Santa Had a Bad Day

Did you ever wonder where the tradition of placing an angel on top of a Christmas tree came from.  Here is one theory that appears plausable to me.

Santa had a bad day
Four of his elves got sick
The trainee elves did not produce
The toys quite as quick
Santa felt the pressure
Down in his big round belly
His Christmas plans were turning out
Like undeveloped jelly

Then Mrs. Claus told Santa
Her mom would soon come visit
His stress was building daily
"this isn't my year, is it?"
He went to harness reindeer
And found that three were preggers
Two others had just jumped the fence
Where were those lousy beggars?

When he began to load the sleigh
One of the floorboards cracked
The toy bag fell to the ground
No longer were they stacked
Frustrated poor old Santa
Went for a cup of cider
And maybe just a shot of rum
With the pressure getting tighter

But the cupboard, it was empty
The elves had drunk it all
And hidden all his liquor
Those elves sure had some gall
Frustration ever growing
He dropped the cider jug
And scattered glass upon the floor
And even on the rug

He went to get his trusty broom
But the mice ate all the straw
Not a thing was going right
Then he looked up and saw
An angel standing at his door
He heard the doorbell ring
He yanked that big door open
And heard the angel sing

"Merry Christmas to you Santa
Isn't this a lovely day
I pray this day is going right
For you in every way
I've brought a little Christmas tree
And I, myself, did pick it
It's yours because you're Santa Claus
Where would you like to stick it?"


Thus began the custom
And why today you see
A pretty little angel
On top the Christmas tree

Mdailey   12/10/08

Please make this a part of your Christmas reading this year.

SANTA ?

I wrote a little Christmas poem on the way to work last year. I had to keep repeating lines to myself as traffic was moving and I could not write and drive at the same time. I didn’t want to forget the words and for once, I was hoping for a red light. I finally got behind a school bus with flashing red lights and could jot down most of the lines. Here it is – my Christmas poem for all of you.  Go ahead and sign in as a follower so I know who is reading these.   Thanks    Mike

SANTA?

It’s my early morning habit to walk down my long drive
To get my morning paper while the world’s still not alive
But the early morning silence was shattered by the sound
Of leaves as they were scattered along the frozen ground.
Squinting through the darkness I thought I saw some moves
Reflecting off the moonlight was that antlers; were those hooves?
I know it’s late December and with Christmas almost here
Could that be dear old Santa and his pack of eight reindeer?
I never saw a red sleigh or spied a fat old elf
But I didn’t look that closely, I’d rather fool myself
And just go on believing that Santa’s just a myth
And its parents not old Santa that brought me Christmas gifts
But there’s a still a little boy inside me whose heart just skipped a beat
If it really was old Santa, wouldn’t that be neat!

Mdailey     12/23/08

Ocean Ridge Singers

I joined a singing group down here in NC (I was volunteered by my loving wife without my knowledge) and we had our winter performance last week and weekend.  I tried to capture the moment(s) in rhyme.  Let me know what you think.

The afterglow of the show still lingers
From when I sang with the Ocean Ridge singers
With altos and tenors, base and soporano
Alice conducting and Ruth on piano
We met every week for an hour long practice
But that Hallelu Chorus left my throat like a cactus
On the night of the shows we just crossed our fingers
That we’d hit all the notes for the ballads and swingers
Now the “12 Days of Christmas” was fun for us all
When everyone stood up and danced in the hall
Joanne’s touching solo on being a tree
Put a lump in the throat of that wee boy in me
And when Maggi Edwards got up there to sing
Her “Breath of Heaven” pulled on my heart string
“What Child is This?” – “O Holy Night”
“Ring the Bells” – they were pure delight
And while “Santa Baby” just made me chuckle
“Swinging with Santa” was always white-knuckle
I cherished the chance to sing with the octet
But that first night fiasco I just can’t forget

I’d like to go on naming each singer and song
But the rhymes are not there or the poem grows too long
As I said at the start, the afterglow lingers
I can’t wait for the spring and the Ocean Ridge Singers

Mdailey       12/14/09

My Girlfriend

I wrote this a couple of years ago - no hidden meaning - I just liked the way the words sounded together.  Of course every guy (and every girl) wants a girlfriend/boyfriend that is a little naughty even if it means they get nothing for Christmas.
My girlfriend got nothing for Christmas
While young she was nothing but bad
Now that we’re dating each other
Her bad is the best that I’ve had

She knew that old Santa was watching
Tracking to see who’s bad and who’s good
She knew how to be good for goodness
She knew how but she never would


We grew up not far from each other
My parents said she’s not our kind
You wouldn’t believe all the stories
I did then but now I don’t mind

We met then one night at a party
She said I looked lonely and sad
She showed me a way we could change that
My girlfriend is nothing but bad


My girlfriend got nothing for Christmas
While young she was nothing but bad
Now that we’re dating each other
Her bad is the best that I’ve had

Mdailey 

Christmas in Your Pocket

OK - it is time for a few Christmas themed poems.  A little on the light-hearted side.
Three men died on Christmas Eve and were met by Saint Peter at the pearly gates. "In honor of this holy season" Saint Peter said,” You must each possess something that symbolizes Christmas to get into heaven."


