At the U.S. Open

Went to see some tennis
At the U.S. Open courts.
It’s always such a treat to witness
Any outdoor sports.

It’s quite a different feeling
From what we see on TV.
Just being in the stadium
Was magical to me.

Although you see it all at home
From cameras everywhere,
There’s something quite intangible
You feel by being there.

So if you watched the matches
That were televised today,
Among the cheers and groans that happen
When the players play,

You might have heard my voice or maybe
Seen me in the crowd;
‘Cause I was at the U.S. Open
And I sure was wowed!

Turning Back

Tried to get from A to B,
But didn’t quite succeed.
The odds were stacked against us
And no way could we proceed.

Roads were closed because of floods
And accidents shut others.
We would have continued,
If we only had our druthers.

But being in the car for hours
And crawling or worse, sitting,
Just melted our resolve and so
We had no choice but quitting.

We turned around, went back to A;
Gave up on reaching B.
I guess in life that nothing
Has a fool-proof guarantee.

We’ll try again when floods have gone
And all the roads are fixed,
But ‘til that time, the best laid plans
Have pretty much been nixed.

After the Storm

Life returns to normal,
People head to work;
But below the surface,
Some surprises surely lurk:

Lots of detours on the roads,
Rivers scaling banks;
If your route is trouble-free,
You owe a debt of thanks.

Stranded passengers still wait,
Fighting or resigned;
Canceled plans have left so many
Stuck in quite a bind.

Power outages still rage,
People making do;
Human nature helps us cope
So somehow, we’ll get through.

Still, the sun is shining;
Clean-up has begun.
We’ll deal with the hassles
And attack them, one by one.

Let’s hope we clean up quickly –
Well, as fast as time permits;
‘Cause we need a little breathing room
Before the next storm hits.

The Hurricane

The hurricane has come and gone
And how you fared depended
On where you live or where you were
When Irene’s wrath descended.

If you reside or had been staying
On or near the ocean,
You might have been amazed to see
The sea in roiling motion.

Its crashing waves might possibly
Have damaged your foundation,
Or caused a flood or knocked down trees
Or worse, a combination.

Many people watched in dread,
Preparing by the hour;
But all their caution was in vain
Because they still lost power.

I walked the neighborhood today –
Saw branches strewn around;
And several trees were sliced in half,
Their trunks splayed on the ground.

The promenade was filled with people
Out to check the scene.
It added something spicy
To their usual routine.

With stores and restaurants mostly closed
And nothing status quo,
They strolled along the river’s edge
With no place else to go.

The hurricane is over now,
Its havoc left behind;
And whether we were spared or not,
We have an ax to grind.

Waiting for the Storm

Subways canceled; buses, too.
Cannot visit park or zoo.
Broadway tickets? Outta luck.
Far from home? You might be stuck.

Baseball games not being played.
Flights postponed – at best, delayed.
Museums closed and so are gyms.
In churches, there might not be hymns.

If you’re residing in Zone A,
Evacuate without delay.
For all the rest, have flashlights, please,
‘Cause Con Ed has no guarantees.

Stock yourself with food and drink;
Here we totter, on the brink.
Get supplies or you’ll regret it.
When Irene hits, you won’t sweat it.

Nature loves to throw us curves
And newscasters pump up your nerves.
Still, I’m all set and won’t complain,
Just waiting for the wind and rain.

I wonder, though, if they’re mistaken -
If it’s sunny when we waken?
Experts will say we were spared
Because we were so well-prepared!

Ma'am

At one time strangers called me “Miss,”
But now it’s switched to “Ma’am.”
I guess I must absorb the fact
That “Ma’am” is what I am.

If people offer me a seat
When on a bus or train,
I feel a little bad, but hey –
A seat? I can’t complain.

But somehow, when they call me “Ma’am,”
My blood starts running cold;
‘Cause I gain nothing but the fact
That I am viewed as OLD!

For younger generation folk,
My wise advice is this:
Do women everywhere a favor –
Ditch the “Ma’am” for “Miss!”

Caught!

Got a ticket in the mail
For driving through a light.
Evidence is there so strong,
It doesn’t pay to fight.

There’s our car, the light is red
And we are sailing through;
It was several weeks ago –
I wonder if we knew.

I’m thinking back, but can’t recall
If we accelerated,
Unaware that on a pole,
A hidden camera waited.

It doesn’t really matter now;
That camera law sure sucks.
One moment’s step upon the gas
And we’re out fifty bucks!