1 Onward Poem by Edith Niemeyer

[Intro — spoken, building]
Onward and upward—
or so they say...
Just keep that ellagator
outta my way.
[Verse 1]
My iPad died at half-past trying,
My wagon lost another wheel,
Got one boot tied, the other's flying,
But I'm still upright—mostly still.
They said, "Just follow the straight and narrow."
Well, mine took three left turns somehow.
I climbed aboard that old ellagator—
Lord knows who's steering now!
[Pre-Chorus]
Make it louder,
just prouder,
let the whole blamed heavens know—
I've been knocked down,
spun around,
and I still got somewhere to go!
[Chorus]
ONWARD AND UPWARD!
That's where I be'z!
Till the next thunderstorm
drops me to my knees.
Tie up my bootstraps,
throw that wagon into gear—
If the road says "YOU CAN'T GET THERE, "
I'll get there from here!
Make it louder!
Just prouder!
Let that wild old thunder roll—
You can rattle my windows,
but you ain't rattling my soul!
[Verse 2]
Practice makes perfect—
or so they claim,
But every time I practice
something else bursts into flame.
Wrong button here,
lost picture there,
technology laughing in my face—
Then I holler, "WHERE'D IT GO? ! "
and find the dang thing
in exactly the same place.
[Pre-Chorus]
Zip me mouth
before I say it—
Nope, too late,
there it goes!
Another song came marching out
wearing somebody else's clothes!
[Chorus]
ONWARD AND UPWARD!
That's where I be'z!
Till that ornery ellagator
takes me out behind the knees.
The wagon won't keep me down,
long as these bootstraps stay tied—
I may wobble like a weather vane,
but I'm enjoying the ride!
Make it louder!
Just prouder!
Let that wild old thunder roll—
You can rattle my windows,
but you ain't rattling my soul!
[Bridge — thunder building]
Here comes the thunder...
rumble...
Here comes the rain...
And here I am
talking myself
into trouble again.
Zip me mouth!
Too late.
BOOM.
Down on my knees—
But while I'm down here...
might as well
tie my bootstraps.
[Final Chorus — BIG]
ONWARD AND UPWARD!
Finished I be'z!
Mud on my britches
and grass on my knees!
Wagon half busted,
ellagator running wild—
Still got a song in my pocket
and the stubbornness of a child!
MAKE IT LOUDER!
JUST PROUDER!
I ain't whispering anymore!
If another thunderstorm finds me—
I'll be singing
through the roar!
[Outro — spoken, mischievous]
Onward and upward...
Bootstraps tied.
Wagon rolling.
Ellagator...
...keep your distance.
Thunder.
Aw, dang.
Here we go again. 🎵😂💜