poetry
my friend
could not pronounce covid
she called it
cobra
when covid started mutating
she called the next virus
viper
she could remember shakes
i wonder if the next
mutation will be called
rattle snake/
i’m just wondering
nothing wrong with
guessing what’s next
(Jim Wortham, September 21, 2022)
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)
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
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)
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)
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)
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
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
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)
she loves me
she loves me not
she loves me
she loves me
n
o
t
The Broken and The Holy 