Rain and Drukers

There wasn't much to do about the rain falling
It wasn't the Reds task to fix it and neither were they intending to try.

The order they had been given was faulty and they knew it,
relaxing and feasting was what they intended to do.
One honey beer at a time, they had a great time in the aged old inn built from logs.
On the stage, built from rocks carried into the inn at an earlier time, the drunkest of them began a tune.
It was mesmerising to say the least. Awestruck, the lot of the others started to sway to the music as if in trance and cheer during solos from the flute. The flute music had entered into the mix by another entering the stage from the right. It wasn't noticed until the tunes started coming out.
The melody they all remembered from their berry picking contest last fall.
It had become a commonly used tune while they worked the fields and mines.

In through the door rushed a Bigfoot. soaked and dripping.
That's what the Reds called the tall folk, them being about three feet taller than any Red.

"Are you insane? You are supposed to stop the rain! The fields are flooding and the ants are surfing the leaves without hindrance." the Bigfoot shouted in desperation.

The Reds looked up and in a stupendous drunkenness the all hushed at him with a long "Sssshh!". Then they all turned back to the singer on stage and began to sing along.

"The fields go on and on. We chop and saw all day long. Down to the creek where we relax and sing our song! Along abong Rong!" they all cheered with laughter and joy.

"Outside! NOW!" the furious Bigfoot called out.

The room was all scrambles and they were all three hundred and forty three of them outside in a blink.

"Aye!" they slurred together in harmony with one leg raised, bent at the knee. The other five legs they stood on.

The Bigfoot came outside and smiled at them.
"Good, now lets stop this rain before its too late."

He marched them down to the creek and sat them all down by their own posts by the creeks edge.

"One... twoo.... TH....REE! Sip like your mess isn't yours, Drukers!"

They all shook their small shoulders and began sipping the cool water from the creek.
At first they weren't all that thirsty, since they were all drunk on honey. But after a while they got more and more thirsty. They sipped so fast the Bigfoot had to stop them a lot sooner than usual.

"Stop my beloved red Drukers! We are done. Any more and we will have summer until spring next year," he laughed.

Exhausted the reds  looked up from the creek to see that the sand dunes had begun appearing all around them in patches. The air was dry and hard to breathe in big gulps. They relaxed and lay on their backs with full bellies.

The big foot began to sing an after rain song. They all knew it and one by one with some effort joined in.

"Alas this day, the rain came this way
It ran around this middle ground
I may just find a thing to say
if it were not to be my mound this day"

They all shouted out the chorus:

"Alas Alas my will should run
along the creek my spirit flows."

They all smiled happily while the sun shone in the sky and the birds once more chattered their calls to one another.

"That's it Drukers! Back to what you were doing and a good job done by all!" the Bigfoot thundered with pride. "Until next rainfall!" he called as he left down the winding path to the Bigfoot lands.

The Reds looked silently at each other for a while.
One of them farted and they all started laughing.

"Back to the cabin Inn, Reds!" the windbreaker cheered and they flowed over creek and field to the inn where the honey poured free and the songs were waiting.

More

Little he was, the smallest of small

No one ever heard his call

He felt so alone

Always in his zone

Eternal was his search on and on

He would never stop until it was done

For even if the result was bad

The journey was all that he had

Finally he met a girl upon high

She was so fine he gave a sigh

"Hello" he said with a cry

Sadly she just walked on by

He waved after, used to the pain

Picking up pieces in the rain

Time slowly ticked its way

He left the situation where it lay

Started a new routine

Never thought about where he'd been

He worked and toiled

Creativity from him boiled

Famous he became

But he was no longer the same

Girls around him flocked

But all of them he mocked

"Leave me be

I want to be free"

