Frank has given us SLEEP for the topic at Meet the Bar.
Sleep seems to be the time my brain kicks into high gear.
I close my eyes hopefully, and words, ideas, and images
vie for attention, often in the form of poetry. They rattle
around my brain endlessly until I turn on the light, reach
for my little bedside journal, and commit them to paper
so I can at last drift off to slumber. I call them midnight
epiphanies, and what follows is one such, when my midnight
muse suggested I write a poem using exclusively idioms.
It’s actually not about sleep, but a product of the lack thereof!
Forgive me for straying a bit!
Submitted to dVerse
September 28, 2017
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You know what they all say
Little Goody Twoshoes
There’s no fool like an old fool
It’s plain as the nose on your face
You’ve fallen for another pretty face
He’s a two-timing man
Who’s all show and no go
His elevator doesn’t go all the way up
And you’re destined for disaster
If you hitch your wagon to that star
You haven’t the ghost of a chance
For happily ever after
Cut to the chase
And quit while you’re ahead
Better days are coming
Keep a stiff upper lip
Your ship will come in
And you’ll have a horse in the race
Keep your chin up
A new broom sweeps clean
There’s light at the end of the tunnel
And everything’s coming up roses
Nothing ventured, nothing gained
But look before you leap
And err on the side of caution
A good man is hard to find
But slow and steady wins the race
All’s well that ends well
And soon you’ll be happy as a pig in mud
A blog for the midnight epiphanies and idle thoughts of a hopeless wordaholic.
I love this Bev. The elevator line had me howling. Just brilliant.
ReplyDeleteSomething old morphed into something new; like found poetry, and other forms; this piece hums with fun & creativity. My fave is /his elevator doesn't go all the way up/.
ReplyDeleteNot being able to sleep is about sleep. I wonder if the things that come to our minds when we can't sleep are like dreams? Anyway I liked the pig in mud in the last line, but especially this one: "His elevator doesn’t go all the way up". We often said something about having one brick short of a full load.
ReplyDeleteA sandwich short of a picnic is another one. Fun poem, Beverly :)
ReplyDeleteThis is so fun... a great prompt as a matter of fact. When combined the mash-up of idioms can be so much fun.
ReplyDeleteI love this epiphany you had. This poem is a good one for young ladies. Good one, Bev.
ReplyDeleteSo is eh happy as a pig in mud with the two timing elevator man?
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading this....
It can be fun playing around with idioms or proverbs but I must say I'm impressed you did this while trying to get to sleep! 😮
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome. :)
ReplyDelete~marley
Oh I know what you mean, Bev, about sleep and your brain kicking into high gear. I not only get the words, ideas, and images vying for attention when I close my eyes, they wake me up too! I love the title - reminds me of Joni Mitchell's 'idiomatic logic' in her song 'Twisted' and I'm pleased to say I knew most of the idioms. I also learned a few new ones - thanks for 'Who’s all show and no go' and 'His elevator doesn’t go all the way up'!
ReplyDeleteIt seems the muse has spoken, I think it might be fun to choose one of these to use as a theme/intention. There are so many adventures waiting within these idioms.
ReplyDeleteMy brain kicks in high gear between 3-5 am.
A fun one, Bev, and seems you've pulled these delightful idioms together into a motivational message...your brain was busy!
ReplyDeleteI don't know, or am I missing something? I'm sure this had to do with sleep? But maybe I didn't "get" it?
ReplyDeleteBev, I'm sorry, I began reading but didn't finish, and skipped to your poem. Your piece was just exactly what you said, when you can't sleep. Thanks.
DeleteThis is so fun! How on earth did you come up with all those?
ReplyDeleteBelieve it or not, they were all in my head. I grew up with them!
DeleteLove this Beverly. All the great sayings at the fingertips!
ReplyDeleteHank
I love how you turned these disparate idioms into a narrative. Very clever! I also admire that instead of getting upset that you can't sleep, your brain plays games instead.
ReplyDelete