The real purpose of the visa tourism
Is the humiliation of the guests
Its “us and them” post tribal atavism
The applicants are treated like suspects
The so called survey list interrogates
Some questions that can't be rationalized
To play a reason to pass through the border gates
Despite prejudice that you are crimnalized
The papers you submit might look suspicious
They may refuse you with “I am not satisfied”
Refunds are not provided, you’re fictitious
And anyway, a fool that tried to lie
It turns to be a huge list of rejections
It gives an argument to blow the world away
But I won’t press that button, waiting for objections
If more objections they would like to say.
I venture forth, an explorer true,
Seeking knowledge, with heart anew.
Idanre's hills, a treasure to behold,
Ancient secrets, yet to be unfold.
The people, industrious, with hearts of gold,
Welcomed me, with stories untold.
Their cocoa farms, a lush, green sight,
I harvested with them, under the sun's warm light.
Their water, a natural blessing, pure and fine,
Quenched my thirst, and revived my mind.
A healing spring, with powers to restore,
A gift from God, forever in store.
Idanre's hills, a tourist's delight,
A haven for nature, in all its might.
Longevity and prosperity, God's blessings true,
Reflect in the people, with hearts anew.
Their men and women, handsome, beautiful, and strong,
Beholders of beauty, with hearts that belong.
Producers, problem solvers, with a spirit so bright,
United in ceremony, with love and delight.
Superficial impressions, like the sunset ripple
Museums, beaches, cafes by the score
The phrasebook conversations with the service people
Cliches in their predictable galore
You’re saved from depth and filled with little pleasures
The charms of tourism, early breakfasts, late night bed
You travel light or loaded, spot some treasures
And file them in the archive, to forget.
Every tourist shares a trait;
they're walking, talking, f*cking bait
Who fog up our Earth's finest places
With fat wallets and fat f*cking faces
If you live in a City or by the sea
I'm sure you'll likely, mostly agree;
These scavengers of our landscape may pay cash
but leave in their wake a disgraceful dash
I admire their carelessness;
why should I have any?
The crimes of the few are the crimes of the many
I think I'll be a tourist
And maybe we'll see…
I'll be ‘that c*nt from another country’
My city is a tourist spot
People come from all over
It’s also the home for Scad college
Which has pushed the price
Of renting a house or
An apartment sky high
They do what’s best
For tourism and Scad
The bus stops were removed
From downtown which made it
Harder for the people who
Live here, longer walks in between
Stops, or the bus not going
In their direction, what about the
Taxpayers who depend on public trans
August spider webs become thick as February snow wisps
Accumulating on our window sills
If each of us
All eight billion
Could stand in line in gardens and beside the sea
And wait our turn
To blast far up in outer space
And spend two minutes
Gazing down to our primate planet Earth
Through a little window
Perfectly fit to the size of all our faces
I think
The wonder
Of smallness and largeness and its great indifference
Could make it so that no human being
Would dare think of themselves as alone
Or desperate
Or insignificant
Ever again
We’d all believe
And killing would end.
As poet who was visiting some places
To cook a piece of poetry,
suddenly you met some psychologists
who were worshipping some animal statues.
You continued with your tour,
you came across some very educated people
at a graveyard who were speaking to the dead folks.
You are told to mention about their
( IQ) intelligence quotients.
Will you afraid to speak the truth
because you will be called arrogant
by some very educated people?
As the dead people and statues
don't hear or speak,
will you tell them to go to some hospitals
for checking up their brains?
Do you think they will feel guilty
and change their minds and thoughts
Or they will hunt to stone your head?
Some other things are above humans
understandings
It sounds prophetic
But it is poetic.
July 10th 2023
Regina city councillors under fire
For ad campaign’s not looked at prior
How someone did not think to inquire
Check the news if you think me a liar
This province had some odd news breaks
Like the Tim Hortons with the snake…
The moose in the school for hoof’s sake
But this capital city goof takes the cake
I suppose they were hoping for a laugh
Now it looks like there’ll be some new staff
The response may still be half and half
Talked about around the coffee carafe
They’ve taken a lot of flack in the past
Tried to steer into the skid at last
That plan backfired pretty damn fast
A collective face palm, country vast
A headline that didn’t need to be spun
With marketing that cannot be undone
Since the new slogan that they chose to run
Is : “The city that rhymes with fun”…..