He cried at night

Keeping out of sight

Work became insane

He had to use a cane

Health he had none

His body was done

At last he was lost

The fame had a cost

Air

There once was a man who talked about the air

how it smelled and felt blowing through his hair

He always fought windmills because they stole his wind

but usually he lost, they were pretty thick-skinned

Then one fine morning when he was battling at his peak

a bird from out of nowhere came down and pecked him with its beak

He waved and fought the creature off

it laughed and flew away with a scoff

The man got mad when he saw the bird flap

"Bothersome crow, I'll put you over my lap"

With that he went after, his face all red

"That's my air in which your wings you spread"

Running and panting, pursuit through the woods

angrily trying to protect his goods

Branches they scratched him from top to toe

the bird just flew further to his woe

Finally he came upon a gaping chasm

he would've stopped but he had a spasm

No air in his lungs had made the work pretty hard

and his muscle function had become rather marred

He flew over the cliff without any brake

in a state of panic, flight he tried to fake

The air it served him as one would expect

The bird flew up beside him and gave him respect

It knew it wasn't easy flapping without wings

but bravery was built just on such things

The bird called upon his mates for an assist

they carried the man though he tried to resist

Long was the trip up over trees very tall

slowly he began to appreciate them all

Gently they dropped him down on his lawn

all the while his intellect entered a new dawn

Lucky he was that some others used air

and him and his bravery to safety could bear

He sat there smiling waving them good bye

without knowing the reason he began to cry

Many years had gone since his battle began

what if he had seen this before he ran?

Wake me up when it's all over

Cobnots and Rocknits

Over the hills the rock flew and landed just by the right foot of the tribe elder.

It was a great sign. The great and powerful Tik Tok had spoken and she had spoken

 with the utmost clarity.

The village was in elation, this was better than the bark boat challenge event each spring down by the creek. This time they had gotten proof. Real proof that the rock god Tik Tok really had full control over all rocks, big and small.

The rock had flown and the tribe shaman had told the people that even if they saw him throw the rock it was by the complete guidance of Tik Tok. It was a marvellous sign from their god and a marvellous time to be a villager. They danced around with each other and chanted "Tik Tok, we are your flock" on and on. The shaman and the elder smiled proudly at each other and then down at the people.

The shaman developed a stern look upon his face, wrinkling his forehead even more than it already was and started to speak.

"Alas young children of wee faith. Now you finally see the power of Tik Tok the mighty. I know many of you have doubted, many of you have sought the luring blasphemy of reason and logic."

With a look on his face as if  he had tasted something foul, he watched the crowd carefully to see if any of them reacted suspiciously. Satisfied that everyone was paying attention he continued with force of heart.

"I now hold it for certain that we can move the mountain on our neighbouring island over to our island. The Cobnots tribe have had it for too long and have bragged about it to us one time too many."

Some of the villagers in the gathering started to turn and fidget, seeming to look around them at the other villagers. They were only a few, so the speaker continued, still confident.

"We will tonight by canoes and rafts sneak over to their island and take our mountain, rock by rock, with the unbeatable power of our god Tik Tok." He laughed hysterically and most villagers laughed with him, though not quite as vigorously and with somewhat confused faces.

"It is our right and a fitful punishment for the Cobnots." He continued.

"Their worship of Buku the Windmaker must cease. It has gone on for far too long. We the followers of the true god, Tik Tok, must help them see how great rocks are."

He paused for a while thinking.

One villager waved and asked calmly:

"The mountain is quite big, it will take a while to move it."

Many villagers nodded in agreement.

"Blasphemers!" The Elder now exclaimed.

"Do you doubt the rock god? Tik Tok will punish you with small rocks in your sandals!"

The crowd gasped and the area went silent.

The shaman ended his speech with a satisfied smile.

"We meet at the big beach by the canoes tonight when the bright sphere fades. All who can walk must join us in this blessed venture or face the consequences of our beloved merciful god. Now go and prepare yourselves, for tonight we take back what by divine right is ours!"

When night came most of the villagers had showed up at the beech bringing baskets, cloth to carry rocks in and sticks and spears to defend themselves with.

Looking over the crowd, the shaman was satisfied.

