How Many? -- a Poem for Bob Dylan

How Many

How many times must a man fall down
  Before he gets picked up no more
How many times must a child get killed
  Before we take the guns away
How many times must the girls be sold
  Before we don't raise any more
The answer my friend, is not to be had
  The answer is not to be had

How many souls must come to their end
  Before motherhood stops in vain
How many graves for the little ones
  Before the earth will hold no more
How many families loose their precious ones
  Before all are rotting away
The answer my friend, is not to be had
  The answer is not to be had

How many times must a bad man kill
  Before they take his toys away
How many men will be locked away
  Before greedy men go to Hell
How many days will turn into years
  Before God makes the carnage stop
The answer my friend, He alone does know
  God alone the answer does know

_ _ _ _ 

 

Photos and Poem copyright, © 2016 Jimmiehov, All rights reserved

 

Today I'm linked with Kerry O'Conner at the Imaginary Garden with Real Toads, Kerry Says ~ It's Blowing ... [http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2016/10/kerry-says-its-blowing-in-wind.html]

For our springboard, Kerry said: "On Thursday, October 13, Bob Dylan became the first song-writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, ‘having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.’ Dylan is the only artist to have won a Grammy, Golden Globe, Pulitzer, Polar, Oscar and the Nobel Prize." And more.

Notes: 
(1) The bigger bad boys, i.e. I.S.I.S. and the like have very large toys, cannon sized and still larger.

(2) https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGHP_enUS574US574&q=boy+dylan

Born: May 24, 1941 (age 75), Duluth, MN

Full name: Robert Allen Zimmerman Spouse: Carolyn Dennis (m. 1986–1992), Sara Dylan (m. 1965–1977)_ _ _ _

Jimmie's Got a Gun
.Dum, dum, dum, honey what have you done
Dum, dum, dum, it's the sound of my gun
Dum, dum, dum, honey what have you done
Dum, dum, dum, it's the sound, it's the sound...
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah....

Janie's Got A Gun
Janie's Got A Gun
Her whole world's come undone
From lookin' straight at the sun
What did her daddy do
What did he put you through

From Aerosmith - Janie's Got A Gun Lyrics (There's more at the link. I interpret 'daddy' to be her old man in hippy terms and the 'little baby' (later in the song) meant that Janie was very young--way too young.)

 

[For larger pictures click on to the picture, try again for larger still]

I blogged of my guns and gun experiences here.  Since most of those I have acquired a real gun that I could keep.  It is a Spanish 9mm pistol of which the manufacturer has long gone out of business.  It is a Star, M243 Model Firestar Plus, 9mm, manufactured by Star Bonifacio Echeverria S.A. Eibar (Guipuzcoa), Spain. 
It is still new, never been shot. http://star-firearms.com/firearms/

"A double-stack 9mm version (M-243) ... was commonly referred to by the unofficial name "Firestar Plus". The Firestar was produced by the now defunct Star Bonifacio Echeverria, S.A. in Eibar, Spain until 1994. The Firestar was imported into the United States by Interarms of Alexandria, Virginia."  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Firestar_M43

 



How Many? -- a Poem for Bob Dylan (Repeat)

How Many

How many times must a man fall down
  Before he gets picked up no more
How many times must a child get killed
  Before we take the guns away
How many times must the girls be sold
  Before we don't raise any more
The answer my friend, is not to be had
  The answer is not to be had

How many souls must come to their end
  Before motherhood stops in vain
How many graves for the little ones
  Before the earth will hold no more
How many families loose their precious ones
  Before all are rotting away
The answer my friend, is not to be had
  The answer is not to be had

How many times must a bad man kill
  Before they take his toys away
How many men will be locked away
  Before greedy men go to Hell
How many days will turn into years
  Before God makes the carnage stop
The answer my friend, He alone does know
  God alone the answer does know

_ _ _ _ 

 

Photos and Poem copyright, © 2016 Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved

 

Today I'm linked with Rommy at the   Friday Writings #44 at 

 https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/2022/09/friday-writings-44-to-err-is-human.html?m=1

 

In 2016, for our springboard, Kerry said: "On Thursday, October 13, Bob Dylan became the first song-writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, ‘having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.’ Dylan is the only artist to have won a Grammy, Golden Globe, Pulitzer, Polar, Oscar and the Nobel Prize." And more.

