quote:

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"Good night to you friend
May you have sweet dreams of her
that will warm your heart"

---

...Thank you for this, Lori Rhoden. You're sweet!

...and hey! You didn't "drop the ball" because I never threw it! And please...Never tell me you're "sorry" for anything, okay?

Keep  

...just bein' Bluesy

...just bein' Bluesy

Got the washday blues?
Take a spin on the cycle
Agitation gone!

I liked to think some
about who’s clothes I’m folding
Pleasant thoughts of love

Laundry room smelled good
Aromatic dryer sheets
and her sweet perfume

Radio would play
and we’d share a little dance
laughing away blues

Had an old Speed Queen
and a pair of metal tubs
with a glass washboard

Then there was the rock
by the creek behind the house
It was just a rock...  

It’s time now to rock
this small town Saturday night
into Sunday ‘morn

Hope you do the same
Cut the rug into pieces
Save a slice for me!  

...just bein' Bluesy

...just bein' Bluesy

I’ll pick her up in
Three hundred and fifteen days
That to us is ‘soon’

Our lives will be changed
and will never be the same
Sell it all and go

Saved every day
to go where neither is known
Near to you in Niles >>-----→ Ha-ha-ha! We know the Sheriff!

“Stick ‘em up Lori!
We’re takin’ over this town!
Gold fillings and all!”

Nah! We quit that game
We just want to be plain folk
You keep your fillings

We learned a while back
lovers can do crazy things
We sowed and we reaped

Delayed all our plans
going for the laughs instead
We could have done both

Time to start again
This time we’ll do things smarter
Taking things slowly

No more repeating
of holidays in prison
We’ll share them all soon

It’s been a long time
but we say that’s all it’s been
Could have been much worse

Appreciation
for each day God gives to us
we return to Him

Thanks for your kind thoughts
You’ve known many hard times too
So you relate well

My parents long gone
Linny’s are still together
They even like me!

They know how it was
the fire in our two hearts
that’s still burning hot

North Carolina
is where they make their home now
Maybe we’ll go there

I haven’t seen them
but we connected last year
Writing now and then

I’ll pick her up in
Three hundred and fifteen days
I love her so much…

...just bein' Bluesy

She’s a strong woman
She was also a strong girl
I’ve always loved her

I was made for her
and she sure was made for me
We both fell in love

Some guys had to fight
to keep their steady happy
and to keep her his

We never played games
You can’t lose what you don’t have
So we never lost

We both are silly
Still laughing at the same things
Just laughing smarter

Honeymoon yearnings
We write about them a lot
She’s my true desire

I fade in and out
You see my many mood swings
Few of them are real

You know when they’re real
Because you know more than most
I know this is true

I write fantasy
I write soapbox comedy
Sometimes till it hurts

When I write ‘for real’
I always write about her
...and you know that too  (and I appreciate that you do, Miss Lori   )

I’ll always write you
Maybe with another name
But I know you’ll know

You’re also my friend
Too bad we’re both spoken for
We’d make a good team!  (Ha-ha-ha! Don’t rat me out to the ‘Sheriff’! )

...just bein' Bluesy

It’s been a long day
Not in a bad way but good
Fit so much in it

Some days are shorter
But that’s only natural
All in my approach

Got an early start
Got my chores done and shopping
And rolled with the dogs

Blankets of fall leaves
Crispy ‘snap, crackle and pop’
as we rolled on them

I never rake them
I wait till it gets windy
and blows them away

Still, I like the leaves
A seasonal divider
that I like to watch

I took the dogs into town
They like riding in the truck
In the bed that is

They’re too distracting
to ride along in the cab
They like to look mean

I keep them tethered
to the truck bed floor anchors
so they won’t jump out

But they won’t lay down
They like their face in the wind
like riding a bike

It was a fun day
Wrote Linny a long letter
Made me feel real good

Her last Christmas there
It will be a slow process
for her to adjust

That’s the way it is
But together we’ll be fine
since we both relate

The main thing for us
has always remained the same
Being together

Hope your day is good
with no unwanted drama
See you, Miss Lori  

Oh! By the way…

What’s the difference
‘tween Tiger Woods and Santa?
Santa has (only) three Ho’s  >>>---→

...just bein' Bluesy

It's good to ‘see’ you
So happy you changed your mind
and came with a smile

When it comes to work
four hands are better than two
Gets it all done fast

Spent some more money
and the Sheriff went shopping
Sheriff’s get discount?

I like to wrap gifts
I always used to do that
even as a kid

Your dog feeling good
is really good news to hear
Some dry eye has cure

A short week for you
More time for writing haiku
Nah! I’m just joking!

