08.11.2021
The Singing Pajama and Peppermint Skier
On the snowy slopes just north of here
They say there is a man
Who takes the runs as swiftly
As any human can
They say he wears a long, grey beard
That in the wind it flies
And that he’s up and on his skis
As soon as the light’s in the skies
They say he gets right out of bed
And doesn’t even dress
He comes along in his sleeping clothes
With stripes ‘cross his legs and chest
They say he makes a graceful line
That he weaves through the trees and rocks
And he always has several peppermints
Tucked into the tops of his socks
They say he sometimes sings aloud
When he’s rushing down the way
But when he reaches the bottom
He hasn’t a word to say
In fact they say no one has heard
Him ever say a thing
Except for those carried in melodies
That make up the songs that he sings
They say he is a legend there
That his presence is truly a gift
And I hope when I’m next in the mountains
I might see him while riding the lift
I hope when I’m next in the mountains
He’ll pass by me in the snow
For they say you can always smell peppermint
Wherever this skier may go
08.10.2021
A Quiet Place to Read
I was reading in my house
But the noise was far too loud
With seven different siblings
It felt like a too thick crowd
So I brought my book out to the yard
To read in peace and quiet
And found a spot at forest’s edge
And sat down close beside it
And I’m glad I brought a blanket
For the days have gotten colder
And all is well save for a sense
Someone’s reading over my shoulder
08.09.2021
The Sales Elephant
An elephant once left the zoo
To take a position in sales
He began his career with a company
Selling very high-end wedding veils
He set out that very first week
With his briefcase close at his side
Expecting each door he came to
To be opened up quickly and wide
But he found that his grand expectations
Were skewed and were slightly misplaced
For every door that he came to
Closed quite quickly in front of his face
It appeared that potential customers
Weren’t accustomed to big tusks and ears
Not to mention the friendly wave of his trunk
Meant to greet and assuage any fears
By the afternoon he was feeling low
And he questioned the choice he had made
And he stopped to rest by a ginkgo tree
That covered the sidewalk with shade
When his eye caught sight of a name
On a mailbox that was very nearby
“Miss Melissa Giant” it said
Then his gaze drifted up to the sky
For the house was the largest of houses
The biggest that he’d ever seen
The towering front door colored honey
The rest of the house, forest green
With a bit of a search and a shuffle
He climbed up a ladder to press
The very high height of the door bell
And then waited there holding his breath
As the lady of the house approached
And opened up the door
He once again offered his spiel
Then held his breath some more
But the door came wider open
And the giant lady grinned
For she had just become betrothed
And the planning about to begin
She said her wedding would be huge
And she’d no clue where to start
And that his knock, serendipitous
Had warmed her new bridal heart
So opening his sales case
The elephant showed her all
The giantess-sized bridal veils
For the very big and for the tall
And that first success, it led to more
Commissions they rolled in with sales
The elephant, catering to weddings
Of giants and sometimes whales
08.06.2021
A Journey with Wonder
Sometimes I ride
Just to feel the wind blow
No care or concern
For where I will go
Only breeze in my hair
And my mind on the roam
As the tracks take me further
And further from home
For fun and with wonder
I open my eyes
To behold brand new lands
A delightful surprise
And I’ll stay for a while
To feel how far I’ve come
Then return, eyes wide open
To where I am from
08.04.2021
The Trouble with T-Rex Toast
An order’s come up
For T-Rex Toast
It’s an order we get
Quite less frequent than most
And I don’t mind the sparseness
The request is a chore
Ingredient-wise, it’s a dish I deplore
For to find the right Rex
That will fit in the slot
An impossible task
As sure as the toaster is hot
They’re the King of all Dinos
So the ones that would do
Are the baby T-Rexes
A fact that makes me feel blue
And a complexity added
To this terrible thing
Is that the babies love tag
Making catching obscene
It’s all run and pursue
Or hide and avoid
The thought by itself
Makes me quite paranoid
What’s that? Order changed?
Oh glorious day!
I can breathe, I can smile
What’s that that you say?
What do they want?
Oh it couldn’t be true
You’re sure that they’ve ordered
Hot Electric Eel Stew?