The Desert Inn

 

      The Desert Inn

On a dark desert highway.

Cool wind in my hair.

I cranked open the chopper.

I didn’t have a care.

Watched the stars up high.

No one was around.

I ran out of ‘poppers’.

I thought I heard a sound.

I pulled over & stopped.

All I heard was the wind.

I thought I heard the coppers.

As I scratched under my chin,

Good thing I ran out of ‘poppers.’

I heard a voice on the wind.

 

“Welcome to the Desert Inn.”

“What a lovely place.”

“Such a lovely face.”

“Come stay awhile within.”

“Any time of year.”

“You are welcome here.”

 

I looked all around.

I could not see a thing.

I listened for a sound.

I couldn’t hear a thing.

 

I started riding down the road.

Soon I saw a shimmering light.

I thought this must be the place.

It turned out I was right.

The Desert Inn; as I was told.

A sign above the door said:

WELCOME- STAY AWHILE

“Can I get myself a bed?”

The night clerk smiled.

“If that’s what you want, sir.”

I told him that it was.

“Can I get a cold beer?”

“I’ll bring one up in awhile.”

 

“Welcome to the Desert Inn.”

“What a lovely place.”

“Such a lovely face.”

“Come stay awhile within.”

“Any time of year.”

“You are welcome here.”

 

Again, I looked all around

I could not see a thing.

I listened for a sound.

I couldn’t hear a thing.

 

I found the room & in I went.

Simple but, cozy.

Nothing to rave about.

Then I decided to mosey.

And have a look about.

I heard laughter from a vent.

In the ‘party room’, below.

a party was going on..

I went to join the show.

I wasn’t gone for too long.

The waitress came.

I ordered a beer.

She said “It is a real shame.”

“We don’t have any beer here.”

 

“Welcome to the Desert Inn.”

“What a lovely place.”

“Such a lovely face.”

“Come stay awhile within.”

“Any time of year.”

“You are welcome here.”

 

I looked all around.

I could not see a thing.

I listened for a sound.

I couldn’t hear a thing.

 

I asked the waitress what it was.

“What do you mean?” she said.

“Someone singing about this place.”

“Oh, that is nothing.” she said.

“Ghosts sing about this place.”

“What do you mean?” I said.

“Just past guests who like it here.”

“Past guests who like it here?”

“Well, yes. You can check out anytime.”

“But, You can never leave.”

I shot out of there like a jet bird.

I rode 100 mph to the nearest town.

I told the sheriff what I saw & heard.

He laughed, then frowned.

 

He sang: “Welcome to the Desert Inn.”

“What a lovely place.”

“Such a lovely face.”

“Come stay awhile within.”

“Any time of year.”

“You are welcome here.”

 

“Did you look all around son?”

“Did you not see anything?”

“Did you listen for a sound son?”

“Did you not hear a thing?”

 

“Yes, that is exactly what happened.”

“It is all an urban legend. son.”

“Many people went through what you did.”

“No trace of the place is ever found.”

“We’ll go look when it’s light.”

“You will see what I mean.”

“You can follow me on your bike.”

“We will check out the scene.”

In the morning we went back there.

Not a thing could be found or heard.

He said “I was lucky to be there.”

“Some people didn’t make it out, we heard.”

I had to take him at his word.

I had nothing else to say.

As I rode away I heard a bird.

It seemed to be laughing all the way.———R. W. Johnson—–(2014)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did You Know?

 

Did You Know?

Did you know?

The dark side of the moon does not glow.

Did you know?

My heart is all aglow.

Can’t you see.

This all means much to me.

Can’t you see.

There is so much yet to see.

All around.

From dizzying heights to the ground..

All around.

The glow can be found.

Come with me.

We both will go and see.

Come with me.

We will both finally be free.

We can flee.

Flee from all reality.

We can flee.

To a place where we can really see.

Just to know.

Can make the difference in the show.

Just to know.

Will help to understand how time flows.

I want to see.

Am I really me?

I want to see.

Would we really be free?

Let it be.

There is only you and me.

Let it be.

Nothing happens unless you see.————-R. W. Johnson—–(2014)

 

Lavender And Green

 

Lavender And Green

Lavender and green.

What a pretty scene.

What does it mean?

Lavender and green.

It was in my dream.

Nothing else was seen.

Nothing in between.

Just Lavender and green.

The sky was Lavender.

The trees were green.

You were Lavender.

I was green.

Does it mean

that you were mean?

Jealousy is green.

It doesn’t mean a thing.

Jealousy I didn’t bring.

You were not mean.

It must mean something?

Just call it a dream.

In time, see what it means.———R. W. Johnson—–(2014)

 

 

I Lost My Memory Because Of You

     I Lost My Memory Because Of You.

There it is. That same old house.

I came up quiet as a mouse.

With hesitation, I knocked on the door.

Soon, a woman came to the door.

