Monday, March 21, 2011

Split Personality


SUNDAY SCRIBBLING
http://sundayscribblings.blogspot.com/2011/03/259-free.html
asks us to write about 'Free'.

SPLIT PERSONALITY

Such a little word is 'free',
When it means 'give-away',
When it's a little nothing
For which we need not pay.
It's just a litte gimmick,
A ruse to draw us in,
Before the really serious part
Of spending must begin.


But such a powerful word is 'free'
When it means 'unfettered'.
When it comes to describing release and joy
It just cannot be bettered.
Four letters meaning soaring
Untrammeled, like a bird,
Or 'a little bit of nothing'!
A split-personality word!
*
------------------------------------------------------------------------

HANG IN THERE!

How they got there in the first place I haven't got a notion,
But ten men and a woman were high above the ocean.
They were flying in a helicopter when the pilot said
'The engine's giving trouble! We'll very soon be dead
Unless you hang down from the craft by this very handy rope!'
So the ten men and the woman saw this as their only hope!
They were hanging from the helicopter, swinging in the breeze
When the pilot shouted 'You're too heavy! One must let-go, please!'
Then began the arguments; the men all felt that they
Were terribly important and should be allowed to stay.
The pilot bellowed 'Cut the cackle! We're really on the brink!
One of you must jump or else the whole darned lot will sink!'
So up spoke the woman 'It's been my lot in life
To make continual sacrifices, as Mother and as Wife.
I've always got up in the night to tend a child, and then
I've always let the largest portions go to feed the men.
I've scrimped and saved and gone without. I know my place and so
I think that it is right if I'm the one who now lets-go.'
Too late the ten men realised that they had all been trapped......
Not only did they raise a cheer...
Every one of them
Clapped!
*

10 comments:

Unknown said...

Split-personality - so true. I haven't written mine yet but the prompt has me thinking about the different meanings of 'free'

Old Egg said...

I am always a little tardy to clap first. Now I see the sense in that!
Another two fine poems Brenda.

Cynthia M said...

I love your take on free ..so very different depending on the vantage point. Well written :)

I wrote my entry a bit late, it's at http://cynthiamarstonwritingstuff.blogspot.com/

erer said...

I lovedddd your optimistic take on the word "free"! :)

Happy Monday!

Linda May said...

Well done Brenda. Lots of directions to go with this free word isn't there.

Altonian said...

Particularly fine pair. I laughed a lot at the second one. You never fail to entertain.

Jae Rose said...

I hadn't thought of that definition of 'free'..great exploration of the word..and how we live..Jae

Unknown said...

Your "Split Personality" is insightful and profound. Glad I read it today.
Here's my FREE piece:
http://www.kimnelsonwrites.com/2011/01/31/you-me-and-fibonacci/

Tracey said...

"free" - very thought provoking. Both done very well.

Mr. Walker said...

I really like Split Personality, a really nice take on "free". Nicely structured, two balanced stanzas, one for each take.