ONE MORE, BEFORE THE YEAR ENDS (version I)

A Poem by: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

Looking back,
it was great.
Six more days,
and goodbye 2008!

Spending time
among friends.
A final poem?
That depends.

One more, before the year ends!

The wine is cold,
the glass is full.
Let us rule!
Young, instead of old.

I raise a toast
to all of those
I love the most!
Stay forever close!

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

ONE MORE, BEFORE THE YEAR ENDS (version II)

A POEM by: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

Looking back,
it was great.
Six more days,
and goodbye 2008!

Having fun
with my friends.
Clapping hands.
Singing tunes.

The wine is gold,
the glass is full.
Let us rule!
Young, instead of old.

I raise a toast
to all of those
I love the most!
Stay forever close!

A final poem,
with dividends.
One more,
before the year ends!

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

INSOMNIA

A Poem by: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

Rolling left, rolling right
can’t shut my eyes at night.
Staring at the alarm clock light
3:00 AM shinning bright!

A lot going on in my mind,
but absolutely no sleep.
Why do I bother counting sheep?
Nevermind!

Had a glass of milk.
Still wide awake.
Getting hot under this quilt.
Oh, please gimme a break!

Where the hell is Mr. Sandman?
Running late again.
That’s 5 nights in a row!
What if he decides not to show?

My thoughts are pure caffeine,
on the run and burning steam.
I don’t think I’ll get to dream.
This insomnia is really mean.

Keeping me up
and putting me down.
Turned my smile into a frown.
Damn this town!

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

TWENTY ONE

A Poem by: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

Winner, winner
chicken dinner.
This is but a misdemeanor.
Who's the mighty winner?

Countin' fast,
playin’ cool.
I’m the best,
you’re a fool.

Countin' chips,
makin’ money.
Sailin' ships,
love me honey.

Drinkin’ liquor,
spreadin’ rumors.
Fancy humor?
Ask Wilbur.

Beat the rest,
I’m the best.
Put to test,
time to rest.

Havin’ fun,
about to shout.
Check it out,
twenty one!

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

WHITE CHRISTMAS

A Poem by: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

A time for joy
A time for love
A time for toys
A time for doves

White Christmas

A time for peace
A time for caring
A time for truce
A time for Mary

White Christmas

A time for brothers
A time for snow
A time for sisters
A time for soul

White Christmas

A time for Jesus
A time for tolerance
A time for us
A time for deliverance

White Christmas

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

ALL THE KNOTS

A POEM by: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

I’m here in this very spot
staring at what I’ve got.
Can’t connect the dots,
until I untie all the knots.

Many battles I’ve fought.
More than you would’ve thought.
Some I’ve won, some I’ve lost.
All at a considerable cost.

All those knots!
They’re so many, I lost count.
Untie them all? Maybe not.
It’s quite a large amount.

But this is what life’s all about.
There’s no easy way out.
So why kick, scream and shout?
Failure, like success, is nobody’s fault.

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

I SCREAM

A Poem by: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

Blue sphere
Warming up
Melting here

I scream
Stop it!
Act now!

Blue sphere
Standing up
Walking here

I scream
No cars!
Drive less!

Blue sphere
Speaking up
Fighting here

I scream
Carbon free!
Zero emissions!

Blue sphere
Looking up
Praying here

I scream
Green today!
Live tomorrow!

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

GOMER PYLE

A Poem by: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

I’m a morbid obese
who has a craving for nachos & cheese.
Nobody phones me. Not even my niece.
I’m so lonely I even named my rifle “Chanice”.
Pleased to meet you, I’m Gomer Pyle.

I’m so useless I can’t even make my own bed.
The other day, I fucked up so bad
that the entire platoon beat me ‘til I was nearly dead.
They were looking for bats, but used soap bars instead.
Pleased to meet you, I’m Gomer Pyle.

I’m always hungry, that’s why I keep a jelly doughnut.
The extra calories have added 10 inches to my butt.
I’ve been acting quite weird lately. I may be going nuts.
That’s probably because lately I haven’t had Pizza Hut.
Pleased to meet you, I’m Gomer Pyle.

Sergeant Hartman really despises me and so does Joker.
He has to put up with all the bullshit of babysitting me.
During his free time he no longer plays Poker.
I embarrass the platoon. Everyone seems to agree.
Pleased to meet you, I’m Gomer Pyle.

