Poem Alone

 

 

 

The Phoenix                                                                       (for Hank)

 

As I ponder which story should be told

Which legend or myth of old.

Would you like to hear of maidens dear

Or the man who sold his soul?

 

O' there are a thousand stories

of warriors, bold and hoary,

and let us never slight good sir knight

lest we have cause to worry.

 

But let us begin to draw close

to the point which I propose

of a bird who no one ever heard

and who from its ashes rose.

 

"What is the phoenix?" would be your question

"a fool", 'tis my impression

You are in shock, is this myth a crock

I knew it would distress some.

 

My dear friends

these rhymes must end

They can drive a man to drink

but I stray from my point

the muse chose me to anoint

as she gave me an all-knowing wink.

 

So let me explain my reply

Don't convict me until I say when

I feel I should let out a sigh

because I'm bloody well rhyming again.

 

No more

Where did I leave off

Oh yes,

the foolish bird

and this I will finally

and fully

explain, big smile, big smile.

 

I'm in bed, alone

of course

I am quite the prude you know

but I stray once again.

 

As I sit in bed, alone

of course

I place myself into the situation

faced by the Phoenix.

(I also place myself into the situation faced by Paula Abdul's boyfriend, but I digress.)

 

I think that if I was so lucky

to be burnt to ashes and then

to be brought back from such a state

I would not be so foolish

as to try it again

although I know some who would

I know one who did

though he was not any sort of Bird

like the Phoenix

but a true lion

and we miss him.

 

 3-8-90

 
In the spirit of Earth Day, here is a poem I recycled to this new venue from my Myspace page.  Wrote it about a superb college basketball player, Hank Gathers, who collapsed on the court during a game, discovered he had a heart condition, continued to play anyway and did not arise when next he collapsed.  Has stuck with me ever since.

And, yes, Paula Abdul.  Yes, yes, that one.  In my defense, in 1990 she was pretty darn cute.

Thanks for all the kind comments on my last couple posts.  It is so wonderful to have them and I really appreciate it.  Makes me want to blog more :)

Take care all!

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Poem Alone

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