Ancient Greeks died
buried with coins
under their tongues,
their safe passage
to the underworld
where Charon,
bearded Ferryman
dressed in a tunic
and conical hat,
ferried the dead
across a river to
Hades, land of the dead
The obol coin, the
cost of admission.
Bob Boyd
In 1984, Satan possessed a toaster.
The story spread fast like a speeding roller coaster.
On one piece of burnt toast, the Devil wrote Satan Lives.
The nerve of Beelzebub; it makes you wonder what gives.
It was even claimed that through the toaster Satan spoke
As for me, I think it was just a devilish joke.
Bob Boyd
In Lake Champlain Vermont
lives an elusive sea monster
named Champ first seen
in 1609 and 299 times
after that reputedly.
Like many cryptids Champ
is a champion at hiding;
Many alleged sightings
But no proof.
Wouldn’t it be amazing
if one day Champ made his
debut and wowed the world
as a throwback to
prehistoric times.
And since no mate
has been seen
Champ must be
centuries old with an
anti-aging formula
as yet unknown.
I’d like it if Champ
came out of the lake
and declared his
authenticity to the world.
But somehow I suspect
from watching many
monster movies
that day would be
a bad day For Champ.
So I can understand him
staying out of the media
glare, being reclusive.
Because I’m reclusive too
and wouldn’t want all that
annoying paparazzi attention.
Bob Boyd
On my back I felt a soft tap
I turned around and saw cute you
I was six I think you were too
I remember your red hair
So pretty in the summer air
You smiled at me and ran away
But I never forgot that day
In over seventy long years
Though happy times and times of tears
If only I had talked to you
Under that summer sky so blue
It could have led to something new
And maybe true love as we grew
But alas the moment went by
I write that with a forlorn sigh
Maybe in the life beyond this
Older, true love we will not miss.
Bob Boyd
Mongolian Death Worm King of Worms
Hidden in the Gopi sands unfindable
Humble and possessing great wisdom
You seek not the fame you could have.
You know it’s a fickle fading light
You know if you made a world debut
Like King Kong, they’d cage and debase you
Like King Kong, they’d exhibit and destroy you
Because you are so different, so wondrous
And so uniquely beautiful.
Hail Mongolian Death Worm
King of Worms!
Bob Boyd
Inhabits the Mogollon Rim, Arizona
7 to 10 feet tall
hair all over its body
footprints 22 inches long
has godawful body oder
the scent is sickening
like dead fish and skunk
and raw sewage
mimics birds and animal
sounds
makes terrifying and loud
screams
throws rocks and sticks
at people
harasses campers
at night
who is this monster?
it’s the Mogollon Monster,
maybe Bigfoot or a
similar species
is it real or imaginary?
I don’t know, but I’m
not about to find out.
Bob Boyd
I met a wolf once
somewhere in Vermont
face to face
eyes to eyes
his eyes were luminous
and spoke of the wild
but there was also
sadness in his eyes
because he was
held captive in a cage
by a Native American
who had a permit to
keep a wolf encaged.
Bob Boyd
Because Grim knows I’m good with dying
he keeps avoiding me
but gives me close calls to try to torment me
hey, Grim, here’s what you don’t seem to know
torment me all you want with close calls
they don’t bother me at all
the me that is beyond the body
the me that is beyond the mind
the pure consciousness that I really am.
Bob Boyd
ASMR, Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response
is popular on YouTube today
mostly by soft speaking or whispering women
it makes you so incredibly relaxed,
listening to these skilled ASMRists
so relaxed it’s like a state of consciousness
you might want to stay in forever
I’m 80 now, and I’ve often been ASMR’d
I like it now and then, like a vacation for my mind
like a respite from the stressors of living
I was first ASMR’d at age 6, not by intention
a shoe salesmen helping me with shoes
had a voice so soothing that listening to him
I got profoundly relaxed, and like a delicious
daydream I was entranced by his words
and got deeper and deeper relaxed
many decades later when ASMR debuted on
YouTube it brought back that memory
and the incredible state of relaxation.
Bob Boyd
Started out as a singer
didn’t have enough success
so she and her husband turned
to black magic witchcraft
began making a lot of money
attracted many people
who paid for their spells
a politician who wanted to
win an important election
contacted Mona for a spell
she had him lay down in a dark room
with his eyes closed
instead of performing a ritual for the spell
she had her assistant chop off his head
cut his body into 18 pieces
and bury him 5 feet in a hole
covered over with concrete
the police picked up the assistant
on a drug charge a while later
he confessed to the murder of the politician
implicated Mona and her husband’s part in it
Mona, her assistance, and her husband
charged with the murder
and all suspected in the murder
and disappearances of other people
Mona, her husband and their assistant
ended up executed by hanging.
Bob Boyd