"Tales from Paradise" (The Poem)

Oh what a life, 

to live free of strife

Running the gamut, 

around the planet

Great wonders I've seen, 

I may need a vaccine

You think this sounds nice?

I call it Paradise!

Tall mountains I've climbed

Strange languages pantomimed

Deep oceans explored

Drank rum from a gourd

New foods to partake

My senses awake

Was there any sacrifice?

No! This is Paradise!

     I've had beer for breakfast, sailing for lunch

      All of the highlights, even Conch for Brunch

      Truffles, and Quail, a sweetbread or two

      Fine wines, liqueurs, and wild game too

      So many delights, so much to experience

      Everything is "input", there's no interference

      But it's the people I meet that make it worthwhile

      Regardless of anything else I compile

     I'm sure that you've heard "A Place is just a Place"

      It's absolutely NOTHING without a smiling face

      It's been said twice

      But this is Paradise!

      After all of these years

      I've ended up here

      beBee's the place

      Where I now interface

   In this virtual reality

   Where I buzz avidly

   The people are so nice

   That's what makes it Paradise

   The hives are all busy, bees are buzzing

   I'm spreading the word, better call my cousin

   Such a wide range of people all in one place

   Good thing it's virtual or we'd have no space

   From business, writers, doctors, professionals, gurus

   Teachers, media, IT, HR, directors, trades, and a Chef too! 

   So much talent, expertise, and advice

   It absolutely is a Paradise!

   He's so busy, I can imagine his backlog

   Lisa 🐝 Gallagher with your whimsical ways

   It was you that convinced me I was here to stay

  Look! Up in the sky: it's a bird; a plane; a rose (?)

   No, it's the prognosticator of poetry, the Prince of Prose

   Wearing his mask and cape he leaps over small children and stops speeding snails

   Just to deliver his verse via emails

   Lighting up everyone's life at any opportunity with his marble sharp wit

   And looks to match, with a kind word for everyone's benefit 

   Everyone's Buddy

   Mr. Lisa 🐝 Gallagher  

   I have to admit

   With no hint of jest

   That it was your Buzz Ken

   That inspired this gem

https://www.bebee.com/producer/@ken-boddie/more-o-me-rhymes-and-other-word-crimes-vol-ii-66872#c57

   Do you remember my comment? It's the seed for this post

   I said I would get you, but you're still the "Host with the Most"

   Wayne Yoshida is our BBQ King

   I'm sure his food is quite addicting

   I would like to think that Ken Boddie's a friend

   A true gourmet, right to the end

   I hope to cook for you, either this life or the next

   You've had the rest, but I want to show you the best

  Gert Scholtz writes great stuff, like "A Long Jump in Time"

   But at our age I think a "Short jump" is fine

   Talked about music with Wayne Yoshida

   My mind here on beBee is getting quite stretched

   And then there's my new friend Praveen Raj Gullepalli

   (in the immortal words of Alice Cooper, from "School's out")

   "We can't even think of a word that rhymes!"

   Dean Owen is our resident "Brain Scientist"

   If cerebral's the topic, he'll answer in earnest

   (and he'll chime in intelligently on other topics as well :-) )

  Let's not forget our "Rocket Surgeons" are here

   George Touryliov and Gert Scholtz; they discuss the exosphere

https://www.bebee.com/group/universe-space-beyond

   A special mention for Savvy Raj, and your thoughtful prose

   If I were blind, I'd still see your inner beauty's glow

   Gerald Hecht, we're all cheering you on

  You're 100 day countdown is a phenomenon

( https://www.bebee.com/producer/@sara-jacobovici/one-hundred-day-countdown )

Hey Harvey Lloyd, You always deliver

I hope to join you one day for a beer on your river

I always enjoy the dialogue with Praveen Raj Gullepalli

Your comments and feedback are worth absolute millions

   Another great mind is Deb 🐝 Helfrich

   Who's comments and points make any topic rich

   Your profile says you're a "Strategist",

   I think that's Great!

   Ian Weinberg's not a guy to underestimate

  There's Aaron 🐝 Skogen, and although he's American

  He can talk about chainsaws like he's almost Canadian

   (Speaking of which)

   A quick shout out to a few of my fellow Canucks

   The first would be Mr. George Touryliov

   He always has a beer at the drop of a puck

   Don 🐝 Kerr is somewhere out there canoeing

   For the sake of his neighbors I hope he's not "mooning"

    There once was a show called "The A Team"

    It just started out as a pipe-dream

    It originally planned to be shot in Canada

    "What's that?" you may say

    It would have been called "Team Eh"

 There's so many writers, I'm just amazed

   Here's your own section, don't be dazed

   It's amazing that Savvy Raj gets anything done

   Because I know that Bali is just way too much fun

   John White, MBA is a very busy guy

   An example he sets always reaching for the sky

   Sara Jacobovici is here and when not writing his notes

   He can be found on the water driving his boat

  Paul "Pablo" Croubalian's a writer but he's also a cook,

   Check out his hive, what's next? A Cookbook?

https://www.bebee.com/group/cooking-for-men-and-other-culinary-challenged-people

   To all you Ambassadors out there, your names are a challenge

    Like trying to fish for the elusive muskellunge

   But I had a brainstorm, a simple way out

   You're own VIP section, so I wasn't putout 

    Franci's abuzz, active as ever, 

   Always great feedback, whatever the weather

    Ali Anani is always around

   His thoughtful comments always astound

    Liesbeth Leysen who's writing is art

   That's because she's such a romantic at heart

   Joyce Bowen's prolific at writing the Buzz

   Full of life, love, emotions and "fuzz"

    Stephen Metral is my social media Guru

   All the tech info, hope he doesn't lead me askew

   To those that I've missed

    It's by no means a "Dis"

    I'll get you on the next edition

    Please don't have a conniption  

    To all my friends in beBee world

    It's been a slice, don't get unfurled

    Just remember the words I say, no matter your device

    Tomorrow is a brand new day, and it will be Paradise

 Just when I thought I had seen it all

New life, new hope, I'm having a Ball!

Look on my shoulders, what do you see?

Of course I call him "Mini-me"

They grow so fast

Things just don't last

I have the same hairline as my grandson Bryce

(Do you know what the next line is going to be?) 

  Yes, that's Paradise!