I’m in a complete world of shit now. Can you see?
I didn’t even hear the sergeant saying “0300 Infantry”.
It seems like I’ve made it, but without my sanity.
I’m all alone in the bathroom. Just my rifle and me.
Pleased to meet you, I’m Gomer Pyle.

It’s 3 in the morning and I start yelling the USMC creed.
Joker walks in and doesn’t believe such crazy deed.
A little push. That’s all I want. That’s all I need.
To pull the trigger and make someone bleed.
Pleased to meet you, I’m Gomer Pyle.

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

THE 3 AMIGOS FROM DETROIT

A Poem by: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

Chrysler, GM and Ford
with a power-trio like this,
the Auto Industry will never get bored...

Gone are them days
of the glorious Model T,
Pontiac, Saturn and also the Humvee.

The 21 billion bail-out package
wouldn’t be enough to repair all of the damage,
and was halted by the folks on Capitol Hill.

By the way, how do the workers in Detroit feel?
They’re about to be buried deep
in motorized coffins made of steel.

Down and round the spiral goes
packed with a handful of desperate C.E.O’s.
What to do? None of them knows.

Will they give up their fat bonuses, stock options
and even their exorbitant salaries?
Or will they continue living in a world of fantasy?

The awful truth about this matter is…
…that their bottom lines can’t afford any of these luxuries.
It’s not like the movies!

What about the corporate jet planes?
I don’t think these should remain.
They ought to be sold.

What about us, the shareholders?
Will we get any gold
or just the bone?

Oh, shit!
The 3 Amigos from Detroit!
What have they done to our profits?

Quick!!!
Get me Mr. Wagoner, Mr. Mulally and Mr. Nardelli
on the phone!!!

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

MY BELOVED CONCUBINE

A Poem by: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

The chords from your guitar
echo back from nineteen sixty nine,
just like the light from twinkling stars
travelling through space and time.

They bring memories from very far,
along with words that when combined
produce the perfect rhyme.
Suddenly, I’m back to my prime.

To the days when all was fine.
You and I together in one heart,
just like ribbons intertwined.
The absolute state-of-the-art!

Oh, I wish we could re-start
rejoining your life with mine,
to never let you part
my beloved concubine.

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

WILLIE SPECKLED HEN

A POEM by: Fernando de mello Pimentel

I wake up every afternoon around 5 pm,
not really knowing who I am
Those night-shifts at the blue river dam,
with just cold coffee and canned spam,
were never part of my original plan

I used to be West High's wrestling champ
Can you believe I was once their main Man,
distributing autographs to all those euphoric fans?
But this took place way-way back then

Today, I get by thanks to my buddy Stan
He got me the roadie job for his grass-roots band
With the extra cash, I'll get my own liquor stand
It'll be a bargain. Maybe two or three grand

Perhaps then I'll win the heart of my gal Fran
She never really thought much of this poor man
Oh my sweet Lord! Here I go again
Throwing myself once more into the garbage can

When will I quit this nuisance and make a stand?
I don't have to put up with modest, cheap brands
or live off charity or even government amends
And I'm no bum or underdog either, ma friend

So listen to me carefully, you foolish old men
I'm a countryman. From the mountains I descend.
And I won't lower my head or obey your demands
For I am the Great Willie Speckled Hen
Will I have to repeat it, or do you comprehend?

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

CATERPILLAR

A POEM by: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

Caterpillar
Here's your three pillars:
light, puff and pass

Caterpillar
Your silky epidermis
holds good grass

Caterpillar
You've given us some hits
for mind emancipation

Caterpillar
We've been here waiting
for your transformation

Caterpillar
Instead, you've given us wings
so that we can fly

Caterpillar
Who's this moth?
Where's my butterfly?

Caterpillar
What a great sensation
You’re a real thriller

Caterpillar
I was skeptical at first
Now I’m a believer!

