Second grade?! That’s an impressive achievement at any age and clearly an indicator of where your passions might take you in adulthood. Loved the lightness of this one, Tara, and the story behind it. Do you still have the marionette?
Haha! Yes, I think my future was laid out for me way back then, though I didn’t know it yet. 😎 If I flubbed lines - which I may have - memory forgot to record that. Sadly, I was a little too young to take care of a fragile marionette. I kept tangling the strings. (I could do language, but not strings.) I’m sure my mother regretted getting it for me after the umpteenth untangle. Eventually, she sat in the closet in a tangle and came out no more. I suppose she was whisked away in one of our moves.
"I could do language but not strings." Ha! Well, we can't be good at everything, right? Come to think of it, I may have had a marionette as a child, too, but I never got so far as to have it perform with me!
I may have introduced innuendos when I took the liberty of turning the zookeeper from "he" to "she." My middle-aged self decided that the poem needed a female in it. Troubadours in the oral tradition get to take such liberties. 😇 This makes me wish someone had taken up "Goblin Market." Maybe we'll have to do this again. ❤️
You missed your calling. While I'm sure you are an exception Uni prof you may have had (or still could have) an amazing acting career! Well done Tara, this was delightful. I have never heard this poem before and I fell in love immediately. I mean, who could resist a title like that? It's a title that rears my green monster with envy that I never wrote such a wonderful phrase. Your extra video was the icing on the cake.
I’m glad you enjoyed the crazy little poem as much as I did. When melodrama comes back in style, I’ll be right there, ready for my next career. 🤪 Griff gets director and producer credit for the p.s. It was fun to have him help.
It's great Griff was involved, he also did an excellent job. I am laughing out loud at "when melodrama comes back in style" - I was unaware it went out of style. Have you heard of the Kardashians? (jk, I have never watched them so I don't know if they display melodrama, I should not assume!)
Wow. Now I feel completely outclassed. My first public recital:
I eat my peas with honey.
I’ve done it all my life
It makes the peas taste funny
But it keeps them on the knife.
Little Switter, grade 1
P.s. Was today the drop dead submission date or is there a state of grace? Quite a bit of life got in my way over the past three days. I know, I know. Discipline, order, promptness, and personal responsibility, but I once extended grace to a colleague whose quarterly progress report was destroyed by an actual bomb, along with his backup.
It probably wasn’t obvious at the time, considering the material they gave me to work with, and given that I previously memorized and was ready to recite all 12,109 lines of The Odyssey, with an especially landmark performance of Ulysses and Telemachus murdering Penelope’s suitors.
After that, I sort of lost interest in oratory, completely gave up on public performance, and eventually wanted to become an astronaut or a fireman, or maybe even a poet-hog farmer.
In high school, I found I had a knack for the visual arts, especially caricatures, but sadly as it turned out, I focused on my teachers. I produced what I thought was a lovely rendition of twelve of my teachers around a table, ala da Vinci’s Last Supper, in a piece I called The Last Potluck. I think it might have been okay if I hadn’t decided to express the beauty of the nude human form, which when the work was circulated and ultimately ended up in the wrong hands, was not seen as a plus in my favor, especially by several of those portrayed. When I eventually returned to classes, much chastened, I lost my enthusiasm for fine art. I came to understand completely why Van Gogh eventually cut off his ear. The soul of an artist is a terrible burden to carry.
Fear not! When possible, I treat deadlines like tissue paper. If you can post this week, I’ll still put it in the collection going out next Friday. Hop on the pumpkin wagon!
Ha! Reminds me of so many verses by Shel Silverstein😂
Yes! It's a lucky child to hear wordplay early.
Love it! And especially love the postscript. Thank goodness we have the pandemonium under control!
Early takes with the other cat knocked over flowers and elicited feline glares and protests. This cat wanted the part. 😆
Yes! It made me smile and giggle too! Lovely offering today Tara, and I especially enjoyed hearing how this poem tickled its way into your heart.
Glad you enjoyed it, fellow poet. Now off to do some restacking. :-)
delightful.
Thank you. :-)
Second grade?! That’s an impressive achievement at any age and clearly an indicator of where your passions might take you in adulthood. Loved the lightness of this one, Tara, and the story behind it. Do you still have the marionette?
