 

with a heavily medicated old man's brain?

Elmer dedicated all his body parts 

to science when he died 

any usable parts

Gastritis rolled into town 

she made my heart murmur 

on the merry-go-round 

These days 

when you die 

you stop making comments 

on social media 

your family and friends 

send emails and text messages 

stating you are are 

no longer with us 

your journey on this planet 

has concluded

Yahoo

Contribute to charity 

while they confiscate your home

find charity 

on the streets alone 

it's not so bad 

the pain you feel 

leave it all behind

He use to be a handsome man 

he use to get the chicks

he fell for a country girl 

he married her for kicks 

She came from a stable home 

raised on a turkey farm 

she paid off her student loan 

Went to emergency 

twice that week 

put through a gauntlet of tests 

after several hours, I was told,   

"Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out."