Why Do Good Girls Like Bad Boys?

Angel and Devil

on each shoulder

changing their minds

sometimes

we agree

and disagree

ambiguously

unpredictably

 

-Jan.2024

Thinking of Bad Jaki and Good Jacquie

Bad Jaki and I painted basements

In Summer of ‘75

She taught me to sing “Rock and roll all night

And party everyday”

While I did most of the sweating.

 

I sing, "Babe, I’m a hard-work woman"

Jaki belts “Get It While You Can"

‘cause rock stars expect sex and not my brains

and I should learn to fuck

instead of being who I am

 

In college I developed clout

to learn that Kiss rocked that live

and me on the radio through the night

dancing all the way to class

mates that rock us inside and out

 

I smile and hug Kiss’s music

The gateway to more rock and roll

jocks liking artier notables

Todd Rundgren, Frank Zappa, Queen

New wave, punk, fusion, progressive.

 

Good Jacquie made me listen

in Buffalo my gigs went up

I got big bucks to teenybop!

Scorned by big jocks, I still gushed

loving living a rocking fan!

 

Friends for life, Jacquie gave me

kick in the butt, work me harder

to move downstate for my career

read letters to Hit Parader

and after work show biz soirees!

 

The same room with the demon

His voice like a radio host

Filling a room with clarity

A warm basso resonating

Welcoming this pushy woman

 

Paul dancing gave us good views

His energy made us hot

“And nobody’s gonna change me”

He sang, “‘cause that’s who I am”

Eric Carr & Bruce liked my moves.  😊

  

Jacquie gushed all over it.

On a long distance phonecall

She said I’m moving to L.A.

I went to work the next day

The boss scolded ‘cause I danced

 

Screw him, ‘cause that’s who I am!

So sad he doesn’t understand

It’s about the demon—the man

I met Gene Simmons last night

I’m gonna interview HIM!

 

We talked about his mother

And how she taught him to grow up

His ideas on how women talk

They think with their hearts, he said

That’s still making me wonder.

 

One night Hit Parader rocked

Sponsored a Limelight show with KISS

And indie rock bands we respect

Gene & the guys in the lounge

They liked my look all dressed up

 

Chubby me wearing a t-shirt

Smiling he said they were pretty

I never thought that of me

I felt more like a bad ass

Not needing my editor’s snort

 

I know my boss thinks I am weird

But I’m faithful and love my work

While discerning what I hear

I get on with most people

Loving them all near and dear

 

I transition as freelancer

supporting artists, bit by bit

Bruce and I reconnected

Through Grand Funk with Don, Max, Tim  

seen in the Kiss newsletter.

 

Read KISS AND MAKE UP in college

I studied Jewish history

It’s bad people keep hating

I like he’s anti-bullying

It makes me feel extra blessed.

 

And I love all the dramatics

Live rock and theatre are kin

You collaborate you win

That lets you let it all hang out,  

Which makes you fly past the limit

 

spectacular influences

From Twisted Sister, my friends

Helen Wheels, Gwar and Poison

Michigan rock stars Madam X

all inspire the audience

 

My friend Phoebe - Phoebe Legere  

Always working magic live   

She said Gene gave her advice

You can tell, ‘cause her shows go big

She won’t say what he taught her

 

Jacqui’s ears were buzzing

For a week, we talked tongue and star

She cried—we lost Eric Carr

We loved Black'n’Blue and Badlands

We loved Buffalo Rock City

 

In nearby Rochester

And far out in California

I found something similar

All these guys named Mike- all true fans

Small world learning from our rock stars

 

Something I once had seen

of Joe who’s most special to me,

A photo of him wearing

Sunglasses, playing violin

He looked like a brother to Gene

 

Joe was like an old soul

Who kept going as his best fan

A book, concerto, his band

Collaborations connecting  

On stage and off, he’s rock and roll

 

 

Imagine Gene’s support

Buying Joe’s merch at stratos band

Dot com slash shop for album,

cup, and sheet music, mp3s

I dream of Gene, such a great thought….

 

Sigh!

 

They built such an Empire

State Building support in the end

at Madison Square Garden

The idea whatever you do

is to light your passion on fire

 

Good Jacquie’s loving KISS

She’s working in L.A. with smiles

and her friends it’s often good times

Customer service and great art

It all inspires her to do this.