"Good, good, many have come. We will change the history of our tribe and the future of our unborn children this night."

Suddenly he noticed a young man carrying a big rock in his right hand and a flower in his left hand.

"What is this? he blurted out angrily .

"Why by the great presence of Tik Tok are you carrying a rock and a flower? We are going to carry rocks here from the Cobnot island not bring our own blessed rocks from here to there. Explain yourself!" the shaman demanded.

"I bring rock to hit Cognots and my woman forced me to bring flower."

A murmur and muffled laughter was heard throughout the crowd.

"She pretty strong." he added nodding to himself.

The shaman looked at him like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Are you mad? There are plenty of rocks on the other island." 

He paused not wanting to ask further. Reluctantly he forced himself to ask anyway. "Why did she force you to bring the flower?"

The young man excitedly told the shaman.

"My woman she had b-i-g dream of Tik Tok. He bring flower to Cognot island. Big sign, she said.

 I asked why Tik Tok carry flower, but she not tell me. Between her and Tik Tok, she said. I know when not ask more." He looked at the shaman with pride.

The shaman shook his head.

"What is your name, villager?"

 "My name Bibop." the reply came.

With a pat on Bibop's head the spiritual leader noted.

"Bibop, our great and mighty god Tik Tok does not come to us in dreams, he is busy with important rock. A dream is not a rock. Your woman has fooled you, now throw that flower and put the rock down on this our island and lets get into the canoes and rafts."

With a wave of a hand he motioned to the other villagers to follow him.

They all snickered and talked amused while they passed Bibop walking down toward the shore and into the vessels.

Bibop stood there a while a little bruised inside. He thought for a while, threw away the rock and looked at the flower. He looked back towards the village, remembering his woman's words.

He turned back towards the ocean, put the flower safely into his waist cloth and made sure it was well hidden. Then he followed the others into one of the canoes.

There was a calm headwind on the ocean this night and the trip was swift and easy. They soon could see mountain peak and the waves lapping up against the shores of the Cognot island.

"Ready now, be quiet as the crab and brave like the lion fish." the shaman incurred silently.

But as they neared the shore a voice came booming at them.

"Rocknits, you meet your doom!"

The villagers in the canoes and rafts jumped with fright so that the vessels almost tipped over from the commotion.

"Our great Buku the Windmaker has revealed your plans by sending your words on the wind to us. We have prepared and will protect our mountain to our very last breath." the voice continued.

The shaman had been scouring the shore in search of the source and had now located the scrawny bent over little man with a walking stick that was standing on a elevated stone a bit from the waters edge. He recognised without trouble. His nemesis brother, shaman of the Cobnots.

"We have our powerful Tik Tok with us and none shall stand in our way, least of all you puny Cobnots." he shouted back.

With that the Cobnot shaman waved his stick in the air, almost falling off the rock in the process.

A couple of seconds later a thunderous roar was heard from the mountain and the ground shook, making ripples on the water. From the top of the mountain smoke started to pour out in large quantities.

"Flee while you can, Rocknits, not only do we have Buku the Windmaker now, but a new god has appear for us, Bansia, Maker of Smoke. See now the immense power of true gods!" the scrawny man called with pride towards the canoes and rafts in the water.

Suddenly the wind shifted and a strong wind came from the other side of the mountain bringing all the smoke pouring down the mountain towards the shore. The Cobnot shaman quickly jumped down a hole in the sand and covered the opening with palm leaves that had been left beside the hole.

A wall of smoke came rolling towards the Rocknits and it hit them before they had time to react.

The force of the wind was immense and some of the villagers fell overboard. For a while the canoes and rafts were in turmoil and rocked back and forth. One by one the villagers was pulled back into the boats and the sea calmed.

The only problem was that the smoked did not disappear and what was worse; the smoke brought with it a terrible smell of meat and greens left alone for many yellow spheres. It stunk something terrible.

