Soonest come, soonest gone,
Then shall these days be all but done
And I will rest, while you toil on
And my life will be soonest gone.

My uncherished legacy,
When you have been what you can be
You carry on, no less than me
And your world shall always be

My eyes and mind, in beauty fair
This child, woman, beyond compare
May all things happen, here and there,
With reason writ, of life aware

For you, my sweet, have gifts and more
Treasured friends, and life's amore
And ne'er shall any close the door
Upon your eyes, and so much more.

Subtitle: "I say, you're rather gangster aren't you? You see, I'm pretty gangster myself."

Not a poem, per sé, and not entirely my own work, but poetry nonetheless. A bit of friendfeed tomfoolery that spontaneously became a tongue-in-cheek, turn-by-turn rap battle between FF user Jimminy and myself, with cameo appearances by SteVe C and Alex Scoble. All credit to Jimminy for compiling this from the friendfeed posts.

Proof and Eminem Freestyle *Very Rare* - http://www.youtube.com/watch... ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

This is awesome. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Heard some of Shady's freestyle over the years. I freely admit the man is a lyrical genius, seen us, throwing out words I ain't never heard, word, making sense since I don't know when. ~ Slippy #teamfondue

then ~ Slippy #teamfondue

rhyming like orange with a four-inch reflector ~ Slippy #teamfondue

defector ~ Slippy #teamfondue

why you wanna go and call yourself Hector? ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Hector? Who the fuck is Hector; call me Dr. Lector. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Eatin' your brains in the primary sector ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Like a zombie wearin' abercrombie and fitch, bitch, still running round like y'all don't itch ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Dammit, Jimminy, now I'm reading everything in a hip-hop tempo and my brain is trying to rhyme everything I read.~ Slippy #teamfondue

Sweet, what a treat, you must be dancing in your seat. ~ SteVe C

So elite, like a Lotus when you know I can't focus ~ Slippy #teamfondue

DAMN! It happened again! ~ Slippy #teamfondue

And again, but for without pain there is no gain. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Must resist! Please desist, my rhymes are falling like rain ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Drip. Drip. This will be a trip. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Like a bum dropping acid in the drain. ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Welcoming Wonderland, through the rabbit hole. Down. Down. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Deep underground, deep in slumberland, not so mainstream, got my training, like a fix-gear hipster when it's raining. ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Got my wheels on, can you see, son? Your rabbit hole got twisted, so, like inception, recollection, we gotta go deeper on reflection ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Through the seeing glass, well on our way. Grass so green, on the other side, let us go and play. Nothing snide. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Let it slide, like a mirror, silver'd on one side across the river, where the other side is mine ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Fine fine. Let it be, that today this day in May, we see to it, that others get bit. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Like the hand that feeds, smokin' weed, Imma sign you over my deeds, no shit, y'all be tryin to quit, but this type monster havin' none of it. ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Type 'monster,' with a long stir stick. Pull out my bic and take a quick hit. We got the green, so lets not end the scene. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

See your green, turn it brown while I turn it around. You ain't quittin' so I'll keep spitting, playing this scene like a teen. ~ Slippy #teamfondue

The best shit in town. You and I keep hitting like Ali rope-a-dope. Ain't if fittin that neither of us ready to cope. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

I'll take your Ali, and your soap on a rope, when you called him Clay, had that dope on the ropes, name of Cooper, no play, back in '63 was the day, what you say? ~ Slippy #teamfondue

You shot one through the hoop there. It's getting expensive and I can't pay. Back in '63 my parents weren't even a thought to be, let alone me. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