My version - - -

St. Peter told the gentlemen "to pass the Pearly Gate
Show me something that's like Christmas - go on, I'll simply wait"
The first man fumbled through his pockets and came out with a BIC
"The lighter's like a candle" --- "OK - that does the trick"
The second grabbed his car keys and with some mighty shakes
"They're bells just like at Christmas" --- "OK - that's all it takes"
The third man got real nervous - he was feeling kind of ill
Then pulled out a pair of panties and said "These ought to fit the bill"
St. Peter raised an eyebrow - what he heard then brought a grin
"These are Carols" said the third man. St. Peter let him in!
If the moral of the story was "Always Be Prepared -
Keep Christmas in your pocket” - How would you have fared?


The real Moral of the Story - - -

When you run into Saint Peter
The Pearly Gate great greeter
So he doesn’t close the gate and simply lock it
Keep in mind our dear Lord’s glory
And how you’ll tell the story
Of how you always kept some Christmas in your pocket.

Mdailey     12/03/07

A Soldier’s Letter Home

I can’t believe it is that time of year
I haven’t yet gotten that old Christmas Cheer
What with you back at home and me over here
I love you and miss you my dear

And even though I’m near the place of His birth
I hear no “Merry Christmas”; see no Christmas mirth
And Lord knows from here I see no Peace on Earth
I love you and miss you my dear

But we’ve put up a tree – looks like Charlie Brown’s
And we’ve hung on its branches gold-colored spent rounds
And when the wind blows those tinkle bells sound
I love you and miss you my dear

I miss the kids more and more every day
And you know I would be there if there was any way
Tell them I miss them and ask them to pray
I love you and miss you my dear

Now give the kids kisses and say “Daddy loves you”
And I’ll hurry home once my tour here is through
So I can give kisses and hugs to you too
I love you and miss you my dear


Well the Captain is calling, the fighting’s begun
I’ve put on my helmet, my vest; grabbed my gun
Say a prayer for me dear but now I’ve got to run
I love you and miss you my dear

Mdailey 12/06/09

Mammograms

One Doc say’s “Forget it
Mammogram – don’t get it”
One Doc says “Take heed
The mammogram you need”

This split in doctor’s thinking
Got me thinking what is shrinking
Decrease in women lost?
Or insurance profit cost?

Can women skip a year or two
Like some doctors say to do
Or have some sold out their concurrence
To the boys of health insurance


I’d rather ere on the side of life
When it comes down to my wife
I’ll tell the doc – “no disrespect
But I’d rather that you checked”


I don’t know who’s wrong or right
But I know I can sleep at night
Knowing my wife has a plan
To get a yearly mammogram

Mdailey 12/05/09

Remember When

Remember when PJs had feet in their bottoms
You believed in old Santa when you first got em
And remember the time you thought you had caught him
Putting presents out under our tree

I remember back then with my older sister
Who got me to do things – I couldn’t resist her
“I thought I heard Santa” she said in a whisper
Putting presents out under our tree

Well the tree was way down at the end of the hall
So on bellies and elbows we made that long crawl
Thinking we’d finally catch Santa and all
Putting presents out under our tree

The tree had been set up for barely a week
And Christmas and Santa was still a mystic
So careful and quiet we both took a peek
To see who was out there under our tree

We must have just missed him for the presents were there
A train set, some dolls and an overstuffed bear
And Mom and the neighbors were taking great care
Putting presents back under our tree


They must have heard Santa and rushed to the tree
They were bigger and faster than sister and me
It was them and not us that year got to see
Santa putting presents out under our tree


So sister and I, disappointed and all
On bellies and elbows snuck back down the hall
Thinking maybe next year when we wouldn’t be small
We could catch Santa out under our tree


But sister and I didn’t try it again
We grew up and believing in Santa grew thin
But each year at Christmas I think back to when
We almost caught Santa there under our tree

Mdailey 12/05/09

Repeal Day

In terms of holidays, it’s not in the same league as Christmas and New Year’s Day. Still, anyone who enjoys a cold beer ought to raise a glass in honor of Repeal Day. On Dec. 5, 1933, Congress ratified the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, sweeping away Prohibition and quenching the thirst of Americans. Of course, it was not as simple as that. North Carolina did not repeal until 1935, and to this day, the state is still a patchwork of alcohol laws.


