I Am Free
Label me not
Don't throw me in a pot
As part of a stew
What I say may not be true
Don't count me in your polls
Or put me on your rolls
My opinions are my own
And mine alone
When I speak
I am unique
Don't put me in your mold
Because I am old
Or ask me how I vote
I do nothing by rote
I display no label
Or sit at your table
Or fill out any forms
For you to calculate your norms
To your surveys I choose lies
So keep me out of your half baked pies
I am me
A separate entity
Throw your clipboard in the gutter
Because every word that I do utter
Is designed to alter your conclusion
And create more confusion
I'm no hunter's frightened fox
So keep me out of your tidy box
I'm just me you see
Free, free, free
Ending
For some it is abrupt, some linger, some flicker
Slow agony for some, for lucky others, quicker
It matters not, the end is the end is the end
Ever meet a returnee, friend?
If so, tell me then
Beginning
After the comings, you arrive
Announcing your outing
With much shouting.
Into the light, into the swarm,
Where it is not as warm
From whence you came.
Welcome, little fellow, to the fray
You can have your say.
Some might hear your voice,
Or not.
So what.
New York
New York is a city in perpetual motion
Not by any means a tranquil ocean,
Its millions going, always going night and day
Round and round, back and forth, in every way,
It's here where people bring their dreams
Searching for the spotlight's beams
In this land of silk and satin
To taste the glories of Manhattan
And her sister boroughs, too.
Indeed, what they say is true
If you can make it here, you know the rest,
It holds the very meaning of life's zest.
There is more energy here and power
For the creative life to flower;
There is rarely any dark
From the Battery to Central Park.
Everything is possible here
And fame and fortune are always near.
Out of the vastness of the crowd,
Someone will step up and make us proud.
Truth to tell
The bad come here as well.
We accept the entire human range
No matter how weird, how strange.
We are more than just a melting pot,
There are lots we are and lots we're not.
We are the go-to place, the top spot
For those who aspire
And sing their song outside the choir.
We are not for the faint of heart
But for people who want a running start
New York is the greatest city on the planet, I swear,
Come here at your peril if you dare
But if you do arrive
Prepare to strive
You'll feel a lot more alive
If, however, you are too scared to try
Then you better pass us by.
Gone
Soon my generation will be swept away
And we will have had our say
Will we have left a better place
Or just a lot of empty space?
Did we do any good
To foster universal brotherhood?
It doesn't look that way from here
But then we're looking at the rear
Okay then lets look ahead
To ground we will never tread
A dark fog seems coming on
And soon we will all be gone
Leaving others to bear and cope
To prevent fear and foster hope
Perhaps they will reverse the trend
If they can make it to their end
Its not that I do not care
I can only leave them with a prayer
And wish them well to carry on
The truth is I'll be dead and gone
Beyond
Does life extend
Beyond our end?
Such questions occupy the aging brain
A perpetual refrain
Are there expectations ahead
After our body is dead?
Does it really matter
To dwell on such useless patter
After all, no one has yet come back
From a run around life's track
To bear testimony that he once lived here
And that we have nothing to fear
We let him have his say
And don't believe him anyway
Slowing Down
Better to ignore the news
Than ponder such conflicting views
The cacophony is far too loud
With no discernment in the crowd
It comes to us at breakneck speed
A tsunami of words we rarely heed
And fills our mind with platitudes
That attempts to change our attitudes
There is just too much to contemplate
It makes our minds regurgitate
Yes, there are lots that need correction
Requiring serious contemplation
Maybe its time to slow the flow
And live awhile in silent's glow
Before we jump to action
Or follow any faction
For True Believers Only
Why didn't He make us generous and kind
What do you suppose was in His mind
Why so many choices?
Why so many voices?
Why so many races?
Why so many faces?
Why create the game of life
With so much pain and so much strife?
Was His original plan upended
And not what He intended?
Could be the blueprints got all mangled
And the wiring got all tangled
And what caused all the terror
Was human error
We must suppose He did mean well
And created the idea of heaven and hell
Giving us a free hand to make our way
Through the thicket and the fray
So where can we lay the blame?
Certainly not on Him who lit life's flame
So who of us must bear the shame?
