Day: March 12, 2025

after his wife left him
because she thought
he’d gone crazy
her minister ex-husband
went a lot crazier
from his raised up pulpit
he said he had attained
mystical union with God
and attained many powers
said he could affect world events
could control the winds
and the weather
could change nights into days
could communicate telepathically
with animals and insects
his worst delusion was
when he thought he could fly
to heaven and jumped
off a skyscraper
flapped his arms and
dive bombed to his death

Bob Boyd

He was told to go to the ER
something about blood platelets

He thinks he’ll be in an out
after a six hour wait

The doctors have different ideas
and admit him

He can’t believe he’s being
confined to a hospital bed

But he quickly adapts to it
and wonders what’s next

After a few days and a
series of tests

He’s released with a
blood cancer diagnosis

He had thought
he’d never
get cancer

He thought he was safe
and didn’t have to
worry about it

He didn’t smoke, drink,
do drugs, or eat red meat
and had no cancer in
his family

But cancer didn’t care
about all that

It claimed him anyway
and tried to take
his life

Weeks and months
of blood tests and
transfusions

Not a problem for him
surprisingly
maybe, miraculously,
he just didn’t care

He didn’t worry about
it killing him

He accepted
his possible
termination
like an even-minded
unfazed stoic

And maybe the cancer
gave up on him
because his indifference

Took the joy, the fun,
and the steam out of
trying to kill him

The reaper
dressed in his
flowing
black hooded robe

Reluctantly
lowered
his scythe
and said I’ll
be back another day

Bob Boyd

She said my name was written in her heart
And had been from the day she was born.
I liked the sound of that but didn’t believing it,
An impossible but such a sweet claim.

And her love for me was uncompromising.
To her dying day she remained faithfully true.
And right before she breathed her last breath,
As she lay dying in that hospital bed
I saw my name glowing out of her heart,
As if she took it with her to heaven.

Bob Boyd

Rolling Down a lonely Highway
In my old beat up pick up truck
Hearing the whine of the wheels
And trying to forget about you
Ten hours away from what
Became an old worn out love
Now I’m alone and speeding
On a thousand miles of road
Wondering what I’ll do
Where I’ll go
Without you
Maybe when I get to Tulsa
I’ll stop at a Mickey D’s
Grab a Burger with fries
And on the front of a napkin
Write a one last chance letter to you
But it probably won’t do no good
We had a rocky road romance
Down a one way hectic highway
With a lot of wrong turns
And dead end streets
And there ain’t no turning back

Bob Boyd

In his misspent, wasted youth
Sitting, profiling, in a pool hall,
Hard eyes, looking tough to fit in.
Often skipped days of school,
Had no time for education
In a small city in Massachusetts.

Inhaling a Lucky Strike cigarette,
Exhaling smoky circles in the air
Unfiltered, only manly way to go,
Greaser haircut, thought he was cool,
Thought he was super tough.

Cue ball breaking a rack to pieces,
Clatter of numbered balls
Speeding all over the pool table
Bouncing off the banks
Thudding sounds erupting
Some high and low balls
Dropping into the table pockets.

Cigarettes thrown in spittoons.
Hissing sounds when hitting the water.
Guys swearing over missed shots,
Losing serious betting money,
Some gangsters in the making.

Like Lucky Hall, 6’6” lean machine
Gangster mean and crazy as hell,
Always dressed in black.

Strolled over to him and
As he was taking a drag
On his unfiltered cigarette,
Lucky stuck a gun in his face.
He sat casually in a chair,
Pool stick in hand, unfazed,
Guns rarely seen back then.

He smiled and reached for the gun,
And said to Lucky, “Is that real?”
Not out of bravely was he unafraid,
Couldn’t believe the gun was real.

His nonchalance didn’t get the result
Lucky was looking for.
Lucky turned away, his black trench coat
Swirling in the smoky air,
Lucky looking gangster cool,
Dangerous, and genuine.

Two years later Lucky’s luck ran out.
Shot to death in faraway Alabama.
Probably put his gun in the wrong guy’s face.

Bob Boyd