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

JOHNNY

A POEM by: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

Johnny was a young man
who had to wear olive green
Johnny was an innocent fool
who joined a killing machine

Johnny was a faithful servant
who prayed so he could dream
Johnny was an empty pocket
who was bred to be mean

Johnny was a bad shot
who had to keep his rifle clean
Johnny was a thirsty troop
who drank from a rusty canteen

Johnny was the lowest rank
who had to clean filthy latrines
Johnny was always the one under the sun
who wore no U.V. sunscreen

Johnny was a pot-head
who knew he could never be clean
Johnny was the first grunt
who was ambushed by Ho Chi Minh

Johnny was one complete mess
who had his gut torn and no spleen
Johnny was just another casualty of war
who didn’t make it past eighteen

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

GREEN BENJAMINS

A POEM by: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

Once a powerful multi-billionaire
Now, just a holder of worthless shares
at a unit price of less than a dime
Blame it all on those lousy 'sub-prime'

Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae,
once the hottest couple in Wall Street,
have seen nearly all their value fade away
in a major overnight capitalist defeat

Don't worry, it's just business as usual
with thousands of homeless families
having no cash for mortgage or fuel
What's next? Empty bellies?

Nevermind, cause at the end of the day
all we want is to be part of "The Dream"
with a little speculation and a bit of foul play
just to get our hands on those Green Benjamins!

However, let us not forget a historical date
Cause what happened back in '29
Might well happen again in 2008
Will this be Capitalism's tragic fate?

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

AUGUST 21

A Poem by: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

It was on August 21
that I knew I wasn't the only one
The coming of the daughter,
turned the son into a brother
It was a feeling like no other
What a great gift I got from mother!
Then I understood
the true meaning of brotherhood
Life would never be lonely, I found
from the craddle to the playground
Your favorite ride was the merry-go-round
To me you'll always be my little sister,
and I will always look after you
From intimate talks to popping a blister
I want you to know I'm here for you.

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

RED DRAGON

A Poem by: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

You're the mighty giant from the far east
Greediness has turned you into a ferocious beast
The world's become your own private feast
Petrol, iron and coal are your power yeast

Your body's been stretching year after year
Boosted by efficiency and economies of scale
You've grown so much, the whole world's in fear

You're the guardian of 1.3 billion souls,
whose lives you keep under strict control
What else do we need to know?

You're on top of the planet's food chain
You're not in for the loss, but for the gain
Even the bald eagle felt the effect of your growing pains

You're certainly not an easy creature to tame
You've won the most gold medals in the Beijing Games
Your ambition is scorching like the olympic flames

Throughout your life, you've witnessed many men of fame
Mao was one of them. He was never ashamed
of all the innocent men he killed and framed

The clash between modernity and your millenar traditions
Has left you in some sort of raging contradiction
Although your power is ubiquitous, you're trapped in affliction

But yin & yang has always been part of your wild nature
It has made you who you are. A source of inimitable stature
You're the mighty Red Dragon. You're God's favorite creature.

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

PERFECT STRANGERS

A Poem by: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

We're perfect strangers
unaware of the dangers
of our complete lack of intimacy

Are we blind?
Or don't we simply want to see
what has happened to you and me?

We've slipped away from each other's minds
Our feelings are now so rare
They're really hard to find

Tell me, when did we cease to care?
It's hard to believe we were once one
When we always had to be together

There wasn't such a thing as being alone
We thought our love would last forever
You were tissue, and I was bone

We thought life wouldn't separate us ever!
Mutual commitment was our cornerstone
However, never say never

What is done is done
Our relationship is severely severed
As if we'd never had each other

Like an orphan who's never known his mother
or a sister who's never met his brother
We don't know what to miss. So why bother?

We're perfect strangers
Unaware of the dangers
of our complete lack of intimacy.

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

YOU'RE THE REASON

A Poem by: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

I will follow the lines
on the palm of your hands
For your destiny lies with mine

I will reach for your heart
From the end till the start
cause you are my best part

I will walk that extra mile
even if it takes me into exile
Just to bring out your smile

Haven't seen you today
and that seems quite a while
It's your number I'm about to dial

Will you answer my call,
so that our love may stand tall?
That's what I've always wanted
For as far as I can recall

I want to be with you, no matter the season
winter, spring, summer or fall
If my life's complete, you're the reason.

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

I MISS THE DAYS...

