Just a Word or Two

By Joseph Jackson

In this book the reader shall chance upon a voyage of of the heart, a voyage equally disheartening, beauty, the importance of owning a pet. Also a plea to do away with arms, the joy of a good fish dinner, precious stones, to beware birds of field and their gatherings, a heeding to beware of clowns, boy's first kiss with a dolphin, a flower girl who rather not,etc.
"JUST A WORD OR TWO" takes the reader on a trip to the world of prose and enthralls with the magic of the moment as the reader takes off on a magic carpet ride into a wonderland of verses. It also introduces the reader to poetry a bit off the beaten path which would most certainly be a sight for sore eyes. Therefore for those poetry followers whom seek engrossing reading there is a wealth of perusing covering a quite diverse number of topics.
It should altogether make for a welcomed wealth of more varied subject matter.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 29, 2013
• ISBN: 9781493120345

Joseph Jackson

The author, Joseph Jackson, is 58 year old Chicagoan. He has, among other things, been interested in poetry for many years. He has also won "Editor's Choice Award" in the online poetry contest for Poetry.com in 2008. In addition, the author who is an former professional musician, enjoys playing and listening to music, crossword puzzles, reading, tv, lifting weights, video games and just plain enjoying life as much as possible. The author attended catholic grammar and highschool graduating from a private institution. He suffered a traumatic childhood but managed to pass classes at school.The author has held a number of positions including postal mail handler and state child welfare worker. He considers all experiences in life, good or bad, as contributing to make a stronger person. He feels if you're having a bad time in life one should think positive and perhaps it won't be so bad.

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Copyright © 2013 by Joseph Jackson.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 01/30/2015

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CONTENTS

A CHAP AND HIS DOG

A SPIRITED SOUL

A TEMPERAMENTAL SOUL

A THING OF BEAUTY

AGAIN TIS TODDLE BECK

AHA ‘PON THE PLAINS

AN ENGLISH ROSE

ARMS AWAY GO

AS IT TWERE TO EER BE

BEYOND THE MAST

BY THE CLIFFS

CARELESSNESS

CODDLESOME ONES

COLD KIPPERS

CRADLED HANDS ‘NEATH THE WOMB

DEAR GEMS

ECHO ECHOED

FALCONER’S LAMENT (THE SEA EAGLET)

FLYING FISH

HEED THE RAVEN’S CROW

HOME NO LESS

IMOGENE’S WILE

JADE ELEPHANTS

JUAN PEDRO AND THE SAN PEDRO CAFE

LO ERE THEE DOTE

LUCK BE THE… .

MOON OVER MANCHESTER

NEATH THE CRESCENT MOON

NIGHT OF THE CHIMAERA

ODE TO A PRAIRIE SHIRE

ODE TO GENEVIEVE WHISTLEBY

ODE TO THE COMING

OF SOLACE IN PAIN

PHEASANT UNDER GLASS

RETURN TO CAIRO

SALVATION’S FLOCK

TAKE CARE THE CLOWN

TESTASTROS AND ESTROGENA

THE ADAMANTINE FRIARY

THE ALGA POOL

THE ARBOR BEND

THE BALLAD OF THE SEA HAG

THE BOWER BIRD

THE BUDDHA OF BATTERSEA PARK

THE CALLING OF PHRYGIA

THE CANTON WOMAN

THE CHRISTMAS EL SPECIAL

THE CHRYSALIS CONTENDER

THE CLAW

THE COMPOSERS’ SCORE

THE CYNIC

THE DALMATIAN GUARD

THE DEARBORN UPON A TIME

THE DOLPHIN KISS

THE EGYPTIAN

THE FETCHING MORN’

