Monday, April 26, 2010

Poem: Walkingsticky

A tip of the hat to Magpie Tales and Lewis Carroll



'Twas silly, but his tapping toes
Did nimbly jive with rhythmic air.
Was there a chance?  Could he, too, dance
Like dashing Fred Astaire?

"Beware the walking stick, my son!
The polished shaft, the silver top!
Eschew top hat and monocle,
Lest you become a fop!"

But though his father looked askance,
The youth pursued his classy dream.
He spun and danced, and soon advanced
To join the ballroom team.

As lost in Terpsichorean thought,
With props in hand, back home he walked,
A Bigger Jock crashed through the wood,
And all the path he blocked.

Grunting with malicious sneer,
The Jock said, "Football makes a man!
If you just dance, you must be queer.
Come, fight me, if you can!"

Swiveling to face the lout,
He said, "You ought to change your tune.
Your sweat leaves ladies passing out.
My leading makes them swoon."

ONE, two, three, ONE, two, three, in his brain,
He chasséd to avoid the charge,
And downed the Jock with well-thrust cane,
Although the foe was large.

'Twas chilly, but his tapping toes
Stayed warm the homeward journey through.
The lad was glad, when need arose,
He'd taken fencing, too!

16 comments:

  1. That was wonderful!

    It's so much more thrilling to watch men dancing or fencing as opposed to sacking and blitzing.

    Very well done!

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  2. Delightful puttin' on the ritz story. I love a man who can dance.

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  3. Loved the rhythm and rhyme in this almost like the stick itself dancing.

    Christine

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  4. great rhythm and scheme to this one... a fun magpie!

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  5. great ending! love the rhythm of the whole piece; the words themselves dance.

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  6. Fantastic, T! A great poem with a great moral!

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  7. I love the way this rhymes and the whole story being told -- a big galoot getting his come-uppance. Well written- well versed -- just an excellent poem altogether.
    My son's took fencing.

    Joanny

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  8. Wonderful! And hooray for our Astaire-like hero!

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  9. Fun poem! Love your take on the prompt! Nice ending too.

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  10. smooth sailings on this fine art!
    Happy Tuesday!

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  11. http://jingleyanqiu.wordpress.com/2010/04/27/magpie-tale-the-magical-wish/

    mine is up!
    I decide to follow you.

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  12. Great way to celebrate poetry month

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  13. Joyously wonderful ... I so enjoyed reading your poem.

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  14. Dear T: Great to meet your aquaintance! This is a fun poem with a happy ending! Fencing and dancing takes a lot of fancy footwork. You are very talented! Reminds me of a professionally written children's story with much panache. You look very much like a relative of mine or maybe just amazing similarities and a touch of coincidence!

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  15. http://itistimetothinkformyself.blogspot.com/2010/05/jingles-may-followers-award.html

    awards.
    you are the best!
    I love your posts.

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