A Short Leap (you would think for a mature audience)
Summer of 1966 I was
Just out of high school
Newspaper web press apprentice
For the San Francisco Chronicle
Working one night I overheard
Several journeymen
Talking about
If they could
Get up enough money
Get the bets up high enough
Buy him a couple of drinks
See if he really could do it
They wanted to talk
This other jouneyman into
Proving what
He'd been bragging about
Up until this point
It had only been a rumor
No one had seen him do it
No one believed it could be done
The proper amount of cash
Was quickly raised
Even guys from the third floor
Newsroom white shirts and ties got involved
They put in their share of money
Once the word got around
Posted their bets
I put up my two bucks
We gathered in the basement
Where the one-ton rolls
Of blank newsprint are hoisted
Like fat spindles
Spinning
At a maximum speed
Of thirty-thousand
Continuous copies an hour
When the audience had gathered
The lights in the basement were turned off
Only for a moment
So we could all see the electricity
This journeyman's claim to fame
So he had bragged was
He could put one hand
On a spinning newsprint roll
Build up enough static electricity
To be able at the proper moment
To reach into his pants
With his other hand and
Get an arc of electricity to leap
From the frame
Of the metal press
To the tip of his dick
I was too far back in the crowd
To be an actual eyewitness
It still cost me two bucks
I bet he couldn't do it
Some said it was a trick
He must have had a screwdriver
Or a piece of metal
In his pocket
Some swore it was the real thing
They saw the flash of light
The arc leapt - - - that's tall that counted
There was a little arguing over the bets
He ending up collecting his share of the money
Couldn't be convinced
To do it again for double or nothing
Once was more than enough for me too
poem by Tom J. Mariani
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
2008: It Still Bugs Me It's No Longer Green
For those of you who were not reading
The 'San Francisco Chronicle' back when
The sports section was printed
On green newsprint
- - - you may not see the loss as I do
They throw us old readers a bone
They still call it 'The Sporting Green'
Sometimes printing the heading in green
onn white newsprint - BFD
- - - if you know what I mean
They said the cost of green newsprint
Had gotten too high
So had the ballplayers' salaries
But they weren't all replaced with white rookies
- - - if ya know what I mean
Every morning Mon. to Sat. - - - there it was
Green and ready to be
Pulled out from the other sections
I might look at later
Regardless of how big the paper was
How they folded it
I could always put my hands on
Last night's final scores and today's schedules
It tucked neatly into my back pocket
So on my first break
I could read about
Some of the other games
You could tell who in the shop
Played the ponies
Their attention was on
Yesterday's results and payouts
Constantly checking and rechecking
Before it was time
To turn in their betting slips to Mary-the-Book
On the loading dock
No live racing on your iPhone
Not even Watch-and-Wager
At the fairgrounds back then
To get your bets down
You had write them down
Hand the slips to Mary-the-Book and wait
You knew the guys who had other bookies
You'd find them in the phone booth calling their's in
That's another thing I'm not happy about
Seeing gone - - - phone booths made calls private
Close the door you could cuss cry call your girlfriend
No one - - - not even your wife had to know
Now I have to search all through the 'Chron'
To find Sports - It's is 'wrapped around'
Want-ads Business Style or some other crap
They say that saves money too
Talk about not saving something
Bay Meadows is gone
Had it's last horse race
Gonna be condos business parks and
Apartments with the latest designs above retail
High density communal living
You can bet somebody's go'na make a buck
Environmentally green unlike how they now view horse shit
- - - if you know what I mean
Nature's noblest beast
Along with bovines and their gas
Are no longer considered
Environmentally friendly
We now live with computer wagering
Attendance at tracks is down
Mary is out of a job
Circulation at the paper is down too
- - - you may not sense the loss
It's like your seventy percent
Partially clogged artery
It's still functioning right now but wait
'Til the day it hits ya
- - - if ya know what I mean
poem by Tom J. Mariani
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Electricity
Our one source of energy
The ultimate discovery
Electric blue for me
Never more to be free
Electricity
Nuclear and hep
Carbon fuels from the sea
Wasted electricity
Our one source of energy
Electricity
All we need to live today
A gift for man to throw away
The chance to change has nearly gone
The alternative is only one
The final source of energy
Solar electricity
Electricity
Electricity
Electricity
Electricity
Electricity
E . . .