Notes: 

 Excerpted from a write, poem, that I wrote for October 21, 2016 (here on my Blog Search for "How Many)

_ _ _ _

Jimmie's Got a Gun
.Dum, dum, dum, honey what have you done
Dum, dum, dum, it's the sound of my gun
Dum, dum, dum, honey what have you done
Dum, dum, dum, it's the sound, it's the sound...
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah....

Janie's Got A Gun
Janie's Got A Gun
Her whole world's come undone
From lookin' straight at the sun
What did her daddy do
What did he put you through

From Aerosmith - Janie's Got A Gun Lyrics (There's more at the link. I interpret 'daddy' to be her old man in hippy terms and the 'little baby' (later in the song) meant that Janie was very young--way too young.)

 

[For larger pictures click on to the picture, try again for larger still]

I blogged of my guns and gun experiences here.  Since most of those I have acquired a real gun that I could keep.  It is a Spanish 9mm pistol of which the manufacturer has long gone out of business.  It is a Star, M243 Model Firestar Plus, 9mm, manufactured by Star Bonifacio Echeverria S.A. Eibar (Guipuzcoa), Spain. 
It is still new, never been shot. http://star-firearms.com/firearms/

"A double-stack 9mm version (M-243) ... was commonly referred to by the unofficial name "Firestar Plus". The Firestar was produced by the now defunct Star Bonifacio Echeverria, S.A. in Eibar, Spain until 1994. The Firestar was imported into the United States by Interarms of Alexandria, Virginia."  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Firestar_M43 

.. 

8 Comments: (from 2016, you may find an old friend here)

At Friday, October 21, 2016 12:52:00 PM,  brudberg said...

the questions are so very relevant

 

At Friday, October 21, 2016 1:06:00 PM,  Kerry O'Connor said...

You ask the hard questions, Jim.. ones we would all like the answers to. This is a powerful piece in the style of Bob Dylan.

 

At Friday, October 21, 2016 8:30:00 PM,  kaykuala said...

Great Dylan's parody, Dr Jim! Certainly must have taken lots of thinking to do so!

Hank

 

At Friday, October 21, 2016 10:05:00 PM,  Linda said...

A very powerful post, Jim. Thank you so much for sharing.

 

At Saturday, October 22, 2016 12:03:00 AM,  Teri L said...

Dylan would approve. :) Thought provoking and straight forward.

 

At Saturday, October 22, 2016 1:43:00 PM,  Helen said...

One of your finest, Mr. Jim! Dylan and I were both born in 1941 ~ I love that little fact.

 

At Sunday, October 23, 2016 6:38:00 PM,  Outlawyer said...

Wow--so terribly sad--thank you, Jim. k

 

At Monday, October 23, 2017 11:33:00 PM,  Artsy said...

So powerful. Well done, parody.- Gel

 

.. 



A Poem -- Do I ever win? Yes and No

 
[Picasso sculpture]

Nobody Loses All The Time

and

I don't keep count

The many times I've made the bed

Putting the pillows for your head

Or the few times you've lent a hand

but

Nobody loses all the time

now

I don't keep score

Who is ahead in our game

How many times I cook the meals

or wash the dishes or the clothes

Versus your mowing, paying bills

remember

Nobody loses all the time

and then

I don't, or do I, keep track 

Times there are that you miss the pot 

Don't ask me because there are a lot 

and don't you say "I'm all you've got" 

but if you do 

Nobody loses all the time 

What does it matter 

Your passion puts you way ahead 

Though I'm in love with you always 

So there

We both can win

(and I'm winning right now)

(Haha haha)   

 _ _ _

 - Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2019, All Rights Reserved
 - Photo is from Karin's prompt post, linked below, from a "Picasso sculpture show at the Museum of Modern Art in New York"
 - I'm linked with Kerry O'Conner for the prompt in the Imaginary Garden at http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2019/08/play-it-again-with-old-toads.html

 - and per one of Kerry's Play It Again! with 'Old Toads' listed choices to which I am further linked with an older post I chose, 
" Sunday Mini Challenge with Karin Gustafson, January 16, 2016."

