My Morning Walk

I came upon this ancient oak
So striking and so tall
Not a branch along its girth
No greenery at all
Here and there were several holes
A woodpecker no doubt
I slowed to take the beauty in
And to see what was about
Farther up upon a perch
A regal hawk did rest
His eyes upon the forest floor
For breakfast is my guess
Not wanting to disturb him
Or to stir up his next meal
I stood my ground and looked around
To get the forest’s feel
Everything grew quiet
Then birds chirped here and there
There was movement in the clearing
And the hawk took to the air
I lost him in the treetops
So I went on my way
I love to take these morning walks
They brighten up my day


Mdailey - 07/06/09

A Pet Duck

I thought I’d get a cute pet duck
But don’t you know it, just my luck
They haven’t got a sphincter muscle
Having one would be a tussle
Once they eat, they just cut loose
I think maybe I’ll get a goose

Mdailey
10/06/08

A Woodsy Stream

Life is like a woodsy stream
That constantly is flowing
You’re just a bubble in that stream
Not knowing where you’re going
Twists and turns come suddenly
And catch you unaware
But you ride upon the current
The twists and turns your fare
When rocks and logs get in the way
You somehow flow around them
You don’t let yourself get bogged down
With the drama that surrounds them
The stream’s sometimes so quiet
You can almost hear things think
Then all at once it gets so loud
Your eyes begin to blink
And then it changes once again
For no un-Godly reason
And this goes on for years and years
And season after season
And there are bigger things my friend
That come upon the stream
Disrupting how the water flows
Disturbing all your dreams
Then in a fleeting moment
You look and they are gone
And just like that you realize
That you have too moved on
Sure you’ll come upon some rapids
And perhaps a waterfall
Just bask in the excitement
Don’t freeze in fear and stall
At times you’ll find a quiet pond
And stay right there awhile
But the winds will change and in a bit
You’ll have gone another mile
My stream’s down to a trickle
But I know it’s not the end
The winds will change and pretty soon
I’ll be off around the bend
I don’t know where it will take me
But I won’t be denied
I can’t wait to see what’s next
I’ve so enjoyed this ride

Mdailey - 7/3/09
Not my usual poem - no irony / no punch line / just the rambling of an old man's mind

Class Reunion

I got my invitation in the mail
Thought at first that I would bail
Would they still think of me as friend
Those classmates that I knew back then
Class reunions – I don’t know
Perhaps I just won’t go

After school, we parted ways
I’m not sure how we’d feel these days
These reunions come in five-year spurts
Bring back the joys - - - bring back the hurts
Would they be upset if I don’t show
Perhaps I just might go

I’ll see the girl first held my hand
And the guys that played in my first band
And all those places open late
Where you could take that special date
And that blond that I’d still like to know
On second thought – I’ll go

I wonder who I’ll get to see
I’ll bet some aged much more than me
After 40 years they may have changed
Body masses rearranged
It will be interesting and so
Yea – I’m sure I’ll go

I went and saw just old folks there
Either grey or no more hair
All movements were at snail pace
And wrinkles filled up every face
I know on me age didn’t show
Next time I just won’t go

Mdailey - 07/02/09

Billy Mays

Billy Mays
(1958 – 2009)

Billy Mays in glory days
Barked items on TV
But Billy Mays in recent days
Simply ceased to be
While in his sleep – a final beep
And then his heart gave out
With life complete, his lord he’ll meet
Then Billy Mays will shout
I’ll clean the clouds, and wow the crowds
And bark info of all kind
And when I’m done, there’ll be no one
Who’s halo does not shine
And pretty soon, he’ll use Kaboom
If need be - Oxi-Clean
Or clean a soul with new Orange Glow
And with delight they’ll scream
He’ll use Mighty Putty on anybody
Who’s wings just won’t stay on
In every case, he’ll clean the place
Long before the dawn

Sure Billy Mays is gone these days
But in heaven all is bright
He’s gone to rest; he was the best
He sold himself all right!


Mdailey - 07/01/09

Exploding Beer Kegs

With the holidays fast approaching, many of you will have thoughts that turn to beer. This is a story for all of you.

Exploding Beer Kegs Close Interstate
Driver Heard Noise, Saw Smoke, Pulled Over, Police Say
POSTED: 11:12 am EDT June 18, 2008

LAS VEGAS -- The Wednesday morning commute was delayed thanks to hundreds of exploding beer kegs. During the early-morning hours, a truck driver was carrying 278 kegs of beer on Interstate 15 southbound near the Flamingo Road exit when he started to hear noises from the bed of the truck, said Bob McKenzie with the state's Department of Transportation.
When he looked in his rearview mirror, McKenzie said he started to see smoke. The driver pulled over to the side of the freeway and exited the vehicle, just before the kegs started to explode, reported Fox 5 News in Las Vegas. Police closed the southbound onramps at Flamingo Road and Spring Mountain Road to clean up the spill. The carbon dioxide in the kegs caused the explosions, police said. No one was injured during the incident.


Bob and Doug McKenzie, of Second City fame
Are back out on the roads again (but they only gave Bob’s name)
Somewhere out near Vegas with a truck of their “Strange Brew”
These Canadian misfits were simply driving through
But the truck that they were driving shook the beer that they were tottin’
And all at once – explosions – which are everywhere verboten
Hundreds of the kegs were popping off their top
Bob pulled the big rig over and brought it to a stop
Motorists all around them stopped to volunteer
With containers that they had on hand, they tried to save the beer
But even out in Vegas, the house will always win
Bob and Doug were losing beer; they had to call it in
The cops closed up the interstate to clean up what was spilled
No mention of the cost was given or who in fact was billed
But Bob and Doug McKenzie made it safely through the fray
When interviewed on camera all they had to say was “eh”

Mdailey
06/19/08

A Goat

I was down in NC this past weekend and it reminded me of a story told of one of my future neighbors. It really happened this way from what I was told.


A GOAT


Going out for a while so I grabbed my coat
Opened the door – on my porch was a goat
A goat? Said my wife. A goat’s what I said
Like a big shaggy dog with horns on his head
So I called the cops – dialed up 911
I said to the cops, “you’d best come on the run
For out on my porch (here you’d best take a note)
Is a four-legged white thing I think is a goat
Has there been a bank robbery (come on you can tell)
This goat looks suspicious and guilty as hell”
When the cops stopped their laughing, they said with a wink
Had I been out in the sun, maybe too much to drink
Did I really expect them to drop what they’re doing
For a billy goat out on my porch just a chewing
But cops said they’d be there and they’d bring a rope
So I stood in the doorway feeling just like a dope
For out on my porch was a gentle old goat
And I stood just shaking still holding my coat
Afraid to go out with this Billy Goat Gruff
This story is true, you can’t make up this stuff
And where was my wife while I made the call
Laughing her head off just down the hall
Making fun of my posture, my stature, my stance
It’d just serve her right if she wet her pants.


Mdailey
06/07/08