Poetry

Poking Fun at Groundhogs and Pigskins

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos

Overshadowed by a war, a poet plays with words

Stop the Insanity
Why Groundhog Day Has Got to Go

In Punxsutawney Pennsylvania
there’s a furry guy named Phil
who obsesses over shadows.
Do not think they’re no big deal.

They are huge to Mr. Groundhog.
It’s the way that he tells time.
But his OCD’s alarming
like a drunk in search of wine.

Phil’s neurotic. He’s off-balanced.
If his search is deemed in vain,
he retreats in deep depression
suicidally insane.

Aren’t we really co-dependent
when we humor Phil each year?
What we’re doing with this rodent
isn’t healthy. That’s quite clear.

We should find a shrink for Philipwho will help him see the light.Then his shady reputationwill give way to one that’s bright.

Sunday Dinner in Jacksonville
Why the Main Course Won’t Fill the Bill

The Eagles and the Patriots
are hungry for a win.
The smell of victory’s in the air.
The game will soon begin.

What’s cookin’? we ask Mom McNabb.
She holds a Campbell’s can
and hopes the chunky soup in there
brings luck to Donovan.

It’s turkey in the Brady home.
His mom just loves her Tom.
But will it be Thanksgiving Day
when Sunday’s game is done?

The table’s spread. The feast awaits.
The pigskin’s being passed.
And even though we feel content,
we know that it won’t last.

A Super Bowl won’t nourish us.
We hunger for much more.
We like football, but what we crave
is ending this cruel war.

Voting Abroad and at Home

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos

Reflections on Iraq’s election and Oscar nominations

Democracy’s First Breath
A Prayer for the Iraqi Elections

Al-Zarqawi mocks
the ballot box
in terror-torn Iraq.
But he can’t see
that liberty
won’t be denied by talk.

The fateful day
is days away…
democracy’s first breath.
As they elect,
O God protect
the innocent from death.

We thought it bad
with hanging chads.
They hang the ones who vote.
Each polling place
is far from safe
as freedom tries to float.

Keep it alive
so it can thrive.
Dear God, please hear this prayer.
Derail the dreams
and evil schemes
of madmen over there. 

The Passion of the Academy
Why Oscar overlooked Jesus

They hung the Savior out to die
without an Oscar nod.
They nominated Hughes and Charles
while overlooking God.

Their passion’s for a man who flew
and one who made kids fly
and friends joyriding tasting wine
while looking for life’s why.

They voted for a boxing champ
and one who sang the blues.
But he who died to save the world
did not make Headline News.

The Gospel According to Mel was tops
when measuring the take.
But ticket sales are not the key
to taking home the cake.

It’s what the voters see as “sweet.”
The ‘cademy’s the boss.
So it’s no shock that they ignored
the man upon the cross.

The King is Dead

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos

Remembering Johnny Carson

We said farewell twelve years ago.
And now we say goodbye.
We missed you, Johnny.
Now we grieve. You were too young to die.

You were our late-night talk show king.
We loved you on your throne.
We paid you homage with our laughs.
For thirty years we groaned.

With Ed McMahon at your side
and Doc leading the band,
you ruled the night with wit and charm.
Your shows were never bland.

While trumpet fanfares are the norm
to welcome queens and kings,
“Heeeere’s Johnny!” brought you out each night
from waiting in the wings.

There’s no one who can take your place.
King Carson, you’ve no peers.
You’ve left a hole within our hearts.
Our cheeks are stained with tears.

The Sanctity of Office and of Life

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos

A poet’s look at Inauguration Thursday and Sanctity of Life Sunday

A Post-Inaugural Prayer
Kneeling in prayer for our sitting President

This Thursday past, our President
was sworn in once again.
Most gracious God, we intercede
for Laura and for him.

With his two hands he voiced his vows.
He raised his right hand high.
But with his left, he palmed a Book
that answers every why.

Allow that Book to be his guide
throughout the next four years.
In spite of those who will object,
help George deflect their jeers.
 
With solemn swear, he sought Thy help
while we watched on TV.
Lord, let him sense Thy presence near
whenever he seeks Thee.

Preserve him, Lord. Protect his heart.
Defend him from attacks
as he stands up for truth and life
and brings old values back.

A Choice to Make
Being pro-life has to do with more than just unborn babies.

There’s a choice that we are given
every day we live our lives.
Will we disregard the helpless
or make sure they will survive?

Those at risk hide in the shadows
robbed of justice with no voice.
Will we speak up for these victims?
That’s the question. That’s our choice.

In a womb or in an alley,
in South Asia or Iraq,
there are victims close to dying
who need more than Christian talk.

They are persons in God’s image
and as humans, they should live.
They cry out for liberation,
but they’re silenced lest we give

of our time (our precious hours),
of our wealth (we all are rich),
of our heart’s preoccupation
(being done with envy’s itch).

We’ve been called as liberators
to release the overlooked.
It’s a mission we’ve been given
specified in God’s own book.

But this question begs an answer.
Is our willingness a ruse?
Or will we prove our intentions
by our actions? We must choose.

Love Lessons from the Pitts

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos

What we can learn from Jennifer and Brad’s break-up

The nation’s sad
that Jen and Brad
have opted now to split.
The spotlight of celebrity
has left them in the pits.

They seemed so right
with matching height
each with a chiseled bod.
And since they’d made it for four years,
their breakup now seems odd.

But in a town
where up means down,
the ones who do survive
have found it takes hard work and will
to make a marriage thrive.

The secret to
what keeps love true
is saying it’s for keeps.
It’s talking much and listening more
and knowing when to weep.

It’s giving in
and in and in
when you know you are wrong.
It’s making up and getting down
while dancing to your song.

It’s being blind
when time’s unkind
to your mate’s sagging frame.
It’s holding hands and taking walks
and playing table games.

It’s staying in
when lustful whims
might tempt you to bail out.
By choosing to remain in love
you give your vows their clout.

Another Couple in Conflict

Old Man Winter and Mom Nature
just can’t seem to get along
They are striking out with vengeance
and we kids know they are wrong.

They are acting out their anger.
Dad and Mom have lost control.
If they’d only kiss and then make up.
They’ve taken quite a toll.

Both their tempers flared in Asia
and in California too.
How we wish that mom and dear old dad
would end this and be through.

We are praying they’ll quit fighting.
That would give us all relief.
But for now it seems they’re bent on pain
and causing endless grief.