Conrad Birmingham

Autopilot

Unbelievable
The ease to steer
Not conceivable
Great cheer

As a kid
Had to pay attention
Easy to slid
Much tension

Holding the tiller
Left then right
A thriller
And a fight

Trying to stay on course
The current and wind
A tremendous force
What a grind

Look at the compass
Keep the heading
I am no Columbus
Can be upsetting

But with the autopilot
Push a button
Sails through an eyelet
No longer a shut in

I can leave the cockpit
To set the sails
To get coffee
To take a piss

How fantastic
To set the heading
And feel a bit sarcastic
In this wedding

Am I sailing
Or cheating
Or failing
Not competing

As sailors of old
Fighting the sea
Brave and bold
Fiesty and gutsy
But why
Why do I care
Let me clarify
And share

I am free
To enjoy the ride
Not tied to a tree
Sailing is glorified

Sailing from point a to b
Sailing and enjoying
Enjoyment is the reality
Technology deploying

More leisure
To enjoy the trip
Autopilot is a treasure
To sail the ship

What if life
Could be automatically set
Reducing our strife
Hard work and sweat

Could we enjoy a more leisurely path
Or would we squander our time
More evil and wrath
Crime and a more challenging climb

Idle hands lead to trouble
Watch our society
Where problems double
And so does anxiety

The same on a boat
If you get lazy
You might not stay afloat
How crazy

Technology is to make life better
Ends in making it tougher
We missed the newsletter
Technology is a buffer

Separating us from the turmoil
Of a mundane existence
Not to pamper and spoil
But to help us reduce resistance

Use your wit
Technology is good
But do not quit
Do as you should

Sharks

My first shark
I was very young
It was ugly and dark
I bit my tongue

Five years old
It was moving through the waves
The shark was very bold
I began digging our graves

Circling the sailboat
I was petrified
Leave was my vote
I cried and cried

I was scared
Watching the shark swim
And it stared
Would I lose a limb

They made me climb aboard
Crossing the dock
A gigantic fjord
I was in shock

What if I fell in
Would I die
I saw the gray fin
Just stay dry

Stay in the cockpit
Cowarding there
Keep your wit
Stay on guard and beware

You are the smallest
Very vulnerable
The shark would not eat the tallest
Would my body be recoverable

We sailed around
I constantly worried
I did not fear that I would drown
But where would I be buried

When the shark ate me
My little body buried
Maybe at sea
Never married

We made it to shore
I never saw the shark again
But there was more
I carried this pain

My entire life
Sharks were in my thoughts
Causing me much strife
Let me connect the dots

I lived on the ocean
Swimming in the ocean
Sailing on the ocean
Snorkeling on the ocean

But I have never say another
Until my son caught one
Maybe a kindred brother
But this one was done

The shark made the grill
Tasting very good
I had my fill
A long journey from childhood

In these many years
A second encounter
My lucky stars
Better than a flounder

All those many frets
Will I get eaten
So much stress
I had been beaten

I learned a truth
Late but true
I am long in the tooth
But here is a clue

Worry about what you can see
And what makes sense
Easier to fall from a tree
Or run into a fence

Bosom

We are not a pair
We are not dating
We are not caring
We are not waiting

Let it all go
Do not look back
You are not my beau
Or part of my pack

You are alone
Do not text
Do not phone
What is next

Wait and see
Or move on
You can flee
To a new dawn

But my heart 
Will not run
You are a piece of art
And so much fun

I know for sure
We are one
Our love is pure
We are not done

You love me
And I love you
We might disagree
But this is true

My heart knows
And so does yours
Our love is froze
Until the end of the wars

Wars of pride
Wars of stubbornness
Wars of prejudice
Wars of omission

Where does it get us
Staying apart
All this fuss
Not very smart

Your heart goes pitter
And mine goes patter
Stop being bitter
Remember what matters

Happiness
Kindness
Forgiveness
Togetherness

These things wait
For us to claim them
Open the gate
Stop being dumb

Learn to talk
To one another
Not a shock
You miss each other

There is more there
Waiting for a chance
Clear the air
Makeup and dance

Embrace
Bond
Enjoy
Celebrate

We can do it
Bypassing the hurt
Use our wit
Stay on alert

Relationships are hard
Communication is key
We may argue and fight
But what is the reality

We are lovers
We are mates
We are sweethearts
We are a match

Our feelings will not change
Deep down inside
And we will not exchange
And we will not backslide

I am your man
Embracing your bosom
We will be a clan
And you will be my woman

Seafood

When I visit the coast, the most important thing is to eat seafood. I want to sample and try all the various seaside dishes available.

I try to eat a different variety at every seating.

Brunswick Soup (Oops Gone) in Hilton Head

Bicycling in Savannah

Bicycling is the only way to get around Savannah. There are so many parks, shops, and restaurants. You are stopping and going frequently.

The parks are littered throughout the historical district are cool. I do not have a favorite park. but I like to cruise around all of them. Traffic is not terrible, just stay off the main one way streets and the main east to west street.

Restaurants are numerous and you have many choices. I like the ones on the river with a second floor balcony where you can look at the river. I eat seafood since I do not get any fresh seafood in Tennessee – shrimp, oysters, mussels, and clams.

There are a number of coffee shops, but sitting on the river is best. I am a sucker for Starbucks because they are convenient and consistent. I have found in traveling that most of the time that Starbucks are in prime locations.

Riding bicycles along the river is grand. I enjoy watching the gigantic ships move up and down the river. The air is cooler on the river, too.

Savannah is a great place to ride bicycles.