Haha! Yes, I think my future was laid out for me way back then, though I didn’t know it yet. 😎 If I flubbed lines - which I may have - memory forgot to record that. Sadly, I was a little too young to take care of a fragile marionette. I kept tangling the strings. (I could do language, but not strings.) I’m sure my mother regretted getting it for me after the umpteenth untangle. Eventually, she sat in the closet in a tangle and came out no more. I suppose she was whisked away in one of our moves.
"I could do language but not strings." Ha! Well, we can't be good at everything, right? Come to think of it, I may have had a marionette as a child, too, but I never got so far as to have it perform with me!
I was so excited to have one. I can see why marionettes were a short-lived childhood toy. 🪢🪢🪢😭
Tara, Your choice made me smile and think of double entendres, too! Thank you for this marvelous project that touched my heart. ~ Mary
I may have introduced innuendos when I took the liberty of turning the zookeeper from "he" to "she." My middle-aged self decided that the poem needed a female in it. Troubadours in the oral tradition get to take such liberties. 😇 This makes me wish someone had taken up "Goblin Market." Maybe we'll have to do this again. ❤️
Grand project, Tara.
🙏
So much fun!!! And I looooooved the postscript. Phew. Safe once more.
Haha! I'll tell my son your review of the p.s. He'll appreciate that. And I'll go walking after dark. (Just in time for Halloween. Whew.)
Charming! Bravo!
Thank you!😊
You missed your calling. While I'm sure you are an exception Uni prof you may have had (or still could have) an amazing acting career! Well done Tara, this was delightful. I have never heard this poem before and I fell in love immediately. I mean, who could resist a title like that? It's a title that rears my green monster with envy that I never wrote such a wonderful phrase. Your extra video was the icing on the cake.
I’m glad you enjoyed the crazy little poem as much as I did. When melodrama comes back in style, I’ll be right there, ready for my next career. 🤪 Griff gets director and producer credit for the p.s. It was fun to have him help.
It's great Griff was involved, he also did an excellent job. I am laughing out loud at "when melodrama comes back in style" - I was unaware it went out of style. Have you heard of the Kardashians? (jk, I have never watched them so I don't know if they display melodrama, I should not assume!)
😂 😂 😂
Wow. Now I feel completely outclassed. My first public recital:
I eat my peas with honey.
I’ve done it all my life
It makes the peas taste funny
But it keeps them on the knife.
Little Switter, grade 1
P.s. Was today the drop dead submission date or is there a state of grace? Quite a bit of life got in my way over the past three days. I know, I know. Discipline, order, promptness, and personal responsibility, but I once extended grace to a colleague whose quarterly progress report was destroyed by an actual bomb, along with his backup.
???
😇 There is considerable grace. The compilation doesn’t go out until next Friday.
A recitation in grade one! You were a prodigy, too. 😮
It probably wasn’t obvious at the time, considering the material they gave me to work with, and given that I previously memorized and was ready to recite all 12,109 lines of The Odyssey, with an especially landmark performance of Ulysses and Telemachus murdering Penelope’s suitors.
After that, I sort of lost interest in oratory, completely gave up on public performance, and eventually wanted to become an astronaut or a fireman, or maybe even a poet-hog farmer.
Your mentors really should have let you perform The Odyssey. It’s clear where all the trouble began.
It’s that way a lot in hindsight.
In high school, I found I had a knack for the visual arts, especially caricatures, but sadly as it turned out, I focused on my teachers. I produced what I thought was a lovely rendition of twelve of my teachers around a table, ala da Vinci’s Last Supper, in a piece I called The Last Potluck. I think it might have been okay if I hadn’t decided to express the beauty of the nude human form, which when the work was circulated and ultimately ended up in the wrong hands, was not seen as a plus in my favor, especially by several of those portrayed. When I eventually returned to classes, much chastened, I lost my enthusiasm for fine art. I came to understand completely why Van Gogh eventually cut off his ear. The soul of an artist is a terrible burden to carry.
Oh my, that was precocious. 🫣😮😆
Oh how did I miss this?!?! I’m so sad!! I definitely have a poem I carry in my blood. My FOMO is in full flower. 😭😭😭
Fear not! When possible, I treat deadlines like tissue paper. If you can post this week, I’ll still put it in the collection going out next Friday. Hop on the pumpkin wagon!
Working on it now!! Phew!
🎥 😎
You did a great job! Love this poem!
Thank you! 😊