poetry Poetry Prompt 17 – Childhood Verse

[Former Member]

I'm late. My computer crashed and I had to set up the entire system. I lost my file with the poems and can't recall the lines. I started again.

 

The first poem is part of an older poem. I changed a couple of words, but the rhyme scheme isn't perfect. The second poem is a new poem.

 

 

Childhood Verse

Wow, sorry to hear you lost some work. Now-a-days I email my writings to myself so I can let gmail be my backup. I can always clean out my inbox later on.

 

I like your poems very much, and thank you for taking the Poetry Prompt challenge! I left a review for you on the posting itself.  

[Parker Owens]

I fear my misspent childhood saw me revel in verses entitled Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes. Pretty ghastly stuff, really...

[Former Member]

I fear my misspent childhood saw me revel in verses entitled Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes. Pretty ghastly stuff, really...

Thanks for introducing me to this poet. An unabridged facsimile of the first edition from 1902 can be found here.

 

He reminds me of a few things at the same time: Gilbert (as in, Gilbert and Sullivan fame), Wilde's poems, and the darker edge of late 19^th century British writers, like Bram Stoker and Robert Louis Stevenson.

 

It also seems directly in the sprit of Where the Sidewalk Ends – ostensibly for kids, but jaggedly pitched to conjure black smiles from the adults in their lives.

 

Here are a couple examples that struck my fancy at first reading:

 

 

Aunt Eliza

 

In the drinking-well

(Which the plumber built her)

Aunt Eliza fell –

We must buy a filter.

 

----------

 

The Cat

(Advice to the Young)

 

My children, you should imitate

The harmless, necessary cat,

Who eats whatever's on his plate,

And doesn't even leave the fat;

Who never stays in bed too late,

Or does immoral things like that;

Instead of saying "Shan't!" or "Bosh!"

He'll sit and wash, and wash, and wash!

 

When shadows fall and lights grow dim

He sits beneath the kitchen stair;

Regardless as to life and limb,

A simple couch he chooses there;

And if you tumble over him,

He simply loves to hear you swear.

And, while bad language you prefer,

He'll sit and purr, and purr, and purr!

[Parker Owens]

My god, you found it! I hear echoes of my father's voice reciting...

 

Making toast at fireside,

nurse fell in the grate and died.

And, what makes it ten times worse,

all the toast was burnt with nurse!

 

 

(I believe grate meant fire grate, the fireplace for burning coal.)

[Mikiesboy]

Thanks for introducing me to this poet. An unabridged facsimile of the first edition from 1902 can be found here.

 

He reminds me of a few things at the same time: Gilbert (as in, Gilbert and Sullivan fame), Wilde's poems, and the darker edge of late 19^th century British writers, like Bram Stoker and Robert Louis Stevenson.

 

It also seems directly in the sprit of Where the Sidewalk Ends – ostensibly for kids, but jaggedly pitched to conjure black smiles from the adults in their lives.

 

Here are a couple examples that struck my fancy at first reading:

 

 

Aunt Eliza

 

In the drinking-well

 

 

(Which the plumber built her)

Aunt Eliza fell –

 

We must buy a filter.

----------

 

The Cat

(Advice to the Young)

 

My children, you should imitate

The harmless, necessary cat,

Who eats whatever's on his plate,

And doesn't even leave the fat;

Who never stays in bed too late,

Or does immoral things like that;

Instead of saying "Shan't!" or "Bosh!"

He'll sit and wash, and wash, and wash!

When shadows fall and lights grow dim

He sits beneath the kitchen stair;

Regardless as to life and limb,

A simple couch he chooses there;

And if you tumble over him,

He simply loves to hear you swear.

And, while bad language you prefer,

He'll sit and purr, and purr, and purr!

I wonder if Seuss read these. They're great not grate as in carrots. Edited March 11, 2016 by Mikiesboy