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Whiskey Sour

When life insists on giving lemons,
common advise is: lemonade.
I exorcise the acid demons;
a decent whiskey will give aid.

now some will say I'm medicating
but that's not it: I'm advocating
for a sincere, direct approach
for those of us who're riding coach

"it only takes a bit of effort!"
advice from those, while in first class,
love lecturing the rest of us,
Your money does not make you better
and power does not lecture well
cherry on top, and all is swell

Author notes: a bit of an experiment in a "downer".  Not at all how I really feel or deal with life, and I don't encourage alcoholism. Probably I'm in first class

Aspirations

I view a poem as a puzzle
the words must come together thus
add some pizzazz and razzle dazzle
and the result is worth the fuss
the birds will chirp along so sweetly
and lovers will embrace discreetly
and if you dare, more than embrace
(and if you don't _______ leave a blank space)
at last, you feel you are a poet
and earned your place among the greats
the lack of recognition grates
but as they say, at least you know it
and doubt, your enemy, dissolved
the words trail off, the puzzle solved

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older version

I view a poem as a puzzle
the words must come together thus
add some pizzazz and razzle dazzle
and the result is worth the fuss
the birds will chirp along so sweetly
and lovers will embrace discreetly
and if you dare, more than embrace
(and if you don't _______ leave a blank space)
at last, you feel you are a poet
and place yourself among the greats
your audience, though, the ingrates
does not as yet appear to know it
oh well, you must write for yourself
and so I fill up shelf by shelf

Author notes: An Onegin sonnet https://allpoetry.com/contest/2795466-Give-me-a-Pushkin-Sonnet--Big-Points-

Groove Is In The Heart

I once made someone wait for hours
four hours, truly, in the park
in days long gone, no cellphone towers
I picked them up when it was dark
the reason too long to explain here
and then of course we had a fight
we were so young, and I was sincere
but no resolving of our plight
we went our separate ways but surely
I had to come up with a start
since I still labor quite obscurely
and he wrote Groove Is In The Heart

Author notes: it is a funny and true story -- best friends in high school, until that day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etviGf1uWlg

Onegin's Entrance (Translation from Pushkin)

My uncle, right in every manner,
His health declining, and no joke,
Demanded my respect and honor
Could find no better than this yoke.
May his example be a lesson;
Can anything be more depressing
Than spending every day and night,
With a sick patient, what a plight!
Is anything more low or cunning
Than entertaining the half dead,
Fixing the pillows on their bed,
Giving them medicine, while fawning,
And thinking, sigh, pretend to care
When will the devil take you there

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Мой дядя самых честных правил,
Когда не в шутку занемог,
Он уважать себя заставил
И лучше выдумать не мог.
Его пример другим наука;
Но, боже мой, какая скука
С больным сидеть и день и ночь,
Не отходя ни шагу прочь!
Какое низкое коварство
Полуживого забавлять,
Ему подушки поправлять,
Печально подносить лекарство,
Вздыхать и думать про себя:
Когда же черт возьмет тебя!