would

by wiggly jones "the little hippie boy"

if i were a rabbit i would spend my days absorbing the sun’s beneficent rays if i were a tiger i would sit in a tree wondering why i was meant to be if i were a cockroach i would not care as long as i was getting my share if i were a cat i would find a cozy spot watch the world go by and think my thoughts if i were a monkey i would throw a stone so i would not feel so all alone if i were a beetle i would sit in the grass because i would know all things must pass if i were a river i would flow to the sea if i were you i would not be me if i were a dog i would chase a ball if i were a bird i would fly over you all

lions bloom in the spring

by bofa xesjum

lions bloom in the spring mice make plans in the arctic nightingales sing in the county fair ottomans demand free parking parrots are not always nice but quietly burrow from within rhubarb patches go wild if the slobs are not careful it is always time for a sandwich unless there is vital news from the east it is hard to find new watchmen when the old ones await so extemporaneously has no one told you yet that the asteroids have organized and plan a comprehensive bonanza with the dogs, in the distant flowerbeds?

the wind and the desert

by genghis gilgamesh

albert was an einstein billy was a kid columbus was a sailor they all knew what danny did the emperor commanded the fellaheen to leave their land he built a city in the desert fellows, it was grand the streets were paved with silver the jails were built of gold the castle split the sky in two where the world was bought and sold a traveler approached the gate with a tiger at his side a mighty trumpet sounded and the gate was opened wide another traveler followed carrying a book the trumpet did not sound for him but the earth shook written in the traveler’s book was the true name of the king a raindrop fell upon the sand and a bird began to sing goliath was a giant harry was a horse sinbad was a sailor the wind blew him off course

white clouds

by genghis gilgamesh

albert was an animal billy was a bug david was a diplomat who gave the world a hug earl was an ectoplasm swimming in the sea fred was a fine fellow with a teacup on his knee gus had a pocket full of gumdrops that he fed to the birds herbert had a hundred horses but only two or three words i remember jonah the whaler he hung out down at the docks with bertrand russell and the wandering jew and they had long serious talks jack slade was an outlaw and so was jesse james they were in alcataz together but forgot each other’s names king richard wore a crown of gold and went on the crusades little john and robin hood slept in the shade machiavelli wrote a book that the pope threw in the trash nostradamus wrote another and saw all history in a flash columbus sailed the ocean blue and found a world that he called new birds flew above and paid no heed to the proclamation he did read sir walter raleigh lay on the beach and watched white clouds sail out of reach and wished he could lie there all day but that is not nature’s’s way

overflow

by dog e relaford

alexander was not so great billy the kid deserved a better fate confucius said a few things because who knows what tomorrow brings danny deever was hanged at dawn for not keeping off the lawn eratosthenes had a long name because he knew how to play the game frank james was the brains of the gang genghis khan deserved to hang for what he did to hank the hat i knew you would see it like that ike the icicle got a bad rap jerry the jumper tipped his cap to that nefarious rascal, old king kole when larry the lender was on a roll at midnight all the monks come out and the new recruits give a mighty shout omar the tentmaker buys a round and the drums in the distance start to pound at this point the policeman gets queasy robin hood tells him to take it easy st swithin will come back on time to put an end to this foolish rhyme under a black and whispering sky the raindrops all come home to die another version of this tale is available through the mail wait for it if you please expect a flash of lightning through the trees you might be surprised at what befalls your empty eyes

1962

by dog e relaford

the day is cool except when it is hot people are friendly except when they are not the truth is true except when it is wrong i walk down the road singing my little song nobody listens or joins in my tune the sun is setting it will all be over soon i had an old dog his name was blue he has been gone a long time but his heart was true i loved a girl named nancy her smile was oh so bright she never knew i existed but that was all right i joined the communist party in 1933 that is a secret between you and me i formed a secret brotherhood in 1946 i only told three people but did not teach them my tricks i thought that i would rule the world by 1962 i had a wonderful speech prepared but my plans all fell through i got on a greyhound bus and went back to my little town but nancy had five children with the mayor, solomon brown dreams can sometimes not come true take if from one who knows but the sun comes up in the morning and the peaceful river flows if i could go back and change the world what would i change it to? i would leave the night to be black and the day to be blue