See? Cooper's name was Henry, and I weren't even Slippy-to-be. Still nought but a twinkle, while old men were wrinkled, the man was a Brut, don't you see? (I guess you have to be English to get that one) ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Okay I'm done taking a tinkle. We just made history, it ain't no mystery. Fighting five wide and five strong. I'm truly surprise that we lasted this long. But see now I'm lost, so I guess you're the boss. We done talked movies, music, boxing, introduced some Lewis Carroll. Farewell. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Well that's swell, ain't no blame, no shame now you've dragged me through hell, ring that bell, you ain't throwing the towel when you battled so well. ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Slam the cages, through the ages. Rhymes flow, free to blossom and grow. Slippy why must you protest so? ~Jimminy, CoG of FF

I protest so, I'm the best though, like an uncaged beast in a vest when I'm rhyming, Slimer's sliming, can't help but keep opining with mages ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Rages. This is it, before I have a fit, I shall let you be with your opining and rhyming, being and seeing. Your brain be mine, found upon the B-Line. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Sweet rhyme, ride your A-train, straps a-hangin' like there's no pain. Peace. ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Verily, I hath quit. Your fortitude in providing statements with much verisimilitude have me beat, so now I must retreat. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

In admitting defeat, guess you win, I got nothin 'cept these two feet, marching me off the stage, while you get paid. ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Me get paid, while you get made? The key hangs low, so you may know. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

So, turn it in the lock when my mac is cocked, safety off and I'm drawing the ace of spades ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Look at the clock, I'm not trying to block, but soon everything fades... to black and back. Now it is your turn to take another crack. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Smack! When you pave your way to a cock-block, time to rack this track, take up the slack ~ Slippy #teamfondue

I must bow, I don't have shit, so lets just shelve it, and be done with this, now. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Wow, you still callin' quits? So be it, I ain't sore, let's call it a draw. ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Maybe too soon to end, but this one is on the bend. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Bending time? That's sublime, did you guess yet, I only got six rhymes? ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Do not fret, because I too only have six rhymes. *Flicks sticks* Pick up some chicks, and party when you hear the chime. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

I got time, nuthin' but, got lyrics flowin' outta my butt like monkeys, dancin' on your grave while I'm funky ~ Slippy #teamfondue

You monkeys have not wings. So I can't bring a straw man, a tin man or a lion. Flings Toto. (because I can't sing Toto) http://www.youtube.com/watch... ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Back in Zion, I'll make you extinct like the dodo. You may bring complex, but son, I ain't vex this ain't Gattaca. You must think I'm some kind of Hobo feelin' pain like the rain I bless down in Africa ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Jacking in, red pill, blue pill. The machines will never win. Judgement Day will never come to those who board the Nebuchadnezzar. You can check my blood for vodka, and you might think it's odd cause it's clean. I kicked the habit, and checked it twice. I even made sure I didn't have lice. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Nice, like Trinity, my only vice. Affinity. Don't need no jack, ridin' out this Agent attack, I got skills that'll make you think twice. ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Time ebbs, as this message crosses the web. Let these words not end in rhyme. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

One more time? :-D ~ Slippy #teamfondue

friendfeed is so sublime ~ Alex Scoble Has A J-O-B

Once more, for sure? ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

*A new challenger appears* ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Like deBeers, bringing diamond lyrics that are fine ~ Slippy #teamfondue

A dropping the rhymes to play with subtle ties, no lies. This is your victory for a diamond lyric that was truly slick. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

like Rick Moranis, what the time is, when I say it with a Texas accent, outta traction, can't rhyme with orange, that's a fact, son. *drops keyboard* ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Honey I shrunk the kids, they went from four foot to four inch and orange. *Slams lid* ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Orange like your tan, riding four inch rims in your van, I'll shrink your money, don't care if it's funny, coz in Texas again I done found a new rhyme ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Pulling out my abacus to count the number of times you've tried to drop hexes by using Texas. The amount is many, but if all it costs is a penny for every time, it still be free. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Guess you'll need them beads to count to three, which is one more than the times I've claimed rhymes you can't see, when the only rhyme I can think of for "van" is pronouncing "rhyme" like it were spelled "rahm" ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Damn. ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Two white guys rap-battling on FF, each declaring the other the victor. Only on FF, amiright? :-) ~ Slippy #teamfondue

