Okay, fair enough. Prior to about 1990, I would have been extolling the benefits of good luck. By the end of the nineties, my luck just seemed to vanish like a soap bubble. Didn't break a mirror, or any of the superstitious things. How about a way to reverse it?

I swear I have had a decade long run of bad luck, what's that old saying? If I didn't have bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all. Is there truth to this thinking? I feel like I am the hero in a video game and the kid who bought the game really sucks and n e v e r wins! What is the way out?

Wow

Last Waltz of the Cowboy

He let the cold of the ocean
Take the blackness away
That he’d carried inside
Since a long time ago
His boots on his saddle
His horse walked beside him
The tide was washing old times away
And he was watching them go
Memories came
Of a time he’d been happy
Of the prettiest waitress
In that Midwest saloon
She’d bring his whiskey
And the end of the long day
And then they’d lay together
From sundown till noon
Now his eyes found the sunset
And he thought of her long hair
And the sound of her laughter
And the light of her smile
She’d been the sunshine of his life
All their times spent together
How long the pain would ride with him
She had been gone awhile
And the eyes of the brothers
As black as the darkness
They were bullies and fools
And called while he was away
They had their way with his sunshine
Too many shots led to one more
And then he’d ridden home
And found her that way
How he’d stood there lost
Where her pine box was buried
Where now his sunshine was carried
Never to feel her warmth again
And quiet as the moonlight
He loaded his pistols
He knew that his fallen sunshine
Would be joined by two men
Guns worn low on his hip
He rode to the bar room
To the card games where
He knew they would play
He tied up his horse
And he stepped on the porch
Swinging doors closed behind him
Like the end of the day
They sat about a round table
Clothed with whiskey and money
In the back of the bar room
Six men holding five cards
A piano playing ragtime
Everybody is smoking
At the end of the long bar
A wooden Indian stands guard
He walked past the bartender
As he moved toward the table
The room became quiet
Except the buzzing of flies
The other men backed away
From the unsmiling brothers
Before their hands reached their holsters
He put one between each of their eyes
He’d ridden away
From the hell he’d discovered
Countless moons he rode under
Past field and tree
He didn’t want to see life
A life with no sunshine
He’d ridden down from the mountains
Till he came to the sea
He let the cold of the ocean
Take the blackness away
That he’d carried inside
Since a long time ago
©MM

Thanks. I w a s a lucky guy

Though the breath
Of winter has turned cold
And the days seem
Short of hours
There’s a special time
Arriving
Full of warmth and cheer
And flowers
It’s a once a year reminder
Of a way we always knew
When hope seems ripe
Upon the tree
And not just for a few
There’s a man in red
With reindeer
Fill of giving, joy and cards
A part of time that’s cast in rhyme
By a thousand or more bards
A place when we remember
Every deed that warmed our heart
And we hope inside
With poise and pride
That we have done our part
And every tribulation
Seems to fade into the fire
And a cheery disposition finds
The land set to inspire
From the place
My heart is resting
By the endless morning tide
Where I do my deepest thinking
With the seagull as my guide
I wish you and yours
A season
Filled with Love
On Christmas Day
And will toast you all with eggnog
From my roost on Christmas Bay
Sitting by the restless ocean
With it’s endless coat of blue
May happy holidays surround
My Christmas wish to you
©MM

As a young boy on the river
A little upstream from the sea
Life was never a bore
Had all that I could explore
It was the right place for a young pirate to be
I made a sail of a beach towel
And with a broomstick mast
I was the soul of defiance
In a world full of giants
Made that old canoe move pretty fast
The house was a cabin atop of a hill
And my homeport was an old concrete dock
Never worried about doing
Or even doing with out
I couldn't even tell time from a clock
It was truly a time of conquest
Watching my own nations rise and fall
I ruled the lands of my reaches
From the bridge and nude beaches
Until I would hear my mother call
I had unexplored lands
At the touch of my hands
Until I got to the vineyards beyond
With my machete that gleamed
I ruled the whole world it seemed
From the aluminum deck of my boat on that pond
I had a plank in the unlikely event
I ever took a prisoner to keep
And ever certain was I
Beneath the sun in the sky
I could condemn that poor soul
To the trust of the deep
And on occasion I found cause to smile
A pretty young girl as my mate
And with our wondering faces
Showed her my secret places
A pirates creed to always tempt fate
And now I look back to a part of my past
A time I wouldn't trade on a bet
Sweet memory always delivers
The time a pirate ruled the rivers
And I know that I will never forget
As a young boy on the river
A little upstream from the sea
Life was never a bore
Had all that I could explore
It was the right place for a young pirate to be
©MDM

