Half Your Lollipop

In days of long forgotten lore
I felt your gravy on my door
When once we scrambled down the shore
And blue was still the color green
And you were all my starry queen
And had we plenty doing for

I placed a boat upon your sea
You dusted off the toast from me
So we sat down to sip our tea
And you were cake upon my table
And when I wasn’t you were able
And many had us doing be

You worked until the night was done
Like silver from a rubber gun
You kissed the moon which shamed the sun
And peaches grew out of your ears
And all we felt from all the years
And happy said was other fun

So now I place it in my hand
Inventions I can understand
But answers I will not demand
And spinning round and round and stop
And I was half your lollipop
And where was had of all the land

23 January 2007

A Porridge of It

What is it that you think of me?
A mighty lonesome cup of tea
But I remember what I see
And make a porridge of it

For there in wonderment it glows
Mysterious for what it knows
And if it gets to where it goes
We’ll make a porridge of it

But by the time you have this dream
I’ll not be true to what I seem
So don’t forget to add the cream
And make a porridge of it

But back then when we made our pact
I said that it was truest fact
But you weren’t quick enough to act
And make a porridge of it

So now it sits upon that hill
Amidst the winter’s icy chill
But if by summer it’s there still
We’ll make a porridge of it


17 January 2007

See You Later, Fred

Up the lazy tree trunk where the lunch pail grows
In the room of ribbons where the ice cream glows
Round and round the river
Down and down some more
Twice behind the toy box where the donkey shows

Two between the buses on the avenue
Into every igloo with the engine glue
Through the empty tunnel
To the deck of cards
Since the time when you and I were at the zoo

Once for all the ladies of the melting block
Right beside the fishing pole and flying clock
Three for each tomato
By the time I write
With a golden axe upon the silver sock

Under phones and over every water spout
All for every time and even in or out
Sideways to the middle
Up and up again
When he knows exactly what to think about

You must wear your stockings
You must wear your stockings
You must wear your stockings
So, see you later, Fred.

15 October 2006

Once and only once, my

Once and only once, my shiny friend,
Is what holds the truth to me or you,
There was never more from start to end
When I saw you ever in the blue,

Twice and only twice, my ringing mate,
There was quite enough from you to me,
When you loved and loved enough to wait,
I had ever touched eternity,

Thrice and only thrice when time was young,
Closer to the home of every king,
All the songs that no one else has sung,
Under all the other stars that sing,

Take it all at once as now you see,
Hope and all the sounds of victory.


13 September 2006

Fire by Day

Pokin’ me, pokin’ me,
You have awoken me
But now you must let go
Because you’re a-chokin’ me

It doesn’t feel good
To sit in your ribcage
Staring out at a world
Full of axle grease
I need a mother
Who enters the boxing ring
Thinking of pharaohs
And counting each piece

Pokin’ me, pokin’ me,
You have awoken me
But now you must let go
Because you’re a-chokin’ me

Knowing just how to
Tighten a razor blade
Mash up scrap metal
Or lasso a mouse
Makes me feel giddy
As a pedestrian
Like I could just up
And swallow a house…

Pokin’ me, pokin’ me,
You have awoken me
But now you must let go
Because you’re a-chokin’ me

Fire by day and
Pillar by moonlight
You lead me on into
Dreams of new land
I walk in circles
So tired of whistling
Thinking of paintings
I don’t understand

Pokin’ me, pokin’ me,
You have awoken me
But now you must let go
Because you’re a-chokin’ me


11 October 2006

What Mr. Puddle Didn’t Know

Mr. Puddle left his house just after four
Looking for a friend, a tick he’d met before
Lately he’d been thinking
As we sometimes do
Tableware was clinking
The side of his canoe
What he didn’t know was how to open up the door

Buses swayed like jelly up and down the street
Puddle knew the firemen would soon retreat
Then he saw a thingy
Something caught his eye
Seeing it was stringy
He made no reply
What he didn’t know was how to keep a steady beat

Later in the changing room without a hook
Mr. Puddle acted like he’d read the book
Tick was privy to it
That is all we know
Someone had to do it
Puddle let it go
What he didn’t know was just how long the whole thing took

Just before his bedtime in the dining car
Tick procured a broom from just behind the bar
Swept it all up sweetly
From the dirty floor
Stacked the teacups neatly
“What’d you do that for?”
What he didn’t know was that they hadn’t gone that far

After Mr. Puddle and his friend the tick
Heard the screaming babies they performed the trick
When the music started
Someone blew the fuse
Everyone departed
Such depressing news
What he didn’t know was how to shake a fairy stick

That is why this story has a moral too
Every tale should have one even if it’s true
Never take a pigeon
To a matinee
Not even a smidgeon
Not the other way
Mr. Puddle’s sorry that he never really knew


15 October 2006