Thanks for the dance

i went to dances in high school

i danced

with anyone who said “yes”

i went to local schools

(girls at other schools

did not know

how shy i was during that time)

then college happened —

i never found

the perfect partner

then after college

i visited

dance clubs

& country clubs

with dance nights

to meet someone

anyone

to date —

time passes

and tonight i’m thinking about

all who i danced with —

i didn’t show

enough appreciation

for the lovely dances

+ + + + + + + + + + + +

now is better than never

if you and i danced

once upon a time

thank you,

thank you,

thank you!

+ + + +

and if

we meet again

“may i have another dance?”

and if we have never danced

and you see me

please

ask me for a dance

i promise to

thank you for your dance

(Jim Wortham, September 26, 2022)

Death, please don’t awaken me when it’s my turn

this feeling . . .

it’s more than my thoughts

i don’t wake up as i once did

now sleeping until 11:30 a.m.

or noon

before i want to begin the day

not hungry

breakfast is a liquid meal replacement

whichever is cheapest at stores

caught covid three times

long term covid symptoms are

bringing my energy

down

down

& really down/

as i drink my liquid breakfast/lunch

i read books by my former friends —

who all were

striving to become famous authors

they passed on

to the next

forever adventure

(dear writer friends

how are you doing up there)

i wait in line–

wait my turn

energy

is slowly leaking

& dripping

it must happen

it always does for all

i had so many plans during youthful years

youth–where did you go

old age–why are you coming

death, don’t bother to greet me

don’t knock on my door

let me asleep

when you visit

(Jim Wortham, September 21, 2022)

I am losing weight –will you be my friend now?

Many reading this are like me

–just a tad bit overweight

should i say 50 pounds–if

i say i need to lose 65 pounds or more

will you delete me as a friend?

don’t unfriend me yet

i already lost 2 pounds over 3 months

losing weight is slow going

especially when people visit

and leave ice cream, cookies,

cakes, pies and goodies like that

however losing 2 pounds is a start

ain’t it

even if it takes a few months

think about how slim i’ll look

in 25 more years if i lose 2 pounds

every few months

i’ll have my slim high school figure back

and will get invitations to be friends

once again

(i think i have 2 or 3 friends i see from time to time–

in my hay day i actually had 7 friends)

you ask what i do these days

i don’t work a job

i’m trying my best to live from book royalties

i’ve written books since age 19 —

i always self-published them

& it is true that i would go knocking on doors

down all the streets i could walk down

and ask them if they would like to

buy an autographed book or two?

i’m almost there again–

not enough of my books are being sold on

internet book sites so

i’ll need to put my

cleanest dirty clothes

and go door to door

with a big grin, and

give them a chance to by

a book or two or more

from a real author (that would be me)

i’m sharing too much

with you ain’t i ?

let’s go back to the weight discussion

will i sell more books up and down the streets

if i loose a few more pounds ?

may lose an additional 3 or 6 pounds ?

should i wear a cool hat

(that i got from a goodwill store) ?

and put myself in a special league

with the likes of singers bob dylan

and leonard cohen

you know

something that will separate me

from the average joe

i’ll keep you updated

with my progress

i only need to sell 2 books a day

to pay for my food

(i buy my food at dollar stores)

i drive an old car (paid for)

somewhere around 15 years old

and my poetry shack was

deeded to me from a friend

with no family

yes, my clothes– they are all from the goodwill

or salvation army stores

(I go to the one dollar sales racks)

well, enough of me for today

thanks for visiting

sending you love and prayers

and all good things

(Jim Wortham, September 20, 2022)

PS: remember money won’t buy you love —

i don’t know who wrote that

Knocking on Jesus’s Door

hi Jesus

i’m suppose to be “joyful”

the church people tell me —

i smile to make them think i am joyful

but you/

and i/

know better …

it’s all about the feeling

of not achieving the things

i have always wanted/

it’s not about lack of food

or money/

i don’t remember the last time i smiled

or laughed

except for someone telling a joke/

i’ll continue to wait

maybe this is my new normal

i’ll sit at home &

eat peanut butter on graham crackers

& drink milk —

makes a good meal, really/

i’m here at the

same place

you know where to find me/

until we talk tonight

as we do 3 hours each night,

i’ll read one of my favorite authors

maybe do some oil painting

and pray for all who come to my

mind who also have needs

( Jim Wortham, September 19, 2022)