On December the 5th, 1933
The constitution was changed to please you and me
Prohibition died with the signed 21st
And Americans quenched a 13 year thirst.
But some states rebelled keeping “No Drinking” alive
North Carolina kept at it till the year ’35.
Now we can all drink till our eyeballs are floating
Just not while we’re driving – not while we’re boating
For if we get caught on a D.W.I
We’ll be hauled into court and asked to tell why
You’ll pay a big fine or in jail you’ll be wiltin’
Unless you are Lindsey or maybe a Hilton
So lets raise a glass to the Congressmen who
Sponsored this bill and pushed it on through
So that all of your friends and all of their kin
Could bathe now that the bathtub is not filled with gin

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Mdailey 12/05/07

December 5th - Repeal Day

I’m not a drinker, a drunkard, a sot
To drink or abstain to me matters not
But one who imbibes has what I ain’t got
An excuse for the things that they say


So here’s to the boozehound, the guzzler, the lush
The rumdum, the rummy whose speaking is mush
The tippler, the wino with their rosy blush
Drink up for it’s now Repeal Day

Mdailey 12/05/08

December 5th is the day the law on prohibition was overturned. It is celebrated throughout the US as a day to eat, drink, and be merry.

Holiday Blessing

We will be visiting with our daughter in Virginia for Thanksgiving but here is an early Thanksgiving blessing you can share at your thanksgiving dinner. I wrote it for work but it works for family gatherings as well.


Holiday Blessing

Dear heavenly Father,
We are gathered here today
To bow our heads in thanks to you,
Respectfully we pray
Thankful for the blessings
You have given to us here
Thankful for the friends and family
That supports us year to year
Thankful for the folks at work
We couldn’t do without
Thankful for the soldiers
Who defend us without doubt
And bless this food before us
And all we do today
We bow our heads in thanks to you
In silence now we pray

---Pause---

Amen

AND – for a little lighter poetry – here is another Thanksgiving treat

Thanksgiving Waltz

This is for the older readers - - - with apologies to the writers of the Tennessee Waltz - - -

I was dining with my darlin’
On the Thanksgiving feast
When a ball game came on the TV
There were lions, there were cowboys
And what they were doing
My darlin’ explained it to me

I remember the game
And the Thanksgiving feast
And the way men were glued to the set
Yes I lost my little darlin’
To the game they were playing
At the annual Thanksgiving feast

Mother Nature

Eleven, I betcha
Lets count them down
Nine on the roof
Two more on the ground
Vultures just waiting
For booty they found

It's worse than I thought
It's a turtle that's dead
Squished by a car
From tail to his head
Staining the pavement
In greens and dark red

That's just how it is
And that can't be undone
With its insides exposed
And now cooked by the sun
The vultures now gather
Their lunch has begun

I can't bear to look
It's just nature's rule
What's gruesome to some
Makes other things drool
But it all seems to work
Mother Nature's no fool

mdailey   11/16/09

A Question for Tiger or Phil

I’ve got a question for Tiger or Phil
What do you do when just over the hill
Your ball comes to rest near the tail of a gator
Do you pick it up now or think maybe later
Do you call the official and show him the lie
And think to yourself, it’s not my day to die
So you just drop a ball where you hit the last one
And hit a bit softer and hope it don’t run
Do you dare turn your back on that gator to putt
Follow the rules or follow your gut
Tiger or Phil, please answer my call
What do I do with this gator-tail ball?

Mdailey 11/16/09

Leopard’s 15 – Gator

I haven’t seen it but know someone who did
And that alligator makes mine look a kid
He’s long and he’s fat and often is seen
Sunning himself out on Leopard’s 15
His size can’t be gotten by eating just fish
A gator this size gets to eat what he wished
Just the other day, right there at the pond
A deer was just drinking and then he was gone
Our friend said she saw legs fly up in the air
She blinked, when she looked, he was no longer there
Oh – this gator is quick and this gator is mean
She said it was gruesome and almost obscene
And this gator she says watches people walk by
And they can’t see a thing except maybe his eye
For he’s hoping somehow someone may just trip
He’ll be there in a flash, get them tight in his grip
Pull them back to the pond and then pull them under
If you’re out on 15 don’t you make such a blunder
In fact if your ball should land in that sand trap
Consider it lost and just say “oh crap!”
So you lose a ball, add a stroke to your score
It’s better than going too near to the shore
For the gator is there though he may not be seen
Keep yourself on the fairway on Leopard’s 15.

Mdailey 11/15/09

Veteran's Day Tribute

While driving through the gate to work at Fort Belvoir, VA one day, someone on the radio was talking about Washington and how America’s greatness was captured in marble and stone. About that time, I encountered a group of young soldiers jogging along the main road on post and thought to myself that America’s greatness was not in marble and stone.