The Rocknits gasped for fresh air and a mild panic spread amongst them. The shaman looked about to see a way out of the situation. He called to Tik Tok to help and rocks started to fall all around them, on the shore and from what they could tell through the smoke, on the mountain side.

"Tik Tok has failed us, flee back to our island! he shouted.

He looked around and noticed that half of the villagers lay sleeping in the vessels. The others held their mouths and noses, swerving dizzily back and forth. Only one villager sat up straight and looked at the shaman puzzled. He held a flower in his hand and was sniffing it vigorously for dear life.

"Bibop, grab a paddle and start paddling." the religious leader ordered while tying the rafts and canoes together. He then picked up his own paddle. Or at least he tried to, he couldn't seem to aim sharply enough with his hand and arm. "Hey, why is my arm so long." he thought to himself as snakes head turned out of his hand to bite him.

The shaman fell asleep together with the rest of the villagers.

Bibop picked up the paddle with his free hand and started to slowly paddle back in the tiny breeze, all the while sniffing his flower with a passion.

The wind had ebbed out since the smoke rolled down the mountain, but was still blowing gently off the shore towards the Rocknit island.

The trip back felt to Bibop like it took forever. After about an hour the smoke cleared and he could more clearly see where he was going. The Cobnot island was covered in the smoke and now and again he could see red flame and rocks flying about. At one time he heard a big thundering sound and a moment later there was a lightning in the smoke around the island.

Well out of the smoke he put his flower back in his waist cloth and could continue more easily.

At long last back home on his own island he woke a couple of other villagers and indicated to them to wake the others.

When the shaman was woken he looked around and was delighted to see the familiar surroundings.

From the direction of their village the elder came walking briskly.

"What happened, shaman? Where are our rocks?"

"The bloated Cognots gods are more powerful than we imagined, elder!" they sent the smell of a monkeys behind down upon us. But what is worse, Tik Tok failed us!"

The elders jaw dropped open. "He failed us?

"Yes, rocks came falling down upon us when I called for him. He has abandoned us Rocknits!"

the shaman said with  a sad face. Suddenly he shone up like the big yellow sphere.

He grabbed Bibop by the shoulder and pulled him close.

"Bibop found a new god! It is truly powerful, it saved us all!" he exclaimed.

"You found a new god?" the elder turned to Bibop.

Bibop looked around confused.

"The flower, show him the flower!" the shaman said excitedly.

Bibop pulled the now crooked flower from out of his waist cloth and smiled at the elder.

The elder looked at the flower, then looked at the smiling Bibop and the lastly over to the shaman.

"We have been chosen, it's a miracle!" he pronounced happily with authority.

The villagers had been surrounding the three one by one during the conversation and they now started to cheer, laugh and dance.

"TONIGHT WE FEAST! Honor to the new god!" the shaman shouted and headed together with the villagers back to the village with the elder and Bibop in tow.

Long into the night the chant could be heard:

"Tik Tok, us you mock, keep your stupid rock!

We now have Miss Flox, she's our detox!"

Mike and Me

At the time I got back home they were all there; the bully, the hustler and the brake.

They were all still confused.

The bully hustled the brake,

the hustler broke the bully

and the brake bullied the hustler.

It was all pretty entertaining to watch.

The rummage was intense and the sound level quite high.

I pulled out an ice cream from the fridge and sat down to watch the commotion, my favourite channel for sure.

I threw a tennis ball into the chaos, just to see what happened.

The hustler bullied the ball,

the brake hustled the ball

and the bully broke the fall, sorry broke the ball.

The ball did nothing at all.

Interesting I thought and caught a bass, Toasted it right and sent it into the fight.

The bass had sass,

boasted to the mass,

the bully cried,

the hustler lied

and the brake just sighed.

I left the room disgusted and gloomed.

I needed to sleep, so I dove down deep.

Awoke at dawn and flexed my Braun.

Crazy it went, I think my beard I bent.

Always and near, nothing to fear.

Here on my step, was Johnny Depp.

"What have you done, you're shredded my son?"