 

Thank you, December

Thank you, December
and anthropologists that love cultures.
I’m grateful to the complainer
that didn’t want the crèche in Town Square.

“Gracias” to this last month.
That exclusion gave me realization
all holy days are for all from now on.
Holy days holidays for anyone.

“Shehr-scher,” holydays, for epiphanies!
Bodhi, Kwanzaa are journeys
Yalda and Christmas help families.
Hanukkah, Winter Solstice love peace

“Ahhh Bahd,” December 8
Bodhi Day is what Buddhists celebrate
and their own enlightenment
and that Buddha awakened!

Hebrew: “To-dah Rah-bah,” Hanukkah,
8 days lighting the menorah
500 BC a temple restored
in Jerusalem where many found their Lord.

“Moo-shoo-sha-kuh-rahm,” first day of winter
The Solstice and Yalda December 21rst
Yalda is Zoroastrian from Persia
Pssst! Freddie Mercury’s their most famous worshipper!

“Goh ruh MAH Hahhguct,” gods and goddesses
The Pagans’ fires and earth’s excesses
are the sun’s life-giving manifestations
and Winter Solstice’s celebrations!

“Danke Schoen,” Christmas day,
created for baby Jesus in the Middle Ages,
doesn’t have to be about money.
It’s really a day that you create

“Engosee,” South Africa, giving us all
the Day of Good Will as its own reward.
For Christians that aren’t commercial
the day after is quite thoughtful!

“Ah-sahn-te” for the first of January is holy.
Kwanzaa’s seventh day of GROWING
harvesting Faith, Unity, and beauty
and living responsibly and creatively!

“Wanìshi,” Powerful Creations:
the air, water, earth inspiration
plants, animals, humans living
night and day thanking all imaginations.

Thank you for listening,
and being understanding
‘cause I believe in love, peace
and every spirituality!

Hugs In the Hood

(To Robin Lane)

If you’re trying to see where I’m going

I’m trying to learn what I’m knowing

Like promoting my poetry

And asking to help me get a reading

Somewhere with somebody

I asked a friend who gets on these bills

She told me I’m unreasonable.

 

Time to boldly hug like we've done before

Hugging we need it more each day, and even more

There’s no scene if people are mean

Hugs Hugs Hugs in the Hood  

Life would be the way it should

If we all understood

The power of good

Hugging for everybody

Including me!!

Bring back Hugging

Hugging in the Hood!!

 

I’ve been dealing with the politicians

They’re saying they’ll bring jobs to the Bronx

I speak up for musicians

Making sure they get compensation

For feel good entertainment

Playing for exposure doesn’t pay bills

Politicians, it's time to be respectful.

 

Time to boldly hug like we've done before

Hugging we need it more each day, and even more

There’s no scene if people are mean

Hugs hugs hugs in the hood  

Life would be the way it should

If we all understood

The power of good

Hugging for everybody

Including me!!

Bring back Hugging

Hugging in the Hood!!

This bridge is about the guy I love

I want to see him rise above

But he acts like an unhappy schmuck

the bearded evil Mr. Spock

not humane as normal Star Trek guy

and I observe lies no matter how hard I try

he finds ways to be mean and play games

sad to see we were never twin flames

He could be helped by some crazy hugging

Doctor McCoy healed just sending good vibrations

To him, my poet friend and all the politicians!

Woo! 

Hugs hugs
Everywhere a hug
Hugging up the scenery
Hugging my mind deliberately

Healing--
Hug me, don't stop that
Can't you hug my mind?

 

Time to boldly hug like we've done before

Hugging we need it more each day, and even more

There’s no scene if people are mean

Hugs Hugs Hugs in the hood  

Life would be the way it should

If we all understood

The power of good

Hugging for everybody

Including me!!

Bring back Hugging

Hugging in the Hood!!

-2023 

tanka

Friday night aging

It takes time to write punchline

no stiffer than me

listening to the YouTube

eating and reading emails

 

-April 20

-

 

Mind Full

In between

Therapists

DePressed

Figure-atively,

Literally.

-February 2023

Writer and Rider - Spiders At Peace

 

Writer the Spider

and Rider the Spider

sat down beside  

one so playful

with intentions

that flowed stomps.

Writer the Spider

And Rider the Spider

jagged their fright

in flight forced

them to die.

 -Feb. 2023