"Seven bums and fourteen legs,
a brazen ecstasy which begs
the question some of us are asking -
is Peter Goulding multi-tasking?"

Martin Parker, Editor, Lighten Up Online

Friday, December 31, 2010

Not really catching the Poetry Bus this week


This week's New Year Poetry Bus is being driven by Jeanne in Connecticut and there are three great prompts to help you claim your ticket.
Sadly, my time is somewhat curtailed at the moment, so I am simply going to post up a poem I posted this time last year, which I think fulfills Option 3. And I will not link back to Jeanne because I don't really think I'll be able to get around to all the other contributors' poems.
So if you happen to land on this , a very Happy, Prosperous and Productive 2011 and I'm very sorry I can't pay a return visit.

New Year’s Eve

My mother was the middle child
Of seven very different girls.
I’ve seen her photos, running wild,
Her face a mass of golden curls.

Her sisters are like chalk and cheese,
Three are noisy, three are quiet.
The older three say thanks and please,
The younger set of three runs riot.

On New Year’s Eve, the six aunts come
To see the New Year in chez nous.
Alas, it’s too genteel for some,
And far too loud for one or two.

Last year we made a big mistake,
Did not invite the older three.
The younger three conspired to make
A bonfire of our Christmas tree.

This year, poor mother has been put
With this dilemma on the spot –
The younger aunts are coming but
Should older, quaint aunts be forgot?

9 comments:

  1. happy new year to you too Peter!!

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  2. Peter, I LOVE this...especially since I, too, am the middle child... can totally relate. Cleverly wrought! I will post your blog along with the others.
    Happy New Year!

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  3. I'm glad I didn't miss this ... I'm the oldest of three girls. You can imagine the dynamic! Happy New Year!

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  4. What a fun poem - but my goodness! Your poor grandfather :)

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  5. a shiny new years day treat :-D cheers for starting my new year with a laugh, all the besht!

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  6. Thanks for the laugh! I can imagine the bonfire.

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  7. Dear Peter,
    I LOVE this! In my family though, the younger child was the good one, the middle child the quiet one, and the eldest was the hell-raiser. I will leave it to you to decide where I might fit.

    Lovely quatrains! I am always in love with verse that seems natural but still has a Form.

    Ann T.

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  8. I did a double-take on the last line. You had me going right the way through, until I worked out that it was a fiction and honestly, you are the PUN KING! (*bowing in homage*)

    Kat

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  9. Many thanks to all and apologies for the groan-inducing last line.

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