jimmy on the 4th

my friend jimmy
loves the fourth
of july. the carnival
and the fireworks,
the loud guitars
and parade of motor
cycles and flags,
lots and lots of
flags. he enters
pie eating contests,
and watermelon seed
spitting games, he's
all over the fourth
like a roman candle
in the middle of
the drive way.
he likes to take
his shirt off and
proudly display
his tattoos of God
and country, the
vietnam MIA's and
his ex wife melba
on his back and chest,
he's not afraid to
whistle at the girls
going by, thirty years
younger and wearing
even less. my friend
jimmy is fun to be
with on the fourth
of july, well at
least until the ninth
beer goes down the hatch
and then there could
be trouble.