Who then tried his best
Not to foul mankind's nest?
Perhaps it was the fault of others
Who forgot all men were brothers
That some chose the dark and not the light
I think He got it absolutely right
And left it up to us to sort it out
To find the most congenial route
Someday we'll find it. I know we will.
Which is why He gave us the gift of free will.
The Mystery of Love
Can love be forever?
Some say so. Some say never.
Where it comes from no one knows
But once it gets you in its throes
It engulfs the most unsuspecting heart
You cannot explain it, no matter how smart
It puts you under a fearful spell
And makes parting seem like hell
Why him? Why her? When it happens to you
Don't ask me, I haven't a clue
Some Questions
Why didn't He makes us generous and kind?
What do you suppose was in His mind?
Why so many choices?
Why so many voices?
Why so many races?
Why so many faces?
Why create the game of life
With so much pain and so much strife?
Perhaps it was not what He intended
And His plan got all upended
Could be His blueprints were all mangled
And the wiring got all tangled
Or maybe it was human error
We cannot say it was His aim
Or should He get all the blame?
Maybe so
Who'll ever know.
Old Age
When does old age arrive
Some say eighty five
Others offer numbers lower
Still others think we're aging slower
Some grow old before their time
Some stay longer in their prime
But in the end we're set to fail
Our bodies will grow bent and frail
Perhaps our minds will fail us, too
And we won't distinguish who from who
With luck we might stay smart and clever
No matter, we will not be here forever
Eighties
I know I am much closer to the further shore
And I am still open to the question of more
With blurry eyes I can see the outlines of the rocks
Knowing that my faulty ears can hear less ticks and tocks
Still I can hear the surging rhythm of the tide
And wonder if there's anything on the other side
Should I really care?
Or surrender to despair?
Its hardly worth the ponder
I never met anyone returned from yonder
Allow me then to husband every shred of time
I still feel somewhat in my prime
And ignore all who tell me I am wrong
Yes, I will continue to sing my song
Until I crash against the sharpest rocks
And there is no more ticks and tocks
And disembark on the furthest shore
Only then will I know there is no more
The Mystery of Love
Who knows the answer to the mystery of love?
You won't find it in the heavens above
Or in our misnamed hearts
Pierced by mythical cupid's darts
Why love one and not the other
Why him and not his brother
Or her and not her friend
You won't find any answers in the end
Because no one knows
Nor is their science to propose
Many have felt the ecstasy of its sudden sting
And often seal it with a ring
To some it lasts for life
Through every joy and strife
For others it just floats away
Departing as a leaf on a windy day
One can never know how or why
It comes and goes
Don't even try
The Damaged Ship
Where are the leaders of yesteryear
That led us without fear
And captained our ship of state through heavy seas
We thought it was built to last through centuries
With keel still sound
Its sails are torn
The wheel is jammed and the rudder torn
Thick clouds obscure the guiding star
Ahead stands a high and blocking sandy bar
Where is the captain with the courage and skill,
The skipper who has the will
To keep the ship from sinking
Without blinking
And guide it to the open seas once more
And bring it safely to the welcoming shore
Politicians
The thing about conniving politicians
They resemble skilled morticians
Who can make the dead appear alive at rest
To prove that they know best
And can will the body to arise
With their curatives of lies
The intention is a trick
To make us see the corpse as merely sick
And implant the notion
That they have the magic potion
To incant the secret cure
That will make us happy and secure
When in fact their single predilection
Is to win the next election
Its all very theatrical
And to the politician practical
Their most effect tools
Is to think us simple fools
That will believe in their baloney
And not see their smiles are phony
For when all is done and said
That corpse is stone cold dead
And will stay that way
No matter what the politician has to say
Every citizen take note
Never give that jerk your precious vote
Recollections
If your memory is super
You'll remember Gary Cooper
And if you're really really able
You'll recollect Clark Gable
Also Eddie Cantor, Chaplin and May West
Stanwyck, Karloff,Cary Grant and all the rest
But if you can't quite get it right
They're still around in black and white
Obituary
I read the obits every day
To learn who passed away
My old world seems fading fast
I was hoping it would last
But the ending comes to everyone
You live, you love and then you're done
News
I rush to get the morning news
Hoping to read some joyous views
Instead there comes horror and despair
Blood and tears is daily fair
Which proves again that life's unfair
Authors
Every author in his heart
Believes his work is extra smart
And will earn him accolades and fame
Adding luster to his name
Such dreams are worth a try
Its always better to aim high
Fame in Minutes
It was Andy Warhol who said
That before we're dead
We'll all achieve the same
Fifteen minutes of fame
I don't think he's right
Not quite
Maybe fifteen now and then
But most of us won't make ten
And some before they're done
Won't even get a measly one
The Big Apple
There's a lot to say for LA
And San Francisco gets a yea
Cheers for Boston and Dallas too
And San Diego has a view
Lots of cities come to mind
Where living is mighty fine
But for the very best, no need to grapple
Hands down it's our big apple
Dreams
At times my dreams are ghostly
About strange apparitions mostly
I wish I didn't really care
They give me such a beastly scare
But then I put my mind at ease
It's all because I ate some cheese.
