April 19, 2009
New guy came on last night.
Must be someone’s boy toy
Or something.
Ironed t-shirts.
Not a pair of work gloves in sight.
Over-eager.
Desperate to be one of the gang.
And like all newbies,
Doesn’t get the language,
The code
The speak.
The road’s its own beast
You gotta learn it from the ground up
This kid,
He’s got a long way to go
Just to get started.
Everyone laughs,
Snickers
Sneers
Don’t know why I do it,
There ain’t glory in it for me,
Just a lot of ribbing for being a softie.
But
I take the new kid under my wing.
Hand over a spare pair of gloves;
I’ve got three more.
Start with a shadow.
Hand him a broom.
Point.
Use the right language.
He may not make it
But it’s not him people are watching.
It’s me.
Ahh, it’s nice when both the Sunday Scribblings and the Monday Poetry Train overlap. I’d like to do some commentary about this over at my Red Room page, but don’t know if I’ll get the time. We shall see… and of course, if I make the time, you’ll hear about it.
… and that was fast! Go read it…
Sweet Talking Guy..
April 19, 2009 7:44 pm
yEAH this is so true, I love the bit about the ironed t-shirts, (the only thing worse is ironed jeans). Anyway, nicely written and loaded with good logic, right to the close – ‘It’s me’
Sweet Talking Guy..’s last blog post..NaPoWriMo (20) Monday Poetry Train Revisited
Zorlone
April 19, 2009 9:10 pm
Up until the sixth stanza I was guessing what kind of newbie is this guy?
I will surely add some suspense in my future poems.
Great craftsmanship!
Z
Zorlone’s last blog post..Chances (a cinquain)
David Earle
April 20, 2009 3:31 am
we are all ‘that guy’ at some stage in our lives
Shelley Munro
April 20, 2009 5:38 am
I loved this poem. 🙂 It captures the arrival of a newbie so well.
Shelley Munro’s last blog post..April 2009
Linda Jacobs
April 20, 2009 9:15 am
I love the voice in this poem. Down to earth. I think I know him!
Linda Jacobs’s last blog post..NaPoWriMo Day 19: Friendship
Alice Audrey
April 20, 2009 11:17 am
Squeeee! Fresh Roadie Poet! You know what I like. 🙂
Alice Audrey’s last blog post..Sewing Machines
Julia Smith
April 20, 2009 4:13 pm
Ironed T-shirts *snicker* Oh, sorry. Actually, I really love Roadie Poet’s taking the newbie under the wing. How else can a newbie learn the lingo if someone doesn’t show him?
Julia Smith’s last blog post..Poetry Train Monday – 97 – As Prisons Go
Thomma Lyn
April 21, 2009 3:48 am
I love Roadie Poet. What a good heart. And such compassion for the new guy’s plight. I loved “He’s got a long way to go / Just to get started.” Says so much, both about Roadie Poet and about the new guy.
Thomma Lyn’s last blog post..Growth: Both Tadpoles and Crops
gautami tripathy
April 25, 2009 7:26 am
I am gonna love this new guy! He will learn. They always do.
out of that fertile mind
gautami tripathy’s last blog post..moon eats sugar puffs
Art Predator
April 28, 2009 12:57 am
who is really being watched, who really matters–great details, good point!
Art Predator’s last blog post..Poetry News: W.S. Merwin wins Second Pulitzer Prize