A Parents Lament

There is a place inside of you ten thousand fathoms deep
A dark and empty nether land, a place that longs for sleep

Where words are drowned by emptiness where only groans remain
The loss the loss that burns so deep the prayers that seem in vain

What price is it that I must pay, oh Father hear my plea
What have I done to lose my son this child you’ve given me

What spark is left within my heart that I should want to live
What future lies before me when there’s nothing left to give

Oh God you gave your Son that men might now be free
Why did you take my lovely boy? What could your purpose be?

This bitter cup, that I must drink, is killing me inside
I have no strength to face the day. Where is it I can hide?

Where is the path that leads to light from this dark & barren place
Oh LORD my heart cries out to you I need your love and grace
.
Replace these tears of sorrow with praise unto your throne
Bathe me in your oil of joy, revive this seed you’ve sown

Embolden me that I might sing high praises to thy name
To live once more declaring that “in Christ I shall remain”

Parker 2023

 

All Good Things Are Wild & Free

All good things are wild and free
Except of course the thing that’s me

The mystery of this life for me
Is just a place too far to see

So I’ve decided, all on my own
To live my life in Kodachrome

To have a life of my own making
To be myself is what I’m faking

I have this place deep in my head
A space in time a book unread

It has no doors or windows either
Just my thoughts within the ether

It’s there I visit places I have been
and even some I’ve not yet seen

Broken Rocket

My ship has crashed I cannot leave
I have no tricks left up my sleeve

I’ve tried and tried to leave this planet
Heaven knows I’ve run the gamut

So now, what am I supposed to do?
To learn to live like humans too?

What cosmic rule did I break
To crash on earth for heaven’s sake!

Parker 2022

Cold Roll Lover

She’s my cold roll lover
Drenched in skin-tight rubber

Her touch is gloved, no skin to feel
She’s my red-lipped lady keep-in it real

Hurting me is what we want
A stunning beauty, a pain savant

Deep within the swelling sea
Delivering me to ecstasy

Parker

Every Town

Peterson Scott was quite off his dot, no stranger to madness was he
While walking along, not thinking he’s wrong, carelessly twisted his knee

Dam it he thought while cursing his lot “I surely will never recover”
The pain of it all, preferring a fall, “I’m doomed forever to suffer.”

Elisabeth Henderson sat listening to Mendelssohn sipping her cup of warm tea
While Sylvia Slurry from north of Mount Curie was kissing her cousin Marie

“A sorted affair” grunted Billy Bonaire at the thought of them twisted together
“They’ll both rot in hell” croaked Cynthia Bell as she winked at a girl we’ll call Heather

Down by the harbour sat Larry the Barber soaking up life by the sea
Sitting by Larry was Margie MacGary a spinster from south of Dundee

Now Suzy McFarland looked quite the young darlin slipping gracefully out from the parlour
While swishing along, feeling nothing was wrong, fell carelessly into the harbour

“Fetch me a net” cried Lilly Banette, as she ran to the edge of the water
“Hang on there dear, we’re getting the gear”, shouted Eric Macalister’s daughter.

The people in town all gather around to witness the rescue charade
Standing there yelling was fireman Snelling head of the fire brigade

Police chief Pat stood clutching his hat screaming orders at Deputy Potter
While Suzy was thinking, “I’m not really sinking”, kept flailing around in the water

After the drowning and all of the floundering, the mood in the village was glum
There was no mistaken a life had been taken poor Suzy McFarland was done

“May she rest in peace” said the Reverend McCleese as they lowered poor Suzy down
“She’s gone to Gan Eden” croaked Rabbi Benhedon his gaze pointed straight at the ground

“It wasn’t my fault” blurted Sandra Anne Ault “I hardly gave her a nudge”
“It was the drink I think,” said Constable Bink but it’s up to her maker to judge

“Oh dear” sobbed Pearl a slight British Girl a friend of late Suzie’s mother
“I’m sure she’s in Heaven” piped Ronny McLeaven a close friend of Suzies dear brother

Suzy’s older sister, the towns only spinster, stood staring blankly off at the harbour
While Margie and Larry, that’s Margie McGary slipped quietly back in the parlour

Parker 2015

Home

A Man’s home is more than his castle
It’s where he keeps his heart
It’s a place where warmth & love are found
A place each day can start

A home is where his children learn
About God and the world their in
A place to dream and hope & pray
It’s where their lives begin

A home is not made of brick & wood
But tender smiles and hugs
It’s made of smells and memories
And squishing great big bugs

