Image: Early morning in Midland shortly after sunup, outside the motel whjere I was staying, it was cold and would be for most of the time I was stayng there.

 

 

 

 

18.11.22 - 70) Last night went alright, for me an’ Chris it was a delight

I shared my rhyme, in Midland for the first time

This morning it’s clear with a chill in the air. The cold winds still there

So breakfast had than I discover, the motel’s an exception

The got a guest computer in reception

So, soon what I need to be done will be done before to Lamesa I run

But first see what Chris has planned for today.Is he gonna go or stay?

Decides he gonna go for his original flight,

Say’s he feels homesick, so not stoppin’ another night

So we bid goodbye, shake hands an’ I’m on my way

To Lamesa on another cold Texas day

 

71) So I’m away, no need to rush, enjoy the mornin’ hush

Get the heater goin’ get the music flowin

Relax enjoy the drive, let the mornin’ come alive

Music an’ song help the journey along. Drives goin’ fine I see a familiar skyline

Soon I’m there an’ make my way to see. Where the permaculture Center used to be

Things ain’t happened for the good, damaged by tornado an’ flood

But there’s hope not in vain that they’ll rebuild again

Not there but elsewhere an’ I hope to be there

Pictures taken an’ more for my next poetry score

An in the main, I’m thinkin’ it’s great to be back again

 

72) Connie’s not in but a note on the door tells me more

Phone number give her a call before we meet

They’ve gone out for something to eat

I call we talk, I smile when she says go in an’ rest a while

I do, soon they’re back, Connie, Dusty an’ one more

Someone I ain’t seen before but I would get to know

Jessica whom Dusty married 10 months ago

We talked in the main about how good it was to meet up again

 

73) Dusty an’ Jess went shopping for the evenin’ meal Connie rested an’ I got the feel

To go look round so out I’m bound

But I ain’t got far when I’m stopped by a cop car

He politely tells me what I done wrong

I show my passport an’ license, apologise, don’t make a dance an’ song

We chat a short while then he lets me go on my way,

Saying “Drive carefully sir an’ have a nice day”.

 

74) So once more I’m drivin’ round lookin’ at what’s to be seen

Since I was last here in 2019

Drivin’ with care, makin’ it plain, I don’t want to get stopped again

Takin’ photos of new mural on a wall, a new mural on County Hall

The old cotton dryin’ kiln, one of the towns Firfeightin’ team

A memorial courtyard, the Old Skyvue, afternoon’s goin’ like a dream

After Forrest Park transfer to disc at the Library

Then back to Connie’s before dark

 

75) Day grows old, it’s still bitter cold

But we were snug an warm knowin’ Dusty’s got supper goin’

An’ Me an’ Connie take the time

To share with Jessica our verse an’ rhyme

Dusty says “supper’s ready” an’ I look

At what he’s done an’ the taste tells me he’s a good cook

Then after supper I gotta go But not before Jessica lets her talent flow

Sings Jolene,  an’ sings it well.Me an’ Connie applaud sayin’ it was swell

Then we hug an’ I drive off into the night

Back to Midland thinkin’ “Yup today sure has gone alright”

 

19.11.22 - 76) Another day cold an’ grey task number one, get my laundry done

I think of Chris who went home last night,

Send him a text sayin’ I hope he got there alright

Breakfast an’ laundry done so my way I’m makin’

To 1-20 Wildlife Preserve an’ pictures I’m takin

So my friends can have a look when I post them on Facebook

It’s cold as I’m walkin’ round

Seems like most of the animals have gone to ground

Takin’ pictures as I walk along the trail

I see something with long legs an’ a tail

No idea what it could be but keep a safe distance between it an’ me

Walkin’ slowly it disappears into thin air, I turn a corner an’ it’s sat there

What it is I still can’t see, my view’s blocked by a tree

Then it stands and moves a pace. I’m lookin’ at a wildcat face to face

Reach for my camera but to my dismay, casually it walks away

No photo but I’ll always remember

Comin’ face to face with a wildcat in Texas in November

 

77) Emails an’ other stuff done, getting colder, no sign of the sun

Currently 40C  a bit to cold outside for me

An afternoon in seems just right can relax and read an’ maybe write

An it’s a shame, looks like tomorrows gonna be the same

An, my next gig can’t come to soon, It’s at Denny’s tomorrow afternoon

 

20.11.22 – 78) Another day, sky’s still grey same as yesterday

Getting’ so it ain’t funny weatherman says tomorrow’s gonna be sunny

Up to 13h degrees higher, I hope he ain’t a liar

Gig at Denny’s this afternoon, can’t come a moment too soon

As I’m writin’ this it’s just gone nine

An’ but for the cold things is goin’ real fine

Gonna go to the Preserve again, hope it’s not in vain

An’ I see the wildcat an’’ put it in rhyme, I got his picture this time

 