"Hey Mr Depp, I've done just one rep."

"That's more than me, I'm sure you'd agree."

With that he left, it felt like a theft.

I left the house, tripped over the brake,

fell on the ball, hustler and all.

Down through the streets in a red lucky bike.

Swerved and swayed, over to my friend Mike.

He sat on his porch and played his trombone.

I started to jam and went into the zone.

He smiled and said Yo.

I just said lets go.

The bike was too small,

we gave taxi a call.

"To the club, monsieur!"

"I'll show you a Chauffeur!"

Crazy it went,

I think the car was a rent.

I held on for life,

and thought of my wife.

Mike he looked pale,

Bloated like a whale.

We had to stop.

At least, so said the cop.

Locked up all night.

It wasn't alright.

Mike was a mess,

Someone had put him in a dress.

When at last we were free

The clock had struck three.

Lucky for us

There came a bus

We took it to town

Mike still in his gown.

We rocked all the rest of the morn

It felt like we had just been born.

Then when that was it

Depp asked us to sit

Shocked he was there

I called for more beer

We partied til dawn

and fell asleep on his lawn.

Morning it broke

I thought I had a stroke

We knocked on the door

Mike his dress tore

Depp said but wait

I do live here mate

He invited us in

I went with a grin

Breakfast was great

Three shots straight

I felt like a king

He took us under his wing

When all was said and done

It felt like we had won

He called us his friends and told us to call

But we lost the number playing basketball

It was a good run

Mike and me had fun

Next week we'll see

whats barking up that tree

I'm going loco

I should be constrained.

I walked through the shadow

but now I'm contained.

Bark at the Moon

She barked at the moon

and fell down a tree.

It wasn't as fun as she hoped it would be.

She picked herself up

and limped into town.

Why was she wearing a wedding gown?

The town was deserted,

how could that be?

Something was a miss, assuredly.

Her leg ached a lot

and she needed to sit.

But she couldn't for the life of her find a house that was lit.

At the end of the town

her hope started to sway.

But along finally came, a Chevrolet.

Out of the car

a man jumped, "Olé".

Red blanket ready, he looked at his prey.

A smile came upon her

this she recalled.

Up and away she upon him sprawled.

"Finally I found you,

where have you been?

Everyone is waiting for you at the Inn."

She loved him she knew

But the wedding was new.

She looked at him straight and explained her fate.

"My dear bumble bee,

what were you doing in a tree?"

She tried to explain, but she wasn't all that sane.

Worried as he was,

he asked if they should wait.

She shook her head and told him of love innate.

"One thing I've left

and that's you and your theft.

Let's walk down that aisle and then kids will start to compile."

Happy they went to win

rushing the Chevy to the Inn.

Said I do I do and then off to Kathmandu.

Their lives became grand and great

with kids numbered in eight.

They all were fine and strong, carrying their parents all along.

Life is but a tree

for those of us who see.

Relax and feel within, and face it with a grin.

Bart and his Heart

The fake in his heart

had always been a safety for Bart.

No love had been felt

and no pain had been dealt.

He lived by himself

and accumulated his wealth.

His soul was dry

but economically he was sly.

When autumn it came

he looked for someone to blame.

At end when he recounted his past

the time of his life had gone so fast.

He stood there with a check

and completely a wreck.

He thought it was the end

so he bought himself a friend.

The friend helped him out

Bart's money became a drought.

When the cash stopped to flow

the friend left like a crow.

Left was just Bart

he had nothing but his heart.

He picked it up and put it together

and then he met a girl named Heather.

They had nothing to start

but she just wanted Bart.

The Rock and the Wheel

Even though he was the best hunter he couldn't approach the rock unseen.

He stumbled and flipped all the way up to it.

The crowd went wild, such mastery, such finesse.

They had never seen bravado like this before.

The hunter looked up at the crowd puzzled in mid stride,

trying to keep his balance for at least a while.

 He knew he should not have had that last drink the evening before.