When I spent time in Jamaica
I had a view there from my room
It was the sea out to infinity
And the view was for me whom
Was waiting for the moment
Where ever it would come from above
When came hence the time
Beyond prose and rhyme
Maybe it is time to fall in love
And two hearts in dark were lighted
And events transpired such
That a pair of souls were pressed
In the darkness of a moment
When a single candles light shone through
And became just like a lighthouse
For the passion of these two
And the hunger of the moment
Took away the past pains feel
And replaced the inhibitions
With a meaning much more real
Time and space once wide
Have seemed to hide inside
Desire and the smile
And with every touch it means so
Much
I feel your heart across the miles
How much I wish that I were there
Within your embrace for which my
Arms yearn
And my longing for you Shelly
Makes every part of my heart burn
So tonight as you lay staring
At the ceiling same as I
Just remember our ship is coming
And together we will sail
To forever
You and I
©MM

Every moment passes by me
With at least one thought of you
The clouds are like your smile
When the sun comes streaming through
I can always find a rainbow
The pot of gold is like the feel of your hair
There's so many ways I feel so happy
When ever you and I are there
Whether climbing inside each other
Or even sleeping hand in hand
You make me feel so much amazement
And make me feel so much a man
And your presence drive me crazy
With a strong kind of desire
Your kiss starts my ignition
And your touch then flames the fire
Our time together has been magic
When I'm away I'm looking
For
An excuse to drive back over
Just so that I can be
With you more
©MM

Thanks Betsy_baby :)

It’s soon after ten
And I’m at it again
I’ve got you all over my mind
You come with the breeze
And I find you with ease
And my troubles all soon fall behind
I miss you so much
All your parts and your touch
And your smile
And the flow of your hair
And feeling so snug
Lost inside your hug
Yes I was quite happy in there
And each night while we dozed
And you had your eyes closed
The sound of your breath beside me
And the innocent touch
Of soft skin much
Like petals of roses should be
And to bury my face
Hiding in your embrace
Is a pleasure that I can near taste
And when I say how I do
How you say you do too
Makes my heart speed up it’s pace
Well it’s Christmas once more
And with feet on the floor
All that I have here to give
Is to promise my love
And all of me thereof
Is for you for as long as we live
And though it’s taking some time
Soon I’ll be there to rhyme
For you standing right there in my sight
But for Christmas this dream
It’s as magic as it seems
I love you Baby
Merry Christmas and good night
©MDM

Thank you, your words are my candy -M

None of the candles still were burning
Though sunlight could now
Be found upon the walls
The quilts were tossed about the bed
Left to watch the embers glowing red and
No sounds were left except
Her heart weeping
Their passion had erupted all the night before
Two souls lost mad in love
And joined as one
All the candles had been
Gathered in worship
Praying that
The day would never be
That the sunrise would wait
Forever there for
She knew with the birth of dawn
The cannon would be heard again
And he’d be gone
She remembered how
She’d knelt beside him
Her gown like
Red flames about his legs
As her two hands squeezed his while
His calloused fingers touched soft
On her tear laden cheek
Her cries gave voice her worries
As she knew the days of battle would run red
And she began to beg
I love you so my darling
Without you
Oh without you I can’t go on
She bowed her head
Telling him that with him gone
That God alone saw her path on
He pulled her to her feet and his
Eyes looked deep in to her own
“Silence,” his voice whispered
Commanding her to
Be still he went on
Do I allow these tears to steal my pride?
You know that you alone own my love
As he told her that his love
For her was endless
But when his country called
That he must answer
The fog had burned off
While the sun was
Still young in the sky
The clouds were mixed with
Smoke from battled waged
As soldiers fired cannons
And the ships there in the
Harbor gave unfriendly reply
With his hands pulling
Her lips tightly to his
He turned away
To his masters call back to the war
She saw how his eyes changed
As he passed through the door
With her arms wrapped around
Her tightly as he rode away
None of the candles still were burning
No sounds were left except
Her heart weeping

©MM

Hi. I have been overloaded at points in my career where having something like this would have been great. I notice there are sites like http://www.virtualassistants.com/ for virtual office staff type work. I don't know if you'll find it helpful or not, but I wish you the best of luck.

