Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Imps

ABC WEDNESDAY 
http://abcwednesdayround3.blogspot.com/
Letter 'I'

IMPS

'You're a little imp!' we say of a child
Who may be rather rude and wild.
We say it rather tenderly,
To the 'little imp' in our family.
And yet, in Germany of yore,
Imps, appearing in old folk-lore
We're rather nasty little creatures,
With crafty minds and ugly features.
Admittedly they were lesser sprites
Than the evil Demons who gave men bites,
Stole their children and scared their wives,
And made a mess of the peoples' lives.
Imps were, in a way, depressed,
They even longed to be caressed;
To get attention they acted badly,
Jumping out and laughing madly;
Hiding in boxes and under beds,
Tearing the newly-washed sheets to shreds.
Like children they got up to pranks;
Knotting the Granny's knitting hanks,
Making the milk in the pail go sour,
Putting insects in the flour!
But these 'little ones' were not attractive,
Just wild and silly and hyperactive.
A toddler human is quite delicious;
These little imps could be malicious.
But it shows that people then understood,
That the needy aren't always the good;
That a cry for help can come from a soul
That seems to others as black as coal.
That the ugly, the wicked, the dispossessed
May need affection more than the rest.
The old-time Germans, it seems to me,
Knew a great deal of psychology!
*
There was a time when I believed.....here:

12 comments:

Alan Burnett said...

Gloriously inventive

Sylvia K said...

I have know some of those!!! Although I'm not sure they were actually referred to as such!! Marvelous as always, Brenda! Hope your week is going well!

Sylvia

LisaF said...

Since we have a teething 18 month old in the house now, I can totally relate to her as an "imp."

photowannabe said...

My goodness you are the master weaver of words.
This was delightful in a impish sort of way.

Wanda said...

Enjoyed reading about your "imps"

Hildred said...

As usual, your way with words is so creative and as well a nugget of wisdom hidden within them.

Unknown said...

So much fun to read!

Just want to wish you HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Have you a great one!

hugs

shakira

Oscar Wilde-The IRISH Gentleman

ART OF GENEROSITY

Jay said...

How true - and so wonderfully told!

Tumblewords: said...

I learned a lot about imps today and had fun doing it!

Roger Owen Green said...

very INFORMATIVE and INTERESTING, INDEED!

Monika said...

lovely

dana said...

Working at the airport, I sure do see my share of imps!!!