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Monday 17 April 2017

Retreating in Pants

Poetry Monday is here again! Started by Diane at On the Alberta/Montana Border, picked up by Delores at Mumblings and open to anyone who wants to take part, either in the comments on any of our blogs, or on your own blog. Leave us a comment if you'd like us to come have a look at your offering.

This week I've been spinning my wheels trying to come up with a topic.

I spun them so long that I ran out of time. So I'm borrowing from Ogden Nash, whose poems I enjoy because of his dry sense of humour and ability to rhyme almost anything.

Here are two of Mr. Nash's poems, which, on consideration, may be related. This, the day after Chocolate Bunny Day, seems to be a good time to ponder the implications for my own waistline.


Poem 1:

Nothing Makes Me Sicker

Nothing makes me sicker
than liquor
and candy
is too expandy


Poem 2:

What's the Use?

Sure, deck your limbs in pants,
Yours are the limbs, my sweeting.
You look divine as you advance . . .
Have you seen yourself retreating?
 


*****

In related news, my walking has not been going awfully well. When I had the bronchial bug, I did not get out at all, and last week I managed only three days, with shorter than usual jaunts. Ah well, another week is coming.

But when I was out and about, I did get a couple of photos I liked.


Mr. Black Cat sometimes shows up when I get to this point in my walk. He's very friendly.

He doesn't really have two heads, nor a large bottom.


I wish I were as sleek as this cat. I am rationing my Reese's peanut butter chocolate bunny carefully so that -- hopefully -- I will not have to always ask myself how I look retreating in pants.

Have a good week, my friends :)


30 comments:

Geo. said...

Excellent photos, whimsically composed. I truly enjoyed your inclusion of Ogden Nash in this post, Jenny. I was a fan of quiz shows in the 1950's and he was often a panelist who appealed to the child I was --still am inside. His humor and pawky wit were indelible.

Elephant's Child said...

I have always loved Ogden Nash, and enjoyed revisiting these.
I was given a LOT of chocolate. And rationing is required. I would like to be as sleek as a cat, nearly as much as I would like to be as supple as a cat.

Steve Reed said...

I love the shadows in that first photo! Hope your bronchial recovery continues. I'm still dealing with the after-effects of my cold, too. I think spring is a bad time for colds, with the weather warming up and viruses and bacteria becoming more active.

The Blog Fodder said...

Ogden Nash was my mother's patron saint.

Red said...

Nash definitely had a way with words!

jenny_o said...

I'd love to have heard him on a quiz show! And thank you for the new word "pawky"!

jenny_o said...

Nash's poetry is fun, isn't it? Let's be cats in our next life, EC :)

jenny_o said...

Thank you, Shadows & Light Steve! Actually I thought of your blog title when I took that. And I agree about the cruddy viruses :)

jenny_o said...

Hah!!

jenny_o said...

A master!

dinthebeast said...

From a book I had when I was a teen that I just looked up online:

The Stern Parent

Father heard his Children scream,
So he threw them in the stream,
Saying, as he drowned the third,
“Children should be seen, not heard!”

Graham, Harry (as “Col. D. Streamer”). Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes. New York: R. H. Russell 1901

Also:

Grandpapa fell down the drain
And couldn't scramble out again
Now he's floating down the sewer
There's one Grandpapa the fewer.

The book was called "Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes and More Ruthless Rhymes" and it seems to still be in print.
Wonderful photo of the cat, by the way.

-Doug in Oakland

John M said...

You'll get your strength back soon. Thanks for putting me on your list of blogs you enjoy. I'm putting your Procrastinating Donkey on my list.

only slightly confused said...

I try very hard never to look at myself 'in retreat'...too scary. Lovin' the black kitty.

e said...

Ogden Nash is a favorite...Love your photos...build your walks over time...feel better soon.

Martha said...

Mr. Black Cat's shadow looks like Batman. I bet Mr. Black Cat thinks he's a super hero.

jenny_o said...

Gah!! A bit like the original Grimm Fairy Tales ... but funny. I have often made the mistake of thinking people in the old days had no sense of humour. Wrong!

jenny_o said...

Thanks, John. I like to share the blogs I like with others who are looking for a good read :)

jenny_o said...

Just to set your mind at ease, it's actually quite hard to get a good look at that, even with a hand mirror. Relax :) heh

jenny_o said...

Thanks, e; that's good advice. I hope you're well over your chest cold by now. It was a doozy, wasn't it?

jenny_o said...

Hee hee! Maybe he does! You made me laugh :)

Jono said...

That is some awesome poetry! The first one reminds me of me and the second reminds me of someone that makes me almost as happy to see her leave as arrive.

jenny_o said...

Haha! That's definitely a compliment to her!

baili said...

very nice poetry my dear friend!

i love your spirit which is strong and positive .
this is something what we really need to stay calm and focus on the filled part of glass.
you are blessed with amazing sense of humor .
interestingly captured pics .
mr black is handsome and how nicely you captured two of his

jenny_o said...

Such kind words, baili - thank you. Mr. Black Cat is very handsome indeed!

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Your pictures engendered this...

SHADOWS

Perpetually following
Distorting or defining
Even in moonlight
You can't shake them off.
Once I saw a black cat
Lounging on bleached decking
Somewhere in Sunny Canada
And in her cataleptic state
It was as if her blackness
Was seeping between the cracks
Stolen by her feline shadow
Leaking back into The Earth
Where cauldrons bubble
Far below.

jenny_o said...

You have written a fine piece based on those photos; I love the imagery of the cat's blackness seeping away and being stolen by the shadow! Thank you, YP.

The Happy Whisk said...

Rationing your peanut butter cups, that's funny.

Sorry though that you're not all the way feeling well. Hope you get more healed up and on the double.

The Happy Whisk said...

I don't know if I commented on this one yet, funny first poem. I don't like either, either. Unless it's homemade candy, then I'm there. Yum.

jenny_o said...

Thanks - lately I'm noticing an improvement every day, so I think I'm on the mend!

jenny_o said...

Homemade candy? I'm intrigued! Have you blogged about that?