Between the Lines
"Jimmy, stay between the lines," she told me
I'll always remember those crushing words
Edict from Hell, it hit me really hard
I was the one who wrote so large, freedom
Freedom like sleeping in the raw, naked
Naked this world I came, naked I'll sleep
Freedom restrained, of sudden, freedom lost
Teacher from Hell tethered me to those lines
That cruel biddy who tamed my wandering hand?
She found religion there, learnt compassion
Itinerant magician saved her soul
It's begun again, "Stay between the lines."
Driving still, "they" let me keep doing that
Admonishment I hear, from left and right
Though mostly right, "Don't park over the line"
Kind Lord, may the magician come again
And please save their souls, compassion they need
I'll drive till a hundred years I have seen
And may I keep some freedom with my lines
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
Photos and Poem Copyright 2015, Ó Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved
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I'm linked today with Kerry O'Connor at The Tuesday Platform.
It is open Tuesday with no prompt from Kerry, just write a poem. I did that, I hope you like it.
Notes:
1. We did have an iterant magician come to our one room school in rural Nebraska. He pulled a long link of sausages from my cousin, John's, ear. He made that trick fit into his Bible story. At the end, he gave each one of us a pocket sized copy of the Bible Book of John. We had about eight or nine students at school for that year.
2. A school picture: http://jimmiehov.blogspot.com/2010/08/flashback-friday-9-what-do-i-remember.html
3. The first two pictures were local, near our home in Montgomery Country, Texas. The Black Mustang GT Convertible is my "retirement present from and to me."
- Next in order are the little truck from Italy, our daughter and grand-daughter in London, a Model A Ford pickup parked at Conroe, Texas, then a car parked head first in Paris, two cars in one space in London, and our rental car parked in Telluride, Colorado, USA. Note that those few years ago I did not park between the lines. Freedom.
4. Parts of this poem are true, a few others I made up. Major license use, I always wrote and colored between the lines. Parking is something else.
"stay between the lines,"
ReplyDeleteThat's what one hears.There is always the reminder to be cautious. Rules and regulations help to maintain semblance of order
Hank
It reminds me of being told in school when I was young to color inside the lines. I felt indignation and that also ended up in a poem.
ReplyDeleteI'll drive till a hundred years I have seen
ReplyDeleteAnd may I keep some freedom with my lines.
Amen to that, Jim.
I think that there are lines that are there for a purpose, and those that are there to whip us to obedience.. alas for some all lines are equally important..
ReplyDeleteHa. There are all kinds of lines--I think the ones on the roads are fairly important! But I agree that a little leeway must be given--a clever combination of factors here--thanks, Jim. k.
ReplyDeleteI would love encouragement with freedom of writing and living outside the lines. Very thought provoking.
ReplyDelete