She was wise, but wasn’t happy.

I think she knew too much.

All that knowledge made her sappy.

Alone and sad and such.

She was searching for the common.

Someone plain and twice as thick.

I slid down from the tree tops.

But my sight just made her sick.

So I went back to the jungle.

God knows I really tried.

Left her reading at the library.

Laughed so hard, I almost cried.

The taming of the species.

All set? Now let’s begin.

All those fears have claimed your mercies.

And reframe your losses as a win.

They are talking New World Order.

Reset with Omicron.

You will be happy and own nothing.

You can wear what you have on.

No more Kings or Queendoms.

Just the smell of filthy rich.

There will be the talk of freedoms.

Just before they flip the switch.

You remember what the old ones said.

All your smiles and smug disdain.

What to do with such a warning?

With all this singing in the rain.

We were sinking in the quagmire.

The dreams of silence didn’t last.

There were rumors of a rescue.

But the rumors faded fast.

The Lawyer called a banker.

The banker called his Mom.

They haggled on deliverance.

And handed me the final sum.

I’ve been working at the car wash.

I no longer have the blues.

Got that monkey off my back.

And my baby has new shoes.

The sun was brightly shining.

There was stardust in the air.

The Angel’s were all humming.

Broke a silence that was rare.

The whiners stopped complaining.

Twas still early, they were asleep.

Except for one Prince Charming.

And the Maiden in his keep.

You could see them at their window.

They looked down, but not for long.

The Maiden was far from satisfied.

The beat and rhythm were all wrong.

It was over before it started.

Prince Charming slept past noon.

The Angel’s went where Angel’s go.

No one’s expected back to soon.

Dennis Mantin

The bad luck raised suspicions, on a path that was beat down.

No one dared to look within or see the wise men in the town.

It was happening for eons, as long as Grandad could recall.

Like a dark foreboding plank walk or a dream in which you fall.

Until the child spoke her words that, “Maybe somethings wrong with me?”

So we made a meeting with the Doc, down at Family Psychiatry.

The doctor raised awareness and we all took a look.

Things are looking so good now, might take Grandma off the hook.

Now life is far from perfect however the family’s not so sad.

Looking in the mirror, not blaming blind luck, good or bad.

I had caught humiliation.

By how I felt, the case was bad.

My head was hanging at the ground.

My mood was low and sad.

There was a sound of laughter.

That grew and I felt rise.

My humiliation brought such joy.

To the other people’s eyes.

Soon there would be others.

We never formed a band.

We just learned that time cures all.

And youth is seldom planned.

The swamp grass is all frozen, all gold and dirty blonde.

The sun has just disappeared behind, the edge of the great beyond.

There’s a murmur in the shadows, and a whisper in the air.

Someone’s seen Sweet Tina, and she’s passed the point of care.

Said she’s taking on all comers. I said I don’t need to to know.

There are things you can’t unsee, and never tell and don’t show.

The relief came in the New Years! In the year of 2022.

I pushed it past my deadlines. Was a thing I had to do.

The bankers and the lawyers, they all got their cut.

I made it to the teller just before the doors were shut.

There is peace now in the valley, as the Lions had their fill.

In this land where cash is king, and looks can sometimes kill.

It kind of felt like you were prying.

Maybe stop just for a chat.

Seemed like you were really trying.

Looked good from where I sat?

I couldn’t tell if you were lying.

It’s just a feeling I get at.

You start shaking, then you’re crying.

About a bad man in your past.

Been talking about your feelings.

About how the dye is cast.

No more fun now in these dealings.

No way to start or last.

There are limits to these ceilings.

Say so long, the moments passed.

It’s grey and wet on a Wednesday.

At least it isn’t snow.

I wanted change and heard a voice said,

“It’s best that you don’t know.”

I’m tired but that’s normal.

I think it comes with age.

It is wet and getting colder.

And complaining is all the rage.