The Great Beyond
My friends are passing at alarming rates
I hope there's such a thing as pearly gates
That enter into some place nice
Some beautiful eternal paradise
While still around we'll never know
Not until its our time to go
It would be fun to see old friends again
And great to learn there is no end
Laughter
I always thought that laughter plays a role
In giving meaning to the soul
And makes the spirit
soar with glee
And chases pain and misery
There is much out there to make us cry
Laughter is certain worth a try
There is a funny side to life
It is not all anger, rage and strife
I may not be all that bright
But on this idea, I think I'm right
Silence
There are times I wish I was silent as a tree
I have a tendency to speak before I think
Which may mean I have a fault link
Between my errant tongue and brain
I'll try my best to refrain
But if I don't forgive me
As you can see I'm not a tree
Talking Too Much
How do you tell a person they talk too much
That they're boring you with such and such
And making a redundant sound
That's not at all of interest or profound
And that both your ears have closed up
Hoping your temper won't erupt
When all you want to say is please shut up
Old Age Lament
Old age is a good time to curse your maker
He turns out to be an awful faker
He wants respect and admiration
Constant praise is his vocation
If he was truly on our side
He should be able to point with pride
And show how smart he is and clever
By keeping us alive forever
Wishing
I wished upon a star last night
And hope whoever heard it got it right
I have been making such
wishes all my life
To keep at bay all trouble and strife
I make it on a chicken bone and sometimes on the blarney stone
Imagining for all my sins I would atone
It might have worked its magic, maybe not
But it is nice to think it works a lot
My Poems
I want to write ten thousand poems before I say goodbye
I don't know why
Maybe in my soul I am a poet
And don't know it
Or maybe I just like to spin a rhyme
Perhaps I'll find out in time
Its not for fortune or for fame
More like a game
Where to win is finding words
That fit
Like spotting flying birds
Yes, that may be it.
Being Fair
Lets face it, being fair
Means we all must share
Like getting wet in rain
We should be
equal in our pain
Not let others do our chores
Like fighting wars
While only half of us pay
When all of us have our say
Its wrong
And that should be our protest song
The Confession
I must confess
The world's a mess
We have no plan
To stop Iran
The UN is dumb
Its brains are numb
Our Congress is in shambles
Our President just rambles
All this leads me to conclude
It doesn't matter if I'm rude
Nobody listens anyway
To what I have to say.
Goodbye Turkey
Your future is rather murky
You were once a trusted friend
That has come to an end
We hate to see you go
Soon you'll be gone from NATO
And sing the bad guys song
So long. So long. So long
The Wand
We thought you had a wand to wave
And with it, a world to save
Turns out the wand's a broken lance
Should we give you one more chance?
Too many things have gone wrong
Better try another song
Your time is getting shorter and shorter
To show us you can walk on water
Still, we're all for one more try
Before we cry
Damn you Oil
Damn you oil, we should have let you sleep
In the briny deep
You made the good earth bleed
We've become addicted to your need
And the evil Mullah's laugh
At our latest stupid gaffe
Its time to give up our addiction
And say farewell to our affliction
Screw you oil
You spew black piss on our sacred soil
My Manhattan
Outside my window as I write
Orange men are blasting rock on which
my sturdy island sits, so small and tight
To make yet another hive of steel and glass
And add a tower to the jungle mass
This vast erection is a miracle of innovation
The crown jewel of a great nation
A monument to the spirit of creation
We need more living space in this special sphere
For many people bring their dreams here
We cannot disappoint and close the gate
And challenge destiny and fate
Yes, we might lose a ray of sun
But we cannot leave hope undone
We are the magic place
Where people come to join the race
So blast on Orangemen
We need the space.
