How I Play the Game
when I was young
my peers told me
i needed to carry a blade
to survive
but i said no
when i could smell myself
my contemporaries told me
nice guys lose
you need to keep your gun
but i threw it away, anyway
when i first walked
through corporate corridors
my handlers coached me
be crude, be vicious, be cold
but i kept my meek, warm heart
and when the doors open
i will play to win
The 5 O’Clock Rush
foot to pedal
pedal to metal
steering wheel gripped
destiny awaits at my goal
focused on destiny
competitors in every lane
weaving and keeping
my eyes on the road
weary from the dogfight
as sharp pains emanate
from bruises incurred
from a dog eat dog world
got to stay awake
got to pay attention
got t keep my foot steady
my mind on where I’m going
foot to pedal
pedal to metal
steering wheel gripped
destiny awaits at my goal
Jerry T. Johnson, Poet 