Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which, in prosperous circumstances, would have lain dormant. ~Horace, Roman poet
There once was a snapdragon so red
It cared not where it laid its head.
It took root in some stones
Despite all my groans
And now is starting to spread.
Adversity introduces a man to himself. ~Author Unknown
No adversity or social distancing here — I’m just a Robin looking for my lunch (and maybe a mate!)
There once was a germ so scary
We saw it afar and grew wary.
We learned it could kill
And that gave us a chill.
We couldn’t afford to tarry.
We scrambled for supplies at the stores
And hastened to lock our front doors.
We washed our hands clean
And watched as the scene
Unfolded across our land’s shores.
Suddenly new terms arose
Coined by those who were pros —
Social distancing,
Economic dwindling.
Anxiety abounds, panic grows.
‘Is this the new normal?’ we ask
As we fasten our protective mask.
Working from home,
Protecting our genome,
What a time-consuming task.
It bears repeating, this refrain.
The truth is oh, so plain —
Our hands we will wash.
This germ we will squash,
And then we can live again.
Give me odorous at sunrise a garden of beautiful flowers where I can walk undisturbed. ~Walt Whitman, American poet
There once was a tall yellow flower
Who announced it received the power
To attract fuzzy bees
Without making them sneeze
And humans to become less dour.
He has not learned the lesson of life who does not every day surmount a fear. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, American poet and philosopher
A healthy respect for a goose
In the open and walking around loose
Is a wise path, it would seem
For they can be mean
Especially when it’s one versus deuce!
Note: This is another Limerick. I saw these birdies outside a shopping mall recently. Quite defensive over their territory (might there have been a nest nearby?), they’re BIG creatures (almost waist-high!) and can be intimidating with their hisses, open mouths, and bold approaches. Didn’t Shakespeare write, ‘Discretion is the better part of valor’?!
A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song. ~Chinese Proverb
There once sat a bird on a wire
Who wondered if he shouldn’t go higher.
Three pals came along
Each singing a song
And so they became a choir.
A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book. ~Irish Proverb
There once was a Sheltie named Dallas
Who thought he lived in a palace.
He ate and he slept,
And became most adept
At banishing signs of malice.
Cats are dangerous companions for writers because cat watching is a near-perfect method of writing avoidance. ~Dan Greenburg, American writer
There once was a caramel-colored cat
Who discovered a lass as she sat
He snuggled up close
She thought he was gross
And that was the end of that!
A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows. ~Doug Larson, American journalist
There once was a wee Dandelion
Who said, “‘Tis true, I’m not lyin’.
Don’t call me a weed,
I’m precious indeed.
Who else can thrive without tryin’?”
There once was a crepe myrtle bush
That refused to grow tall and/or lush.
I watered and fed
The seed pods turned red*
Perhaps it just needed a push!
*watermelon red
P.S. This is a limerick. This poor crepe myrtle has been moved three times now, in an effort to settle it in just the right spot. Glad I didn’t give up on it!
P.S.S. Time for a little blogging break — I’ll catch up with y’all soon!
There once was a stuffed Christmas goose
Who came to the house in a swoosh.
The dog gave a growl,
The goose gave a howl.
Who knew they’d be friends with a truce?
Note: Poetry form is a Limerick.