A Poem by: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

I miss the days when it all made sense
When all the jokes weren't made at my expense
When laughter prevailed, and tears didn't stand a chance

I miss the days when love would find romance
When you and I could join for a dance
When you could win me over with just a stare and a glance

I miss the days when you came to my defense
When all your words were of love, not offense
When we didn't have to worry about cause or consequence

I miss the days when you thought I had relevance
When you treated me with little or no irreverence
When losing me was bad riddance

I miss the days when we were two in France
When the smell of your body was my favorite fragrance
When understanding our passion was not a matter of intelligence

I miss the days when you and I could speak in the present tense
When I was a direct object in all your loving sentences
When I was cited in your verses in very particular instances

I miss the days when love was our deliverance
When all of my words held enough credence
When we didn’t have to act with such prudence

I miss the days when desire was intense
When your touch gave me confidence
When all the rest was nonsense

I miss the days…

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

IN EXCHANGE

A POEM by: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

Lights get dimmer on stage
with the coming of age.
And by turning the page
gone are them days of rage.

Past and present engage
under sheets of maroon and beige.
As youth flees its gentle cage
pumping shells from a 12 gauge.

Feelings have gone on a rampage.
Living off a minimum wage.
Spare me some change?
Things are so strange...

A sitting target in a shooting range.
A year for every bullet in exchange.
Can that be arranged?
Or should all my verses end with age?

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

31

A POEM by: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

31 is not 13 backwards
Yes, life moved forward
But the numbers are still there
3 and 1
If you move 1 in front of 3
Well, that was me 18 years ago
I was so damn young
A brand new gun
And now what, son?
Another 18 to look forward to?
Perhaps... Who knows?
Then I'll be 49...
What will the future hold?
Shall I let the numbers unfold?
No. Don't wanna play this game no more...
Am I afraid to place 9 in front of 4?
Damn! I'll be 94!
Time to kiss the floor...

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

COMPLETE LOSS OF INNOCENCE

A POEM by: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

Oh, I can feel it grow
A total lack of control
A dark, single hole
No pulse, dead cold

A moment quite intense
Neither soft or dense
Complete loss of innocence
May I have the first dance?

Nevermind the guests
They bear no interest
In you, me or the rest
Eggs without a nest

Love’s a luxury I can’t afford
Specially when I’m bored
Volunteers? Come forward!
It’s you I’m aiming towards!

My poetry’s got imagery
It expresses love fiercely
If that’s not enough dear
There’s always the jewelery…

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.

WHEN IN NIMBIN...

THE PSYCHADELIC, LOST IN TIME, HIPPIE NATURED TOWN OF NIMBIN IS A MUST SEE FOR ALL THOSE TRAVELLERS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING MORE IN THE LAND DOWN UNDER.

BY: Fernando de Mello Pimentel

Have you ever been to Australia? Have you ever surfed the mighty waves at Bell's Beach and Surfers' Paradise? Have you driven through the sinuous roads that form the Great Ocean Road? How about cruising in a boat through the mysterious rivers of the Northern Territory? Perhaps if you have done the above, you may call your self an experienced traveller in Aussie grounds. However, there's a little city in New South Wales where the "Mountains touch the sky" and where time seems to have stopped. It is NIMBIN, a small country town with approximately 2.000 settlers living the "hippie dream" in the wake of the 21st century!!!
Nimbin is a fantastic bucolic experience for those back-packers who are curious to discover the more obscure grounds of Australia. For those who are willing to "drive the extra mile" in search of something genuine and mesmerizing. If you have never believed in time travel, you better buckle-up, sit back and enjoy the ride because NIMBIN will take you there!
A much curious fact regards the reputation of the city: NIMBIN is the only city in Australia where the use of marijuana is tolerated. In fact you can light yourself a nice fat reefer with the best local weed! Got the munchies? Well, don't you worry! Because there are lot's of coffee shops around to satisfy your food cravings!
I would strongly recommend passer-bys and back-packers to stay at the RAINBOW RETREAT (75 Thornburn Street,Nimbin, NSW, ph: 02 66891262), an incredible nimbin accomodation which is located in a near-by farm. Be sure to talk to Doug, the proprietor. He'll get you started and show you around the premises! He'll also give you good tips about where to eat and go in "Freakin Nimbin", as he likes to call it.
Well, I'll tell you one thing: if you want to experience the roots of Australia, well you better get your arse in Nimbin! You'll have the time of your life there! Let the sunshine! Cheers!

All Rights Reserved - 2008 FPimentel Poems & Publishing Co.