 

When he reached the rock he bent down to pick it up.

For some reason he couldn't budge it. He tried again to no avail.

Angrily he kicked it and jumped on it with passion.

The crowd was in uproar, the insolence displayed,

 the insult on the Majesties regal rock was immense.

After a minute or two, panting heavily he gave up and left the rock where it was,

He waved hopefully at the crowd for some reason able to walk perfectly straight on the way back.

As he was about to exit the arena an acorn was thrown

even the squirrel was angry and appalled.

The tradition had to be upheld

it could not be denied.

The gauntlet was thrown, he had no choice.

Squirrel and all, came down the seats.

It bragged and bolster about its many feats.

Took quite some time with that little voice.

Armed with a nut the squirrel he charged.

Hunter he waited for ages upon end,

The arena was not large but a trick had been played

A wheel of a hamster was thrown as a ruse.

When snow began to fall the squirrel wizened up

but the crowd had gone home, for the world had revolved.

He sat down sad on the rock,

it moved easily by his touch.

He picked it up and raised it to the sky.

"I won after all, though the arena was quite big."

Back home they cheered and he became king.

Angels came down and brought him under their wing.

The hunter he fled

the heart of the ladies bled.

This story is true

the heroes weren't two

The squirrel he won

and the hunter was gone.

King of the Ages

Far away in a world not unlike our own.

He left the throne and stepped away.

As a king of the ages he was tired.

The times had not been kind to him.

But he did not care.

To him it was what he wanted for his people

and what the people wanted from him.

Nothing else mattered.

If he was tired, sick or having a life of hardship,

what was that compared to what was best for his people?

He had lost almost everything.

His riches had gone.

The war to save the land had claimed his health.

Few had understood him and most had left his side.

He did not care.

What was right was what was right.

There was only one path to ever take,

the correct one.

From the time he was young he had always known the path.

It had been easy for him, natural, an ever present instinct.

Inscribed in his core.

But above that his real talent was that of

unwavering firmness of mind, to never falter.

No matter the consequences to himself or anything he cared for,

he did what must be done.

It was upon him to make things the best they could be.

They had not understood.

When he had saved the land they had cheered.

When he had given them his gold they had rejoiced.

As crops grew tall for years upon years they had been content.

But as the volcanic ash fell upon the city

and as its tears flowed down the mountain side,

the winds had changed.

The whispers started with the rumbles.

How could he have made their world so safe and prosperous?

There must be a reason, no other land had this fortune.

When the first smoke arose, the whispers grew

A pact of sorts must have been laid

He could not alone had such luck

The lava began to spew and the story transformed.

A demon was present and the king had aligned.

Now was the time when price was to be payed.

What had he done? The future had been traded away.

He walked war-torn up to stand in front of the mob.

"Here you have me, do what you will. My life has always been yours."

They picked him up and carried him away.

Beating upon him all the distance there.

Up the mountain side with effort and toil.

Through heat and smoke, stone and flow.

At the mountains edge they threw him down.

"Leave this world without honors from us,

your ruse has been revealed and time is up.

Go where you belong,

no one will ever more sing your song."

Flame

He went over to the chest and opened the lid.
He knew not why and left it at that.

One leg at a time he entered the chest
and down the hatch which was at the bottom of it.

In the dark cave below he reached for a candle
which he knew was on his right coming down.

Grabbing it with guided ease he unknowingly snapped the fingers of his other hand
and a flame burst brightly before him.

The flame looked him over with excitement,
a puzzled look coming over it.

With a quick wave he lit the candle
and the flame settled in cosy and snug.

Holding the candle he walked down the way
over to the circle on the floor just ahead.

He nodded to the flame and it began to cry,
the circle on the floor began to glow.

Entering he was suddenly elsewhere.

The forest was dense and sunlight strained to get through.
Comforting the flame he sat down to pray.

Before him it rose as sprung from the ground.
A beautiful herring fine enough to eat.

Tell me the story he said to the fish.
It told him of warriors and princesses alike.