THE FIJIAN ELIXIR

THE FISHERMAN MONKEYS

THE FLOWER GIRL

THE GARDEN GNOME

THE KAREN ASCENSION

THE LAND OF ARGY-BARGY BE

THE LAST LAUGH

THE LAWRENCE LAKESHORE JETTY SAILCLUB

THE LIBRARY RECORDER

THE LIMERICK TROLL

THE LORRY GHOST

THE MAIDEN’S VERSE

THE MANGROVE BAY

THE MUSIC OF

THE OBELISKS OF NORTH AMAZON

THE PHANTASM OF THE BARCELONA PLAZA

THE PHOTO IN THE BOTTLE

THE RAINCROW

THE RAVENS FLEW

THE ROLLER PIDGEONS

THE SARGASSO DOLDRUM

THE SILHOUETTE (ODE TO THE PIANIST)

THE SPELL OF STEAGYPIA

THE STONE GARGOYLES

THE STRANGE TALE OF ROBERT FARTHING

THE SWAN DUEL

THE TAKING OF ANN ANNIE MOOS

THE TRUMPET FISH

THE TWINS OF FATE

THE WINDS OF FAITH

UP THE SIDNEY BRIDGE

VENUS DOWN HEARTH

WHY DO CHILDREN DASH?

A CHAP AND HIS DOG

By Joseph Jackson

A chap and his dog

Are as one you see

All tethered together

Upon a lead

In all kinds of weather

Indoors or out

In rain or shine

Off to mill about

A’steppin a’sniffin

Upon the park’s path

Nigh the sidewalk a’whiffin

The neighbor’s cat

Which bounds everytime

Up the nearest tree

As if to say,

Silly you! Deary me!

With a Down!

And a "Heel!’

And they’re off again

The leash is so taut

One can feel the strain

For Fido is master

I’ll have you know

Well truthfully speaking

It’s rather his nose

You best be believing

There anything goes

For he’s hot on the trail

Of another dog’s scent

One acts the good master

Of no resent

In the moments we realize

That Man’s best friend

Has a faithful companion

Attending him

Til they enter the dog park

Where all the pets

Whiff their hellos then they yelp

And they yelp

Where the lot of them

Have a ball… .

Literally… .

Tossed away yon… .

Dashing all of one

For the fetch.

Now a chap and his dog

Do make the pair

Strolling about

Not the slightest of cares

In all sorts of weather

Meandering free

The master quite tethered

Himself you see

For Fido’s a’sniffin

The livelong way

And shant stop this business

Until he takes

The pause to refresh

And you’ll surely attest

He’ll never be done

Til he’s done his best

He’ll never be on

Til he’s made a mess

And if you’re a trooper

You’ll tidy up

You’ll pooper scooper

Quite down in the dumps

Until your pooch leaves

A mighty lump… .

In your throat

And ‘pon the main boulevard

The main boulevard

The main boulevard

In your throat

And upon the main boulevard

And Fido prefers… .

The yard!

A SPIRITED SOUL

By Joseph Jackson

A spirited soul

Did plum’ to stay

Did come to say

And have it’s way

‘Neath the heavens oer

Where it twas contrived

This person yet

To come alive

Who fell as Michael

Far displaced

Unto the Earth

Unto disgrace

As tis for all

Whom come of being

Whom heave of breath

Wrought sheaves

A’ringing

In the neverland

Down the netherworld

Eer mums the word

‘Midst clouds unfurled

Where unlike perdition

Here below

Twas godly there

Here devils go

Just nigh in limbo

Tis the bloke

In the image and likeness

What’s the more

We fear without

One’s very door

Til forsooth for mere

Catastrophy

In it’s dodgy

Punctuality

Such we dismiss

As happenstance

Blame the devil here

We stand a chance

The life afforded

Flesh and blood

‘Twixt birth and dying

But pout and brood

Here pray lots oer

Do send us good

Even though we fail

But err our way

As Michael long

Before our stay

Yes archangels aye

Before our day

Blissful states

Of animal husbandry

In a garden myth

For spirits free

Now shame the devil’s lot

For Eve

Once those begotten

Without sin

Until a master

Comes again

To set his spirit free

As all lots come

To be I fear

As all here… .

Breathing… .

Being.