song performed by by Omd
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I Will Take The Money
In assets quite poor with little cash to my name
I will take the money you can have the fame
Your fame it will not buy you a loaf of bread
No you have the fame I'll have money instead
Your money speaks more of you as it does seem
Than fame or it's sibling known as high esteem
With money as such they cannot hope to compare
This simple truth with you I only do share
Few things money cannot buy that much we do know
And on bushes and trees money it does not grow
In life it is quite important it does seem that way
And it does speak every language as some are known to say
Perhaps I may sound greedy for that me do not blame
When I say I will take the money you can have the fame.
poem by Francis Duggan
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Money, Money
My baby gives me the finance blues, tax me to the limit of my revenues.
Here she comes finger-poppin, clickety-click
She says furs or diamonds, you take your pick.
She wants money, what she wants, she wants money, what she wants,
She wants money, what she wants, she wants money, what she wants,
Money money, money money money. money money, money money money.
She say, money, honey, Id rob a bank,
I just load my gun and mosey down to the bank.
Knockin off my neighborhood savings and load,
To keep my sweet chiquita in eau de cologne.
She wants money, what she wants, she wants money, what she wants,
Money money, money money money. money money, money money money.
Mama dont send me down to rob that bank again,
I got a notion that your leadin me to sin.
Wont you relax, wont you lay way back,
Dont you bug your honey bout no cadillac.
Its only bucks, you dont need no jack.
So wont you please relax and lay way back.
My babys lovin gives me such a thrill;
It gives me inspiration makin counterfeit bills.
Now some folks say the best things in life are free,
She wants money, what she wants, she wants money, what she wants,
Money money, money money money. money money, money money money.
Lord made a lady out of adams rib, next thing you know, you got womens lib.
Lovely to look upon, heaven to touch;
Its a real shame that they got to cost so much.
song performed by by Grateful Dead
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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So You Boil Down To Money
how long did it take you
to boil down
all about
you
things and people to money?
was it long enough
to find yourself
sitting on a bench
and then
think
of green bucks
and tell yourself
this is the real world
why did they not
tell me
in school
why was not
it studied
as a curriculum
in the university?
why did we study
religion
or ethics
or philosophy
when
when when everything is said and done
it is
after all the money that matters most of all
the more i have
that more i want to have
all these money
money talks
and so here you are listening,
got some you say, and it will take a lot of sentimentalism
to part
with some bucks, and mind you, just like them
all of them in this world
no one gives money
without something in exchange
you see,
that is the truth that you have discovered
and you are sticking to it
boil all your sentiments
and values and
let things simmer down
money, money
the flower of all evils,
now smell it
and think for a while
what life
will it give you
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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AUG 13-09***For the Thousands That Have Destroyed It
It took only one
To restore
My faith in man
Here's what it took
I was low on printer paper
So I went to an office supply store
Just got out of my Jeep
When a dirty 20 somehting
Asks can help him and his old lady
I don't see an old lady
But he unfolds an old cardboard sign
That says so
I've got a couple of bucks
Of loose change
In my pocket
I dig it out
Hand it to him
He's profusely grateful
Just then a toothless old guy
Rolls oujt of the store
Asks the youngster for a smoke
As I walk away I hear
'Don't have a smoke,
but I will share with you
What I just got.'