The tumble of tidings before and ahead.
Things to fear and moorings of old.

He thanked it and went on his way.
The herring say bye and went off to his bay.

Almost as soon as the evening came near
The walker fell over a sleep next to a bear.

When morning came they were treated to bee
and honey abundance, take two take three.

They waved at the bear and bowed as one may.
That was the last they were seen since that day.

Bre and Tad

Too far and too wide the gap seemed impossible to overcome.
They had flown through darkness for months and landed just a couple of days ago.
Now they stood with the vehicle and gear in front of a gaping chasm of grand proportions.
Scratching his helmet Tad tried to think of a solution like he always did.

Bre found the situation immensely funny and started laughing. She almost fell over, partly because she stopped looking where she put her feet, but also partly because she had the clumsy suit on and hadn't adjusted completely to the gravity of the new environment.
Tad caught her and pointed out that he preferred she concentrate on the task at hand.

"Aye Capn'!'" she said suddenly at attention, with a sly smile and flashing eyes.
He smiled back at her with a grin.
"You always were the one to have fun when you shouldn't."

He looked across the chasm with doubt, but suddenly saw that the wind was picking up.
Dust started to dim the view and beat against their protected bodies.

She tried to determine the direction of the wind
only to see the flowers growing about a stones throw away.
Blue, green, yellow and purple in flourishing beauty.
They waved at her and invited her to come over with promises of luxurious warmth and exuberation.
It was intoxicating and alluring, but something told her something was a miss.

Looking closely she noticed the flowers slowly changing colours and size back and forth.
Shaking her head fervently, she tried to get the image out of her head.
"What was going on" she thought with confusion.

She looked over at Tad, but where he had just been, he was not.
Scanning around she barely noticed him far off in the distance,
almost completely blurred by the dust in the wind which was picking up even more.

"Tad!" she said with alarm over the communication channel.
No response.

She started imitating some form of running towards him, the suit was not adapted for sprinting.
"TAD!" she now yelled breathless.

She heard a hum, a sigh and a song so sublime.
Tad let his lung fill the chorus with power.
He was so happy in his delirium, free amongst his friends from back home.
Having a picnic on meadows so fine. Barbecued ribs and drinks abundant.

When at last she found him, she smacked him up the helmet.
"Wake up now promptly, stupid fool.
You're acting not normal, just like a tool.
Come now lets get back and take another road, this place seems scary and dangerous somehow."

He noticed afar that some girl was upset.
Why? This was fun and the table was set.

In a daze he gained his senses and looked at her clear.
Confused and amazed, he realised what to fear.

They rushed back to the chasm and found the buggy gone.
How could this happen, how would they get out of this con?

They gathered their thoughts and debated a while.
Then Bre said "I bet its still here, in our mind it is not."

She rushed over to where the thing used to be, smashed head first into nothing to see.
Bee bee bee, bumble a bee.
Sometimes the head will find love in a tree.

Dazed even suited she rose happily. "Our Rover is here, funny that come with me."
Tad jumped straight in, she need not ask twice.

They raced back to base camp puzzled and lost,
mysterious evil and windstorm with dust.

Back home they entered and reported it all.
They did not hear back when they sent their call.

Sadly they realised something was here,
they seemed to have come totally unprepared.

The ground shook and something swallowed them whole,
Tad and Bre pressed the button and were free.

Exiting the simulator they hugged naturally,
smiled at each other and kissed just the same.

"I love you my husbee, thanks for the ride,
let's eat something quick I got hunger for fried."

Tad just sighed, he was happy and proud.
She was the one who always put him on a cloud.

Crickets of the Lettuce

Only if the well wanted did she need to drink the flames.

No one would blame her if she felt the rain on her shoulders.

Almost as if by chance had she lived her life over by the pool

 and was now forced to meet his wife.

As basketballs go this was wonderful.

The cheering crickets had never had such a fun time before.

Lettuce was shared among all and everyone was in high spirits.