FYI - I fought really hard with this one, trying to keep the length down and combine the Spanish and English to give it the right flavor, I hope it tracks okay

None of the candles still were burning
Though sunlight could now
Be found upon the walls
The quilts were tossed about the bed
Left to watch the embers glowing red and
No sounds were left except
Her heart weeping
Their passion had erupted all the night before
Two souls lost mad in love
And joined as one
All the candles had been
Gathered in worship
Praying that
The day would never be
That the sunrise would wait
Forever there for
She knew with the birth of dawn
The cannon would be heard again
And he’d be gone
She remembered how
She’d knelt beside him
Her gown like
Red flames about his legs
As her two hands squeezed his
His calloused fingers touched soft
On her tear laden cheek
Her cries gave voice her worries
As she knew the days of battle would run red
And she began to beg
“Te quiero así,
yo no puedo vivir sin usted”
Telling him that with him gone
That God alone saw her path on
He pulled her to her feet and his
Eyes looked deep in her own
“Silencio,” his voice whispered
Commanding her
be still he went on
“¿Permitiría yo que sus lágrimas toman mi honor?”
“¿Cuándo usted sabe que
el corazón es suyo para siempre más?”
As he told her that his love
For her was endless
But when his country called
That he must answer
The fog had burned off
While the sun was
Still young in the sky
The clouds were mixed with
Smoke from battled waged
As soldiers fired cannons
And the ships there in the
Harbor gave unfriendly reply
With his hands pulling
Her lips tightly to his
He turned away
To his masters call back to the war
She saw how his eyes changed
As he passed through the door
With her arms wrapped around
Her tightly as he rode away
None of the candles still were burning
©MM

Wow I could feel you holding hope tightly as you wrote this. What a magnificent candle in the darkness.

I want to study
So much music theory
I want to find the song to your heart
We’d make beautiful music
If we were ever together
But we’re always apart
I want to make dancers
Discover their passion
While their feet are on the dance floor
And as our eyes meet our
Hearts explode from the beat
So hot that we can’t ignore
Do I need electric guitars
Should I add in a harp
Or just some violin bows
Should I look deep in your face
While someone’s playing a bass
Does that strike the right pose
What would make you pirouette
That move that I can’t forget
Your skirt was swirling so high
And how we clapped our hands
For the skill of the band
When the night said goodbye
So tell me what combination
Would be the perfect flirtation
To make your heart smile
And when the time comes
Perhaps some steel drums
Might bring us close for awhile
To complete your satisfaction
What would be the attraction
The notes that I’m trying to find
How do I build the right band
Like breakers striking the sands
That would make you all mine
I want to study
So much music theory
I want to find the song to your heart
©MM

What do you see on the outside
A white house with a deck
On a carpet of lawn
Raking the leaves
And waving as the neighbors pass by
An old pick up truck and a tired old shed
Empty chairs in the front
And the back yard
A cold morning breeze
The first days of winter write the sky
And you’d never suspect that this scene
Isn’t from a painting
Old Norman Rockwell
A magazine cover
Americana in a New England town
Green paint peeling from the door
A few shingles missing
And the garden all weeds
And a long hedge grows the house
Wears it like a long evening gown
But the comfort seen on the outside
Stays on the outside it seems
The yard reflects
Heart of hearth and home
But it’s not really what I feel inside
Most of the pictures now live inside cardboard
A broken guitar instead of
Songs to sing
Did the rest of me follow on the
Cold day the music died
The days are now filled with memories
Some were from good times
Enjoying friends and family
But I can’t seem to
Find reason to smile anymore
And when the suns coming up
There are tears coming down
And misting my view of the world
And that’s what you’ll find
If you look
Behind the green door
©MM

Actually, since I am still sitting here in western Mass and its pretty cold Mr Bigglesworth, this poem is more a fond memory than live action