Steve Shilstone's Blog, page 22

MAURICE SENDAK’S BIRTHDAY

Where The Wild Things Are is quite a good book.

If you haven’t read it, you should take a look.

Or go to the opera. They made one, you know.

It’s a rip tearing snort of a sing songy show.

You’ll enjoy it best from the very first row.

?

Who is this fellow? Do you know?

He was born on this date 94 years ago.

He had a fine talent. By that I stand firm.

You can take it from me or the lowliest worm.

(Richard Scarry)

MED OF THE EAST LIMERICK

Oh, see the mysterious Med of the East.

Can she really be some sort of beast?

She has a green beard.

That’s a little bit weird.

The rumors about her have never deceased.

MRS. TULIP

Mrs. Tulip went to town

to buy a brand-new evening gown.

The first she saw was sea foam green.

A lovelier sight had never been seen.

So said the salesfish, standing by,

fins on hips, twinkle in her eye.

‘I’ll take it then!’ cried Mrs. Tulip.

‘It’ll match my daily afternoon julep!’

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARGARET WISE BROWN

Did we look for the mouse hundreds of times, my toddler son and I?

You bet, and gladly I’d do it again, given the chance to try.

MOTHER, DAUGHTER, GRANDDAUGHTER

Mother (with necklace) Lorelei Lo

Daughter (hair parted in the middle) Lovey

Granddaughter (somber, wistful) Ambergold

M: raised by a Dragon; D: drank from a flagon; G: rode in a wagon.

M: collected shoes and pins; D: could not abide grins; G: was the mother of twins.

M: had a favorite lamp; D: was the hopping champ; G: loved to camp.

THE MOTHERS ANN OF EDWARD LEAR

Had Mother’s Day been around and about in the 1800s, Edward Lear would have had to compose 2 loving limericks to celebrate the day. For you see, Edward was the 20th child born to Ann and Jeremiah Lear. Yes, you heard that right. And yes, that’s Ann #1. Ann #2 was Edward’s eldest sister, 21 years his senior. Owing to understandable family hardships, when Edward was four years of age, he moved with his sister Ann into a separate domicile, where he was doted upon by said sister for the rest of her life. So:

A pair of Anns had Edward Lear

from infancy on to help him rear.

His Ma, quite tired,

and his sis, more wired,

both helped to shape their Eddie dear.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, J. M. BARRIE

J. M. Barrie was a little tiny man.

He wrote the story of Peter Pan.

Did he do it very well?

You bet, according to Tinkerbell.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

I wandered through the looking glass the other day in search of Alice. I had a question I wanted to ask her. She wasn’t there, though. Neither Queen, Red or White, had seen her lately. Both Queens urged me to join them fishing for socks in the stream. I made an excuse, explaining to them how I really had to be home in time to spread marmalade in the garden. That seemed reasonable to them, and so I returned to our side of the looking glass and went outside to spread marmalade in the garden.

THE AMZO LIMERICK

When Amzo was the Queen of Clover

her daughter to a Dragon she had to hand over

A rescue, it seems,

was found only in dreams

and a sliver of hope in a magical rover