She smiled and said ”Hi.” and no more.

“Excuse me but, have I been here before?”

She looked at me with surprise & said “No.”

”Oh, one more thing before you go.”

“Do you happen to know my name?”

“You don’t even know your own name?”

“No, you see. I have lost my memory.”

“What happened? Can you tell me?”

“I woke up in the hospital 3 days ago.”

“They said I was found lying next to the road.”

“They assumed I had been hit by a car.”

“Minor cuts & bruises was all so far.’

“Also a concussion from when I fell.”

“I had no memory of it as well.”

“Where did this all happen?”

“They found me on Valencia near Main.”

Suddenly, very pale, she became.

“You said this was 3 days ago?”

“That’s what they told me before they let me go.”

“I was driving there that night.”

“Something banged my door on the right.”

“I thought the tire flipped something up.”

“Or, maybe, I had hit a big rut.”

“I saw nothing in my rear view mirror.”

“I think it was you that I hit, I fear.”

“How did you know to come here to find me?”

“I had money to stay several days in a hotel, see.”

“I had no I.D. on me when I was found.”

“There was this money lying around.”

“They said maybe I was out for a walk.”

“I might live near there, within a few blocks.”

“ I started walking all around from there.”

“Each time I was drawn to this house , I swear.”

“Now you know as much as me.”

“Come in & stay awhile with me”

“At least until your memory comes back.”

“It’s the least I can do after the fact.”

I stayed there and time went by.

She was single and pretty shy.

Gradually, my memory did return.

I lived close by, I did learn.

I had come by the money honestly.

I was not married I was glad to see.

I have to cut this story short.

But, this is my favorite retort.

“Here is my wife who I remember now.”

“She wasn’t at the start but, she is now.”

—————————————————R. W. Johnson—–(2014)

 

 

 

You’re Different, It’s True

         You’re Different, It’s True

It’s very odd when I think about you.

The things you do only you would do.

On our first date you said to dress warm.

You drove us way into the mountains .

I was getting nervous being with you.

it wasn’t long before I found out then.

You’ve been this way since you were born.

We ended up at a little lake frozen over.

You got skates out of the back. New, never worn.

We had our own private skating rink.

We zipped around till we got bolder.

We had a ball, like in the Olympics.

It was so fun I could hardly think.

Another time you said we’d see a show.

We ended way up on top of a hill.

We saw a meteor shower at night.

It was the best theater place we could go.

It felt so romantic watching it on the hill.

Somehow, I felt that this was right.

 

I never know what you have in mind.

I never know what you’re going to do.

It seems it is different every time.

Just keep on doing what you do.

It is still odd when I think of you.

I can’t think what I would do without you.

 

We have been seeing each other for awhile .

I look forward to our next date with a smile.

I wonder if you feel the same as I do.

You say you love doing things with me.

You never get tired of planning things.

We may be bird watching at the zoo.

We may watch whales on the open sea.

I found listening to nature as it sings

to be as beautiful as an opera sounds.

On a trip new things are seen I never knew.

You are so observant you see it all.

You point it out to me as I am overwhelmed.

A new world opened before me as I look around.

I hope our relationship is never threw.

I just want to cling to you and never fall.

You talk to me and new insights are opened.

I never saw so deeply into myself or you.

You say you have deep feelings & you’re not joking.

You want to pour out your love & not feel like a fool.

 

I never know what you have in mind.

I never know what you’re going to do.

it seems it is different every time.

Just keep doing what you do.

It is still odd when I think of you.

I can’t think what I would do without you.

—————————————————R. W. Johnson—–(2014)

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

 

 

Poem Material

 

      Poem Material

I haven’t written a poem in awhile now.

Got to come up with a new poem somehow.

Lots of thoughts running through my head.

Nothing that’s good that I’ve heard or read.

I need to grab something out of the blue.

I can’t think of what else I can do.

I can’t even think of something that is creepy.

All that’s happening is that I’m getting sleepy.

 

All  was dark, then ‘It’ was the darkness.

On a starless night ‘It’ came. ‘It’ was heartless.

I knew beyond a doubt that ‘It’ was ‘The Other.’

I knew for sure that ‘It’ was not my brother.

I am also glad ‘It’ was not my mother.

All my life I’ve never seen a ‘demon’, riding on the wind.

‘It’ seemed to laugh then said I could never win.

‘It’ promised me my life if I would worship ‘him’.

 

A awoke with a start. I had fallen asleep.

‘What was that?’ A nightmare, I didn’t want to repeat.

‘Just great.’ ‘I try to write a poem & I pass out.’

‘Then have a nightmare.’ ‘What’s this about?’

‘My imagination is going wild.’

‘Why couldn’t I dream of heaven?’, I smiled.

‘Being able to write poems could be a curse.’

‘But, then again, it’s all in the verse’.

————————————————–R. W. Johnson—–(2014)