Liquid Lunch: Photo and Poem

-

Photo: My grandfather (pictured right) and friend in the Army--1944





One Shot


Gimme one shot 'o liquor to chase 'dis beer
Just one shot 'o liquor to chase 'dis beer
Gimme two more shots
and I'll run all 'dese folks outa here!

makes no difference to me if it's scotch or rum

makes no difference to me if it's scotch or rum

Gimme two mo' shots and my head is sho' to be numb

I figure it'll take some of the sting off that mighty blow

I got waitin' on me at home when I walk through that front do'





Note: Excerpt from my book of Blues-Inspired poetry, Liquid Lunch

Comments

the prisoner's wife said…
LOL...LOVE the poem. it matches the picture PERFECTLY!

i smell an anthology coming. your words & images...FIYAH!
(psssst...whenever i DO drop a book, hook a sista up with some artwork! lol)

peace
Tuesday, January 15, 2008 5:12:00 PM
Stephen A. Bess said…
Pwife-
What's up! Good to see you. I'm glad that you like the combination. I am looking to hook something up. I'll let you know when. Thanks. :)
Tuesday, January 15, 2008 5:18:00 PM
Geoffrey Philp said…
Those laser eyes.
That's a serious brother!

1Love,
Geoffrey
Tuesday, January 15, 2008 5:18:00 PM
Stephen A. Bess said…
Geoffrey-
Yes, grandpa was a little rowdy as a young man. :)
Tuesday, January 15, 2008 7:21:00 PM
if ~ever said…
awww, your grandfather-- very handsome. I love the beer jingle.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008 10:07:00 PM
Stephen A. Bess said…
if~ever-
Thank you. He's still my buddy and going strong at 89.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008 7:16:00 AM
Stephen A. Bess said…
Note: This little poem has evolved since I wrote, so it may look different to some of you who saw it earlier.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008 7:28:00 AM
MJW said…
I always love a poem in blues form. :-)
Wednesday, January 16, 2008 9:09:00 AM
Stephen A. Bess said…
Mike-
Thanks and good to see you.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008 10:34:00 AM
get zapped said…
Classic shot! And the poem is full of liquor and spirit! Have one on me ;)
Wednesday, January 16, 2008 11:05:00 AM
Stephen A. Bess said…
Zapped-
Thanks. Bartender...I'll have a glass of Pinot. I gave up the hard stuff. :)
Wednesday, January 16, 2008 3:50:00 PM
Crankyputz said…
Good one....Happy New Year
Wednesday, January 16, 2008 4:38:00 PM
Stephen A. Bess said…
Crankyputz-
Thanks and Happy New Year to you.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008 4:51:00 PM
BronzeBuckaroo said…
LOL at this poem. And, I love the photo. Hey, Spike Lee is suppose to be making a WW2 film I think about Afro American heroes like your granddad. Such a film is long over due.

Happy New Year!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008 6:51:00 PM
Rethabile said…
You take after him. I can see the resemblance. And the poem rocks. I wanna strum something, now.
Thursday, January 17, 2008 4:42:00 PM
Xave said…
The old pic... Old pictures always say so much. Your Granmpa looks like a very determined man with a quick wit and a sarcastic sense of humor.

Peace and Love,

Ali's Zay (LoversA.blogspot.com)
Friday, January 18, 2008 12:41:00 AM
NML/Natalie said…
That was really good and made me laugh! Brave words! You should put your creative works together and publish it on Lulu!
Saturday, January 19, 2008 10:11:00 AM
Stephen A. Bess said…
Bronze-
That film is long overdue. A Soldier Story was good, but it didn't go deep into the actual life of a soldier. Thanks.

Rethabile-
Thanks! Yeah, I am Tom's boy. :)

Xavier-
You hit the nail on the head. :)He still has that biting wit.

NML-
Thanks. I will publish only if you buy and tell a friend. :)
Saturday, January 19, 2008 10:37:00 AM
Anonymous said…
amazing photos. I love vintage photos- or anything vintage for that matter. looking at that photo is like living during that time period, for me, at least.