America’s Greatness

America’s greatness is not marble or stone
But the soldier who’s willing to stand all alone
Out on their post with weapon in hand
Protecting the people of this great land

America’s greatness wears Army Green
Or the clothes of a sailor, Air Force or Marine
Their background is Asian, Hispanic or Black
Mixed or Caucasian they all have your back

And they’ll take their position and they’ll hold their ground
Protecting your life and all those around
For America’s greatness is not marble or stone
But the soldier who’s ready to lay down his own

Mdailey      02/17/09

Babies and Pumpkin Patches

Where do these ideas originate? Sometimes it is a word or phrase I hear, sometimes it is something I see. Sometimes it is just nonsense thoughts that creep in when I am not thinking anything at all. I think this is a case of the latter. My morning walks have been on the cooler side with lots of heavy dew on the fairways. By the time the walk is over, I have verses running around in my head.


I never had “that talk” with Mom
My Dad was not around
I never heard how babes were born
I’d heard that they were found
Somewhere in a pumpkin patch
In the early morning dew
If you were quite persistent
You might find one or two
But each morning when out walking
I’d stop at a pumpkin patch
I’d never spied a single one
There has to be a catch
So I took my one and only
Out on a morning walk
We stopped there at a pumpkin patch
And we talked about “the talk”
Then I felt an arm around me
And I heard “I’ll take you home
You’re spending too long looking
And thinking all alone
Babies are not found out here
Come on – it’s time you’re shown”
That day my eyes were opened
And it’s really quite a view
I know those childhood stories
Are not exactly true
So now we are with child
And we’re thrilled to the bone
We have a lot more fun these days
I mean – who would have known

Mdailey 11/8/09

Cormorant

He sits low in the water
Swims just like an otter
This water fowl we have in our back pond
Then he sits up on a piling
Searching but not smiling
As if he’s lost something that’s gone beyond
We looked him up on Google
He’s usually found in group
But he appears all lost and lonely
And thus his smile does droop
We think he is a young bird
That was somehow left behind
He twists his head from side to side
But no friends does he find
I’d like to somehow help him
But I know that I can’t
But I too search the skies each day

For a flock of Cormorant

Mdailey 11/04/09
We have a new bird at the pond.  He has been here two days and appears lost.

It’s Halloween

Just to get you in the spirit (so to speak)


Goblins, scarecrows, kids in sheets
Knocking on my door for treats
Begging for unhealthy sweets
I guess it’s Halloween

When the moon can be seen
And betwixt and between
A shadowy figure floats by
And the kids hear the scream
From something unseen
And they fear it’s a wild banshee’s cry

You act surprised
As the kids in disguise
Go door to door on your street
You hand out M&Ms
To each ghoul and his friends
When they call out to you “Trick or Treat”

And then late that night
When you’ve turned out their light
The real monster finally strikes
While the kids are all sleeping
Into their room it’s creeping
To steal all the candy it likes

And the morale of the story
Perhaps in allegory
Disregarding everything that’s said
It comes each Halloween
And often leaves unseen
That not all monsters live beneath their bed

Mdailey 10/31/08

No Socks?

One of my former co-workers dropped by to see me and made a comment about my lack of socks now that I was retired. We have a long history of trading jibes back and forth so I could not resist a poetic retort.

Me thinks that thou protests too much
Thou thinks of me as out of touch
Tis true that now I do not wear
A nylon or a cotton pair
No sock doth now adorn my feet
My toes have never felt so sweet
For now I dress as if unbound
I do not wear a button-down
No cloth is tied around my neck
To you I must appear a wreak
But know thee, yet my pants are short
To that I have no glib retort
The weather dresses me each day
No outside push gets in my way
For I've retired - am at the beach
Your jibes no longer have their reach
So socks be damned - I have no need
No dress code unto me impede
Better you should change your ways
In your own mirror you should gaze
Then try to live outside your box
And rid yourself of those darn socks

Mdailey 10/28/09

Behind the Scene at NPR

With appologies to Willie Nelson, I wrote this little parady based on a friends revelation from her new job at NPR.  It seems they use code to let the staff know someone is about to buy the farm.  this was a true e-mail (or so I was told).

Behind the Scene at NPR
(E-MAIL: “Dennis Hopper is on the roof”)

On the roof again
A code we send out every now and then
When someone’s life is almost near the end
We say that he is on the roof again
On the roof again
Let’s start writing bout our sickly friend
Who’s life has almost gone around the bend
A bio for who’s on the roof again

On the roof again
Like a band of writers, we check off the birthdays
Of our special friends
Insisting that their bio’s written our way
But today
He’s on the roof again
We’ve got a bio that we must amend
The life we live is writing bio’s open-end
In case somehow they’re off the roof again

On the roof again
As writers we must now attend
That bio that we have is really way too thin
And it can’t wait – he’s on the roof again

Mdailey 10/07/09

Carolina Snake

He was pencil thin and green, and staring up at me
Beady little eyes, intense as they can be
His head was raised two inches to get a better view
His length more than a foot long but nowhere near to two
He watched me as I walked by; all prepared to strike
I watched him as I walked by; there is not snake I like
The fact is he was harmless and tiny as can be
The fact is there are more of them than I’m prepared to see

Well, that’s my first encounter with a Carolina snake
I’ll keep my eyes wide open; there can be no snake mistake!

