BETTY THE BIMBO

Poetics Tuesday, and Grace has
given us the word limbo, and for
those who’ve been writing a poem
a day, she suggests we keep
mercifully brief.  No problem!
Submitted to dVerse
April 30, 2019
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Some called her Betty the Bimbo

She was a bit dense, 'tis true

She'd stand with arms akimbo

deciding to go around or through

When indecision left Betty in limbo
she arrived too late to the loo.

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

It’s haibun Monday and Gina has asked us
to feature a picnic well remembered. 
Submitted to dVerse
April 29, 2019
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I grew up in very rural Illinois, and attended a one-room
country school.  The last day of school was celebrated
with a picnic for students and their families. There were
few chances for socialization in our farming community,
so the picnic was always well attended, and every family
represented. There was usually a raucous game of softball
with parents participating.  The men gathered to discuss
weather and crops, and women compared recipes and such,
while children of all ages frolicked beneath the old oak
trees that rimmed the schoolyard.. There were no indoor
“facilities”, The boys’ outhouse sat at one corner of the
schoolyard and the girls’ the other.  For the eight years I
attended, I never remember a time it rained on picnic day.
Farm wives are wondrous cooks, and the tables were
laden with fried chicken, potato salad, baked beans,
deviled eggs, pies and cakes.  Everyone looked forward
to the home-made ice cream, hand-cranked in the old
freezer.  The little school closed in 1947 (the year I graduated
eighth grade).  It is there no longer, but its image remains
in the attic of my brain, and I hear the laughter still..


celebration in the Spring
cares are cast aside
for memories being made

LAI REVISITED

My brain refused to shut off
last night, wrestling with the
challenge of lai nouveau.  In
the early dark hours, it spit out
a couple of poems (with a couple
of bonus syllables).  Only now
do I discover I've only lai'd, and
I have not yet nouveau'd!  (Sigh)
Submitted April 26, 2019
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A fellow named Art
drove a pink fish cart
He smelled

Veronica said
Don't come to my bed
She yelled

So driven by hope
Art applied lots of soap
He quelled

Things looked up for Art
No longer her heart
Withheld

A fellow named Doug
The neighborhood thug
Berated

Changed his thuggish ways
And now spent his days
Compensated

Reformed and imbued
With energy renewed
Updated

So now these two guys
have become quite wise
Emancipated

LAI NOUVEAU

At dVerse, we’re addressing poetry
forms.  Grace presents the lai nouveau.
I admit to being a poor student,
finding complicated forms restrictive,
so I'm taking this lightly.  Assuming
lai rhymes with eye, here’s a quickie.
Submitted April 23, 2019
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the challenge nouveau
neither fast nor slow

but why?

let syllables flow
just simply for show?

I’ll try

I’m finished, ho ho
so now may I go?

I lai!
***********

See the maiden fair
She with golden hair

She winks

He with gallant air
Charm and debonair

He slinks

I’ll have maiden fair
My ring she will wear

He thinks

KNIGHT'S TALE

It's Poetics Tuesday, and Anhol has
asked that we consider Myths and Legends.
I've always loved the tales of bold knights
and shy maidens.  Here's a reprise of my
poem about one of those romances.  It's
a mite bawdy, forgive me.
Submitted to dVerse Poetics
April 23, 2019
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Gather ‘round, you quirksters
I’ve a tale for you to hear
About the king of the castle
And his daughter, Gimme-a-beer

One day into the castle
Clanked handsome Sir Laugh-a-lot
He’d heard of the fair maiden
Whose father, the king, was gone a lot.

He courted the fair maiden
And stole her heart away
“When father comes back, we’ll tell him”,
She said, “’Twill be a wondrous day”.

But the day was not so wondrous
When the king returned to the castle
He’d heard of faithless courting knights
And there really was quite a hassle.

Sir Laugh-a-lot had to do battle
In the castle jousting ring
He learned it wasn’t easy
To please Gimme-a-beer’s father, the king.

But Sir Laugh-a-lot was canny
He was bound to persevere
And win the hand in marriage
Of the beautiful Gimme-a-beer

The day came the king consented
To give his daughter in marriage
And Gimme-a-beer and Laugh-a-lot
Rode off in their wedding carriage.

The moral of my story
Of those days of long ago
Of castle kings and jousting rings
It’s one you’ll want to know.

It’s that there’s danger in the jousting ring
Being king of the castle is tough …
And once a king always a king
But once a knight’s enough.

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RISING WATERS

It’s quadrille time at dVerse
and the word is “rise”, a word that
strikes terror in the heart of those
who live along the Ohio River.
Submitted April 22, 2019
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Maleficent mists rise

over murky waters

that creep ever higher.

A raging current uproots trees

taking them downriver,

battering rams of destruction,

taking out bridges,

relentlessly threatening levees

and the piteous efforts

of man.

It's Spring on the Ohio, and

again the rivers rise.

**********
Photo is Pomeroy, Ohio, a
small river town where
the first coal barges on

the Ohio were loaded.

LOVE LOST

Open Link Night #241

at dVerse

Submitted April 18, 2019

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Joy reigned in the beginning

When love had just begun

One careless, selfish act

And a piece of love was gone

A door was closed to closeness

That would not be regained

But love is slow to disappear

And still some of it remained

One final breech of trust

More thoughtless than before

No need to discuss forgiveness

For now love was no more

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ACE IN THE HOLE

It’s Quadrille time at dVerse
The word “ACE” is to be used
in our 44 word quadrille.
Submitted April 8, 2019
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Momma didn’t trust the bank
(It failed in ‘29)
She hid her stash under the guest room rug
“That way” she said, “I know it’s mine”
Momma was always thrifty
A faithful, happy soul 
Hidden where guests slept
Was momma’s ace in the hole.