I am well. Consumed and preoccupied. How are you, Sir? =)
Saturday, January 19, 2008 12:50:00 PM
Kai said…
i haven't seen you awhile.
hope you are doing well!
hugs:)

p.s. what a beautiful tribute to your grandpa!
Saturday, January 19, 2008 10:05:00 PM
Stephen A. Bess said…
UB-
All is well. I am about to start a new gig. I'm excited!

Kai-
Hello Kai! Yes, it has been a while. Thanks for stopping in. I must come visit. Peace~
Sunday, January 20, 2008 5:36:00 PM
Unknown said…
Its so hard to put so much emotion in a short poem and it is a joy to read one well done. Happy New Year to you
Sunday, January 20, 2008 7:32:00 PM
Stephen A. Bess said…
David-
Thank you, sir. I'm hooked on the Blues. I can appreciate your comment very much. Peace & Happy New Year~
Sunday, January 20, 2008 7:53:00 PM
All-Mi-T [Thought Crime] Rawdawgbuffalo said…
nice pic, let me know what u think of the ost i put up regarding the u coming King wek celevration called THANK WE FREE pls
Monday, January 21, 2008 12:45:00 AM
Anonymous said…
Yeah, your grandfather was gorgeous, and PW is right.
Saturday, January 26, 2008 12:40:00 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

DC Legend: Chicken Wings & Mumbo Sauce

-
Image
Mumbo Jumbo Noun. 1. Confusing or incomprehensible language or activity. 2. An obscure ritual or incantation. [Mandingo origin.] American Heritage Dictionary Of the English Language Mumbo sauce? Anyone who has ever traveled east of the Anacostia River has heard the term, Mumbo Sauce. What do I mean by east of the river? I mean if you have ventured anywhere near Benning Road, Wheeler Road, Southern Avenue, or Minnesota Avenue in North/Southeast Washington, D.C. There is no way that you can go into any Korean owned and operated “Kerry-Out” [ trans. Carry-Out food ] in DC and not hear someone order french fries with chicken wings and Mumbo Sauce. Impossible! Some like it on the chicken and others (like me) like it on the side. I’ve always thought of Mumbo Sauce as a DC thang, but where did it really come from?  Actually, Mumbo Sauce originated on Chicago's Southside in the early 1950s by a man named Argia B. Collins, who was known for his famous ribs and barbeque Mumbo Sauce. N...
Read more

Remembering Linda Pollin

-
Image
I grew up in the  Linda Pollin Memorial Housing Projects.   First of all, I did not know that it was built in memory of Abe Pollin's daughter.  In fact, I didn't even know the name, Abe Pollin.  I was a child, so I thought it was just a name given to the apartments.  At the time, my siblings and I had no idea that we lived in a housing project.  Well, the complex had a swimming pool, and the grounds were well kept. Also, it didn't resemble the well known surrounding projects like  Valley Green , Condon Terrace , or Wahler Place . The manager was Ms. Royster who was sort of a no-nonsense type of landlord based on the conversations I heard from grownups.  However, she seemed nice; plus, we all played with and knew her son, John. Well, although Mr. Pollin passed away back in 2009, I would still like to thank him for building the "LP" as we used to call it.  When I became old enough to learn that it was built by Mr. Pollin to honor his ...
Read more

Frank Brown (A.K.A. Uncle Ben???)

-
Image
Did you know that Uncle Ben was a real person? We really don't care who is fact or fiction when we want some rice to go with those red beans or peas. We just want to eat, right? Well, Uncle Ben was a African American rice farmer from Texas who won many prizes for his methods and quality in growing rice. I know that most of us think of Asia when it comes to the cultivation and quality of rice, but there was a region in West Africa that Europeans called the "Rice Coast" near Sierra Leone. That area was a strategic focus during the slave trade in the late 1760's because rice was becoming a fast growing industry in America. Uncle Ben's ancestors were most likely victims of the rice boom. Anyway, Uncle Ben's reputation grew and his rice soon became the standard in which all rice would be measured. How did his face get on the box? Did he start his own company? Well, no. That's not even his face on the box. The face on the box was a man from Chicago named Frank B...
Read more