"Thanks for the Heads Up."

HEAD DOODLING BACK

as he went to step down from the ladder,
the rung gave way under his foot  –
he tried to climb back up the ladder,
but the ladder just wouldn`t stay put  –
it started to slowly lurch backwards,
so he grabbed at the wide window ledge  –
which made the blamed thing start to wobble ...
and he managed to just miss the edge  –
he seized the old weather-worn shutter,
and tore off a chuck of the trim  –
he dropped and bounced out of an oak tree,
attempting to straddle a limb  –
he lunged for the thorny rose trellis  –
and as he was flipping through air ...
somebody yelled out the window:

"That ladder's in need of repair."

note:  a bit of silliness posted for Poets United:  though, for many years - with 4 teenage kids coming and going -   "Thanks for the Heads Up" could often be heard, sarcastically delivered on the heels of "Oh, I forgot to tell you ...".

Light poetry has a centuries long history of making a serious point in a subtle (usually amusing), less disrespectful or insulting way.  Pinned (often somewhat surreptitiously) to much larger "real" situations, light poetry was a means of bringing "off-limits" subject matter  into the public consciousness.  For that reason (and the fact that I love rhyme, done well) I like to have a go at it every once in a while - though I know its popularity has greatly diminished.  Smiles.

photo/graphic:  ``Thanks for the Heads Up.`` - W. Bourke

© 2013 Wendy Bourke

a good dream for a cold winter’s night – a villanelle

adrift in a good dream, in silent white 

far from the madding din in spellbound snow

in gusts, on this light-as-a-feather night

floating ... in the mystic spirit bright

the moon and stars confer a lantern glow

adrift in a good dream, in silent white

in wintry solitude – the world is right

before me, soft down quilt warms my old soul,

in gusts, on this light-as-a-feather night

  

each frosted bough and branch: an awesome sight 

in misty breath and breezes – wonderful –

adrift in a good dream, in silent white

glittered snowflakes skitter with delight

and swirl, exquisite, in the puff and blow 

in gusts, on this light-as-a-feather night

peace on earth – on this good earth – this night 

a dream, a wish, a prayer to  make it so ...

adrift in a good dream, in silent white 

in gusts, on this light-as-a-feather night

 notes:  posted for Poets United.

On a personal note:  Recently, I was included in EnCompass V, an anthology published by The Ontario Poetry Society [www.theontariopoetrysociety.ca], that featured the work of six, established and emerging, poets.  What an honor, for me, to be included with such talented people.

TOPS (abbrev.) is a unique, “poetry-friendly place” and personally, I have found it to be a wonderful way (for those who are interested) to kick-start a publication record as, many of their submissions (for poetry contests and anthologies, etc) are only open to members (in Canada and the US).

photo:  Sun Peaks, BC – H. Bourke

© 2016 Wendy Bourke