Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Slide on Stupid

I was drunk at a ski resort,
And wandered out into the night.
Thinking it would be such fun sport,
I untied a foam pad bound tight,
For safety, around a lift pole,
And took the pad to the slope top.
To rewarm my body and soul,
I emptied ev'ry whisky drop,
Tossed the bottle into the snow.
With butt on pad, zoomed down the slope.
Riding high, little did I know,
Too soon, metal would meet this dope.

I know now it was a dumb ride.
I hit the foamless pole, and died.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Maya Blue

The Mayans made a pigment that
Was a brilliant blue, and did
Durably through time remain at
The top of the art pyramid.
The leaves of the indigo plant
Were mixed with palygorskite clay.
Then with proper ritual chant
And burned copal incense array,
The color was brought into life;
Then covered a body in whole.
The heart was pulled out with a knife,
Sacrificial thanks gods the goal.

It did give added meaning to
The phrase, "I'm feelin' kind of blue."

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Compound

I felt that something was not right,
And went to the ER real quick.
The doctors tried to calm my fright,
But I had never felt so sick.
It was my first time pregnancy.
We'd tried so very hard and long
To add to our family.
But all the blood - something was wrong.
I lost the baby, and they did
A D&C. Later at home
I got my purse, opened the lid,
Searching inside it for my comb.

In plastic, I started to gag,
The fetus was packed in a bag.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Heath

Heath Ledger died of overdose
Of drugs, circumstances unknown.
Family and friends very close
Were far away. Heath was alone.
No matter his celebrity,
He could fall just like anyone,
Victim to fatal tragedy;
And just like that, his life was done.
Talented and just 28,
He gave an edge to roles he played.
Box office sold his final fate,
Just like the films that he had made.

By accident or suicide,
Heath Ledger's last role was he died.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

You Said You'd Wait!

Three turtles, Tom, Dick and Harry,
Packed food and went on a picnic.
Even though they did not tarry,
The perfect spot picked out by Dick,
Took 2 weeks before it appeared.
Then they found they had left behind
The lime ade. So Tom volunteered
To go back for it, but did remind
The other two, they had to wait
For him. They agreed not to cheat.
A month later, Tom was still late.
Dick and Harry began to eat.

From hiding, Tom made his showing.
"Just for that - I am not going!"

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Hate Trait

Such atrocities in God's name
Have been done throughout history.
Through time the human race became
The one species that learned to be
All destructive, out of pure hate;
Able and willing to condemn
The innocent to a forced fate,
Lives destroyed by the hater's whim.
All animals prey on the weak.
But, non evil instinct does drive
Non human animals to seek
God's plan for them while they're alive.

Hate is manmade and not divined,
And makes the worst of man unkind.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Inspire

Aaron Fotheringham, a teen,
With spina bifida since birth,
A giant on the skate park scene,
Rolls his wheelchair for all it's worth.
First to perfect a back chair flip,
Eager in effort to compete,
He's on an inspiration trip,
Proving wheelchairs need not defeat.
Through broken bones and muscle sprains,
He keeps on giving it his best.
Life dishes out its aches and pains,
But Aaron seeks to find its zest.

I watch Aaron roll, and I see
My wheelchair can empower me.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Lady Bluebeard

Belle Gunness - remember my name.
For money, I murdered a lot.
A serial killer of fame -
Husbands and children - I cared not.
They were life insurance proceeds
To buy the farming properties,
Where I could indulge all my needs,
Then bury the victims in ease.
When it came time to disappear,
I cut off a servant girl's head,
And relocated free and clear,
Leaving all to think I was dead.

They buried that headless body,
Thinking they'd seen the last of me.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Should Know Better

It was a training exercise
For rookie police officers.
The lesson was to minimize
Shootings when disarming occurs.
One veteran cop grabbed the gun,
And it accidently shot
And killed the other veteran.
Later, a police captain sought
To recreate the tragedy,
And shot and killed another cop.
Nobody checked the guns to see
If bullets were part of the prop.

Training turned to mishap instead.
And now, 2 officers are dead.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Higher Standard

Peter Piper, the poet, died,
And found himself at heaven's gate.
The guard would not let him inside,
But called the Bard to deem his fate.
Shakespeare asked Piper to do tell
Some lines of poetry he wrote.
"There once was a bow legged belle."
Piper did begin to emote.
But Shakespeare interrupted him.
"It already sounds like hell, sir."
"When rhyming of a lady's limb,"
"This is how heaven would prefer -"

"Forsoothe my liege, what maid is this,"
"Who harkens in parenthesis?"

