Image:17th St, outside The Historic Cine El Rey Theatre, McAllen, after the final pachanga.

24.04.14: 114) Yesterday afternoon we made our way

To a place called El Sal Del Rey

Breeding season for rattlesnake

Keep to the middle of the path to the lake

Then it’s over the salt we go

Sounds like we’re treadin’ on fresh fallen snow

Hoof prints in the mud tell us what has been

Notice boards what can be seen

Solitude, tranquillity, made by mans capability

For once not to destroy, but leave for all to enjoy.

 

115) Salt coated, crystalised

Mummified, petrified

Like a time capsule

 

116) Evening walk in the sun wasdone

Then it was time to eat, another friend to meet

Daniels said “I’ll give you a test, we’ll go to Joe’s his pizza’s are best”.

Edward was there an’ we both agreed, they were indeed

But as such Texas portions a bit much

Yet fine an’ dandy, the to go box came in handy

Now another day is dawnin’

An’ I’m enjoyin’ it for breakfast this morning.

 

117) We walked upon the good Texas earth

On the day to celebrate Shakespeare’s birth

An’ also help a friendship forge

It’s the day of English Patron St George

An’ so to add to this poetic story

Daniel was proud to fly his flags

At the side of America’s Old Glory

 

118) Staff in the hotel lobby talkin’

Piped music playin’ “These boots are made for walkin’”

Outside there’s a squirrel on the bough, blossom on the tree

Bird on a wire lookin’ down on me

All these things make it plain

It’s good to be in McAllen again.

 

119) Been to the local shopping mall

Noise nearly drove me up the wall

People seem to have made an art

Of standin’ talkin’ blockin the narrowest part

Or wanderin’ round like a driverless car

You move an’ they still go where you are

Seen enough, can’t take no more

So away from it all I draw

Now what do I do before opening night

Think I’ll go back to the hotel an’ write.

 

120) To Creative Incubator I made my way

The opening event on the festivals first day

Gathering to meet, gathering to greet

Friends who share a love of verse and rhyme

A love shared through the sands of time flowing, a love growing

With every passing second, to the Valley we’re beckoned

Equality an’ respect given, an’ for inspiration riven

Each other delighting, with our reciting

A pleasant task, an’ then we ask

The last time we did this show, was it really a year ago

 

25.04.14: 121) Mexico cancelled, slight dismay

Disappointment but that’s often the way

No need to feel blue, find something else to do

Look to what’s to come, more reciting an’ then some

Try out an idea, I think it’s clear

A Shakespeare sonnet I’ll read omniverse

Which means it can be read in reverse

Read in a different style, can still make people smile

Thinkin “sure is good value, instead of one poem we got two”.

Written on hearing the reading at The Townhouse Museum, Matamoros Mexico had been cancelled

 

And so to McAllen Memorial High

122) Two of the students were asleep,

Had they found our poetry boring

But I thought it was good that

They didn’t disturb us by snoring

Thought up on the spur of the moment when I saw them.

 

123) The morning performances went well

Me, Oscar an’ Olga sure was swell

Different styles bringing forth smiles

Listening with intent, our works well meant

I spoke of the joys of travelin’ an my tours unravelin’

Oscar choose, poetry about the blues

Olga about life, an’ all its strife

Then a barbecue lunch with rice an’ beans

Which I managed not to spill down my jeans

Provided by Jesus who’s more used to a book

Proving he’s a durned good cook

So if his teaching career goes into a slide

He can always be a chef on the side

 

124) After lunch Oscar and Olga departed

Jesus got the afternoon started

The students he did regale with his culinary tale

For him it had been a pleasure

For us a gastronomic treasure

 

125) The event went better when

Students got up to read what they wrote there and then

And they didn’t steal the show,

Cos’ the teachers got up to have a go

Students, teachers an’ a travelin’ Limey Guy

An’ all too fast the afternoon did fly

An’ I hope they all got the hang

Of the poem I read with a Yorkshire twang

 

126) After memorial High I was Hildago bound

A lake and solitude I found

Wild pigs comin’ down to drink, make a good photo I think

Where they were I was bid but it seemed they were well hid

Behind me I heard a squeal, turned quickly on my heel

In time to see them rush, and hide in the brush

No worries cos’ when I read this poem I’ll find

Images of them runnin’ forever in my mind.