Mdailey 10/10/09

The Dreaded Stresshour

While traveling in the DC area last week, I remembered what I did not like about my former homestead.

Dinosaurs have come and gone
But one that ain’t gone yet
Is a special kind
I have in mind
That you all know I bet
He’s found, I swear
Just anywhere
There’s lots of wealth and power
I’ll take the blame
For this beast’s name
We’ll call it the Stresshour

Some people called him Rush before
But there’s no rush about him
He’s someone that you can’t ignore
Though some are sure to doubt him
He shows up almost every day
Most days from three to eight
He snarls traffic on your way
He’s the reason that you’re late

You never really see him
And he leaves no tracks behind
But you know it had to be him
For you recognize the signs
He’s there in glaring sunshine
He’s there in daytime showers
He’s there in every state of mind
He’s the dreaded old Stresshour

Me? I haven’t seen him
In really quite a while
I’ve moved to Carolina
I’ve got a new life style
But I took a trip up north last week
And my patience was worn down
The traffic moved at snail’s pace
I know he’s still around


Mdailey 10/07/09

The House on Sunset Beach

You can stay inside
And watch the tide
Or catch up on your reading
Or go outside
And dance the tide
And watch the seagulls feeding
You can walk the dunes
All afternoons
It that’s within your plans
Or comb the beach
For shells in reach
And build castles in the sand
You can fish the pier
All day, all year
If that’s your cup of tea
Or sit and stare
In your beach chair
To see what you can see
There is so much more
Down at the shore
That I just can’t list each
When you arrive
You’ll come alive
At the house on Sunset Beach

Mdailey 9/29/09

Charity Walk

We attended a charity event on my birthday last Monday. There was a golf tournament for those that play (I don't as of yet) and a 3 mile walk for those that don't play golf. Pat and I choose the walk. The first hundred yards or so of the walk was lined with pink flags with names on them. We were told that those on the right side were cancer victims that had passed and those on the left were still in the fight. It was a great day for golf or a walk and the event raised a lot of money for the charity. Following the walk, I started composing my own tribute to the event. I thought I would try something different and see if I could compose something with only two syllables in each line. Here it is.

Pink Flags/Blue Shirts

Blue shirts
Pink flags
We walk
Time drags
Names named
Prayer’s said
Some here
Some dead
We can’t
Forget
Loved ones
Not yet

Pink Flags
Blue shirts
Why walk
Heart hurts
Too soon
Too young
Lives lost
Undone
We can’t
Forget
Those gone
Not yet


Mdailey 09/16/09

Turtle in the Road

Driving home one day I saw
A turtle in the road
Thinking back a day or two
Of flat frogs and flat toads
I thought I must do something
To save this helpless turtle
If he gets hit and squished I fear
His insides will just squirtle
And there will be some turtle parts
From one gutter to the other
And thoughts of those flat turtle parts
Made me stop and shutter
So I stopped the car
And went over to him
Thinking of ponds and
Where he could swim
But he pulled in his legs
And pulled in his head
Did not move an inch
But just sat there instead
So I had to reach down
And take hold of his shell
He was covered in moss;
All green and did smell
But I picked him up
Put him back in the grass
Got back in the car
And away we did pass
My wife said that’s great
But no buts, ifs, or ands
When we get back home
You had best wash those hands

Mdailey 09/05/09

Happy Birthday

Yesterday was my wife's birthday

Here’s wishing you a birthday wish
A home-made cake, a lover’s kiss
A day that you can spend with friends
From sunrise till the sunset ends
This is just my way to say
Hope you have a glorious day

Bandelier Beauties

My wife has this favorite pair of shorts she likes to wear on our morning walks. The other day she casually mentioned that they were the same shorts that were in a picture we took at Bandelier National Park in New Mexico back in the late 70s. I was impressed.


My wife has these “Bandelier Beauties”
Blue shorts that she’s worn now for years
We’ve got pictures of her in her thirties
Those shorts have outlived all their peers
She’s worn them for all our vacations
The earliest – old Bandelier
The cliff dwellings that were abandoned
That New Mexico still holds so dear
She wore them when we were first living
In St. Louis and Lexington too
She walked in them there in Chantilly
And probably through Washington’s Zoo
My wife says they still serve their purpose
And now soft as costly cashmere
She wore them when she was just thirty
And now 60’s drawing quite near
As long as they’re still fit and comfy
And she doesn’t mind wearing antiques
She can put on those “Bandelier Beauties”
And continue this clothing mystique

Mdailey 08/29/09

Rabbits

I have to dedicate this poem to my good friend Charles. He has this thing about rabbits and seeing all the rabbits down here in Ocean Ridge, I could not help but think of him and how he would feel around them.