-  I had previously written to this same prompt by Karin on January 16, 2016, about my way of dealing with Tall Ladies, http://jimmiehov6.blogspot.com/2016/01/a-real-poem-truths-where-i-dont-often-go.html
 - Karin mentioned Picasso and E.E. Cummings, Nobody Loses All The Time, Link - https://hellopoetry.com/poem/1628/nobody-loses-all-the-time/ from which I got my title and inspiration for this one.  Mine will not stand up with the one by E.E. Cummings, but then who is keeping score?

- Not keeping  track but my "Mini" poem has 145 words.

Walking Friends ~~ a poem with prose

A walk around the block

[Mrs. Jim, KP, and Billy walking in their neighborhood]

The wife and I love to travel.  Europe is our favorite

but we've been to many, many places in this world. 

Most of our holiday spending for the last four years

has involved being in London to visit our grand-

daughters, BP and KP, now aged 16 and almost five.

We've traveled out from their home, taking day

and weekend trips and a couple of cruises to

the Baltic and Black Seas (link1, link2).

[Our little London family has no car so we are relegated

to public transportation or walking to get around.]

On one of these walks I crossed paths with

the loveliest little older couple.  They were

always walking, mostly around the long block

we all seemed to live on.  I'd say that would be

over a half mile and perhaps closer to a mile.

That was very long for them, I would often

see the lady bending down with hands almost to

the sidewalk.  I thought she was short of breath.

But later I found it was that and also a

sort of stretching exercise for her.

One day I saw them stopped near a bench

and on the bench were three sacks of groceries. 

It turned that the man was carrying, or trying

to carry, all three of them.  They had been to

the grocery store across Wellington St,

which was a part of their regular walk. 

The gentleman would not let me carry these

packages to their flat.  This, even though he

trusted me somewhat from our regular farmer's

greeting as we passed those many times. 

Later, after several more times of tip of the hat

greetings, I would stop for a small chat with him 

while his wife did her bending down thing.

 [KP loves to walk in the park, kicking leaves

or rustling the last summer grasses, here still

standing in October.  She likes the playground

part and the places where she can run too.]

Had I my car I would have offered then an

escape from the neighborhood, perhaps taking

them to the park.  But they cannot walk that

far and I wouldn't want to escort them on

the Tube or a bus for fear of overstepping

all of our limited senior navigation capabilities.

We could have walked perhaps another short block

from the grocery store to this lovely gelato place. 

The Gelato Mio is one of KP's and my favorite places

to go.  Fill your card with British Pound punches

and you'll have a free cone. 

We've done that lot's of times, KP and I.

There will be a day, perhaps on our visit this spring,

when the bench will be empty.  No groceries nor

the elderly couple, that is the way this life goes. 

One other thing, they are just a little older than I am.

- - - - - -

Photo and Poem  Copyright © 2013 and 2014 Jimmiehov. All Rights Reserved

- - - - - -

I am linked today with the Real Toads, Friday Challenge, Persons of Interest

2017 Notes:

 - 1.  Now that the kids are back here in the Houston area to stay the picture would be Mrs. Jim, KP, me, walking KP to and/or from school. Not every day, some are scheduled. Other days for when her parents cannot. If in the mornings then Mrs. Jim and I continue walking for 30 minutes or more. And KP is older now, we don't hold hands anymore.
 - 2.  Today, Tuesday, January 17, 2017, I've linked again with the Imaginary Garden with Real Toads, Tuesday Challenge (a post anything day, old or new--Facebook prompted me to repost this one).  http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-tuesday-platform_17.html  

 - 3.  At today's Garden post (linked above), Kerry O'Conner wrote of poems being similar to trees in that if shared they are like trees being planted.  How they grow or survive is similar to the after steps taken.



The Spirit Cannot be Killed

"In order to rise from its own ashes, a Phoenix first must burn."

