"I don't like poetry".
said the husband to his wife
"i've no time for such things,
I live a farmers life"
but the wife said "dear husband
"you live a poet's poem,
do you not reap the harvest
of the seeds by which you've sown?"
"I've seen you bow your head in thanks,
when God answered prayers for rain"
I've seen your eyes shine with pride
with every baby calf you name"
I guess poetry's okay he said
as he kissed that framers wife
and silently he thanked the Lord
she saw poetry in their life...

Aunt Alice liked to give advice
through out my childhood years
"gossip is the longest word"
she said "among your peers"
"Don't believe no ear awaits
a tale or two from you
and don't be suprised if someone tries
to add a bit untrue"

Now grandpa was a wise old man
who always spoke his mind
he told me once Aunt Alice was
not all that good and kind
"listen very hard dear child
for time will surly show
there is in fact a longer word
aunt Alice doesn't know"

It took the most of many years
telling friends and foe
that when it came to gossip
I did not care to know
the only one i trusted was
aunt alice all those years
and told her all the secrets of
my laughter and my tears

I came to find aunt alice had
a lot of friends who knew
everything about me and
a lot was added too
although i trusted her she had
a friend she trusted too
and they in turn had their own
friend and so it grew

I remembered grandpas words
and knew i'd come to see
how gossip is a little short
when with out loyalty
so listen very hard through life
for time will surly show
when one has not a loyal friend
gossip tends to grow...

River Rat

"Too many are homeless!"
the good people said.
"Let's open up shelters
and give them a bed"

"How many are homeless?"
asked the governments men
"we'll spend a few billion
and investigate them."

"Too many are hungry"
the good people said
"let's spend that money
to feed them instead"

"How many are hungry?"
asked the Governments men
"we'll take a few million
and investigate them"

"The winter was cold"
the good people cried
"ice and snow ( a record low)
yet many selpt outside."

"we counted quite few"
said the governments men
" But we can take a few billion
And count them again".

"There's no way to count them"
the good people said
"If they've not a place
to be sheltered and fed"

"That's not up to us"
said the governments men
"we can't afford it
our budget's too thin"

River Rat

Once my true love brought to me
3 packs of flower seeds
and with them was a book upon
a flower and it's needs
I thanked him for his gesture but
reminded him I've tried
to keep alive some flowers and
they whithered and they died

through out the winter months i read
his book on flower needs
and took upon myself to plant
3 packs of flower seeds
and before the soil hand warmed the earth
enough for life outside
i put the plants in window sills
and kept each one alive
I placed them in the soil when
the ground felt nice and warm
and sure enough before my eyes
their tiny buds took form
every one was different from
the other and too soon
a cold day came as if to claim
my flowers still in bloom.

now of all the gardens later grown
none had as may weeds
as the garden planted with
3 packs of flower seeds
and i have yet to see a bud
so grand before my eyes
as the buds whos blossoms held
my true loves sweet supprise
there's a moral to my story friend
as only time will show
the biggest needs of tiny seeds
is faith in them to grow..

River Rat

While waiting for a bus
there came a man
dressed in dirty cloths
and a 3 day beard
pardon me he said
may i bother you for fare to town?
while as we rode along i inquired
where he might be from
and he replied
"the Lord sent me
just to take this ride."
the people on the bus began to laugh
and whispered that the man must be insane
some looked as if to mock him
and as i watched them
the thought went through my mind
that Jesus came
dressed much like he
I turned to see
the stranger disappear
and as my mind cleared
I realized it was
a poets dream.

River Rat