You need your time off
more than you need the money
Everyone’s the same

I put you to sleep?
I must really be boring
My dogs do that too

I talk to them both
and suddenly they’re yawning
Linny’s not like that

She talks more than me
and I’m told I talk a lot
I’ve been missing that

But not much longer
She needs to behave herself
so she’ll make parole

It’s complicated
but she’s doing much better
She’s a tough woman

Always been that way
but she’s also very sweet
and very loving

Time to close this ‘ku
It’s been good talking to you
You’re nice, Miss Lori >>>-----→

...just bein' Bluesy

...just bein' Bluesy

I look scary too
Long hair in a ponytail
Looks like horses’ ass

It’s all in my mood
Sometimes coffee sometimes tea
I like tea at night

Santa’s sleigh comes quick
We’d open one gift on Eve
others Christmas day

Nice to get a gift
One that you really wanted
Warm fuzzy feeling

It’s fun to be spoiled
even when you spoil yourself
and someone else pays

You’re my friend, Lori
I’m happy to have known you
and that Miss Pinky

Finding your “awesome”
is finding more of yourself
...and you are “awesome”

“Can't help but think some
about you and your Linny
happy and sad too”

We’re near the end now
We did these things to ourselves
We both paid the price

Got together young
then went our separate ways
and got back again

I’ve always loved her
No one else ever worked out
It’s the same with her

We just got stupid
We’re both much smarter these days
You learn or you don’t

She likes to write too
I could post one of her poems
I love to read her

Do you think I should?
I don’t see the harm in it
I’ll leave you a clue

“Next year will be great
the two of us by the tree
under mistletoe”

“Merry Christmas friend
may this day be warm and bright”
...and “all a good night”

…..See ya       

...just bein' Bluesy

“Three degrees,” you say
“When Will I See You Again”
‘A good ‘girlie group’

They’re still going strong
More than fifty years later
Good music won’t die

I play some guitar
and I like to sing ballads
Makes my two dogs howl

Speaking of my Rotts
I think you misunderstood
They grew up with cats

They’re all quite playful
No ‘Cat-a-cide going on
Cease indignation >>>---→

Big dogs have respect
Some have been trained to play ‘rough’
My own are not ‘trained’

I ‘taught’ them my way
To obey simple commands
like ‘kill’, ‘bite’, or ‘maim’ (Are you laughing?)

Really, they’re mellow
Both have personality
Both are ‘baritones’

End of dog story
I hope your mind is at ease
Cat is still alive

My sick fantasy
was all I was telling you
Happens on gray days

All my days are gray
when I look in the mirror
to comb my thick hair

A sign of the times
Each one of them have been earned
So I feel quite proud

At least I’m not bald
though it’s what’s inside that counts
This I know is true

I just play too much
and say many silly things
It keeps me laughing

Well, ‘Happy Birthday’!
“Tie one on” tight as you like
But stay out of jail!

...See ya!

...just bein' Bluesy

All is forgiven  
The Rotts want to say, “ruff-ruff”
Sounds more like, “rough-rough”

Yes, there’s a story
Truth is stranger than fiction
We’ve talked about that

We missed out on much
I’ve had the chance to catch up
But she’s spent more time

Situations changed
But I always loved my girl
She always knew that

I write her each day
I needed her to stay strong
Unbelievable

Still, it’s really true
Every single day I write
Using “Jpay” mail

She cannot use it
Only I can use Jpay
She must use “snail-mail”

I’ll give it some thought
I think she’d like to do that
I’m certain she would

What about my nails?
And what about your story?
You’ve much to tell too!  

Don’t let me keep you
Others are counting on you
to keep them toasty!

...See ya, Lori Rhoden  

...just bein' Bluesy

Happy Birthday dear
Sixty is a grand old age
Savor your big day

Quite a description
Growing older can be fun
Fun comes from the heart

You’re right about that
Things could always be much worse
For some it sure is

Women grow older
much more gracefully than men
Old men are cranky

No matter their age
They want so much attention
Like “Cynical poem”

Women and ‘make-up’
makes me think they care for self
more than hiding self

Wearing new clothing
also feels good to oneself
and some new perfume

Was it your first time?
No! Not that Lori Rhoden!
I mean the ‘smartphone’!

If you get “Schmit faced”
write about it tomorrow
I could use a laugh

Just stay out of jail
and don’t start any bar fights
that you can’t finish!

...See ya

...just bein' Bluesy

...just bein' Bluesy

Your nose may be “gross”
but it’s only different
then what you’re used to

Like getting black-eyed
The pain of the punch is gone
but has left its mark

I never had one
Keeping others at arm's length
was always my goal

So you’re back to work
Getting through the ice and snow
is never easy

Sweet January
Queen of the bitter weather
in her court of cold

With your new wardrobe
perhaps a warm winter coat
to add to the snazz

Now you care for two
The Sheriff himself and you
Care for yourself first

When you’re in good shape
then you’ll have more strength to share
with those who need you

I know you know that
I just said it anyway
My prerogative >>>----->  

You can bend my ear
anytime at all Lori
We’re all alone here

It’s a Saturday
So I’ve got letters to write
Hope to ‘see’ you soon!

Have to write Linny
Tell her I’ve been a good boy
I have...haven’t I?  

See ya!  