** Slogan since retracted by Experience Regina
Still Managed to make International headlines, well done...
On Hollywood Boulevard
Grohman’s Chinese theater, The Walk Of Fame
Awestruck, frantic crowds tromp down the street
A swirl of accents divulge from whence they came
Myth and stark truth clash but rarely meet
A boulevard of tinsel, tourist mecca anointed
Foreign visitors now the sole true attraction
All a hyped-up charade, but no disappointment
Quiet on the set, lights cameras, action!
Remove tourists, hustlers, the Marilyn Museum
Costumed crusaders and peddlers of kitsch
And Hollywood is now just a mausoleum
To a cinematic history dynamic and rich
Just one district out of L.A.’s forty-two
Multi-ethnic, working class, urban blight
Yet in the hearts of dreamers passing through
It remains the movie land of sheer delight
8/1/22
6th Place
A Brian Strand Premiere Choice Contest
People today are fat, not swift,
So The Western Wall needs a lift*
But here's the rub
An ancient tub
Saves each tear as temple gift
*(lift="elevator")
Tourists traipse over sites.
The necropolises
Team with the secular;
Teasing mortality.
Trauma and terror marked,
Tasked with introspection:
To learn ‘Never Forget’.
2021-04-26
Pleiades T Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Kim Merryman
When the crystal clear surf
Defends its turf
It Bashes
Then Crashes
Making a beach like sound
That relaxes the whole sea shore town
Listening to the way the ocean pounds
Maybe it’s the weather
That greets the visitors with this good looking letter
Traffic builds when the weekend arrives
Giving the locals a reason to sigh
As they bake
Cooking under the sun with their tan at stake
While watching the theatrical watery wake
It is this peaceful action
That is the attraction
Resting on the nature’s coast land
Having the agenda of a living clam
Enjoying a peaceful day
The proper way
Bring on the refreshments galore
Giving business to the seasonal store
But be careful of the sandy floor
Being barefoot from leaving the shore
Then when evening beckons
And darkness checks in
The moon light will shine
Upon those who dine
Giving new reason
To enjoy the summer season
I come to you from Greater Sudbury.
The mayor Bigger too.
We offer you a greater pleasure.
Our natter greater through.
We're all about a greater mission.
The hope is greater too.
We'll look for you as greater tourists.
The pamphlets greatest woo.
We'll see you have a greater time.
Our scenery's greatest view.
Then put you in a great hotel;
your comfort greater through.
We'll sell you all our greatest goods.
The merchant's greatest phoo.
You'll travel all our greater roads.
The potholes greater too.
We'll show you all our greatest things.
The slag dump baring slough.
Then aww you with our great big nickel;
a chimney and ah-choo.
We'll miss you when you go to leave.
You're absence greater too.
Then hope you come again
when next year's season's due.
Tourism, citizens, tourists
citizens, tourists, tandem
tourists, tandem, bandwagon
Tandem, bandwagon, sweat
Bandwagon, sweat, tears
sweat, tears, nosedive
tears, nosedive, health
nosedive, health, culture
I come to you from Greater Sudbury.
My mayor greater too.
I offer you a greater pleasure.
Our natter greater too.
We're all about a greater mission.
Our hope is greater too.
We'll look for you as greater tourists.
The pamphlets greater too.
We'll see you have a greater time.
Our scenery's greatest view.
We'll put you in a great hotel;
you're comfort greater through.
We'll sell you all our greatest goods.
The merchant's greatest woo.
You'll travel all our greater roads.
The potholes greater too.
We'll show you all our greatest things.
A slag dump baring slough.
Then aww you with our great big nickel;
a chimney and ah-choo.
We'll miss you when you go to leave.
You're absence greater too.
And think of you again
when next year's season's due.
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