I go in the store
As they share my two bucks
By the time I turn to go back
To give them more
They're gone
poem by Tom J. Mariani
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Neighborhood Threat
Down where your paint is cracking
Look down you backstair buddy
Somebodys living there and
He dont really feel the weather
And he dont share your pleasures
No he dont share your pleasures
Look at his eyes
Did you see his crazy eyes
Youre so surprised he dont run to catch your ash
Everybody always wants to kiss your trash
Ah you cant help him
Nobody can
Now that he knows
Theres nothing to get
Will you still place your bet
On the neighborhood threat
Somewhere a babys bleeding
Somewhere a mothers needing
Outside a boy is lying
But mostly he is crying
And he just shouts in anger
Youll find him interesting
Look at his eyes
Did you see his crazy eyes
Youre so surprised he doesnt build for you
Everybody always wants to run with you
Ah you cant help him
Nobody can
Now that he knows
Theres nothing to get
Will you still place your bet
On the neighborhood threat
Youre so surprised he dont run to catch your ash
Everybody always wants to kiss your trash
Ah you cant help him
Nobody can
Now that he knows
Theres nothing to get
Will you still place your bet
On the neighborhood threat
On the neighborhood threat (a night in your face)
Dont place your bets (a night in your place)
On the neighborhood threat (will you still place your bets)
Dont place your bets (when the neighbor comes)
On the neighborhood threat (neighborhood threat)
Dont place yor bets
On the neigborhood threat
song performed by by David Bowie
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Energy streamlined
Many ways, would spread the fire.
Single way only, spreads the electricity.
She is, who turned my fire to electricity.
Towards her only, as electricity, I now run.
Keep fuse heavier
For no current failure.
04.06.99, Palakkad
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
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How To Make Money
how to make money,
baby;
how to make money;
tell me sweet love
you tell me
how to make money
how to make an easy billion
the world’s full of it
in cyberspace
and in shopping malls;
the world’s full of money schemes
in our real world
and where we buy a drink
or get more fries
it’s full on
about how to make money,
baby;
how to make money
make money, pal
they say
doing nothing;
I’ve got an auto system
and all you need is internet
and all you’ve got to do
is sit back and let the dollars roll
into your bank account
so tell me
how to make money,
baby;
how to make money
come in to this meeting
another group says
and we’ll show you how
show you how easy it is
how easy it is to make money:
it’s auto, auto, auto, fully automated
and the money keeps coming;
the money rolls
rolls in, rolls in, rolls in
tell me
how to make money,
baby;
how to make money
it’s all so easy
because we want
you to enjoy the life
we’ve earned;
we’ve made our money
and we want you to share
in the happiness;
it’s all so easy, dear friends –
we’ll guide you each step of the way;
we’ll show you how to make the money
so they’ll tell us
how to make money,
baby;
how to make money:
the only thing is
what they mean is
how to make money for them, babe,
how to make money for them
with a simple transfer of money
transfer of money, transfer of money
transfer of money from the foolish
transfer of money from the foolish to the deceitful;
wealth is, dear darling,
wealth is the transfer of money
from the foolish to the cunning
how to make money,
baby;
how to make money;
tell me sweet love
you tell me
how to make money
how to make an easy billion
poem by Raj Arumugam
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Communication
Light beams from outer space
Drifting to your satellite
Your dish responds
Communication disinformation
So entertaining
Blood money blood money
Its wild in here
Theres a girl on the floor
Shes gonna blow this place apart
Gonna take us all
All away
Communication disinformation
So entertaining
Blood money blood money
Its wild out here
You should see the light
]from the crown of the king
The king of the night
Spinning metal blue satellite
Your dish responds
Communication disinformation
So entertaining
Blood money blood money
Its wild out here
Situations alright
Gonna keep up the lies
And our version of life
I wont leave this dirty place
Ill stay here til the end
The lights are on
So action man
Show us the truth
Communication disinformation
So entertaining
Blood money blood money
Theres a war out here
Theres a bomb on the floor
Gonna blow this place apart
Gonna take this show away
song performed by by INXS
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Electricity
Feel the electricity in the air.
It strips me bare.
Embracing that which is so rare.
Enjoy this time that you are spare.
There is so little do you dare?
In this space your heart does race.
With the lights and music pounding in your face.
You feel the rush in disco rate.
Faster now the music pounds.
Electricity in the air surrounds.
We shed our troubles on the floor.
Knowing nothing of rich or poor.
