ElbOW

This year was through with me ere I was done.
Now I just hide and cover me to rest.
The race is over. I don't know who won,
But please believe, I wish her all the best.
My wounds have tapped me out of ev'ry fight,
My goals lie all in tatters at my feet
And nothing that I've started has gone right
But I don't care right now. I'm tired, I'm beat,
And quite forgotten. Oh, of course, I know
The wheel will turn around for me again.
But just now, I would just as soon it go
A spin or two without me. I have been
A few too many times 'round with no breaks;
I'm only human, don't have what it takes.

Alas!

Alas! The streak is broken. I forgot
To write and post a sonnet yesterday.
Somehow I got home and, I guess, I thought
I'd written one at work. I cannot say
How much this disappoints me, when, as well
My readers know, I've gone to lengths beyond
What any normal poet would to tell
A story, share a thought or news, a fond
And friendly greeting. Something always comes
To lend me inspiration. Once I could
Rely on friends to nag me when I'm late
A-posting, but that never was a good,
Effective way to keep me to my vow.
I'm sad and kind of desolate right now.

In Which Civility Is Longed For

I think of sportsmanship today, and cry

A bit, so poorly honored are its truths.

Today, in victory, one side gave lie

To something we were taught, no?, in our youths:

A gracious winner's what we want to be.

Instead the losing side's called stupid, or

Is wished to illness. Sadly, though, I see

That losing side is just as bad, though more

Is glaring at me from the victors' taunts.

Death threats and histrionics, are they worse

Than sneering gloats? I think not, and it haunts

Me just a bit to see this. While a curse

Is just a word, remember we must share

This world with people we dislike. That's fair.

In Which I Am Wonderwhelmed By Underland

A Lewis Carroll fan I've been for long,

Tim Burton, too, is someone I admire.

How could a combination go so wrong

Of these two? But that has seemed to transpire.

The look of this film lived up to the hype,

Though after Avatar, this 3-D seemed

Quite flat and lifeless, gimmicky, the type

Of gags I saw so long ago. There gleamed

Some diamonds in the dross, though: Johnny Depp

And Bonham-Carter managed to transcend

The dialog and story. I just kept

On thinking these resources would contend

Far better with the stories Carroll wrote

Than making this dull sequel. That's my vote.

In Which I Almost Give Up

A place I have found sweet threatens to turn --
I won't say sour, but there's a bitter edge
To my experience these days. Tears burn.
Remembering one to whom I made a pledge
Of endless love and friendship won't be there
Is hard, but harder still, I start to find,
Is when another denizen won't spare
A thought to why things change, becomes unkind,
And makes me feel unwelcome in my space.
I'm digging in my heels but there are times
When I just want to give up, turn my face
Away. But I would lose much more. To rhymes
I turn to put my discomfort in words.
I'm really just a chicken and it hurts.

Just When I Have Lost My Will To Wait, My Sources Say BSG Is No Longer Worth Waiting For

I don't have cable television; it
Just isn't worth the vast expense to me
To see the two or three shows I find fit
To watch each week. And now I'm thinking three
Is over gen'rous. Patience is one of
My virtues rare; I mostly can rely
On Netflix for the few shows that I love.
But lately I've grown used to a supply
More timely than a DVD release:
Sci-Fi Rewind and Hulu have seduced
Me into feeling anything but peace
In waiting for Galactica, reduced
To wailing like a junkie for her fix -
And just in time, the show's run out of tricks.

Phlebotomy is a Sore Subject Today

Was it my fault, or was it just the stick
That caused my blood donation so to fail,
I wonder, though I know I should not kick
Myself; I know misfortune can prevail.
I woke today and knew I'd do some good,
Would feel today that warm and special pride.
I know deep down it counts some that I would
Have done so, yes, it matters that I tried.
The needle, it refused to stay in place.
My flow of blood is famed for being strong...
Today I left the van and felt disgrace.
No matter what the reason there's one less
Pint to be had, and it's a rotten mess.

He Should Have been Secretary of State Anyway

Bill Richardson at one time had my vote.
A truly worldly man, with qualities
That made me wonder, smile and then take note;
Some of these guys had possibilities!
(The Democrats, I mean - it's nothing new
That I don't like them much - I won't say hate)
Now due to some inviolate taboo
Involving doing business with his state --
A pity he was not a martinet,
Or faltered when he chose in whom to trust --
He won't be part of our Obama's cabinet.
And I, for one, regard this as a bust --
Not of the man or of his reputation
But maybe, of our prospects for the nation.