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Closed

You say your family is lost,
And you want me to help you out.
I know it's cold. I see the frost,
And snows a coming soon, no doubt.
This happens to be a state park,
Which is now closed as the signs say.
It doesn't matter that it's dark,
And you happened to lose your way.
As a park ranger, I cannot
Bend rules, including lend a phone.
I'm sorry you are so distraught.
But good luck. You are on your own.

Helping park visitors is good.
If the park was open, I would.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Corporal Buckles

Frank Woodruff Buckles is my name.
One hundred and seven years old.
The reason I have current fame
Is that I am the last, all told,
Surviving U.S. veteran,
Who took up the proud Doughboy fight
To victory in World War I;
To pay the price for what was right.
The memories lack sight and sound.
There was no bearing witness press.
Some rally songs did come around.
I listen to them less and less.

After living the first World War,
I hoped that there would be no more.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Accomplice

The two of us kidnapped the kid.
Then we made the ransom demand.
The cash was paid for what we did.
It all went just as we had planned.
But then, the kid fell out of bed,
And was unconscious on the floor.
There was a big hole in his head.
Shortly after, he breathed no more.
The body we'd buried was found.
The writing was then on the wall.
No longer safe to stick around,
I left Bruno to take the fall.

Called the crime of the century,
I helped kill the Lindbergh baby.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Awaiting Word

In just minutes, my son would die
By execution by the state.
The last hope was the F.B.I.
Found someone to exonerate
My son; and the lawyer was now
Trying to get the governor
To call the warden to allow
The sentence stopping to occur.
I could see the red phone right there,
And my son was in the next room.
Through my tears, I sobbed a prayer.
The clock clicked the seconds to doom.

The red phone rang to save my son.
But the execution was done.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Pause of Course

A golf foursome of us were at
The first tee. I was up to hit.
On the street nearby, I saw that
There was a procession, to wit,
Led by a funeral hearse, so
I paused and took off my cap,
As the hearse etal. went by slow.
Then, swinging my club with a snap,
I struck the ball determinedly,
Down the fairway, almost perfect.
One of my foursome said to me,
"That was nice how you showed respect."

I replied, "My wife, Mary Sue,"
"It was the least that I could do."

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Gamble Shamble

7 billion bucks disappeared
With my ingenious sleight of hand.
Of course I was not real endeared
To my bosses. I understand.
My bank employer did not bank
On a low rung trader like me
Knowing the ins and outs to yank
Some billions into history.
Of course, if the markets had gone
The other way, I would have been
Deemed a wondrous phenomenon.
Instead, I'm out in a tailspin.

A rogue is what the press calls me,
Turning big into zip money.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

I See All Seas

The leatherback turtle - that's me.
So named because of my fine shell,
All dark and smooth and rubbery -
So says all those who touch and tell.
I can weigh up to a whole ton,
And growing to be 8 feet long.
The oceans - I've swam ev'ry one.
I go deep and cold 'cause I'm strong.
Jellyfish is my fav'rite meal.
Beaches are where I like to nest.
Hundreds of birthdays - no big deal
Keep on movin' - no time to rest.

I try to make me hard to find
By those goofballs called humankind.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Horror Show

When I got home, my wife was gone.
I didn't think much at the time.
Awaking, it was next day's dawn.
I heard my phone's familiar chime.
A strange deep voice was on the line,
Saying my wife would be a star
In a taped message sent divine,
Watched by the millions near and far.
I could not fathom what I heard.
My heart was pounding, my hands shook.
Before I could get in a word,
The voice then told me where to look.

On You Tube, a hand with a knife,
Cut off the head of my poor wife.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Cannot Outlive

Johannes Heesters is my name.
An entertainer is my trade.
Singing for Hitler gained me fame,
A mark of scorn that will not fade.
I performed at the Dachau camp,
For the Reich soldiers stationed there.
Later, I heard of its death stamp.
I did not know it then, I swear.
Caught in that time and place, I sang.
I did not know what else to do.
Day by day, I've felt the guilt pang
Of all that I closed my eyes to.

Decades later, a booed encore -
Past haunts at 104.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Slow Death

My best friend, Patrick, died I fear,
At the brewery while at work.
He fell into a vat of beer,
Finally drowning in the murk.
I volunteered to tell his wife,
That Patrick, in an accident,
Had died in the nectar of life,
A chug a lugging as he went;
Not a bad way to go, as such.
His wife - she grieved that he had passed.
I said we all would miss him much.
She asked me if his death went fast.

"No - Patrick died his death slowly,"
"'Cause he got out 3 times to pee."

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Not My Fault

I watched my brand new car get hit
By a young boy riding his bike.
I went to his parents to get
Paid. They told me to take a hike.
Maybe not the right time or place.
But my cash flow was not too good.
Lots of repairs I had to face -
Replacement of the grill and hood.
My new car! I felt so awful.
I got impatient, so I went
To find them at the funeral.
Their son died in the accident.

