TAB Cola

This week we read that TAB Cola will no longer be manufactured. This comes as a surprise to most of us, who didn’t know it still existed. TAB Cola, a product of the Coca-Cola company, dates back to ye olden days of the IBM Selectric Typewriter and Sears…

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Worship at the Super Bowl

There are few crimes more likely to drive a man
A man, a sensitive man, a thinking man
To existential despair

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On the Unlocking of Words

The art of oratory is little studied now, and so speeches are seldom about stating the facts and coming to a conclusion, but rather a matter of posturing and yelling and chanting. The ultimate failure to persuade is in the use of a bullhorn.

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But is it True? Modern Mayhem & More

Let’s unpack the cliches and hyperbole
The nuclear option and we’ve got this
What we know now we have our options frontline
Off the table Armageddon option

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Snow Clouds for Children on a January Dawn

There could be snow later, and that would be nice
Children can grow up here and never see snow
Today they might go out and play in it
While we old folks tut-tut, “You’ll catch your death…”

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First Responders: Gifts of Service

Many of our first responders are volunteers, and so in addition to their support-the-family jobs they also serve the community on their own time and often at their own expense. We need them.

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A Time Capsule for our Noblest Soldier

If there must be time capsules buried beneath /
Statues of bold men wearing uniforms /
As a remembrance of man’s noblest ideals /
Let us have one for dear ol’ Sergeant Schultz

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We’ll Write a New Idyll This Year

Janus faces both ways, and so do we /
A last, lingering look at the year that was /
And then a turn to the year we must meet /
Marching to it through Janus Pater’s doors

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Toy Trains, Grandmother’s Good China, and Children

Childhood Christmases are often the metaphorical benchmark for our present Christmases, and that won’t do. The magic of opening a package under the tree on Christmas morning is for little children; it won’t work for us and it’s not meant to.

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Another Christmas

We bring our gifts to Mary’s fair-born Child: /
A pen, a broom, a book, a welding rod, /
A wrench, a mop, some papers neatly filed – /
Our daily labors offered up to God /

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Packages, Packages, Packages…

A collection of poems by Lawrence “Mack in Texas” Hall (Rated G) A Cargo Cult Conversations are about packagesPackages considered, packages orderedPackages delivered and packages stolenPackages as the cosmic medium of exchange Conversations are about packagesPackages that give meaning to our livesPackages pinched by plundering porch piratesPackages snatched by maskers in masks What is it […]

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A Wristwatch Named Karen

This summer someone near and dear to me gave me one of those clever computerized watches to replace my classic (old) $8 Timex. Karen-the-Watch features a big screen onto which I can easily sweep dozens of different faces. I picked the one most like my minimalist (old) Timex…

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Thanksgiving Dinner

Don’t forget the napkins, set the plates so /
Upon the tablecloth with its delicate lace /
Silverware all in an orderly row /
And never, ever neglect to say grace

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Giving Thanks for all Our Thanksgivings

For a child, Thanksgiving is sort of like Christmas only without any toys. It’s interesting enough: lots of relatives come to dinner, and there’s turkey and “the good china,” but without Santa Claus and toys it’s not that big a thing.

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Around the House

Washing Machine

There is music around the house today: /
The old refrigerator hums a tune from Frozen /
Handel might envy the washer’s Water Music /
And the off-center dryer waltzes Blue Danube

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