 

127) Schneider’s on North Ware, another event there

Poetry from Pam Am and an adult poetry slam

What a delight to find its schnitzel night

Thought how good it looks, price cut by two bucks

Cos’ without doubt, for bargains I look out

 

26.04.14: 128) Last night at Schneider’s menu looking I decided to try some german cooking

So I tried, Jager Schnitzel nicely fried

Taste really stood out, with mushroom sauce, pan fried potatoes, and sauerkraut

An German style coffee made me smile ain’t tasted anything like it for a long while

When the meal was all done that was when the poetry begun

 

129) Last night slam I learned with glee I had made the final three

Not from a script had I read, but impromptu off the top of my head

All in rhyme, about my travelin’ time

Lettin’ the words flow, never expected a second go

Started with “Barry Manilow sang I made it through the rain

An’ now I’m here reciting again

An impromptu rhyme, in the final for the very first time”.

Results came in, although I didn’t win

On facebook I spread the word

The Road Poet done good, he came in third

 

130) Workshop day an’ I’m away

San Benitos again, seems like yesterday

Mid sadness an’ delight, the festivals closing night

Now here to get the gist, of poems with a political twist

To which we can all relate an’ have a friendly debate

About the poetry we’ll interject, but always show respect

Experiences shared, share them we dared

Debating not berating

An’ as it ends, we’re still friends

 

131) From St Benidos to Harlingen

Got there and then, that was when

Things started to go wrong

Gps didn’t want to play, sent me a different way

To the Bar and Grill called the Rio Grande

To the wrong end of Van Buren, I couldn’t understand

Round an’ round I drove lookin’ out,

Like bein’ on a never ending roundabout

Becomin’ a task, so I stop an’ ask

Directions give which send, me to Van Burens proper end

Ask again once more, to get where I’m to read my poetry score

Seems I’m goin’ to get there at last

Durn, the gates are down wait until the trains past

Across the tracks, turn right at Stripes an’ right again

To where, I see the sign sayin’ I’m there

Soon I’ll be reading, my work to my own beat

But first let’s see the menu an’ get something to eat

 

132) Mahi mahi tastin’ altright, then I’m called to recite

Said I’d been here in 2012, so for the poem I wrote into my bag I delve

Only to find, I’d left that years behind

But it wasn’t such a drag cos’ I’d this years in my bag

So to read from my journal I’d do it

And hopefully add more to it.

 

133) Open mic at Harlingen done

Two cars drove as one in the afternoon sun

Rod in front, me on his tail

Along the Texas Tropical Trail

Then to my delight, South Padre islands in sight

Paragraph Bookstore to read some more

But no time to preen or plume

I gotta ask Griff, “where’s the bathroom?”.

 

134) Final open mic gone well

At the paragraph, refreshments were swell

Now that’s the open mics done

Back to McAllen in the afternoon sun

To hot to jog, used teh time to update my blog

Then to my room where it’s nice an’ cool

Lookin’ down on the hotel swimmin’ pool

Then a feelin’ of dread, realisin’ I should be somewhere else instead

Realisin' it wouldn’t be right,

Missing the dinner on the final Pachanga night

An’ a voice inside my head says loud and clear

“Yo Trev, get your butt into gear”.

 

135) Lights at red, on the roads that led

To the Cine El Ray, on the final day

No need to worry, or to hurry

Or be bereft, there’s usually plenty left

Or be downhearted, cos’ when I got there they’d just started

Assorted tamales, beans an ’rice, sure is gonna taste nice

I’ll give the jalapenos a miss cos’ like as not

They’ll make my meal, to durned hot.

 

136) Food cryin’ out to be eaten

Listenin’ to music that can’t be beaten

Head back North tomorrow, gonna be sad

But at the moment I’m glad

I came an’ give my best,

At the Rio Grande Valley International Poetry Fest

Cos’ I get to recite one more time

An’ enjoy another special moment in time.

 

137) Rhyme done exceeded expectation, audience participation

Rhyme over, slight pause, then bowed an’ took the applause

Then to the hotel to hit the sack, cos’ tomorrow I begin the journey back.