Monday, May 23, 2011

Mind Your Manners

  

MONDAY'S CHILD
supplied the illustration

MIND YOUR MANNERS
(Verses for little children)

Tim and Tom and Toby,
Were Triplets, one , two , three
And they were just as naughty
As three little boys can be.
'You must say Please and Thank you!'
Their parents used to plead
But 'Yah!' said the Terrible Triplets,
Very bad boys indeed.
One night the three boys made a wish
As they looked up in the sky;
'We wish our wooden rocking-horse
Would suddenly learn to fly!'
All at once the Fairy Queen
Was standing by their beds!
'Your wish is granted' said the Queen,
'So wake-up Sleepy-heads!
Climb up on your rocking-horse
And I will wave my wand!
Soon you'll be flying to the moon,
And, maybe, far beyond!'
'Yippee!' said Toby, Tim and Tom,
'Our rocking-horse will fly!
There's room enough for three!' they yelled;
'You'll see us flying by!'
They climbed up on the rocking-horse,
And said 'Come on! Let's go!'
But the Fairy Queen was not amused;
She suddenly said 'No!
If you don't say Please and Thank you,
You're not going anywhere!'
Said the Triplets 'You can't make us!
We like being rude, so there!
And 'Yah!' said the Terrible Triplets
'We never say those words!
Get a move on! Get a move on!
We want to fly like birds!
Well, suddenly they swooped up,
Not holding-on too well,
And one by one they slid to the tail
 And one by one they fell!
They landed in a jumbled heap
Feeling very bruised and sore!
*
They're saying 'Please' and 'Thank you' now;
Of that you may be sure.
*

--------------------------------------------------

PATIENCE!

What could be more trivial than a slogan such as this?
Painted very casually, but very hard to miss!
*
One presumes this ancient vehicle moves slowly.
It has a certain geriatric air!
And I also get a definite impression
That the driver of it doesn't really care!
He bumbles up and down along the highway,
With lots of black smoke belching out the back,
And a rattling of all the bits and pieces
While he's driving, chewing on a tasty snack!
Meanwhile cars are hooting, building-up behind him;
Men are swearing loudly at the great delays,
He's delighted that he has the power to snub them
With 'Patience is a Virtue!'. What a phrase!
*

3 comments:

Gemma Wiseman said...

Love the boisterous, fun rhythm of the first poem! A great tale with a kick! And enjoyed the wry humour in the second poem!

signed...bkm said...

Well these naughty boys obviously got what they deserved...falling into a heap on their heads...fun read....thank you..bkm

Jingle said...

attitude matters.

creative take on the prompt,
well done.