Rabbits?
We got rabbits
And they’ve got the nasty habits
Of eating up most everything I plant
Cuties?
Sure they’re cuties
But it’s not due to their beauties
No – that is not the reason that I can’t
Shoot them?
Love to shoot them
Shoot all of those plant eaters that I saw
Couldn’t?
No – I wouldn’t
But it’s not because it’s so against the law
Wife? - - - I’ve
Got a wife, I’d
Just as soon she keeps on loving me
So rabbits?
We got rabbits
And I guess that’s just the way it has to be.

Mdailey 08/29/09

Flat Frog (in the middle of the road)

Flat frog in the middle of the road
It was a
Flat frog in the middle of the road
You could see his long legs
You knew he’s not a toad
It was a
Flat frog in the middle of the road

What had really happened
No one really knows
Was he simply crossing
And somehow he just froze
A motor car was passing
That somehow caught his toes
And left him there all big and flat
That’s how the story goes

You get a
Flat frog in the middle of the road
It was a
Flat frog in the middle of the road
You could see his long legs
You knew he’s not a toad
It was a
Flat frog in the middle of the road

Others looked just like him
Further down the street
Pressed against the pavement
Where road and tire meet
Crossing roads at night time
Is a normal froggy feat
But if he is not quick enough
It ends in a dead heat

And you get a
Flat frog in the middle of the road
It was a
Flat frog in the middle of the road
You could see his long legs
You knew he’s not a toad
It was a
Flat frog in the middle of the road


mdailey 08/28/09

My wife and I go walking almost every morning and this morning we both saw something in the road and at the same time said it was a FLAT FROG. I liked the sound of that so wrote a little story to go along with the sighting.

Toad Stool

Hi! My name is Tipper
And I’m just a little pup
I don’t know what is going down
And I never know what’s up
But playing in the backyard
Of my own abode
I saw a brown and bumpy thing
They say it was a toad
I had never seen one
I did not know what to think
I crept up real close to it
To see if it would stink
I stared – he stared
I think we both were stumped
I twitched – he twitched
Then all at once he jumped
He lit upon my back – I yelped
I mean – what can I say
He turned off towards the bushes
And briskly hopped away
My master stood there laughing
I felt like such a fool
I left a little pile behind
She called that my toadstool

Mdailey - 6/18/09

I wrote this for Christy (Glanton) McKeag and her dog Tipper following just such an instance.

The Gaming Boat

Last evening a few friends and I went on a little 4-hour cruise on a gaming boat. It was senior's night so for $10 we got a buffet meal and the opportunity to gamble while the ship went out to sea. The sea was calm, the weather nice and we all had a good time. I am not a gambler but enjoy watching all the games and slots as others tried their luck. Here is a little story I wrote to commemorate the event.

Gaming Boat

The evening was spent on a big gaming boat
And we sailed it out to sea
We got food, we got cards, we got dice, we got slots
And all of our drinks for a $10 fee
Big Paul sat down to a Keno machine
And played numbers he hoped were right
We left him just sitting at that Keno machine
And he sat there through all of the night
The girls they played that one-armed bandit
And played it till they could not stand it
They didn’t gamble all that rash
And didn’t lose a lot of cash
And when they went to check on Paul they’d find
He’s up a bit or just behind
But he sat right there where he first started
And still was there when they departed
Me – I roamed through the 4-hour trip
From stem to stern and slip to tip
Observing players and looking for stings
Up till the time the fat lady sings

The singer really wasn’t fat
I just simply made up that
It painted such a poignant scene
And fit in with this poet’s theme

The boat kept rocking to and fro
Till it was time for us to go
As we started back to shore
Moonlight was less, the stars were more
The wind died down to just a whisper
The night air got a little crisper
The buoys lit the way back home
Their light the only things that shown
Then all at once we’re at the pier
Let’s do it all again - - - Next Year!

Mdailey 08/26/09

Good Advice

I saw this good advice on a bulletin board but decided to put it into a rhyme.


Making Your Point

Be careful when trying to just make a point
Don’t make so sharp it will hurt you
Though you may be right and the others be wrong
Even friends could decide to desert you

Mdailey 08/25/09

Humming Birds

We sat on our back porch stoop
To watch the humming birds
We were entranced by what we saw
And also what we heard
They hummed – I couldn’t catch the tune
They hummed – then they were gone too soon

They chased each other round the yard
They hovered like it’s not that hard
They’d fly at us then stop and stare
Like wondering just why we were there
They hummed – I couldn’t catch the tune
They hummed – then they were gone too soon

Then one would stop and eat awhile
And hover there in graceful style
Chirps and humming filled the air
We were the ones this time to stare
They hummed – I couldn’t catch the tune
They hummed – then they were gone too soon

So this evening when they came around
I went outside and stood my ground
One flew up close – right in my face
Hummed for me – then off he raced
They hummed – I couldn’t catch the tune
They hummed – then they were gone too soon


Mdailey 08/22/09

Morning Walk

My wife and I each early morn
Walk two miles if there’s no storm
She walks under a cloud of scorn
Wishing the habit was never born

