What to Drink

Though it sets most folks a-twitter,
I think coffee’s far too bitter.
I prefer to get a loada
Sugar from a fizzy soda.

Deadline

The clock ticks slowly
But each second rockets by
Exponentially
Faster than the one before
Until there is no time left

Popcorn

Having a moment of euphoria…

Fluffy white with butter highlights;
Microwaved and piping hot.
Teamed with cans of chilly soda.
Nothing’s better. Popcorn rocks!

Bitten by the Bug

They come in every size, it seems—
Those dirty little insects!
They bite us once then we get sick;
It’s just a human reflex.

There’s them that’s just too small to see
Because they’re microscopic
And others buzzing nastily
Like skeeters in the tropics.

The problems that they give me go
Beyond a nose that’s runny;
Not only do they make me sick,
They cost me lots of money.

But there’s one illness I can’t cure.
It causes me vexation:
I’m never bitten by the bug
To take a cheap vacation.

Pirate’s Grace

Only used after missing a couple of meals.

Dear Lord, we ain’t had nothing yet;
We’ll eat whatever we can get.
So if you’ll let us have some grub
We’ll take a bath, and even scrub.

Brief Respite

Such a fancy name
Just because the weather warmed
By a few degrees

Webcomic

Across a sheet of pixels
One hand guides
A pen-like cursor;
Strokes of light
Convert thought to image.
With all this technology,
Why do the thoughts
Still take so much work?

Kato

Cast as a servant,
The true master clearly sat
In the driver’s seat.
Even this naïve young fan
Could recognize the real star.

Roach Motel

Folks scurry in, folks scurry out—
Though the owners wish they’d stay,
Nobody plans to stay there long
If there’s another way

‘Cause the lumpy beds and the dirty walls
Mean the ratings aren’t four-star.
If we weren’t so tall, we’d be better off
In the trunk of the family car.

When this planet takes its final turn
As a cinder lost in space
And surviving roaches need a home…
They’ll still avoid this place.

Buzz

Like a swarm of cicadas
Their lips beat the air—
An endless buzz;
Rumors consume the land
And no ear is spared.
If only it happened
Just once every seven years…

Snowflakes

One by one, snowflakes
Form, fall, pile up, embrace, freeze;
An ice monolith

Ocean View

My video window on the world
Looks out across Pacific vistas
Palm trees sway in gentle breezes
Tranquil waves lap sandy shores

Surfers scoot among the breakers
Tourists lounge along the beach
Golfers play in kona breezes
While announcers tell the scores

Here, in real time, life is frigid
Icy winds drive me inside
There I wait for signs of springtime
Safe and warm, I dream indoors

Tired

The doors to dreamland
Closed much too quickly for him—
He was trapped inside!

Blue Paint for Sale

At the yard sale I found
A lone can of blue paint.
I didn’t see any
Other paint around it,
Just this half-empty can
Of blue paint. What a waste!
Blue paint is so useful…
Blend it with red to make
Purple; mixed with yellow,
It yields a lovely shade
Of green. It’s suitable
For painting a blue sky
Or a crystal-clear lake
Or bright blue aliens
On the walls of a child’s
(An adult’s?) dream bedroom.
Fantasies sprout wildly
From a single paint pot;
Fevered imaginings
Need but a few brushstrokes
To bring forth a jungle.
Whole blue worlds may erupt
From this one small purchase!
Now… can I find a brush?

Failed Resolutions

Enthusiasm
Sets our spirits free to fly…
But the sun gets hot

Cat and Mouse

They’re natural foes
In the animal world—
But up on the screen
Both get beaten and hurled!

If Jerry’s the brains,
I guess Tom is the brawn…
Though neither fares well
As the cartoon goes on.

Adrenaline junkies
With passions inflamed
Get so animated
Their wrath knows no shame!

So if your home’s tranquil
And that’s what you like,
Avoid pets like these two—
Choose bulldogs like Spike.