I wrote two more poems today. One based on a story the Command Chaplin told and one based on Bernie Madoff's plea in court today. As you can see politics and religion are two things that usually catch my attention.

What Are YOU doing?

The other day out walking, I came upon this site
A building was just going up; workers left and right
I couldn’t see a drawing of what it was to be
I thought I’d ask a builder, I asked the same of three

What are you doing, I asked of builder one
“I’m carrying mortar, there’s so much to be done”
What are you doing, I asked builder two
“I’m earning 4 dollars and working all day through”
What are you doing, I asked builder three
He paused and he pointed and he said “Can’t you see
I’m building a cathedral that will reach up to the skys
It’s as plain as it can be if you look through my eyes”

And that got me to thinking, how do we define our worth
And what it is we’re doing on our time here on earth
Do we define our purpose by the burden on our back;
Or the money in our paycheck or our countless bric-a-brac?
Or do we define our purpose; the who’s, the what’s, the why’s
By the vision in our hearts and the way we live our lives?
Each one of them is valid but only one of them alas
Adds meaning to the future, the present and the past

Mdailey
03/12/09

I heard this story from our command chaplain and I thought I would put it down in rhyme.
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Why I Copped A Plea

Hello, I Bernie Madoff and I’m in court you see
Not to explain just what I did, but just to cop a plea
I want to say that I am sorry for all the folks I fleeced
But it’s not like I fondled your daughter, or son – I am not a priest
I simply took advantage of folks with all their greed
Who wanted easy money and my plan to succeed
But just between the few of us, I think deep down they knew
That all that I was offering was too good to be true
They would give me thousands for millions in return
And tell themselves it’s all OK, it’s money that they earned
And me, yea I made money I wouldn’t lie to you
Billions? Maybe billions – I guess that part is true
But where is all that money – who helped me in my scheme
And will I pay back all that dough – oh yea, in your dream
That’s why I am in court today and copping to this plea
That way there is no trial, no more questions asked of me
Sure I’ll go to prison – I might be there all my life
But I’ll leave a wealthy family and a very wealthy wife
I’ll miss my penthouse dwellings and all my art collection
But I’ll be safe and warm inside this house of crime correction
For I heard through the grapevine that the word out on the street
Is that Bernie and his maker are going soon to meet
And someone with a brand new gun who once was fleeced by me
Wants to introduce us – and thus I copped this plea.

Mdailey
03/12/09