Back to the Past
By larry r Linville

Sometimes an image from the past
Emerges inside my brain
just like I was there again
With feelings I can’t explain.

It may be a pleasant odor
That prompts me to remember
The perfume my wife was wearing
When in college I first met her.

Or the Chordettes “Mr. Sandman”
Transports me back so far
When going to a youth meeting
With our sponsors in a car.

A hymn sung in a church service
That in my old home church I heard
Can place me in a special pew
As the preacher shared God’s Word.

I wonder what will happen now
As I’m passing through today
Which someday many years from now
Might cause great movies to play

Goat Latin
By larry r Linville

A university study
About the bleating of goats
Found they have various accents
Which may have to do with their throats.

I learned of this on the radio
They told of the studies they did
Please don’t think I’m pulling your leg
On this topic I would not kid.

Each herd has its own frequency
And they follow voices the same
When the goats hear that special pitch
There’s no need to recall the name.

So Billy and Nanny and kids
All speak the same language it’s true
And if you were also a goat
They possibly may talk to you.

Poems For Money
By larry r Linville

If I wrote my poems for money
I’d be skinny as a rail
My clothes would fit me poorly
And my skin would be quite pale.

I’d have to walk everywhere
Since my car would have no gas
And I couldn’t mow my lawn
Which would grow one foot tall grass.

I might stand on a street corner
With a sign written very good
That I’d show to every driver
With a message,”I’ll rhyme for food.”

But I don’t write poems for money
It’s more like playing with a toy
I share them with other people
With the hope it will bring them joy.

Lift Your Arms If You’re Sure
By larry r Linville

I’m secure in my maleness
As secure as I can be
My wife’s sweet deodorant
Is good enough for me.

I often cannot find my Brut
Or other manly smelling stuff
When you get to my advanced age
There’s no need to prove you’re rough.

I saw that plastic dispenser
When I awoke from my nap
So I picked it up in great haste
And slowly removed the cap.

I turned the wheel at the bottom
And it advance some soft clear gel
While I rubbed in on my arm pits
I noticed a different smell.

I looked at the container
On which was printed Icy Hot
And knew in a split second
Her pain killer I had got.

My body smelled like Ben Gay
An ointment smell was so plain
It gave me a strange aroma
But my arm pits had no pain.

Next time I’ll look more closely
Before my deodorant I don
Because once it’s been applied
It can never be withdrawn.

Distracted By His Cell
By larry r Linville

He swerved into my lane
I slowed and gave him space
I might have said some bad words
About not being in a race.

As I moved up beside him
I saw him on his phone
The car seat behind him
Told me he was not alone.

That increased my anger
More than a notch or two
He put his life in danger
But his small child’s life too.

I glared at him intensely
though he didn’t look my way
If I could get his attention
I’d have a lot to say.

I don’t think he was texting
But his eyes weren’t on the road
The responsibility for that child
Should have been a heavy load.

When I turned off at the ramp
I saw he was still there
And the only thing I could do
Was to say an extra prayer.

The Stoplight
By larry r Linville

When I approach an intersection
it never seems to be much fun
not knowing when it turns to yellow
and making me through the red to run.

Should I rush to beat the yellow
or slow down to play it cool
and risk that the guy behind me
will think I’m some kind of fool?

If I slam on my brakes to stop
that might not be so kind
and result in a bent bumper
from the guy too close behind.

If I drive safely as I should
as carefully as I can
some young whippersnapper
may yell, “Park it, old man!”

And if I push the limits
going through as it turns red
some nice lady may stare at me
while she wishes I was dead.

Matthew 25 revisited
By larry r Linville

I said I was hungry
and you just complained
about those on food stamps
though two jobs I maintained.

I said I was naked
and you left me standing there
laughing at the old rags
which I was forced to wear.

I was sick with an illness
but you shrugged and ignored
even though insurance
I could never afford.

When I was a stranger
you looked the other way
because I looked different
you had no kind words to say.

You saw me in prison
and talked of my crime
while you said I could rot there
until the end of time.

Meanwhile you quoted
the scriptures which you chose
and said you love Jesus
more than any of those.