Politicians
Isn't it odd
That so many politicians think they're God
When they haven't got a clue
About what to do
The best way to blunt their clout
Is to vote them out
Terrorists
Let's put all the terrorists
On a far island in the sea
And let them be
Free to be with every brother
And exterminate each other
Wishes
I made a wish upon a star
Except that it was far too far
Then I wished upon the moon
Hoping my wish would come true soon
It will happen, I know it will
I'm waiting still
Writing
I wrote two thousand words today and thought them fine
Until I read them over and erased them line by line
I understand the secret of the writers art
I knew that always from the start
There are times when you just can't get it right
And often need a second sight
No matter, I never yield to sorrow
I'll do it better on the morrow
Stewardesses
Where are all the pretty girls that tended us on every flight
And were such a joyous sight
The fact is that they're still there
Giving comfort in the air
Look hard, you'll find the shadow of their younger look
What nature gave, it later took
But if you watch them as they ply the aisles
You'll see they have not lost their pretty smiles
Advice to a Suicide Bomber
The next time some alleged preacher
Posing as a sage and teacher
Orders you to don a bomber's vest
And tells you death is absolutely best
That heaven is a paradise
Filled with everything that's nice
Ask him if he's so sure its so
And why he's not the first to go
Dreamer
As I grow old
Its hard to sleep
It does no good just counting sheep
Too many memories it seems
Glut the mind with troubled dreams
Over which I sometimes fret
While others I completely forget
I'm told its better to dream than not
It proves your mind is not in rot
Reading My Blogs
Spare me five minutes of your precious time
To read what I occasionally opine
Will it be worth those moments to expend?
Perhaps, if you follow it to the end
Will it affect your life in any way?
I hope it may
If not, at least I've had my say
A Mosque at Ground Zero
I once thought our Mayor a hero
Until he favored a Mosque at ground zero
If I had lost a loved one at that site
My heart would break at this stupid slight
Don't these people understand
The memories of pain on this sacred land
What purpose does it serve
To open wounds on a delicate nerve
No the Mayor is no longer a hero
For his support of the Mosque at ground zero
Perhaps he'd sing a different tune
If one of his own had died there too soon
Talking Politics
Talking politics is a dangerous game
People are too quick to ascribe blame
And often are moved to a terrible rage
At others who are not on the same page
It is not easy to stay calm
When we know they hold us hostage in their palm
But then it was always thus
Democracy thrives on mess and muss
Some say its no worse than ever before
When people are angry they can't take it any more
We have leaders we no longer trust
Then lets throw them out. Indeed we must.
Wrong Direction
Those that did the deed on nine eleven
Believed they were to go to heaven
And enjoy an endless feast for body and soul
But that destination sounds more like one black hole
With evil monsters roaming free
A place no good spirits would want to be
Apparently they need a course correction
The fools are headed in the wrong direction
Choices
Don't despair at the present state of affairs
Our country simply needs emergency repairs
We made some errors in our past elections
And need to make some urgent corrections
So next time you get to cast your vote
Of this idea you must take note
Don't re-elect your last time choices
And look around for smarter voices
Who will sing the songs of our people's desire
And not those off key tunes from another choir
It is time to dump those less brave and true
And send them off to Tumbuktu.
What Will Happen Tomorrow
No one can predict tomorrow
If you'll encounter joy or sorrow
Don't look into a crystal ball
It will tell you nothing much at all
Things happen that we can't predict
Sudden changes will often interdict
Our future's certainty is a mere illusion
And what happens next is an empty delusion
Life's journey is in fact an act of striving
With no scheduled arriving
Besides round trip tickets were never sold
If anyone returned, we were never told
Mr. Adler is the author of 30 books including novels such as 