The causes of damages are
The bike and body struck my car.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Poe Party

Edgar Allen Poe's resting place
Is in a Baltimore graveyard.
For years a tradition does grace
His birthday in a fond regard.
A half filled bottle of cognac
And three red roses set beside
His gravestone. And there is no lack
Of curious, but all abide
The secrecy, and leave it so.
Thus whether in heaven or hell,
Death brought you to life, Mr. Poe.
Perk up your sense of taste and smell.

Quoth your Raven, "Forevermore,"
"Happy Birthday and sniff and pour."

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

The Empire Strikes

Around the Empire State Building,
Bermuda triangle type stuff
Occurs as a day by day thing,
As if city life weren't enough.
Vehicles that are driving by,
Their engines just suddenly stop.
There is no explanation why.
An eerie silence seems to drop.
Moments later, the engines start
In unison by means unknown.
Some say the landmark's being smart,
Teasing within its twilight zone.

Unexplained in the Big Apple,
The Empire State Building's zapful.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Widower Groom

Sarah was the love of my life.
So beautiful, inside and out.
When she agreed to be my wife,
I was the luckiest, no doubt.
She joked that though her heart was weak,
She'd give it to me anyway,
Because of my charmer technique,
She was aflutter in my sway.
We took our vows in wedded bliss,
To live in love forevermore.
I felt her go limp in our kiss.
We gently knelt down to the floor.

In my arms, I held her, my bride.
She whispered her love, then she died.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Tongue Twister

Early morning outside of school,
I'm raising the flag up the pole.
Not something I do as a rule,
But I volunteered for the role.
The weather is quite icy cold.
Mindlessly, I stick my tongue out
And lick the pole, which grabs a hold.
A crowd starts gathering about,
And traffic is stopping as well.
I must have been out of my skull.
Living this down - gonna be hell.
All the worse - being principal.

The school nurse looses free my tongue,
With awful tasting stuff she brung.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Home Less

There was a run down shack next door
To my house. Abandoned for years,
It was just an ugly eyesore.
Oil gets put on the squeaky gears,
So my complaints to city hall
Were many and not at all meek.
Finally, I got the phone call
That a crew would be out next week
To demolish and clear away.
I hoped it all was not just talk,
And went on a cruise holiday.
I returned home to quite a shock.

It now is just an empty lot.
The shack's still there. My house is not.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Fetch

Bobo, my golden lab and pal,
Gives this couch potato good cheer.
It seemed a fetching rationale
To teach Bobo to fetch a beer.
Opening the fridge with his paw,
He chomps a bottle by its neck,
Brings it to me without a flaw;
A little drool - but what the heck.
So here I am watching T.V.
The beer I'm drinking's almost done.
And Bobo keeps an eye on me,
Then goes to get another one.

Bobo barks that there is no more.
He'll make a beer run to the store.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

For my Art

Making films is my destiny.
My parents make me very mad,
Calling my work stupidity.
Time to show good ol' Mom and Dad.
I set up the camera for
The piano where Mom's at play.
Film rolls for what I have in store
For her in a strangle hold way.
As she gasps, Dad runs to her aid.
With scissors, I turn and stab him.
Live art on film is being made.
Now they know it wasn't a whim.

I hope the world can view my skill
For film making - for which I'd kill.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Midas Touch

King Midas ruled in ancient Greece.
He was gold greedy to the core.
His lust for riches would not cease.
He only wanted more and more.
The gods gave him a test as such,
A single wish for anything.
Midas wished that all he would touch
Would turn to gold. And so the king
Went about his palace in haste,
Turning all to gold, tap by tap.
Before he knew what fate he faced,
In joy, she jumped upon his lap.

His daughter was but 6 years old.
The Midas touch turned her to gold.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Scene Block

Winston Churchill and his best pal,
Rufus, the poodle, did relax,
Watching a film. To boost morale,
They drank brandies and gobbled snacks.
Churchill had seen "Oliver Twist"
Before, but liked the film so much
That he simply could not resist
A rewatch to get back in touch
With the wonderful Dickens tale.
As the film neared where Bill Sykes did
Drown his dog to cover his trail,
Churchill turned to Rufus and bid,

"Let's not threaten your biddy byes."
Churchill covered the poodle's eyes.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Uncivil Disobedience

I took it very personal
When the ticket came in the mail.
The whole thing was a bunch of bull,
An unAmerican betrayal.
Caught on film running a red light,
By a camera bolted there,
Violated the driver's right
To beat the cop catch fair and square.
It's another Big Brother aim
To force the citizen to be
Helpless in the ongoing game -
Pay up in the name of safety.

I shot that snoop box with my gun.
I fought the law and the law won.