...just bein' Bluesy

Fresh as a daisy
all my ‘unmentionables’
Thank you for asking  

Yes, the floors are clean
and the dishes are racked up
Ricked a cord of wood

Still have a-ways yet
She takes a day at a time
Some good and some bad

Since the day we met
we immediately knew
we loved each other

But we started rough
Not with each other mind you
But in what we did

It was cool at first
We were busy getting kicks
Like no tomorrow

But she got rowdy
and that led to carelessness
and she shot a man

He had it coming
He should have left her alone
It’s complicated

That opened a door
that needed to be kept closed
That’s now history

She’s been doing time
Twenty-five years at Gatesville
We never gave up

We may have changed some
But our hearts remained the same
That’s our poetry

When I was away
I never felt so helpless
We were far apart

I couldn’t help her
I wanted to protect her
But time restrained me

Then time released me
earlier than expected
Now her time has come

With all that I write
How can I tell of my joy
when only words come?

The dogs sit and stare
volunteering as my muse
and I their food dish  

We never had dogs
Moved around much too often
They know her picture

At least I hope so
Those two are always hungry
and she’s a morsel  

Where she’s served her time
is a hell-hole to be sure
But not the worst one

She knows it so well
as anyone would in time
She’s a survivor

You’re a good person
and I appreciate you
Namaste`, Lori  

...just bein' Bluesy

Hey there my ‘ku friend!
So glad to see you posted!
I took the night off

Tape recorder work
It’s an older reel to reel
It begged a tune up

You sound happier
I’m sure it’s a big relief
Painless and pretty!  

It helps our esteem
to look good and feel good
You have both of them!

Don’t worry ‘bout ‘ku
Short or long they’re always good
I’ll make it short too

I’ll write some po’try
Maybe something weird or strange
Maybe a love poem

Whatever it is
It’ll be waiting for you
in the same old place!

So ‘ta-ta’ for now
I’ll see you when I see you
Take no wood nickels…  

...See ya!

...just bein' Bluesy

Glad stitches are gone
Nothing like an itchy nose
to drive you crazy

New wrinkles for you?
They sure can sneak up on you
like ol' Father Time

I’ve got a few too
But I don’t mind them at all
They’re the ‘me’ of ‘now’

Being a ‘granny’
is better than a ‘Grammy’
and lasts much longer

You’re ‘trying to write?’
You know how it goes I’m sure
Just write what you feel

You’re always ‘feeling’
and everyone can relate
So lay it on us!

Write more about it
“My nose is a distraction!”
New York ‘Best Seller!’

I’m doing alright
Linny’s behaving herself
Thank you for asking!  

Just follow advice
given you by the Doctor
and you’ll be just fine!

It’s two twenty-five
on this a Tuesday morning
I’ll soon hit the sack

The Rotts are sleeping
They played pretty hard all day
I might just join them

They like it inside
when the temperature drops
They think they’re so tough!

Can’t say I blame them
That’s why I sleep inside too!
They know I’m no fool!

Get some rest my dear
It was good to see your post
It’s a lot of fun!

See ya!  

...just bein' Bluesy

“Just bein’ Bluesy”
As my ‘signature would say
No need for a “scratch”  

Men are men with men
Most men are boys with their wives
Ooh! Feed me scratch me!    Ha-ha-ha!  

A hug would be fine
Cling for just as long as you like
But whisper nothing[s]  Ha-ha-ha!  

I keep a clean place
and fix what needs repairing
I like to fold clothes

I listen to tunes
When I do my laundry gig
and play while they dry

I have two ‘T’- poles
for when I hang clothes outside
Clothes waving like flags

No need for vacuum
Floors are hard maple and tile
Rugs I hang and beat

Good news about nose!
Makes you a happy camper  
On to better things!

Bluesy? A wall fly?
That sounds a little kinky!
Not THAT kind of fly!  Ha-ha-ha!

“So tootles for now,
Does Linny know there is a
fan club for you two?”

There are many things
I don’t tell my sweet Linny
Pip is one of them

I have my reasons
So I’ll try to tell you why
Maybe you’ll relate

There’s only routine
when you’re locked up in prison
Not many options

Commissary foods
make things somewhat easier
Low variety

So I don’t tell her
much about what all I eat
Only little bits

Sometimes she asks me
so I’ll tell her a few things
like eggs and sardines

Then she’ll laugh at me
with “Ha-Ha’s in her letters
I laugh at her ‘laugh’

I send her a poem
with every letter I write
She knows I’m at home

I don’t want her sad
thinking about what’s denied
So I say little

She loved her cooking
and I loved her cooking too
Of that she’s eager

Now 2018
Not held her since ‘93
Can you imagine?

I earned some good time
and was paroled earlier
She got Full Monty

I did five more years
on a ‘supervision’ trip
which was no big deal

I had hopes for her
That my baby would be freed
But they were all dashed

I never gave up
She’s a very strong woman
Our love never died

She’s always in me
What I do and where I go
I feel her spirit

A BIG October
My birthday and her release
Just 6 days apart!

Mine is the 16th       (a Tuesday)
She’s free the 22nd  (a Monday)
My heart races so…

If you’ve still an ear
Then perhaps I’ll tell you more
As the time draws near

Thanks for listening
It’s a long Saturday night
A boy should party!

Stay warm, Miss Lori
You’re always such a good pal!
I’m wishing you well!

See ya!

...just bein' Bluesy