I climbed out of the box one day
unafraid of what people would say
leaving behind conventions
with good intentions
gone astray
The Snail Summit
the big snail summit was finally held in June
shelled gastropods gathered from around the world
hosting conferences under the light of the moon
It was a slow moving affair
but everyone who was there
agreed it was a boon
the land snails
the sea snails
and the freshwater snails
left behind happy trails
sluggishly sliming home
to their safety zone
looking forward to next year
when it would be time to reappear
Rethinking Everything
an upheaval of the mind can be
a terrible thing to see
where beliefs are challenged
by realities
false histories
stripped away
ideologies
in disarray
falsehoods
exposed
in the light of day
the shock
almost too much
to bear
but wears away
when enlightenment
dawns
on the mind’s
new day
The Storyteller’s Warning
gather ’round you ogres, trolls, fairies, wizards, elves, and giants, for I have a story to tell…
your days are numbered by the emergence of mankind
your histories will become mysteries until the end of time
your lives reduced to children’s fables and tales
where mankind is the hero who always prevails
so gather around my children and we’ll pretend
that this isn’t your end
Coffee in the Morning
I move through my mornings like a sloth awakening
from a coma
mindlessly groping for my fix which is beckoning
to me
the need for comfort and warmth
from my first cup of coffee
the smell of that savory brew
invigorates me through and through
the burst of energy it gives is a pleasure
every day
when I imbibe my liquid measure
of coffee – my morning mainstay
The Onion’s Obituary
it wasn’t so long ago on a beautiful spring day
that a yellow onion was planted in fertile ground
giving it a dark and warm place to stay
for a 100 days
but a time came
when the yellow onion was game
for a cook with seasoning intentions
to make culinary inventions
so it was plucked from the ground
without a sound
and carried into the cook’s kitchen
where it was awaited by a chicken
that needed seasoning
and the reasoning
was it would add flavor
making it a meal to savor
but copious tears were shed that day
while peeling it’s life away
as stated in the onion’s obituary
Vino Veritas
with the god’s favorite libation
there is much celebration
led by a smiling Bacchus
and his observation
that there is truth in wine
that imbibing is fine
and it’s okay to drink anytime
The Art of Typing
I’ll be as honest as I can be
the art of typing has always eluded me
in school it was mandatory
a class I hated unapologetically
always failing to use my memory
to find each and every key
but I didn’t give up you see
I developed a Columbus strategy
landing on each key a discovery
with two fingers basically
doing all the work for me
the strategy was a mystery
to some who admired my energy
and speed, but it was a guarantee
that I could compete unconventionally
with those typing from memory
Early Memories
some early memories are gardens of delight
others are not so serene like getting into a fight
making Revelle car models like Ed Roth’s SuperFink
was a favorite hobby because I didn’t have to think
I raced on narrow red skateboards with metal wheels
while dreaming of someday having my own automobiles
my imagination was unfettered with too many facts
spending my time playing with all kinds of knick-knacks
countless hours were spent imitating TV heroes
in plots with pals featuring dramatic death throes
my memories of those early days
of childish beliefs and pretend plays
are still companions in my old age
and are still a pleasure to engage
Still Dancing In My Mind
my old legs with gimpy knees and gait
don’t allow me to move freely
because they ache
but it doesn’t stop me
from dancing in my mind
where I’m free
of earthly constraints
and physical limitations
that bring complaints
but I hear rock and roll
and keep on dancing
to please my soul!
The Creative Chronicles of Dave Stancliff 