Out here equal to the core.
Electricity through your body pours.
I dig this beat it's really sweet.
In this pulsing we both meet.
Sucking off the electric treat.
Our hair on end.
Electric shocks we send.
Our motivations we don't defend.
We want it now, we feel it bad.
Electricity thrills us too the end.
Every night we come to find.
Electricity that forever binds.
We have no need for common rhymes.
What we have is super fine.
So come and join our electric base.
You'll never find a deeper place.
poem by Michael McParland
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Dont Go In The Basement
Oh..
You can tell a dirty story
In the old conservatory...
But dont go in the basement!
You can make a scene
On the mezanene
But dont go in the basement!
You can fill yourself with static
With the ghosts up in the attic
But dont go in the basement!
You can light yourself a torch
On the old front porch
But dont go in the basement!
Oh you may think that its real cool
To ride down the bannister like some darn fool
Oh dont go... dont go!!
Dont go in the basement!
You can feel quite aloof
Playing rummy on the roof
But dont go in the basement!
Where the cockroaches dance
You can wallow in romance
But dont go in the basement!
You may think that its deluxe
To ride the bannister filled with rust
Oh dont go, dont go!
Dont go in the basement!!!!
song performed by by Oingo Boingo
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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They Can Not Live Without That Fix
MONEY
MONEY
MONEY
Less is the significance.
And the importance,
Of one's quality of life.
Once the having of money,
And the affect of it...
Became the impression,
One wanted to make.
To flaunt and have it,
And from their pockets drip!
MONEY
MONEY
MONEY
And the satisfaction teased,
Would increase with a taste...
For more of it.
Until those not having it,
Were quickly despised.
And with character assassinations...
There became a rise of ruined lives,
With deciet, lies and alibis!
MONEY
MONEY
MONEY
Drifting in mental fits,
Are those today being weened away from it.
Crazed in protests...
With voices raised demanding,
And with their minds splitting into pieces!
A feeding of greed has done this.
At the expense of their consciousness!
MONEY
MONEY
MONEY
And just like addicts!
They can not live without that fix!
MONEY
MONEY
MONEY
They want yours and mine!
And anything that looks like it!
MONEY
MONEY
MONEY
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Urgently
Money...$
What For?
Sharing
Not sure
For bills, need more
Money.
Money...
Plant a seed
It is what we all need
I want to plant you URGENTLY
A Money tree.
Money,
Is it for giving?
Money
High cost of living
Money.
Money,
Such crime
Money,
People doing time
Money.
Money...
Touching, everyones hands
Germs galore; who cares I have plans
For money.
Money...
Does it make the world turn
Yes, No
One day we will learn. $$$$$$$$$$$$
Drama or comedy programming is still the surest way for advertisers to reach a mass audience. Once that changes, all bets are off.
Follow The Money
Ive got to follow the money
Gotta go to work
Gotta make a living
Till my body hurts
Gotta bite my lip
Gotta wreck my health
Gotta break my back
For my share of wealth
(repeat)
Ive gotta the follow money
Gotta earn my pay
I spent everything
I earned yesterday
Gotta find the cash
cos it wont find me
So I can feed myself
And my family
When I left school I was bummin around
Id smoke and drink and let my mind wander
Id roll out of bed about twelve oclock
I cant do that any longer
Ive gotta folow the money
Gotta go to work
Gotta make a living
Till my body hurts
Gotta bite my lip
Gotta wreck my health
Gotta break my back
For my share of wealth
Now I need to toil cos its good for my soul
I feel clean when Im working
You drop all the mystical celtic bull
cos that stuffs just jerking
Im not saying that I work like my dad
I know I dont work like my mum
But Im made of the same stuff and Im six feet tall
Gimme the tools Ill get the job done
Gotta follow the money
Gotta go to work
Gotta make a living
Till my body hurts
Gotta bit my lip
Gotta break my back
For my share of wealth
Ive gotta follow the money
Gotta earn my pay
I spent everything
I earned yesterday
Gotta find the cash
cos it wont find me
So I can feed myself
And my family
Feed myself and my family
Thats why
Im working
Im working
Im working
Im working
Im working
Im working now
song performed by by Proclaimers
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Electricity
One source of energy
The ultimate discovery
Electric blue for me
Never more to be free
Electricity
Nuclear and h.e.p.