I really think she understood
How the walk would do us good
If we walk it like we should
But I’d like a smile if she could

Mdailey 08/22/09

Summer Days

The chirping of cicadas in the early morning light
Bring back pleasant memories of summer time delight
When you were just a school kid and had nothing all planned out
You spent your days like mine I’d guess, here’s what mine were about
You could sleep in late if you want to there’s no place you had to be
Its summer time and school is out and you’ve got the summer free
Head out to the ballpark for a pick-up game or two
Or maybe you’d go swimming; it’s really up to you
And when you’re getting hungry; head on home for lunch
Peanut butter – jelly – lemonade or punch
Leave something on the counter so Mom knows that you ate
And leave a note up on the fridge if you think you’ll be home late
You can leave the house each morning and stay out all day long
At first it might seem funny but that feeling soon is gone
If you get hot and thirsty and you did, heaven knows
You didn’t run back in the house, you grabbed the garden hose
You had to let it run awhile; that water would be hot
But soon it would run cool and clear and really hit the spot
You’d jump on your bicycle and ride for miles and miles
The exercise would do you good and the ride would bring you smiles
And as the day was ending; you’d hear the katydids
You’d know it’s time to say good night to all the neighbor kids
Then as the street lights flickered on; you’d hear your mother call
Time for you to head on home; REPEAT until its fall!

Mdailey - 07/16/09

Birds of Ocean Ridge

The birds of Ocean Ridge are varied as can be
Some as big as 4-year olds, some small as household keys

The tall ones are the herons, the tallest of them blue
They stand there at the pond’s edge to catch a fish or two
Stealthfully they inch out, eyes focused on the fish
Then all at once their beak strikes and they have another dish
They hurry back on to the bank, the fish caught in their throat
They scrunch their neck to let it pass, for the fish that’s all she wrote
And then the poor bird shudders, like my daughter eating peas
Then back down to the water’s edge as if to say “more, please”!

The smallest are the humming birds; all iridescent green
Darting now from bush to tree barely to be seen
Each day I grab my camera thinking this time I got her
As she hovers at our feeder imbibing sugar water
But when I click the shutter, I find I am mistaken
For I don’t see a humming bird in the pictures I have taken
But I’ll keep snapping pictures and if it takes all summer
I’m finally going to get a shot of that illusive hummer!


Mdailey 08/18/09

Little Mushroom

While Pat and I were out walkinig this morning, we came upon a fresh clean lawn and there in the green, green grass stood one little pure white mushroom. We both noticed it at the same time and pointed out the "single little mushroom" to each other.

A single little mushroom
Standing in the grass
All alone he stands there
Just watching people pass
This single little mushroom
So white, so clean, so cool
Don’t insult the little guy
By calling him toadstool

Mdailey 08/18/09

Truth in Lending

We recently sold our home and the process of closing is getting more complicated each day. And in this day of buyers markets, what you find in closing costs paid by the seller is beyond belief.


There is no truth in lending
In real estate transactions
Closing costs are handled
To the buyer’s satisfactions
If you are just the seller
And it’s a buyer’s market
Closing costs are anywhere
The buyer wants to park it
But you really can’t complain
If your house is quickly sold
For that is not that typical
At least that’s what we’re told
But the hidden costs of closing
And the message that they’re sending
Is “all is fair – seller beware”
There is no truth in lending


Mdailey 7/25/09

Brookshire

I came upon a hollow tree
Was that a little door I see
Hidden back within the hollow’s fold
A Hobbit home from days of old
Or a forest Fairies’ private dwelling
Carved out with a Fairies’ spelling
When walking in the Shire look down
You’d be surprised the things you found

Mdailey 08/16/09

We are going to build our new home in the Brookshire ares of Ocean Ridge. Pat and I take our walks over and around there and with a little imagination, you would be surprised with what you think you see.

Gator on 15

We were walking on “Lions”, 15 - where they tee it
If a gator lives there then I wanted to see it
Pat said “see that log – that might just be it”

I laughed and I said that was no alligator
She said it might be and then two seconds later
It slid into the water – I didn’t debate her

We stopped in our tracks; we weren’t really that scared
But dire thoughts of gators were thoughts that we shared
So just to be safe, we just stood and stared

“Did you see that head, it was two feet at least”
And two feet of head meant one mighty big beast
So we watched the ripples till those ripples ceased

I told Pat I wanted a much closer view
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you
With that size of gator think what it could chew”

Now gators move fast from all that I read
So maybe I’ll just get my camera instead
Then I’ll use a zoom lens for a shot of that head

A gator on golf courses is such an icon
So with that thought settled, we finally walked on
But kept our eyes on the pond to be sure he was gone


Mdailey 08/12/09

We had heard rumors about a gator in the pond by the 15th tee box. We can now put that rumor to bed - it is a FACT.

