Open Poetry #47 |
Doing the Right Thing |
JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
I put my shoulder to the grindstone And it ground it to the bone I reached for the stars And lightning struck me down I trained hard for the Boston Marathon And I got there two days too late I turned the other cheek And received a broken jaw I trusted in the Lord And the devil won that round I gave to the blind man on the corner And got mugged going home I confessed infidelity to my wife And her divorce lawyer called me I gave a homeless guy a dollar And he pulled a knife and robbed me I worked hard to get the raise And my boss fired me and hired his son I jumped at the chance And someone widened the gap I tried to climb Mt. Everest And was buried in an avalanche I watched my Ps and Qs And the rest of the alphabet did me wrong I called on God to forgive me And I heard laughter from above ~ Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get. ~ |
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© Copyright 2011 Jerry Pat Bolton - All Rights Reserved | |||
Michael
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-13
Posts 7666California |
"I jumped at the chance And someone widened the gap" lol - story of my life, there. I don't think God is laughing at us, JP. Though sometimes I hear the laughing too. If He is, it's probably only because we haven't figured out how trivial most of these set backs really are in the grand scheme of things. good write. Now, chin up..chest out! and all that! |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
Fine writing...I believe doing the right thing is best irregardless...it feeds our soul and warms are hearts...James |
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JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
Michael, I think you probably have the right take on everything. Appreciate the thoughts. Yep, James, we have to keep on trying to do the right things, for what is left, eh? Thanks for being here. ~ Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get. ~ |
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Lori Grosser Rhoden Member Patricius
since 2009-10-10
Posts 10202Fair to middlin' of nowhere |
wow dude! No good deed goes unpunished...I feel ya. Lori |
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JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
Hah! Thank you dudette . . . And I hear ya . . . ~ Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get. ~ |
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ice Member Elite
since 2003-05-17
Posts 3404Pennsylvania |
Crimenies, Jerry That reminded me of an old song line from He Haw... "If it wern't for bad luck, you'd have no luck at all" I hope you aren't serious on all the points you wrote down. |
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JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
Naw, I wasn't all that serious, and who knows, maybe Hee-Haw jarred my memory of that line and started this poem off. Thanks, Ice. ~ Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get. ~ |
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Marchmadness Member Rara Avis
since 2007-09-16
Posts 9271So. El Monte, California |
Ouch, pretty painful but rather humorous too...in a way. Ida |
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Prasad Nataraj Senior Member
since 2008-05-29
Posts 1149Bangalore,India |
Fine writing, Jerry. Can relate to few words, has happened to me as well. However there’s always a sliver lining around the corner. "The secret behind survival of mankind is kindness and love within our hearts" |
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JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
Painful is as painful does, Ida, and that humor is false, but there are usually better days ahead. Thank you for being here. That true about the silver lining, Prasad, it is just so slow to arrive. ~ If I agreed with you we'd both be wrong. ~ |
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Dark Stranger Member Patricius
since 2001-03-19
Posts 13631West Coast |
and I voted as I should and an idiot got elected...(just had to add that in..) dug it JP |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Confucious say, "tongue in cheek gets bit." Still, you strive, and write, to share, because as you well know... we ARE your audience. "The business of the poet...is to show the sorriness underlying the grandest things and the grandeur underlying the sorriest things." Thomas Hardy |
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JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
Haha! Actually Dark, I voted for the lesser of two evils and that shouldn't be the way it it. But it was. Now we're in deep do-do. Thank for the comments. Sunshine, you do go about spreading sunshine around, don't ya? Thanks for the rays you shined on me. ~ If I agreed with you we'd both be wrong. ~ |
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miscellanea Member Elite
since 2004-06-24
Posts 4060OH |
JerryPat, Some of this seems a little familiar, but when it happens, the right thing is still right. After the fact in all my stumblings, I have to laugh at myself or either cry to find momentum to get up! It is good to laugh and learn... Enjoyed the seriousness sprinkled with a touch of humor... Here's to reaching the marathon on time next year! Miscellanea |
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JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
Yeah you right, Miscellanea, what is, isn't, and what isn't, is . . . er . . . or sumptin' lak dat. Appreciate you stopping by and putting your comments in, thanks. ~ If I agreed with you we'd both be wrong. ~ |
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ebonygirl Member Elite
since 2011-07-14
Posts 2000California U.S.A |
Nice poem JP2. Doing the right thing, is always the right thing to do. ebonygirl |
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tuffluv66 Member
since 2011-05-13
Posts 121Iowa, U.S.A. |
Sometimes doing the right thing is the only reward you get, well written |
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JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
I agree with you one hundred percent, ebonygirl. Thank you. Yeah, you're right, tuffluv66. I appreciate your stopping by. ~ If I agreed with you we'd both be wrong. ~ |
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passing shadows Member Empyrean
since 1999-08-26
Posts 45577displaced |
God laughs at me on a regular basis love the write! |
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JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
Hell, passing shadows, I think He laughs at us all on a regular basis. Thank you for stopping by, I appreciate it, ~ If I agreed with you we'd both be wrong. ~ |
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Marilyn Member Elite
since 1999-09-26
Posts 2621Ontario, Canada |
Murphy is my best friend..or so he thinks. Thanks for this, shows we all struggle. |
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JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
Haha! That Law stays around, huh, Marilyn. Thank you for stopping by. ~ If I agreed with you we'd both be wrong. ~ |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Yeah, Jerry...I've been accused of doing just that... |
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JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
I hear you, Sunshine . . . ~ If I agreed with you we'd both be wrong. ~ |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Jerry...After reading this I feel downright lucky. I wonder if you could turn things around by doing the wrong thing?...Hmmm...maybe not. |
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JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
Doubt it Martie, I've done plenty of wrong thing in my life and nothing much good came out of any of the, . . . ~ If I agreed with you we'd both be wrong. ~ |
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suthern
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723Louisiana |
No good deed goes unpunished? *G* It certainly seems that way sometimes!!! I loved this, Jerry... though I nodded in painful agreement through all too many lines. *S* |
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JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
Hah! That's right about the deeds being punished, suthern. Sorry you had to nod your head in agreement for so many of the lines. ~ Man who fish in other man's well often catch crabs. ~ |
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