The Art of Living

 

The Art of Living

    In the evening he was there.
    In the early morning likely not.
    Seven aces his last call? That's a lot.
    My God, does he really have them?

    "Honor among thieves," he would say.
    "Hey, keep an eye out for that golden light."
    It's not slipping away swiftly, tonight.
    Whose call is it anyway?

    That's some first light you'll command.
    Cuts a finer horizon line than a West Coast day.
    Say, has anybody challenged yet?
    The Count has eight, he croons, operatic style.
    He might actually win this bet.
    When you play a heavenly hand, 
    You get to lie with impunity about the digits
    On your stack of greenback bills, and laugh and play,
    And tease a little too, smiling all the while. 

We, here holding mortal bills,  can only do our best to muster one more round. Oh that we could once again recline with fresh bills from your proud and mighty pile, always near at hand wherever you would go. Make that ten aces! What's that from up on cloud nine? I know, you're right Tom, we don' t have them, but perhaps this one time, wishing would make it so.

   Until then, 
   Goodnight Mr. Golden Light. 
   Goodnight and God's Speed.

  (Psst-psst. Four more aces, that's all I need)

 (c) 1999 Poem and Page by Roger Bodo in memory of co-creative artists and art director,
Tom Rickey,1999. The memory is of days we broke the days of work stress
playing Liars Poker along with other colleagues including Len Kotowski.

PS: Tom,
Say hi to John VanDagen, Sheldon Moyer, Ken Manual, 
Stella and Jim Gentile, and all the other D. P. Brother folks
you happen to bump into

WALTER S.T.

 

A poem dedicated to our friend and guide, Walter S. Taylor

Walter S.T.

We shall not let you go Walter S. T.,
not from this soil, nor from our hearts.
Nor shall our minds or resolve weaken,
for we have met you and heard your words:
Spoken, painted, written,
and are forever changed.

"They cannot cheat an honest man," it is said.
They can try to silence, but they cannot hide.
They can dance with deception, cavort with conniving,
but never the worth of self can they sweep aside,
of one who stands as a light in the rain,
fighting wind surges and waters to remain,
glowing, even as a pilot flickering,
never out, ready as the match, energy sending,
out from the soul, spreading through magnificent rootstock,
upward though vine and leaf,
into the cups of kindness to be consumed,
by those who will carry on and keep the spirit
alive forever on beloved Mother Earth,
the roots of honesty, integrity and self worth.

(c) Roger Bodo 1-23-99