Carbon fuels from the sea
Wasted electricity
One source of energy
Electricity
All we need to live today
A gift for man to throw away
The chances has nearly gone
The alternative is one
Final source of energy
Solar electricity
song performed by by NOFX
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Golden Moments
Now if all my golden moments
Could be rolled into one
They would shine just like the sun
For a summer day
And after it was over
We could have it back again
With credit to the editor
For striking out the rain (very clean)
And all it really needed
Was the proper point of view
No ones gonna bring me down
No ones gonna stop me now
Now I gathered up my sorrows
And I sold them all for gold
And I gathered up the gold
And I threw it all away
It all went for a good time and a song (come on)
The laughter was like music
It did float my soul along for awhile
And all it really needed was the proper point of view
No ones gonna reach me here
No ones gonna know Im gone
You may think I might be crazy
And I guess you might be right
But I know the way I feel today is out of sight
I do not trust your senses to remember your name
Without corrective lenses
Things are never twice the same anyway
And all it really needed
Was the proper point of view
No ones gonna bring me down
No ones gonna stop me now
No ones gonna reach me here
No ones gonna know Im gone
song performed by by James Taylor
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Money
Money, get away.
Get a good job with good pay and you're okay.
Money, it's a gas.
Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash.
New car, caviar, four star daydream,
Think I'll buy me a football team.
Money, get back.
I'm all right Jack keep your hands off of my stack.
Money, it's a hit.
Don't give me that do goody good bullshit.
I'm in the high-fidelity first class traveling set
And I think I need a Lear jet.
Money, it's a crime.
Share it fairly but don't take a slice of my pie.
Money, so they say
Is the root of all evil today.
But if you ask for a rise it's no surprise that they're
giving none away.
"HuHuh! I was in the right!"
"Yes, absolutely in the right!"
"I certainly was in the right!"
"You was definitely in the right. That geezer was cruising for a
bruising!"
"Yeah!"
"Why does anyone do anything?"
"I don't know, I was really drunk at the time!"
"I was just telling him, he couldn't get into number 2. He was asking
why he wasn't coming up on freely, after I was yelling and
screaming and telling him why he wasn't coming up on freely.
It came as a heavy blow, but we sorted the matter out"
song performed by by Deep Purple, music by Roger Waters from Dark Side Of The Moon (1972)
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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World War II Lessons That We're Still Fighting
Summer of 1966
I had been working
Since I turned eighteen
As an apprentice pressman
It was summertime in San Francisco
I got to work full time so in the Fall
I could afford to work part-time
And go to college
My dad had been
A newspaper pressman
Since he returned home
From WW II in the Pacific
He got me my job at the Chronicle
That was how you got union jobs
You had to know someone
Who was already working there
That's why no Blacks were in our union
None worked upstairs either
To report there were none
Working on the presses downstairs
My dad was only seventeen
When he and his buddies
Signed up for the Navy
Right after Pearl Harbor
His graduation was in North Carolina
Learning how to be a tail-gunner
Getting ready to ship out and find out
What the wide white line was for
Painted down the middle of the floor
Of the hall where the band played loud
While young men danced with women
Most would never see again
The local civilians thought
Concessions were being made
By even allowing them
In the building
But my dad saw firsthand
They knew their place
One side of the dance floor
Restrooms bar and buffet tables
Where for Whites Only
Sailors Waves nurses and
Local white females
Waiting to dance and be held
The other side of the line
Not to be crossed
Its restrooms bar and separate buffet
Were for the Blacks
They all danced
To the same music
Only careful not to cross
That wide white painted line
Summer of 1966
We danced in Golden Gate Park
Silly us - - - Did we think we had erased
That wide white dividing line
poem by Tom J. Mariani
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