A home is where you’re safe and sound
A rest from work and strife
It’s where a man finds happiness
Beside a loving wife

If you should ever have a home
Or get a chance to start
It’s not just where you hang your hat
It’s where you keep your heart

Parker 1992

 

The End

Man will someday

In a fleeting moment of fear

Turn and find the door to the past

He so willingly bolted & barred

Flung open barring his skeletal soul unalive

And will scoff with fright and be lost forever

Parker May 1972

Perhaps Bliss

Still my pen is silent
The Ink unmanifest
The yearning for soul, life, abundance

Drunk with some lost prayer
Still, I pray
Afraid of happiness
unwant of sorrow

The need to find out
and then fulfilled
perhaps bliss
perhaps madness

Parker May 1972

 

Oh Abraham You Lucky Man

Oh Abraham you lucky man to have your son set free
While all the rest were not so blessed to fall on thankful knee

I for one who’s lost his son can only tell you this
For all your life, until you die, that son you’ll always miss

A thousand rams I would pay to see him at my door
To hear his voice, to smell his scent, to hold him close once more

Again & again I miss that boy ten thousand fathoms deep
Sometimes I get a glimpse of him but only in my sleep

Oh Abraham you lucky man to have your son with you
To be there with him when things look dim to do what fathers do

To share his life, his kids his wife and maybe grandkids too
Have family times & share some wine and look at life anew

What are the words that capture loss that make it real from sleep?
What words express that sorrow that lives ten thousand fathoms deep?

Parker 2021

“Simian Rose is Missing His Toes!”

Simian Rose is missing his toes, his prospects of finding them dim
“Let’s have a look,” said Janee the cook, the sister of Georgie and Jim

“I’ve looked everywhere,” Simian said in despair “there probably lost forever”
(A man losing his toes right under his nose was something you wouldn’t call clever)

Now, Garry, the barber was down by the harbour when the news about Simian came
“It’s a shame and all, he’ll probably fall and there’s only himself he can blame!”

“It’s a strange affair,” said Bill with a stare, adjusting the brim of his hat
“It’s hard to believe a man could conceive of a predicament worse than that!”

“They were probably stolen”, stated Margaret Mc Nolen the widow of Mr. Mc Hound
“It’s clear to me and easy to see – those digits will never be found.”

“His toes are gone” piped Patty and Ron the twins at the general store.
A very strange thing mused officer Ling while knocking on Simian’s door.

“Come right in,” Simian said looking grim as he carefully got up from the table
Falling flat on the floor before reaching the door, quite clearly the man was unstable!

Officer Ling was sure of one thing poor Simian Rose was in big trouble
“I’ll file a report,” he said with a snort “the Inquiry starts on the double”

“What shall I do, still holding one shoe, ask Simian Rose of his cobbler?
“I’d not walk around, stay off of the ground, and apply for a job as a Hobbler.”

Parker 2019

I’m in love with a Teamster Girl

She’s the real deal, a strong appeal,
A cool summer’s breeze, a bit of a tease
A mysterious treasure, a mistress in leather

She’s a cool retreat from all the heat
Nobody’s fool, a for-real jewel
She’s understated, a little X rated

In the right situation, she’s a standing ovation
She’s a safe place in a tight space
She’s a shrewd worker, a real tear-jerker

I’m in love with a teamster girl

Simply amazing, she has people gazing
She’s a back rub in a nice warm tub
An oasis in stasis, extremely vivacious

She’s a sky full of stars –a trip to Mars
She’s great in the sack there’s no turning back
True and steady, always ready

She’s Sunny and warm, sometimes a storm
She’s no slacker, a real firecracker
Loyal and brave not one to cave

Her mind is in the good hood
She’s a peacemaker, a soul shaper
She’s the Flu shot for what you got!

That’s why I’m in love with a Teamster Girl

Parker

The Beanie Bird

The Beanie Bird you may have heard Is not a bird at all
She has no wings or flighty things nor songs a bird may call

She cannot soar or dive or glide nor ride upon the winds
Her jet-black hair, her piercing stare is where it all begins

This beanie bird is my true love, my only one delight
Her voice is soft like woven silk her eyes two beams of light

This beanie bird is my soulmate, my partner in this world
Together walking through this life our true selves all unfurled

She’s there with me through good & bad our sorrows we do share
She has my back as I do hers with tender love & care

If you should ever catch this Bird, your wise to hold her tight
Shower her with all your love for fear she may take flight

Parker 2021