Toothless at the Bar ~ Winning the World Series in '04

TOOTHLESS AT THE BAR 

(Winning the World Series in '04)

Words by Gwendolyn Soper   ©2004

My ninety-year-old grandpa

Said when he was just a kid

The Red Sox won the series.

Fenway ruled the world, they did.

Then Babe went to the Yankees.

“Big deal”, young Gramps said, “You’ll see.

Someday we’ll win again!

I’ll wait.  We’ll sweep a victory.”

Years came and went, Gramp’s eyes grew dim,

But his hope shone stronger yet.

“Just wait”, he said, “We’ve got the goods.

Besides, I made a bet.”

His old friend Nick and he,

When they were four years old,

Had bet on favorite teams way back—

Six and eighty years ago.

Nick bet on the Yanks, Babe was his man.

Gramps for the Sox, of course.

Hotdogs a nickel, and rootbeer for less,

Bought from a cart with a horse.

Sitting on the curb on Yawkey Way

They finished their lunch with the bet.

Raising mugs of rootbeer each cheered,

“My team will win the series, yet!”

Last night, the trophy raised,

The Red Sox claimed their due!

Gramps won the bet that survived world wars,

And the first man on the moon.

Nick’s paying up tonight

At the pub near Fenway Park:

A drink on him.  Rootbeer, no less.

And Gramp’s smiling, toothless, at the bar.

The Hub of America

image via celebrateboston.com

THE HUB OF AMERICA

Words by Gwendolyn Soper  ©2005

Trimountaine we first were dubbed

For three hills that once were here.

But Puritans renamed it “Boston”

After their England hometown dear.

The Hub, we proudly hail thee!

Birthplace of liberty.

Spokes of education and civility

Radiate from thee.

More than sixty universities

And colleges in Boston Great

Boast more students in our town

Than any city in the states.

Three-hundred-fifty years of history

Cloak Boston with great honor

We are a living museum

Making history by the hour.

          “The Athens of America”

Another nickname, if you please,

Since we had the first of many things:

First schools and free libraries.

Who led the way to end slavery?

Bostonians became the heart

Of abolitionists who paved the way

Before the Civil War.

“Banned in Boston” was a boast they made

And now joke about today.

New fangled art or theatre

Went against the Puritan way.

Sound "Smahtah" at the Regatta

photo via blog.zagat.com

SOUND “SMAHTAH” AT THE REGATTA

Words by Gwendolyn Soper   ©2005

The Kennedy’s had

What you may very well call

The prahpuh way of speaking

With that New England drawl.

At the world’s lahgest picnic

Along the River Chahls,

Yo’uh likely to hea’uh new language

From the lady next to you in pearls:

“Little Catherine had her bahth last night.

She got bubbles up her nose.

We lahft and lahft ‘til we thought we’d die.

We hurt her feelings, I suppose.”

“This picnic’s divine, Penelope, dear.

The peetzer hits the spot.

The rowing crews look sweaty, though.

Coming Friday to our yacht?”

“Look they’re rowing!” (“No, it’s sculling, dear”)

“And the boats”, (“You mean shells”) “Are so thin!”

“How do they keep from tipping

And letting the woahtah in?”

“Quinzee Mahket is where I’m going

Tomorrow for lunch with Jack.”

“Try the finguh sandwiches with cukes.

They’uh divine with woahtuhcress.

“A’right, it’s time we go back home

To Woatuhtown before it’s dahk.

The stah’s ‘r out, I’m getting cold.

Wheuh’s the cah?”

“You pahked yo’uh cah neeuh Hahvud Yahd.”

In a Minute, Men, Minutemen!

photo via awesomestories.com

IN A MINUTE, MEN, MINUTEMEN! 

Words by Gwendolyn Soper   ©2005

When do you need us?

We’ll come running to your aid!

We’re here to help our countrymen.

No need to be afraid!

Can you be ready in a minute, men?

Minutemen?

Aye!  In a minute, men!

We’re Minutemen!

We’re strong as the oxen

In our hand-hewn barns

We’re reg’lar folk who live at home

Protectin’ what is ours.

Freedom, life and liberty

Are part of what we cherish.

Wives and children; most important!

We fight!  Lest they perish.

If it’s early ‘fore the sun has risen

And we hear your twilight call,

We’ll dress and run in minutes

To form a human wall.

Guns a-ready? Courage man!

We fear no man in red.

We’re patriots that fight for truth,

Though some of us are dead.