Pinball life
As a youngster growing up in an amusement park
Each day held two powerful challenges
First, to find enough lost coins under the boardwalk
To finance my next challenge at the Pinball machines
In the Penny Arcade. Here's how life went then:
Five ball Bally's
And Williams machines
Tested my daily togetherness
During boyhood years
When my eyes and heart searched for structure.
Mirrors were too untidy, vague, and shallow
Uncreatively Truthful, so something more meaningful
Simply had to speak!
What greater mind could exist than behind the Pinball machines?
The ultimate, electromechanical Metaphor of Life!
The Coin...The Hope
The Launch...The Birth
The Bumpers...The Luck
The Flippers...The Skill
The Targets....The Goals
The Lights ......The Passion
The Fingers.....The Commitment
The Score........The Joy
The fifth ball... The Fear
The reset........The Life
My God!..... What's happening?
There's no reset on this machine!
Let's go home and write some poetry!
Starting right here:
THE MAN I MIGHT HAVE BEEN:
Across my mind from yesterday
He sometimes comes to me
The little boy I used to be
And yet he smiles so wistfully
Once he has come within
I wonder if he hopes to see
The man I might have been
Snow Water Lake, my life with you
Shall never be less than blessed
As I reflect on where I was and now
Where I am, my time with you was best
The lake and park and cottage friends
Shall live within my soul while getting old
As natures plan has taken sure it 'toll
So now I write with gratitude
And joy beyond compare to know my grave
Is all arranged and I shall meet you there.