Poetry

Remembering Princess Di and Mother T

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos

Calculating the wages of fame (and faith) a decade later;
Unearthing Mother Teresa

August 31st.
The paparazzi’s thirst.
The people’s princess
raced for freedom.
Tunnel vision won.

A decade has gone by
since Lady Spencer died.
Still Will and Harry
(and their father)
grieve as no one knows.

And lessons yet remain
for those beset by fame.
The rich and famous
are the diet
of a hungry press.

Yes, fame can be a blight.
It robs you of your rights.
And renders you
a well-dressed prisoner
wishing you were free

Unearthing Mother Teresa

And now a decade later
they’re unearthing Mother T
Some say the sainted nun was less
than she appeared to be.

They say her reservoir of faith
was leaky… filled with holes.
That she confessed to what is called
the dark night of the soul.

But those who doubt her virtue
do not fully understand
that doubting fertilizes faith
as only questions can.

The saints of old were not immune
from times when God seemed mute.
Their badge of faith was inner angst,
an ash heap and some soot.

What’s telling about Mother T
is how she carried on.
In spite of doubt she didn’t quit
until her life was done.

A Modern Day Bathsheba

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos

Exploring the injustices of L A mayor’s affair

What once took place has now again.
It’s David and Bathsheba’s sin.
The L A mayor had a tryst
with someone not his wife.

She was a young attractive thing
and he (with power like a king)
was helpless when it came to lust
and broke his wedding vows.

Amazingly, his life went on.
But not so for the one he’d wronged.
She was suspended from her job
and wore a scarlet “A.”

Imagine in this “P C” day
that justice could be raped that way.
It’s just not fair that women pay
while men get off scot free.

But that’s the way it’s always been.
There’s never equity with sin.
The pleasure soon gives way to pain
unevenly dispersed.

For in the case of David’s error
Bathsheba’s baby wasn’t spared.
And though a gold crown still was his,
his mistress dressed in black.

Meanwhile, in the rest of the nation…

Apart from steamy L A news,
it’s blazing in the south.
The Midwest’s buried by the rains
and flooded river mouths.

And though Dean spared the Texas coast,
there’re more where he came from
with deadly winds that pack a punch
to blow us kingdom come.

The Weather Channel spells it out.
But weather does us in.
Dear Lord, please calm the summer storms
and cool us down. Amen.

High School Musical

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos

Disney’s latest phenom is anything but Mickey Mouse

Have you seen High School Musical?
It’s really quite the rage.
No, not the one in which your kids
auditioned for the stage.

I’m thinking of those Disney flicks
There’s movie 1 and 2.
They’re rated G for really GOOD.
Like cookies and cold moo.

The dancing moves are synched and smooth.
The plot is squeaky clean.
As ego trips a boy named Troy
(and envy turns him green),

he stumbles but he doesn’t fall.
Stands up for what is right.
He dances with his base desires,
but bolts when conscience bites.

These Disney Channel movies are
refreshingly quite fresh.
Perhaps they signal changing trends.
Would you agree, John Tesh?

They teach kids morals, model skill
and prove you can have fun
by hanging with a group of friends
who don’t need drugs or guns.

It’s Like Kissing Your Cousin

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos

Why the NFL’s preseason games are dull

Pre-season games don’t have the thrill
like those that are official will.
I guess it’s like a cousin’s kiss
compared to your sweetheart’s.

It’s dress rehearsal. Nothing more.
There’s not much interest in the score.
The veteran dancers step aside
so stand-ins can step up.

But dress rehearsals have their place.
And with football that is the case.
They line up on a spot-lit stage
to see whose learned their steps.

The rookies know this is the time
to do their best to try to shine.
They know that if they don’t impress
it’s likely they’ll be cut.

And for us fans it is the chance
to get psyched up for autumn’s dance
when ballet’s best with pads and cleats
will spin and leap with grace.

Worshipping a Dead King

The absurdity of Elvis Mania.

They loved him true and tender
although he did things his way.
And now three long decades later
their love just won’t go away.

They’re crying in the chapel.
In the jailhouse weeping’s heard.
In the ghetto and in Vegas
he’s still worshiped. It’s absurd.

His fans remain in mourning.
Like his suede shoes they are blue.
There at Graceland hound dogs whimper.
And hotels are heart-broke too.

So Elvis Aaron Presley
wears his gilded crown in death.
Seems his grave vault is a throne room.
For his fans he’s king, not myth.

Facing Final Jeopardy

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos

Remembering Merv Griffin

A Lovely Bunch of Coconuts
Merv gave us long ago.
A Wheel of Fortune spun his way
with Pat and Vanna’s show.

And Jeopardy was just his thing
the answer/question swap.
It seemed that Griffin had the knack
to put Trebek on top.

For twenty years his daytime talk
with Treacher by his side
launched rising stars and made us laugh.
His ratings didn’t slide.

But yesterday we heard the news
that made us want to cry.
Merv played his final hand on earth.
It was his turn to die.

Merv faced his final Jeopardy.
The answer was God’s grace.
I hope he got the question right.
What is life’s final ace?