Rett

Sep 26, 2008 ⭐ View statistics (Premium feature)

Five Days Straight

Five days straight from dawn to dusk
Sawing up limbs and piling brush
Every night I'm dog tired
Fall abed wishing to be fired

Sitting to remove my shoes
Still no lights, but that is old news
Dog tired when I hit the floor
Brain went dead just inside the door

Two hours fussing I came back
Two hours of memory I lack
Scared my wife and son in law
Forced to rest stucking in my craw

Five more days working to dark
Skeeters have picnics in the park
Five days, again I hit the ground
Now the dear wife has me chained down

The city sent me some help
They’ll come Saturday to my step
End of my rope and I slipped
The wife said, “Don’t give me any lip!”

9-26-08

— Rett, Sep 26, 2008

About This Poem

About the Author

Region, Country: Southern Texas, USA

Favorite Poets: Dickenson, Longfellow

This user supports Neopoet so it can be free to all

Critiques

infinite_dwarf

17 years 8 months ago

awww

"don't you gimme no lip..." - LOL! I know this was supposed to come off as humor in place of the stresses of the week, but I just couldn't laugh. It saddens me that people are struggling there. FEMA and all them are probably loaded to the max with everyone submitting claims. It's a grab-a-number-and-stand-in-line game now. Any word on when the juice will come back?? Keep safe, my friend. ~Jess K. ---------------------------------------------------- "If you've ever emptied the back of your pickup truck by driving backward really fast and slamming on the brakes, you might be a redneck" - Jeff Foxworthy Bill Engvall: "that's how we moved"

Rett

17 years 8 months ago

Sorry

Forgot to say I have juice now. Yep, it is wait and wait right now. In spite of some complaints you will hear, everything is working and has worked as well as can be expected. Federal, state, county and local are pretty much working together so don't listen to the chronic whiners. I think most of those are from New Orleans anyway. Respectfully, Rett: "The only thing observable with the naked eye to exceed the speed of light is rumor" Unknown

DarkinAZ

17 years 8 months ago

Tough work...

hard times. Glad to see you weathering the storm, rather the after storm. Keep your chin up my friend. Sincerely, Mark

Rett

17 years 8 months ago

Thanks Mark

I appreciate it. Cat 2 storm, cat 4 surge. Respectfully, Rett: "The only thing observable with the naked eye to exceed the speed of light is rumor" Unknown

easylife_2

17 years 8 months ago

keep up the good work

A reward ,though not necessarily material,will sure come to you.Thank you.

Rett

17 years 8 months ago

Thanks a lot easy

My reward will be getting my house and yard in order and seeing other people get some semblance of their life back. I appreciate it! Respectfully, Rett: "The only thing observable with the naked eye to exceed the speed of light is rumor" Unknown

Janice Pearce

17 years 8 months ago

Five Days Straight

Rett, May God give you strength to get through this. Your poem shows the frustration you felt after trying so hard for those five days. "There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you." Will Rogers

Rett

17 years 8 months ago

Thanks Janice

Yeah, I was frustrated big time. Had a close one 3 days later. Blood pressure dropped to 105 over 45 and pulse went down to 47. Doing fine now. My city councilman and his wife and a couple of volunteers came and finished the raking. I felt good enough to mow today. Respectfully, Rett: "The only thing observable with the naked eye to exceed the speed of light is rumor" Unknown

Eduardo Cruz

17 years 8 months ago

All and All,

It sounds like you did what ever it took, you proved your metal. Work is how we forget our Troubles, and your doing just that. Hang in there we're rooting for you!!! Eddie 'do like the once barren tree: flourish, and like the planted seed: rise" Jose de Diego

Rett

17 years 8 months ago

Thanks Eddie

We do what we have to. I enjoy working sometimes a little too much. *LOL* Respectfully, Rett: "The only thing observable with the naked eye to exceed the speed of light is rumor" Unknown

yenti

17 years 8 months ago

Rett

Sorry to hear of your state youngun, we have a Nephew living around Houston, Sugarland there and things were bad, his wife was left there alone and she relates, that she had a wind up radio, and had kept her phone charged up, so they had contact with the rest of the world. They lost their roof but no one was hurt, Have a load of pics from Houston area there of the damage and my thought are with you all, that you come through this all ok. Yours, Ian.T

Rett

17 years 8 months ago

Thanks Ian

We didn't get hit quite as hard as Galveston and Houston, but it was bad enough. Things are now cleaned up. Hope I see a claims man before the end of the year. *L* Thank you for the thoughts. I appreciate it. Respectfully, Rett: "The only thing observable with the naked eye to exceed the speed of light is rumor" Unknown

prayersbyPatty

17 years 8 months ago

Rett

Hey my friend. Sorry to hear of the damage, espically since we talked about Katrina. Work is good for the soul, but not the body if you are heart-challenged. Take it easy and don't give me no lip. Glad that your power is back on. mosquitoes----- yuck. Little Dracula's I hate them. I heard if you put a fan around where you are working they will get blown away. Praying for God to help all still with this hurricane stuff for about a year now. Some of the storms have been less for some, but not for all. take care, Patty

Rett

17 years 8 months ago

Thanks Patty

The fan works on most mosquitoes, but these were Texas Salt Grass Mosquitos. Those suckers are vicious!*L* Seriously, one bit me and for 4.5 hours it felt like someone had stuck a lit cigarette to my arm. I think it had been eating salt. Thank you for the prayers, I truly appreciate that. Respectfully, Rett: "The only thing observable with the naked eye to exceed the speed of light is rumor" Unknown

weirdelf

17 years 8 months ago

I could feeling that grinding exhaustion.

Bloody effectively written. But I respect you too much as a poet to let you leave it as it stands. All I suggest are some minor edits for the scansion. I will make a couple of suggestions but you will find more to do if you read it aloud to yourself. Falling into bed wishing I could be fired one too many syllables, not sure of the fix without losing or changing meaning. Still no lights, but that is old news Still no lights, but that's old news Two hours of fussing I finally was back no need for yoda here Two hours of fussing I was finally back you get my drift, I think it's worth the edit. What is FEMA? cheers, Jess

Rett

17 years 8 months ago

Thanks Elf, you're right as usual

I will work on it some more. When written I as very tired. Probably shouldn't even have posted as I usually go over and over things before doing so. FEMA is the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The people that provide aid to the states and local governments in times of disaster. One part of the total mis-management that occured when the Hurricane hit New Orleans La. Here everything has worked very well with only a few glitches, but us Texans are a bit of a breed unto ourselves. We try mostly to get it done ourselves. *LOL* Will make needed changes very soon my friend. As soon as I get woke up better I will revue it and tune it up. Respectfully, Rett: "Two things stand in the way of a liberal doing what he thinks is best for people. One, he doesn't have enough power and two, we have too much freedom. If he figures out how to overcome either then we are in real trouble." Rett