Waiting for time take me for a ride

do you ever feel like this

“i’ve done what I can do —

now i will wait it out

i’ve done it all

desire for trips/ gone

desire to write books/gone

desire to eat out/gone

i want to be left alone/

to be a recluse

i like music if i can

understand words

don’t want

to start a new project

or do

what i did in the past —

it will never happen

not time left

nope, not time

just so little time left

should i build a rocking chair

or read books

by my old writer friends

who have

passed on

what to do, what to do, what to do

God knows how i feel

i think he is fine with it

we spend 3 hours each night

sitting in the living room

talking about old times

and new times to come

(Jim Wortham, September 19, 2022)

Let me try . . . to make you feel good!

I’m at an age

where I’ve gone through

so much (that is not all good)

so many people

have disappointed me

i don’t blame them

they are human

aren’t they?

and humans are this way–

they make mistakes,

some are greedy

some are out

only for themselves

they just

don’t

know —

as years pass by

their lives & values will change

i used to be self-centered

i am becoming (or am)

a recluse (or a hermit) now

wanting to be alone

& often not answering my phone ///

While you, my friend, are still young

my

advice is

be kind to others

love all people

overlook other’s faults

expect nothing in return / / /

if you have read this far

i send you my blessings

and prayers

that you will

have a beautiful life

& God will guide you

in your perfect life’s path

—- Jim Wortham, September 12, 2012)

Will you be my forever friend?

i must share how it was

i gave my time to anyone who wanted it

anyone who wanted to be my friend–yes!

i wanted many friends when i was young

in my teens and twenties (and later)

years and years and years passed

and most of my friends are gone

(maybe they really did not want me as a friend

once they learned i had imperfections)

many who i shared time with

are gone, so gone, i have no way to contact them

may i share about my time now with you?

time has become valuable

as i have become badly worn

with wrong jobs

friendships that did not last

lovers who no longer

answered their phone and texts ///

now

is

soooo

different . . . today

time has become a treasure

i don’t know how much time i have

i know i have fewer hours

left

i will be your friend

if you don’t leave me

my time is tied to my time to live

please

only come to me

if you will be my friend

forever

— Jim Wortham, September 11, 2022

She says “age does not matter”

it happened at a drug store

today

have you had someone

say age does not matter?

that’s exactly what she said . . .

she waited on me for a prescription

she knew my age

& I only imagine

as I looked closely

at her face and body

she was

in her twenties

she asked

“do you have plans tonight?”

i said if i wasn’t married

she would be the person

i’d like to be with

surprising to me

she said

if you change your mine

i’ll leave you my text

number

i thanked her for everything

and said maybe

we will meet again

thanks for making me feel good

i was feeling a bit down

& i haven’t felt so young

as you just made me feel

she said

i’m telling you the way i feel

in your case

age does not matter

&

don’t lose the paper

with my number

i smiled

and walked away

–Jim Wortham, September 10, 2022

Finding my Soul Mate

just walking down a road

saw an inviting place &

stopped at

THE OLD MONK PUB

it had a fancy sign

with the words

“THIS IS A CLASSY JOINT–

COME ON IN”

went inside

and ordered a drink

there i sit

sipping slowly

wondering if i’d ever meet my soul mate

a lady walks in with a beautiful smile

asks “can you use some company?”

yes and i’ll ask our delightful server to

bring you a glass of whatever you’d like to drink

i tell my friend

i’m drinking–lookin for answers

while having a few drinks

i’m wondering when i’ll meet my soul mate

& where it will be

Shannon (that’s my new friend’s name)

said she came here

to have a drink &

think about if she would ever

find her soul mate–

we kept having drinks

while laughing

& telling jokes

till

closing time

we walked out

hand

in

hand

wondering

if

our

questions

were

answered

(Jim Wortham, September 10, 2022)

%d bloggers like this: