Best Up His Sleeve Poems
Forbidden fruit they had eaten
At the bidding of the snake
New ashamed that they were naked
They had to cover up, for Heaven's sake
"Adam, lets sew ourselves some fig-leaves."
"Sounds good to me, dear Eve."
God paid them no attention
Had he a trick up His sleeve?
Instead of random eavesdropping
The Lord did something eye-popping
He searched for Adam as if He had no clue
Then cried out, "Man, where are you?!"
Did the All-Seeing not know Man's whereabouts?
Did He need resort to a primal shout?...
Within God's question lies a lesson
to which some choose to adhere
God does not want man to eavesdrop
~ Do you hear?
December 11, 2019
Listening In Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Julia Ward
I waited for a man with no cards up his sleeve
one who dated with sincerity
hoping, believing
searching for a beau to cast a royal flush
I seek only to complete his life
I've encountered many Jacks
players lacking good intent
yet these men had found their matches
they had more in common with the Queen of Diamonds
I need no wealth or fame
professions of love would be enough
it is a game I cannot win
a Queen of Hearts, I lie unnoticed
having slipped to the floor
will anyone miss my presence
or is the deck stacked against me
*Entry for Paula's "Pick a Card, Any Card" contest
I was strolling through Evergreen Cemetery the other day,
Glancing at epitaphs etched upon various stones along the way.
Some flowing verse was out of this world but I can only assume,
That the authors were forthcoming in how they met their doom!
"Should an inconsiderate bird upon my stone alight,
Please do me a favor and remove the blight!"
"Here reposes a dude who tried to rob a lady teller,
But she was a keener shot than this unlucky feller!"
"Here sleeps ace pilot Captain Cletus Cole;
His wings were clipped attempting a barrel roll!"
"Here reclines butcher Clyde who cheated on his wife.
Unknown to him she was also adept at wielding a butcher knife!"
"Here lies Hank his mortal shell riddled with lead.
He was nabbed rustlin' steers and the sheriff shot him dead!"
"Here is deposited the corpus of Eddie a top-notch baker.
He is now serving assorted donuts to his beloved Maker!"
"Please relay your regards as by this way you pass,
But for heavens sake, keep off the cottin' pickin' grass!"
"On a banana peel the dear departed slipped and fell.
We pray he landed in paradise and not in hell!"
"He didn't know his Volkswagen had all that power.
He met his doom head-on doing 90 miles per hour!"
"Fer nigh on 40 years old Hank rode this earthly range;
Now he rides in that final roundup on that heavenly grange!"
"Gambler Jim has left very few friends behind to grieve;
He was caught with a couple of aces up his sleeve!"
Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired
(c) 2015 All Rights Reserved
Bewitched, I am, by the man in the moon
On this night, of All Hallows' Eve
He hides a smirk behind twisted trees
as if he has tricks up his sleeve !
______________________________________________
"Halloween Moon" Contest entry, sponsored by Eve Roper
10/14/15
How did it all start
Was there really a 'Big Bang'
Or is that just code for
ex nihilo* we sprang
What if there's really a Creator
Who fashioned the world
then Adam and Eve
If He put the snake in the Garden
He sure had some tricks up His sleeve
It's hard to believe man evolved from a single-cell creature
or that he emerged fully grown either, so
Since millions prefer to believe in neither
Let's give this whole topic a breather...
_______________________________________________
* The Latin phrase 'ex nihilo' means 'out of nothing'
What's with this imposter Donald Trump?
For president I'd much prefer Forrest Gump!
His ramblin' views I find difficult to perceive.
Methinks he hides precarious tricks up his sleeve!
Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired
Loki
In days of Old Norse
Tales of the trickster were heard
Stories of his deeds
The sly one, the shape changer
Had wicked tricks up his sleeve
Loki had two sides
Bringing treasures to the Gods
Then he brings chaos
The blood brother to Odin
The legend that is Loki
AgMoore© 07/20/11
Amanda Moore
Bag if tricks contest
We are all sinners and we know it
Greed and temptation are some of the tools
That old Satan knows how to use well
God has no problem if we make a profit
If we do it his way and don't act like fools
Or we will be playing card in Hell
The Devil deals from the bottom of the deck
Always has a crooked ace up his sleeve
Tell you he has a ace in the hole
And just waiting for you to end up in a wreck
Unless you let God be the coach and believe
'Or the Devil will have your soul
God does not play cards with Satan
But he does know all the trick, he is the real deal
There is no gamble in his game
He know what Satan can do to a man
And make one dizzy with his old spinning wheel
You see there is no shame in his game
Has Lady Luck there to temp and lead you on
He know that he is a cheat and cannot do it alone
Making the stakes higher and you have to play
When it is over, they are both gone
Cut your throat and to the bone
Your best bet is let God be your dealer everyday
Form:
She came with a purpose
It was gone in a minute
She hated his fiction
But she found herself in it
It was taxing to love him
His gain was her loss
And brushing his shoulder
Had come at a cost
She cherished his words
But he lied when he talked
So she swallowed her tongue
Till the carousel stopped
And she said you don't love me
But he knew how to act
So he cradled her hand
And he took off his hat
He said you've gone crazy!
Your all that I need
And he kissed her by moonlight
Until she believed
And she vowed she would leave him
But she was decieved
By a brilliant young actor
With tricks up his sleeve
By Kyle Ezra Kriticos
Hyena is a scavenger.
He eats what others leave:
So while he’s watching Lion hunt,
He’s laughing up his sleeve …
Tom's Cat Tom
by Joan Donnelly Ellis (intended as a picture story book for children)
Some cats are really ugly and others are really cute, like mine, Bart. Bart can be bad though. He is sometimes up to no good. One day he ate my dad's goldfish. Bart likes goldfish. They don't like him back.
Wanna know something funny? My friend, Tom Murphy has a Tom Cat that he named Tom after himself. Tom gets bored a lot and so does his lazy cat, Tom. He just lies on the couch all day. At least that is what I first thought., that the cat was lazy, you know. Then I started to observe him more closely. After a week or so I realized the feline just pretends to be sleeping but he really doesn't close his eyes all the way shut. I think he is not as lazy as he makes out to be. Often it seems that the cat Tom is engaged in serious contemplation. He might be planning some mischief. Yes, Tom has something up his sleeve I decided and as soon as he's left alone in the house BAM! He'll be off getting into trouble . Last time he was left alone the Murphy's and I believe Tom terrorized San Quentin, the Parrot. We found a mess of Quent's feathers in his cage and on the floor below. Not only that but whenever the cat Tom was near Quent would make frightening noises. I told Tom, my friend , not his cat, that we ought to get those fellows from Forensic Files to do an investigation. Tom didn't like the idea much. Said he didn't think ruffling a few feathers was a serious crime.
I glanced at Quent who was curled up on the window seat and I swear he had a "Nice Try" smirk on his face as he glared back at me . In response, I
walked to the kitchen, and lifted Quent's Temptation Treats from the counter.
He jumped off the window seat and hurried to the kitchen. As he gazed lovingly at me with his bright green eyes, I stepped on the peddle of the trash can. When the lid opened I dumped the treats in and closed the lid. Some kids are really ugly and others are really cute. Since I'm a bird lover, I don't give a hoot.
Form:
Three Pigs
by Melanie D Palmer
There were three pigs.
One was rich and had common sense.
The middle one was poor and dense,
Youngest one was book smart with a bit o scense (common sense & cents).
Smart pig built a house made from bricks,
Stood out more then the others.
Middle pig made house from hay,
He was dumb, they stayed away from one another.
The youngest looked in the book, made his outta sticks.
He was book smart, but no sense like his older brother
The neighbor, was sly as a fox.
He was a wolf with tricks up his sleeve.
His wife got mad,
Finally told him to leave.
She got tired of him not being responsible,
Only wanted to hang out with his pet peeve.
He decided to hang out in the woods,
Began to snoop around.
On his face was a smile,
Certainly not a frown.
He was dressed like a girl,
Wearing a beautiful night gown.
He went to the youngest pig's house.
Asked to enter his door.
Pig said, "get out of here!"
"I've seen you somewhere before."
Wolf decided to not waste hs breath,
Took a match and lit the sticks.
Pig could see him standing there, licking his lips.
Ran to the dumb brothers home.
He opened the door, his brother was alone.
The wolf said, "let me in to visit."
"I am the neighbor you've known."
Took a match and lit the house.
They ran to their smart brother with a skip and a hop.
The wolf huffed and puffed said, "forget it."
Climbed to the chimney and down he dropped.
They were cooking veggie soup,
He dropped into the pot.
Now he didn't have to go to the store,
Waited to eat, until it was nice and hot.
They went to tell his old lady he was dead.
She said, "oh well, I am much farther ahead."
THE END
The poker game wuz progressin' purty well 'til Iron Mike started a ruckus!
Seems he had some spare aces up his sleeve, that dirty, sneaky cuss!
One-Eyed Pete didn't cotton to them shenanigans and drew his forty-four!
Iron Mike jumped up, toppled chairs and tables a-skedaddlin' fer the door!
That started the biggest brawl that the town uv Buckskin Joe had ever seen!
The mob wuz yellin' fer Iron Mike's head but he had prudently fled the scene!
One-Eared Earl, the barkeep, fired his rods a-tryin' to restore some order.
Meanwhile, Iron Mike wuz racin' on a stolen hoss fer the Mexican border!
The pianner player kept playin', "A Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight!"
('Twas Three-Fingered Clyde who tickled the keys fer free booze ever' night!)
Big Nell, who belted out bawdy songs each night, wuz involved, fists a-flyin'!
She busted some noses and shattered some teeth, and I ain't a-lyin'!
A dozen er so uv Madam Rosita's soiled doves joined in the fray as well,
A-kickin' and a-scratchin' and pullin' hair and generally raisin' 'ell!
There wuz so many shots fired that night, it seemed like war had started.
Many drunks awoke the next day to find that thar hair had been parted!
Studs Flanigan, the bouncer, wuz trampled as the fight spilled out on the street.
This sensitive affair caused a deeper rift between the rabble and the town's elite!
So as not to hear the fussin' and cussin', moms covered their kids tender ears.
Old-timers claimed they hadn't enjoyed sech a show in Buckskin Joe fer years!
Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired
© All Rights Reserved
While strolling through the graveyard the other day, I was drawn,
To a host of stones with creative and pithy epitaphs etched thereon!
Such flowing poetic verse is deemed worthy of recording for posterity,
Due to its peculiarity, sincerity, rarity and macabre hilarity!
"Here lies Gus riddled with lead! The high sheriff shot him dead!"
"He brewed the finest booze in the county! 'Til a G-man shot him for the bounty!"
"From his horse Red was throwed! He was the finest feller we ever knowed!"
"His jealous spouse cut short his life! With a twelve-inch butchering knife!"
"She slipped on a derelict banana peel! The bump on her noggin failed to heal!"
"He failed to slow down and swerve! Lost his nerve and missed the curve!"
"If you think this place has no appeal! How the heck do you think I feel?"
"Here lies the late bullfighter Umberto! He was fatally gored by el toro!"
"Clyde owns this piece of real estate! Or that's what he claims, at any rate!"
"Barnstormer Barney has flown the coop! He failed to negotiate an outside loop!"
"Cowpoke Pete has bit the dust! From his wild cayuse he was abruptly thrust!"
"A slug ended the career of gambler Steve! Seems he had some aces up his sleeve!"
"Too much cholesterol is how he met his fate! Docs warned him but 'twas too late!"
"She met her doom skating on the ice! Tried to do the triple axel thrice!"
"He always enjoyed a nickel cigar! Alas, his flame died out due to too much tar!"
"Upon my stone let no bird alight! Should that happen, please clean off the blight!"
Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired
© All Rights Reserved
'Why so serious?'
He would say as he started to walk my way.
He wears a purple over coat,
His face as white as a ghost.
Always has a smile beaming from ear to ear
Laughing like a maniac till his eyes are full of tears
Who is this mad man with hair of green
he is the creepiest thing I've ever seen
He always seems to have a trick up his sleeve
Along with many different weapons' like you wouldn't believe
Spreading uncontrollable chaos trying to put on a show
Committing crimes where ever he goes
How did this criminal mastermind come to be?
What drove him mad to reach the point of insanity?
Some say he fell into a tank of chemicals that drove him insane
Others say it was the loss of his wife and unborn child
Whatever it was it caused him a lot of pain
It seems like he was already unsteady
Close to that breaking point, slightly losing his mind already
Maybe he was never really okay
All it took was a little push over the edge
And we got the Joker we have today
Entered in the premiere contest, Superhero or Supervillain
Sponsored by Robert James Liguori
Placement: 3rd