A TEMPERAMENTAL SOUL

By Joseph Jackson

A temperamental soul

Twas born one day

As he shun his mum

She looked away

The doctor spanked

His bum in spite

And the nurses laughed

Until they cried

At ten he fled

Away from home

In search of evil

Just for fun

His mother worried

Til she died

His father broken

Took his life

His sister twas urchined

In the streets

Until the madness

Seized ‘pon she

His brother sent up

But the thief

Twas smote with woe

And plund’ in grief

At twenty bearded

He but plead

For alms from those

Themselves in need

And turn his back

‘Pon those whom wailed

Begged he for mercy

And of grace

His soul hid the darkest

Revelry

With plague at thirty

He was strick’

He wailed, I only care for me!

As he died of scurvy

‘Pon the cobblestone bricks… .

A temperamental soul

Twas born one day

As he shun his mum

She looked away

The doctor spanked

His bum in spite

And the nurses laughed

Until they cried

A THING OF BEAUTY

By Joseph Jackson

A thing of beauty

Passed our way

Thereabouts such but eyes

Should leer waylaid

By the classic Grecian

Torso wont

By the classic Azlantian

Face of lust

By the massive greedy

Fate of must

Goeth kings and men

Of faith in might

Of faith in nary

Save virgin rites

At least in queries

Before their kin

Whence the rites of fertility

Have their wend

What favour naught

Save the lust of men

Oer the light of day

And stark moonlight….

A thing of beauty

Sauntered by

All mates beheld her

With a sigh

Coo in abidance

As she fly

For she but woo them

In their flesh

Lo they agreed

The lot no less

But head and shoulders

She but reign

Above the rest

For in their days

Upon the streets

No creature fairer

Nor that replete

Should eer thee rear

‘Neath the middling starlight

Be our Sun

‘Neath the middling starlight

Beam our Sun

‘Pon our days in radiance… .

‘Neath the Sun.

AGAIN TIS TODDLE BECK

By Joseph Jackson

T is toddle beck again

What do summon me

From a world naught of bossomed

Sucklings free

Where nonesuch lots know

Save cherubims

Of the wing ‘pon their mothers’

Vain coddlings

From a world save but the sword

Of Isosecles

Do say there noone

Should rock thee sleep

But another pert nigh

The mum come spring

How dare ye dare ye

Think it thee

The newborn babe oh wanna-be

And Narcissus gazed

Into the pool

Praytell he should see

But the fool

Alas then again twas but

Reflection mere

Of light

Of hope

And beastly fears… .

Tis toddle beck again

‘Yond our innocence

Of wretched beings

Stalk about

To baptize thee

From the earthly font

Of the firmament up

Oer babes’lit down airs

Where oer but urchins

Hover there

Oh pluck their silver harps

With care

And plunge their cupids’ arrows

‘Far

Into the hearts of hosts

For wanton love

Aye those be reaching

For someone

How dare ye think it thee… .

That newborn babe oh wanna-be

But another pert nigh

T’other burping sighs

Save the mummy come the lush of spring… .

And Narcissus gazed into the pool

Oh gazed and leered… .

Upon a fool.

AHA ‘PON THE PLAINS

By Joseph Jackson

T he weather was balmy

Not far from the shore

Of the great Sea of Aha

Where they gathered ‘bout

To partake of their rations

Of roasted eel

And toasted bigga bugs

On the half-shell

Cooked over lumber

Tossed off to the mob

Of homeless to boot and

Injuns doled of corncobs

Where the thins

Stroked their tresses

Pot-luckin’ their way

‘Neath the chaps there

A’packing them off

For their stay

All about the great town

Named for injuns’ place South

Twas a’bustling and teemin’

Much building aground

The times were fast moving

New era tore swift

Illusions of new ways

A’gin the lots’ wit

Who lived for the moment

Who lived without care

Who learned from the Twenties

Depression stood near

Like the Blacktips a’circling

Above the lake air

Come ye come

Come ye go again

Devil may care