79) So to the Wildlife Preserve I went, more time spent

Wandering the trail but to no avail

The wildcat wasn’t there seemed like he’d vanished into thin air

But what was seen was the droppin’s and paw prints where he’d been

Soon I’m snappin’ away, at things I missed yesterday

An’ givin’ the time of day, to others passin’ my way

Sure was good in the main, sadly I never saw the wildcat again

But I’ll remember an’ not cry

The day Wildcat an’ Poet looked each other in the eye

 

80) It was too cold to do the planned open mic at the Wildlife Preserve

But we had a plan in reserve

Denny’s on West Wall Street we’d meet, for afternoon tea an’ poetry

But it seemed it wasn’t to be as there were only three

Me, Kat an’ Bonnie, not quite a poetry storm

But at least we were where it was warm

An’ after a brief lull, we recited as if the room was full

Readin’ from the heart., our poetry art

So time weren’t spent in vain, we went round again an’ again

So good was the time we spent, we were all glad we went

An’ tomorrow I go to Monahans to be on a radio show

 

21.11.22 – 81) Sun was out sky was clear, things didn’t seem so drear

After breakfast sky was grey, sun had gone away

Seemed as cold as yesterday

To KCKM Radio hope to go down a storm

Been told though to wrap up warm

It’s an hour away an’ I’m knowin’ I can get the car heater goin’

Relax for now, I-20 lookin’ clear soon I’ll be outa here

 

82) Time to go, to KCKM Radio

Got the heater goin’ an’ as usual Country Music fllowin

Ain’t gonna be nifty gonna drive at around fifty

Turn the heatin’ up stronger, keep warm for longer

Then I’m on I-20 it’s just gone 10, when

Out comes the sun I’m just passin’ Jn 121

Through the window like a warmin’ balm

Really nice drive as the day comes alive

I’m almost there, soon be on air

GPS says where I want to be I come off I-20 an’ see

The KCKM aerial in front of me

A few minutes later I’m there, go in an’ get ready to go on air

 

83) Eleven-o-clock and we’re away, Dial an’ Deal gets underway

Similar to what used to be “Tell an’ Sell” on Lamesa Radio KPET

I’m introduced an’ work ready to be produced

I talk about where I’m from an then some

About my roam an’ why I call Texas my spiritual home

The calls come in Laurel an’ me talk in between

An’ I mention where I’ve been an’ what I’ve seen

An’ the time I’ve put it all in rhyme

Goin’ on to say, what I’m doin’ tomorrow on my last day

Then that’s it for Dial an’ Deal

We’re done an’ Laurel say’s thanks an’ where I can get a free meal

 

84) GPS doesn’t want to play so Laurel tells me the way

Soon I’m there to enjoy the thanksgiving fayre

All for free in the name of charity

Volunteers working hard no doubt, takin’ it to those who can’t get out

Deliverin’ to those that can’t get out

All welcome on the day no one turned away

A group of us sit together chat an’ smile for a while

An’ I say “We got things like this goin’ in the UK

An’ we, also do it for free

They thought it was nice to find out about others of a like mind

Then it’s time to go so it’s “God bless an’ have a good day”

An’ once more I’m on my way

 

85) Away I run in the afternoon sun

Thinkin’ of ideas for a rhyme, then decide it’s sightseeing time

Saw a sign that read, Monahans Sandhills State Park ahead

Seemed a good way to spend part of the day

Looked really grand, acres of bush, scrub  an’ sand

Enjoyin’ the silence an’ solitude, sun put me in a better mood

So I can be, enjoyin’ some time for me

Feelin’ the sun on my bare arms among natures barren charms

Hit the road once more an a short while later

See a sign saying Odessa Meteor Crater

Result of cosmic action, now a tourist attraction

Something I ain’t seen before an;’ want to see more

I’m there an’ I’m walkin’ round a big depression in the ground

Info so people know what happened thousands of years ago

An’ how it was discovered and part of it uncovered

What else they found when they drilled and excavated the ground

An I’m takin’ more photos so folks can see it when they look

At the album on Facebook

Then time to go but I take a wrong turn an’ find out to my cost

I’m well and trully lost

GPS again comes into play an’ gets me back

Then blog an’ album updated an’ now I feel  it’s time for my evening’ meal

 

22.11.22 – 86) Rise, look out the window, suns out sky’s blue

Have a shower an’ decide what to do

Dress, look out again frost on car no surprise it’s -2

Go for breakfast, when it’s done, check temperature, now -1

So back to my room let it rise some more

While I compose another poetry score

 

87) Time to spare so once more to the Wildlife Preserve where

I saw the wildcat but once again he ain’t there

But I’ve enjoyed a walk round in the November sun

Now away I run

To Monahans for poetry an’ jokes at a centre for recycled teenage folks

 

88) Lady came up to me with a smile

Said “Thanks for your poetry” I replied “that makes it all worthwhile”

Then after some good ol’ Texas chow I thought “Now

It’s time to run down I-20 where I seen the cheapest gasoline”.

$2.99 real fine, an’ a free lunch I sure saved a heap

Yup this poet sure knows how to see Texas on the cheap

Now let’s get things right, for poetry at Ecton Library tonight