Piddling Bantams

Piddling Bantams
 

Small things, rustling and fluttering,

Twitching and skittering,

Pattering and pittering,

Humming, thrumming muttering.

Mouse and sparrow,

Cricket, creeper,

Squirrel, sleeper

Clamoring through spaces narrow,

Hiding in the weeds and yarrow.

Whist! and you may hear them scuttle,

Hear them shift and hear them stir;

In the boughs of bush and fir;

Clicking beetle, prodding turtle,

Teaming undergrowth they prattle.

Sweets

Sweets
To Kimler and Nash-- this is their child

I think that I shall never eat
A poem as lovely as a treat.
Ideed, the paper often tastes
Like pencil shavings or stale paste.
Sweets always live up to their name,
Poems taste like books from which they came.
And books are not the biggest treat;
They're rather bland, and not too sweet
Unless they're syrup drenched, but then
You're liable to bite a pen
Some moron left between the pages--
And flossing after that takes ages.
Only fools make poems to eat,
But Willie Wonka makes the sweets.

Prayer of the Single Female

Prayer of the Single Female

Don’t let him meet Perfection, Lord,

I’ve heard she’s very pretty.

Please hide him in Kazakhstan,

And her in New York City.
 

Don’t let him meet Perfection, Lord,

She’ll get him in a flash.

She’ll have him writing mushy poems

And spending all his cash.

 
Don’t let him meet Perfection, Lord,

Her voice is soft and sweet.

Her hair’s so nice (she brushes it);

She doesn’t have big feet.

Don’t let him meet Perfection, Lord,

She always gets good grades,

And lead roles in the musical

(But never playing jades).
 

Don’t let him meet Perfection, Lord,

It’s certain she can swim;

Play sports and never sweat a drop;

Eat burgers and stay slim.
 

Don’t let him meet Perfection, Lord,

What if she’s always kind?

And always patient, always true,

And always on his mind?
 

Don’t let him meet Perfection, Lord,

She’s always good, I’m sure.

Her words are always loving,

And her thoughts are always pure.
 

Don’t let him meet Perfection, Lord,

I might scream if he did!

What if he likes Perfection—

What if they have a kid?!?
 

And if he meets Perfection, Lord,

(Remember, if’s the key)

Please let Perfection wear him out

Till he settles for me!