The day had been anticipated for months.

Finally the well went into the flames and drank.

The stream of information was intoxicating.

She felt her hair stand on end and her rating go up.

The sky was the limit and she hit it almost at once.

The cheer stopped instantly and the lettuce wiltered.

Some started to abuse the innocent by-standers who in turn laughed with joy.

Abuse and wiltered lettuce was a delicacy in their green room.

Unluckily they were in the lower parts of their blue box from which there was no escape.

As she exited the flames she was free of her chains.

The rage she had felt down below in the cold,

was no more in her heart and a soothing calm had replaced it.

The crickets came over and hugged her slowly one by one.

Pointed at the lettuce and asked for a repeat.

The hunger was obvious to all that was close.

She shook her head and said warmth was here to stay.

From the blue box came a slow gentle cry

"Why wont you just stop with your bewildering sigh?

When flames meet a drinker the lettuce will go,

but in the new high another will emerge on wings so dry.

The reason for all is the carrots of old,

no more will we see how you heroes are bold.

Leave us in here with our love and our hate.

You only care for your pool and your fate."

The crickets stood silent and stunned for a while.

No lettuce, what happened, why, god oh why.

The well poured a cup and went over to help.

Nothing on sale and no seeds abound.

She poured the water on crickets so sad,

it wasn't really the best time they'd ever had.

Shrugging she left them the box and the pool

Went over to the wife and hugged her with a drool.

Screaming she bit her on the neck with a ferocious grin.

Moving away she kicked her on the shin.

"There you go for love and for hate,

I loved him too, but I think you now know at this rate."

The Ball and The Snow

The ball was round and the ice was melting. John had seen it coming.

He wasn't easily fooled and was confident this would happen way before it did.

All his life he had searched the web for answers, but only ever found them within himself.

That was his safety which he had always relied upon.

Today though when he stood there on the ball which was on the melting sea ice,

he was perplexed he had not moved in two months.

He had after all seen this coming.

He gazed ahead and saw his doom,

down there under the ice in the darkness.

When he was a boy he had always loved water.

"You're like a fish" they had often said.

At this time he did not feel like a fish and guessed the water would be quite cold.

From out in the distance she came like a white mist,

floating silently towards him,

She was fair and flowing with a stern look upon her face.

"Why are you here wanderer and why do you not wander?

This will be your end, you know."

"I wanted to see the sparrows and thought I get up high" he responded.

She looked at him puzzled, the ball, the ice and himself in his frozen state.

"You're not the one who has been here all along are you?

Time has forgotten about you and is still out for tea.

You can come down now".

"I am where I should be." he balanced with a face set in stone.

She looked down at the ice which was disappearing all around him. 

Moved over and grabbed him with gentle arms.

Her touch sent him reeling inside, tingling with well being.

He lost all control and let her carry him away.

At the seas edge she laid him down by a tall fir tree.

"You know you shouldn't be here this time of the year.

Your time has passed, I know, but will come again next.

No need for this folly every time summer grows near."

He looked at her silently with sad eyes.

He tried to keep his hands from shaking but couldn't.

The tears fell down his cheeks to his white long beard.

"My life is without meaning when I've met all.

They forget me and leave me such a long time til then.

I know its a passing but hard just the same."

"The ball and the ice bring me comfort somehow,

I know that I shouldn't but hey there we go."

She smiled at him lovingly and said:

"It's not always the righteous that get their own way,

the sacrifice is sometimes what needs to be carried by those that can.

You have to find the reward in that you make so many feel happy the time when you come around.

 It is in itself a reward to be the one that carries this for so many."

With a sigh he relaxed and felt the earth move,

his hand was no more and the life left again.

The next time he would be, was that time of the year.

He was happy and content even though he was not there.

Her grace flowed after her and left no mark in the snow.

The blood red apple in her hand shone from a ray of the sun.

She smiled and gazed at herself in the ice.

"We are quite pretty aren't we, I must say".