SPRING THE GENIE

SPRING THE GENIE

(IN MEMORY OF ROBIN WILLIAMS)

This is not a dry run,

So open up the throttle,

And give the engine lots of gas,

Spring the genie from the bottle.

What little straw you do possess,

Turn into gold of happiness.

Do stand up at the Improv,

Be bold and quit your day job.

Go buy flowers for yourself,

For they are lost upon the dead.

And sprinkle petals liberally

Upon your lover's blessed head.

This is not a dry run,

A time for going through the motions,

Don't stick a toe into the stream,

But hurl yourself into the ocean.

When you fall down, don't ask why,

Or spend the time to cry.

For life goes on without you

And your dreams go hurdling by.

This is not a dry run,

Nor a dress rehearsal,

And at the risk of saying something

Kind of controversial.

The curtain it rises and it falls,

So do not hesitate or stall.

Go on and pull out all the stops,

And give life all you've got.

It's a swift, brief ride from cradle to hearse,

Do not frown or be cast down,

Or things will go from bad to worse.

It's carpe diem, seize the day,

As the Romans used to say.

I do not want to steal their prose,

So let me paraphrase.

Put the pedal to the metal,

Open wide the throttle,

And burn the highway with your tires,

Spring the genie from the bottle.

-Bruce Potts

Revised Copyright 2014

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

PRICE TAG

PRICE TAG

Don't look at the price tag,
As you wander through the world.
Don't you boast and don't you brag,
You thrifty boy, misguided girl.
Live each day like the glamorous,
The wanderer, the amorous,
The Gatsby and his bride.
Live life in the open,
Turn the world upon its side.

Don't walk if you can run,
Don't crawl if you can amble,
Don't iron your shirts, for better or worse,
Be aimless, free, and ramble.
Don't plant flowers that wither.
Brighten someone else's day,
With a bouquet made of the finest silk,
With your smile to light their way.

Don't lay up riches for yourself on earth,
That is not my message, nor my theory.
But know that you are of infinite worth,
And leap about 'til you are weary.
Eat dessert first often, citing chapter, quoting verse,
Make your way through this infinite day,
Dance 'til you drop and spill your purse,
Onto the floor goes your treasure,
Don't count your losses, just survey your wins,
With a dollop of luck for good measure.

Surprise the universe with a mighty high five,
For no one's getting out alive,
And death in the end will stake its claim,
No matter your riches, no matter your fame,
May as well just live by chance,
Spend your children's inheritance,
Though tongues will cluck and tails will wag,
And fools will speak of duty,
I'm telling you ignore the price tag,
Fill your life with truth and beauty.

You cannot take it with you when you go,
When you're buried deep 'neath the winter snow,
Share your riches while you still are living,
Still are breathing, still forgiving,
Still have your mind and your body intact,
It's not hard to do when you examine the facts,
Go shopping in the cosmic mall,
In the clear light of the day,
Before all your chins begin to sag,
Ignore the limits of the price tag,
Let the child in you come out to play.

Go window shopping, clotheshorse hopping,
'Til something makes you bray,
A motif of clouds or a burial shroud,
Or a bright floral bouquet.
Could be a house dress, could be an evening gown,
The looking's free, for you and me,
Just practice up and don't look down. 

If you've money and can afford to buy,
Do not ask wherefore or why,
Ignore the jealous raves and rants,
And splurge on those designer pants.
Say yes to the Rolex, yes to the Gucci bag,
If the cash is there, then clear the air,
And close your eyes to the price tag.
Treat yourself as a king or queen is all I really mean.
Indulge yourself with a happy dance,
An occasional extravagance.

Make light of illness and of strife,
As you go wandering through this life,
Live each day as your very last,
Don't spend it on a weight loss fast.
Go through the world like the glamorous,
The wanderer, the amorous,
The Gatsby and his bride,
And live life in the open,
Turn the world upon its side.

--Bruce Potts
Copyright 2013
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED