CHEESE, PLEASE!

For mice and men
Beyond age ten,
Plus kings and queens,
And in betweens.

Oft full of holes
Just for the moles,
Or like a brick
And in a stick.

Then, too, a wheel
Has got appeal.
And don't you hedge;
You'd like a wedge!

But as you live,
You should not give
It to a kitten,
For you'll be bitten!


[I was feeding little pieces of cheese
to a kitten one day when she got
excited and bit my finger. Kittens
have very sharp teeth--she drew blood!]




THE CHEF

Concentration absolute
Is mirrored in his eyes,

Facing oven which contains
All ingredients upon which
He can pin his hopes
Of succulent repast,

Carefully placed and with
Exact settings calculated to
Roast the dish to
Absolute perfection.

Silent food this is not,
And as he watches close,
Sharp reports from metal walls
Might well shatter nerves!

But this chef has studied well
And practiced oft his art;
"Less is more" has not been lost
On his cunning mind,

And in fact through darkling glass
There are only two
Items it contains:

Nicely crafted paper bag
And loudly popping corn!


[I wrote this about one of my homeschool students.]



PAW PAW

I am trying
Paw Paw
To write a poem
At my computer
Paw Paw

My cat
Paw Paw
Has other ideas
Paw Paw

Whatever else
You are doing
Paw Paw
It is never
So important
Paw Paw
As petting
The cat
Paw Paw

She puts her paws
Paw Paw
On the keys
Paw Paw
And on my fingers
Paw Paw
Until I stop
And scratch her ears

Purr!




KITTEN


A tiny but brave yellow kitten
Once happened upon an old mitten.

Spat the kitten, "I'll fight!"
"You won't get in a bite!"

Thought the mitten, "That wouldn't be fittin'."


[I wrote this poem when I was in seventh grade.]



OLD MOTHER GOOSE

Hey! diddle, diddle,
The cat and the... guitar.
The knife ran away with the fork;
His face was all a grin.

No... spoon!
The cow... cried.
And the little dog
Never came back.

Dish of... nachos,
Eat too much,
Burst three buttons off
In a dream, like this:

"Old Mother Hubbard
Sat in the cupboard
Eating her curds and whey."

"She stuck in her thumb
And pulled out a plum,
And said, 'What a good boy am I!'"


[My inspiration for this one is the poem "The Height of the Ridiculous" by Oliver Wendell Holmes, as well as various nursery rhymes.]



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