Don't Deny It!

Now, this next poem could receive some flak... but pay attention to the third stanza and you'll see what I mean.

"Can't Put Down Disco"
by Neil Mullins

Well you can badmouth rock'n'roll
And heck no won't listen to techno
Some people can't swing to save their lives
But when the DJ brings out the ball, you know

You can't put down disco
Because it starts right in your shoes
You can't help but break out your moves
Every time that record rolls

Anyone can do it, just tap your feet, get the beat
Stroll out on that lighted floor and strut your stuff
Make up your own moves, become one of the elite
Do it smooth, get in the groove, and even if you start out rough

You can't put down disco...

American West Romance...

Is what this next poem is about... I had the phrase "Will you pull the trigger" stuck in my mind for about a week before I wrote this... and no, I was not contemplating suicide.

"Bar Fight"
by Neil Mullins

'Ya got a gun in your hand there, son,
Pulled it straight from the hip
And you've had it up to here with his run
Yer not gonna take anymore o' his lip.

Y'all had a few drinks in a row
Right after you tied your horses
And then he starts sayin' things 'bout your woman, real low
Takin' you right past the point of throwing punches.

So now you're both outside, pistols drawn
And you could stand out there 'til the break of next dawn...

Will you pull the trigger,
And let that bullet fly?
Or will you be a coward, walk up to him
And just spit in his eye?

All Aboard for the Dark History Tour! Step right this way.

Well, I must say that this weekend has been quite eventful. Probably the best thing about it (and it took up the most time) was the fact that my dad and I got to go on a field trip. We joined up with the CPP Geo Club for a walking tour of Downtown Los Angeles, and it was a pretty good experience for me. Shot about 60 photos, got in a lot of exercise (along with some great Persian Kebabs from the Grand Central Market) and a lot of railfanning action as well (we took the Metrolink from Claremont to Union Station, saw the Santa Fe and Pacific Electric Buildings, etc.) And I say "Dark History Tour" because I got to learn a ton of stuff about the darker side of L.A.'s "history". Like the fact that the inconvenient parts have been covered up with tastier tidbits stolen from other histories, and how the L.A. Times used to be the real guns in town... it was cool, made me think critically quite a bit, and I always like that. And plus, I'd always wanted to do a tour of my own urban backyard! (I know, I'm from Long Beach, but L.A. is the county seat.) ANYHOO... I hadn't been on a real train in a considerable while... 3 years to be exact (Portland's metro doesnt count as a "train" in my book, it's "light train/rail"), and stepping on a train for me is quite an experience for me. Here, then, is a poem about it. Written on Metrolink #366, coming back from L.A.

"That First Step"
by Neil Mullins

I stood out on the platform, one day,
My eyes brimming with anticipation
And a sight so simple, so bold, a train
Filled me with inspiration.

Yet I was also afraid
To embark upon this moving mass
That moved on steel rails laid,
Those tracks like sinewy long ribbons of silver glass.

To where would I go? And to when?
To places and times, far-off and untold,
Over mountains and rivers, and through fields,
My gaze glued to the window as steel wheels rolled.

The conductor took me out of my thoughts as he snapped,
"Climb aboard so we can leave, son"
And as my foot to aluminum steps tapped,
I knew that first step... was where I'd won.

I'm not gone yet... not even fading out

So um yeah, I've still been writing poetry at an average rate of 2 poems a week... but last week's poems were for certain people and the occasions surrounding them, so I didn't post.
Anyhoo, I've been going through a healing process of sorts lately, and I've definitely learned some things from God about it. If you want the real story, contact me in another way, I'd rather not say it here (besides, it would take over this blog entry). Some of you who read this, and you know who you are, know what's been up with me lately, and to let y'all know what happened, it was a no-go. That's it. Still, though I'm healing, it takes awhile for the pain to go away, and the pain sucks more if salt is added to the wound (but I think it makes the wound heal faster? I don't know.). I wrote a poem about it tonight. Sounds kind of emo, I know. And maybe I'll release some other stuff I wrote a while back on this situation, not sure. Without further ado, here it is.

"A Sad Song"
by Neil Mullins

Play me... a sad song
Play it clear and blue
Or play it purple, for all I care
So long as you're sad too

Had a chance and took it
Stepped out on the right foot
But I broke it
And yeah it's healin' (but the pain's still there)

With the pain comes tears of sadness
As well as irritation
But while I'm waiting for the cast to come off
I take strength in my salvation

Se l'amo, se la vie. (That's love, that's life)
Se la vie, se l'amo. (That's life, that's love)
Se la vie, dangit! Haha...
I guess that's how things go, my feelings come down like snow

So play me a sad song
Play it clear and blue
And if you're as down as I am,
You can sing along, too.