As a kite flys high. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Sigh. ;-) ~ Slippy #teamfondue

We be bad here in the FF hood! #sorry #genewilderSilverStreakimitation ~ MarkJ

C-C-C-COMBO BREAKERRRRR! :-D ~ Slippy #teamfondue

oh was this stand off battle feild > http://friendfeed.com/jimminy... ~ Peter Dawson

Peter, the field was more, I believe there were four. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

And each one, declared a draw! ROFL! ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Soon one will thaw, there is no law, that says it must be win, lose, or draw. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Sore? This ice be frozen while you just be dozin' I got rhymes comin' through by the score ~ Slippy #teamfondue

No sore, the phone be ringin' so I had to stop flingin'. I'll rick it, pick it, and stack the shit so high. Your score should say bye. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

High? Your score be finite, while I ride the twilight, somewhere 'tween here and the sky, I can wait til tomorrow is nigh. And if you ain't sure, tho the battles were four, we added one more, now it's five. ~ Slippy #teamfondue

This is so much fun, I fear for when I must run. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

:-) ~ Slippy #teamfondue

My face hurts from smiling, with our four-time simultaneous rhyming ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Piling on, let us not stop until this results in subcutaneous wounding. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Bringin' doom in, I force rhymes like I'm zoomin ~ Slippy #teamfondue

We be boomin' lets kick it up, pick it up, jump back in the game, we can build some fame. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Fame that's fleeting, ain't just bleating, I got words that'll hurt like a bee sting ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Well that train has run out of steam. What a dream. Hope y'all enjoyed the show. The next one will be a ball, ya know! ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Word. And yes, we really are finished now. ~ Slippy #teamfondue

What's funny, is it started out as me trying to troll you. I didn't want you breaking away from the tempo. :P ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Really? I never noticed. I guess I must be immune to trolling :-) [edit] Or was it the troll got caught in his own trap? ~ Slippy #teamfondue

I think I got caught, that's why I kept trying to end them. :P ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Same here, dude. Same here :-) ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Dude! We should cut a record or something :-) ~ Slippy #teamfondue

LMAO ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Information break: British boxer Henry Cooper knocked out Cassius Clay back in 63 (9 years before I was born) with a most awesome left hook. In their next match (66 I think) Clay beat Cooper to a bloody pulp. Both remained firm friends for many years. Cooper actually passed away yesterday. He was also widely known in the UK for advertising Brut 33 aftershave, one of the two best-known gentlemens grooming products of the seventies. The other being, of course, Old Spice. :-) ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Ah, now it makes sense, I think we have Brut over here, but it's extremely pungent, if memory serves. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Very much so. Vile stuff. ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Also....dude, that was epic. We're done now, right? ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Yeah, I think we're done. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Thank fuck. I'm exhausted! ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Me too, the phone rang three times, and I've had to get up and use the restroom as well. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Well, my phone didn't ring, but I've had five bladder-breaks and half a bottle of vodka during all that! ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Heh. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Do you mind if I take screen shots or scrape the text of these, to preserve them? ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

Hell no I don't mind, I was thinking along the same lines. <<<unintentional rhyme <<<and that one :-) ~ Slippy #teamfondue

Heh. ~ Jimminy, CoG of FF

When I am weak,

Click, Clack, Thunk,

With a Walrus and a Wierd Girl watching over
And a dancing Spock beating your heart
Blue lights dragging you out of the clover
And hidden words setting your tasks

When the baying crowd call in from outside
And the voices can barely be found
You feel like you're surfing a landslide
Ne'er again to be firm on the ground

Those are the times when a phone call
From out of the blue saves your soul
Reality dismisses the darkness
And in truth, to the house you are call'd

The road to the house may be painful
And the paths there within harder still
But with the constants of old right behind you
When you feel you can't make it...

You will.