it's rumored a gator lives down on 15
it's mostly just talk as it's so seldom seen
but Pat and I saw that big gator's head
for us you can just put that rumor to bed
IT'S A FACT!
Mike

Backdoors and Flip-Flops

I’m hobbling around like a crippled old man
Protecting my hurt toe the best that I can
Of backdoors and flip-flops, I ain’t a fan
I’m hobbling around like a crippled old man

When wearing flip-flops and closing a door
Be careful where you place your foot on the floor
A door scrapped toe top results in such gore
When wearing flip-flops and closing a door

Broken? I doubt it, but it’s black and blue
Bloody? You bet-cha and quite painful too
I stepped in, the door closed, the next thing I knew
Broken? I doubt it, but it’s black and blue

I stood there in silence, not breathing at all
Hung tight to the washer not wanting to fall
Squeezed my eyes tightly so I didn’t bawl
I stood there in silence, not breathing at all

The moral of the story is “wearer beware”
Flip-flops leave toe tops exposed some out there
And damage to toe tops is painful I swear
The moral of the story is “wearer beware!”

Mdailey 08/11/09

I am sure all of you have at one time or another closed a door with your foot in the way so that the door scrapped your toe top and tore back your toenail. Well, I did that last evening. The pain was like a blinding light but I did not make a sound - just held my breath until I could focus on the problem. My toenail was pushed back and blood was starting to seep out. By the time I hobbled back to the bathroon shower, I had to pour blood out of the flip-flop and turn the shower on the toe until it stopped bleeding. My toe was (as still is a little) stiff and very tender. But I think I will survive to do it again. I just hope again does not come too soon.

Carolina Geese

It was quite a parade to say the least
It had to be a dozen geese
One by one in single file
The march went on for quite a while
And then they gathered right next door
Before a final grand encore
And in a flash they rose as one
Into the Carolina sun
This Carolina living’s fine
I think I’ll like retirement time

Mdailey 08/02/09

Back Yard Pond

Our new rental house is on a pond and every night we get seranated to sleep by the hundreds of frogs that get vocal as the sun goes down.

Our Backyard Pond

Those frogs out in our backyard pond
Do something for which I’m not fond
For just as that old sun goes down
Those frogs begin their night time sound
Some honk, some chirp, and some might bark
And it goes on all through the dark
It starts with one and then expands
Till it’s louder than a marching band
Then all at once it’s deadly quiet
But soon explodes into a riot
I’m hoping that some alligator
Will come along sooner than later
And gobble up some froggy parts
Like froggy legs and froggy hearts
And froggy voice box – froggy tongues
Then gobble up the froggy youngs
So that I can get a good night’s sleep
Without another froggy peep!


Mdailey 08/02/09

Come to Jesus

I was listening to old Hank Williams songs before I went to bed and while laying there, I thought I would try my hand at an old time relegious song. I know I am no Hank Williams but i try.

Come to Jesus Song

Here is my “come to Jesus” song

It’s not too short, it’s not too long

It’s the one that I sing when I know I’ve done wrong

This is my “come to Jesus” song

(Chorus)

Lord I was weak when I should have been strong

I am so sorry that I did you wrong

Take me back Jesus for with you I belong

That is my “come to Jesus” song

Lord I know that I’ve drifted away from the fold

My heart is weary, my heart is cold

But you’ll take me back is what I’ve been told

Here is my “come to Jesus” song

(Chorus)

The spirit is willing but my flesh is weak

I don’t know the words that I ought to speak

But you promised to be there and your promise you keep

Here is my “come to Jesus” song

(Chorus)

Temptations are plenty on life’s long, long road

But you’ll be beside me to lighten my load

For grace you have promised and grace you bestrode

Here is my “come to Jesus” song

(Chorus)

Mdailey 08/05/09

Wildlife at Ocean Ridge

Wildlife at Ocean Ridge

I saw a quail crossing the parkway’s green divide
I knew it was a quail by the rhythm of its stride
He wasn’t in a hurry but quickly he did hide
This solitary quail I saw crossing the divide

Farther down the parkway was a squirrel in disguise
He was black and bushy and a mask covered his eyes
So unusual a squirrel, it caught me by surprise
This black and bushy squirrel in disguise

A big black Turkey Vulture standing on the brink
Walked down to the water’s edge to get himself a drink
He looked so very out of place, it made me stop and think
This big black Turkey Vulture needs to be put down in ink

There are turtles at the pool’s pond, watching them is fun
There had to be near 30, you never saw just one
Bread dropped into the water acts just like turtle chum
These mossy covered turtles just start coming on the run

There are so many heron right here on the site
You see dark blue and brown ones but the prettiest are white
They look awkward when they’re walking but are graceful in their flight
There are so many heron here on site

Of gators there are rumors, the golfers claim to see one
I see things in the water but they never seem to be one
It doesn’t have to be big, I’d settle for a wee one
Gator – should I see it, I hope I can outrun one


Mdailey 08/05/09