Humility

Today I saw a golfer tear a STRIP
off his placid, always pleasant CADDY.
Not an inch did the guy BUDGE;
just took it on his manly SHOALders.

Bask

CADDY wheezes to a stop on crest of hill, disembarks a picnic.
SHOALs spread out beyond, rippled by spring wind.
BUDGEt has cratered, car is dying, family’s fortunes
STRIPped; they can yet bask in view and sun.

Lack of history

ROUGH-voiced he said, ‘I’ll stand in your
STEAD.’ He took the brunt of their abuse,
STOKEd by ideological fires, by those who stand
APART from history and from plain good sense.

Vapid

GLADE is the name of an air freshener.
CRICK in my scent nerves when fresheners used;
MANLY my scent nerves; air freshener vapid, like
PENNE pasta eaten with a sauce that soaks it.