Poetry Series Joe Rosochacki - poems - Publication Date: 2015 Publisher: Poemhunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive Joe Rosochacki(April 8,1954) Although I am a musician, (BM in guitar performance & MA in Music Theory- literature, Eastern Michigan University) guitarist-composer- teacher, I often dabbled with lyrics and continued with my observations that I had written before in the mid-eighties My Observations are mostly prose with poetic lilt. Observations include historical facts, conjecture, objective and subjective views and things that perplex me in life. The Observations that I write are more or less Op. Ed. in format. Although I grew up in Hamtramck, Michigan in the US my current residence is now in Cumby, Texas and I am happily married to my wife, Judy. I invite to listen to my guitar works www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 1 A Dead Hand You got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, Know when to walk away and know when to run. You never count your money when you're sittin at the table. There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealins' done. David Reese too young to fold, David Reese a popular jack of all trades when it came to poker, The bluffing, the betting, the skill that he played poker, - was his ace of his sleeve. He played poker without deuces wild, not needing Jokers. To bad his lungs were not flushed out for him to breathe, Was is the casino smoke? Or was it his lifestyle in general? But whatever the circumstance was, he cashed out to soon, he had gone to see his maker, He was relatively young far from being too old. Now evr'y gambler knows that the secret to survivin' Is knowin' what to throw away and knowing what to keep. 'cause evr'y hands a winner and evr'y hands a loser, And the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep. David "Chip" Reese has been quoted as replying, "I'll stop playing at my funeral, and only God knows what I'll do after that." And he did just that. David be careful playing poker with the Lord, Because he knows what you deal with, - knows what your deal is, He knows your hand before you have one, And he has time bluff you, all eternity, and raise you, www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 2 Till you have stood up and say you're done. (12-6-2007) Joe Rosochacki www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 3 A Do-Over Again? I wrote awhile back about the Michigan and Florida Democratic Do-Over, Because they violated the Democratic Party’s rules, Now Barack Obama is the 44th President as of January 20th was that for sure? In the hustle and bustle amongst all the bling and jewels, There was a snafu, At noon, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Roberts who hadn’t clue, What he was about to say, Justice Roberts managed to mumble a few pseudo-dyslexic statements, For President-Elect Obama to repeat, with some surprise, After all was the Chief Justice caught up in the moments? This slice of American History; This Chief Justice will make history for centuries after his demise. What a glorious event,2 million people attended, without one fracas of the law, What moments that practically the whole world watched, Glued to their TV’s, radios, I-Pods, and Computers, Could have not believed what they saw, A non-white man was going be the President of the United States of America? But back to the swearing ceremony; the Chief Justice, -well kind of ‘screwed up’. Rather than embarrass the Judge, Barack played along, That’s when I knew he was for real, Rather than create an upheaval of trying to correct the Judge’s words, Barack went on with the flow, No ‘up-manship’ here, it was pretty clear, That Barack Obama was our president after 12: 01 pm EST, However he was repeating the words of a man, not the constitution, Yesterday, at a private ceremony, Supreme Court Roberts did say the correct words, In which “President Obama” was sworn in a second time, On consecutive dates in this institution. (1-22-09) Joe Rosochacki www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 4 A Great Greek Tragedy Kim Sjostrom I have not met you, perhaps I’ll some day meet your husband. Teddy Efkarpides, your husband not even a day, You became faint and died in his arms when you danced your first dance together, As husband and wife, you’d be there always, -never say never, You were his Helen; he was your Paris, -forever lovers to themselves to keep There was much grief ands strife. So much your tragic event that Homer would certainly weep, Your first grade students certainly mourned your passing, But in the end you found what loves is and you died living, loving, That’s than I can say about a lot of other people, Marilyn Monroe, Anna Nicole Smith, Heath Ledger, for example. For the fame and money is all what they had, But for their TAO, -their karma was very bad. These were made for Sophocles, Yours can be thought of by Euripides, So mournful is your Efkarpides. Sjostrom is Swedish surname, was your mother Greek? Did you let the guests toss their dishes and break them against the wall? I personally experienced in the Placa in Athens. Did the milky color of Ouzo with ice in a glass drape the tables? Did you have Dimitri Tiomkin music while your guest where seated? Somewhere on TV, Never on a Sunday played along with the Greek called Zorba; Of that week. My Big Fat Greek Wedding, you cherished the movie, Especially when Windex cures all, -in the movie, Hopefully in its presence you will be at peace, Peace of mind shall your beloved Teddy seek. (2-11-2008) www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 5 Joe Rosochacki www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 6 A Guiding Light Is No More After 72 years from radio to the dawn of television, Before yours truly graced the face of this earth, A soap will have its demise come this fall. It CBS’s decision, That since its inception at television birth, That the current lack of interest in soaps and the economy was too tall, For Guiding Light. I haven’t seen much of Guiding Light; I can’t inform you of characters in it, It came from radio and ventured into TV, It was shot in a studio not on location, It was full with schmaltzy music, that would be fit, Not speaking Milton Berle and Jack Benny or a whole of celebrities that one would envy, It merely got too expensive and landed on the chopping block for its destination. For Guiding Light. So a 72 year old run is pretty good, about an average human life span, Most shows don’t make past twenty years or so, Soaps are barely selling soap, Some TV programs are barely make it; after a few weeks then they go into can, So, so long Guiding Light we see you the internet or reruns, although, The aspiring actors and actresses will have one less venue to operate in, they hope, For Guiding Light 4-2-09 Joe Rosochacki www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 7 A New Low For Air Transport I know the economy is bad all over, But this has to take the cake, Jet 2 is a no frills, Airline would take the basic humanistic approach but they have thrills, For charging an amputee, to baggage his prosthetics, His name is Mr. Skee. He wanted to venture to Majorca, he along, with his family, Could holiday on the beach. Jet 2 put a damper on his plans for giving him a hard time with his artificial legs. Mr Skee said: 'After getting confirmation details, I contacted them to say I needed special assistance for transportation of prosthetic limbs. 'They emailed me for my medication condition and contacted Jet2, who in turn told them they were not prepared to transport the legs for free. That’s really low! (3-30-09) Joe Rosochacki www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 8 A Peasant Girl Who Left Poland she was a young girl, named Louise, leaving her whole her family and many a friend and boarded a boat in Holland for New York a new country, a new life for this 15-year old girl from Poland for the European situation would be bleak she would venture the Atlantic for almost two weeks she would eventually meet her future husband Jozef Polaniec they spoke the same language, shared the same faith, and customs, she would find work in NYC as a maid/housekeeper, she would eventually learn to make Gifelte fish for her Jewish family that she tended for she would respond to an ad which was placed by Jozef that she had met years prior they were engaged and married later this once peasant girl had two children, one died an early death; one lived. this once peasant girl and her husband had five living grandchildren they all lived in a home with a single bathroom in Hamtramck she would eventually have her daughter give her grandson some music lessons I owe you Louise for that farm girl from Poland had my mother who eventually had me So Happy Birthday Louise, I will always think of you on this day.