Octavia Butler

Tags: empowerment, experience, masochism, memory, pain, wisdom 

The Phoenix; how many times 

How many times must this bird be burned 
Kill her cannot be she'll rise again 
Stronger and stronger each time she burns 
From those ashes of her spirit comes 

Stronger than always does she arise 
Burn baby burn was the cry last time 
We will rise  stronger each time we burn 
In our hearts on the streets we must burn 

And from those ashes we come again 
'Tis true each time new freedoms are won 

 _ _ _ 

 - Poem Copyright,  Jimmiehov 2020, All Rights Reserved 

 - I'm linked with Magaly Guerrero at Weekly Scribbles # 36, https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/2020/09/weekly-scribblings-36-phoenix-first.html?m=1 

Weekly Scribbling Poem ~~ Taking a Look Back

. 

If I only . . . 

If I would have turned back for a picture 

I've said that how many times I don't know 

But today a change took my life in tow 

I'm so glad I did, found so many things 

So many precious  things I would have missed  

A tree, four more, emerging from my past 

http://jimmiehov.blogspot.com/2006/06/friends-again-and-couple-of-nice-gift.html

[cypress trees on the left, there wee more] 

.Cypress trees, our hotel, St. Remy, France. 

Tall, gorgeous trees, under which we played boule 

The Misses and me, I would always rule  

There in Provence,  the old town of Van Gogh 

Town where he left an ear, was committed  

His loved olive trees loved by Jesus Christ 

We stayed there a week, toured Provence real close 

We left no lingering mark though it marked us  

https://jimmiehov.blogspot.com/2006/04/biscuit-biscuit-while-staying-at.html?m=1 

 _ _ _ 

 - Photos and Poem Copyright,  Jimmiehov 2021, 2006, and 2021, All Rights Reserved 

 - I am linked with Magaly Guerrero for writing prompt (see below) and sharing for Weekly Scribblings # 54,    https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/2021/01/weekly-scribblings-54-hindsight-is.html?m=1

 - Magaly, prompting, would like us to create new poetry or prose inspired by the phrase, “If I knew then what I know now”. We can include the actual words in our contribution, but it’s not a requirement. 

Bad Morning ~~ my Poem for Tuesday Platform

Caged

How does it feel to lose one's freedom?
Not that of becoming betrothed or
conscripted for your country's service
Rather to be deprived of home, your
liberty to walk or drive away

Try being locked inside your garage
Your loved one drives away closing doors
Confined. The house door's locked, you've no keys
You find a blanket, pillow, basin
Cell door sealed, alone, darkly lit, cold

Thoughts of escape now go through your mind
If you get outside, still must return
Cell phone lays away, there with your clothes
It may ring, it should. Loved ones will call
Worry when no answer, call again

Still alone, try to sleep. Sleep won't come
Rest your head, lay your body down, hard
You doze, you'll awaken, nothing's changed
Lay awake, walk around, no control
Why am I here, what have I done?  Sob

Accident here, loved one will return
Hugs, disbelief, "I'm sorry" you'll hear
Elsewhere, many times this does occur
Many deserving, some by mistake
Confined, locked away, no one comes 

Remember Christ's words, should we heed,
"I was in prison... you came to Me"

_ _ _ _ _

Photos and Poem Copyright © 2015 Jimmiehov. All Rights Reserved

I linked this poem with Marian's post, The Tuesday Encounter, at the Imaginary Garden with Real Toads (open forum day)

Saturday Centus: A Family Story

,

.

"Once upon a time there three bears who had been eating beans. They..."

"You stop that," Mom said sternly.

"Wait! There's more!" said Dad as he began laughing loudly.

"Oh Dad.  There won't be any more. And you know it, this is silly. That is all of the story," said Mom as she watched him and us very closely.

My sister and I joined Dad in his laughter. Mom had endured this many times, how many we wouldn't dare to guess.

One thing we didn't guess about though, is that we knew we would never hear the rest of the story from Dad.

- - - - -

Story Copyright
© 2012 Jimmiehov
All Rights Reserved

Picture taken by Jim from November 21, 2011 of the Kelly Ripa Show TV broadcast of her and Jerry Seinfeld
Family true story and scenario related as best Jim could recall

- - - - -

For more Saturday Census authors or how to do your own, go here to Jenny Matlock's blog.
Per Jenny: "The prompt this week is: "Wait! There's more! "
Number of words: 100 words PLUS the three words of the prompt. 103 maximum word total.
Style of writing: Any
Pictures: Any"

My 103 words were counted by MS Word, Tools; Word Count.

MS Word did not detect ANY spelling error.