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Monday 29 October 2018

Poetry Monday: Halloween

It's Poetry Monday, and this week's topic is Halloween. Join Diane, Delores, and me as we knock on all the doors in our brains and yell "trick or treat!" and see what happens . . .

You can leave your Halloween treats poem in the comments on any of our doorsteps blogs, or post on your own blog, in which case please leave a hairy eyeball comment so we can find you and eat your brains cheer you on! I don't know how those extra words keep finding their way in, but trust me, you're about to be frightened out of your wits safe here with me! Mwahahaha . . .

* * * * *

Well, the craft sale is over, and I am mostly recovered. All four fingers on my left hand fell victim to hot glue, and I burned my arm brushing against a hot oven wall, but on the plus side I didn't burn a single one of the fifteen dozen oatcakes that I made to sell, so the whole "luck" thing balanced out. I spent almost everything I made on products from the other vendors (to give for Christmas and birthday gifts), so the whole "money" thing balanced out, too.

And then, just like that, it was Sunday night, and I had nary a line of poetry written.

But I had been thinking about it, in between hot gluing my fingers ornaments and baking my arm oatcakes.

And here's what I was thinking: after falling down the basement stairs last Halloween, that date is inextricably linked to the concept of "hurt" in my brain. When I think "Halloween," I think "pain." Isn't it strange how the mind works?

My back, which took a hard hit on the corner of a stair, took a couple of months to "come right" as they say, but I also hurt the last two fingers on my right hand, and they are almost back to normal one year later.

How did I hurt my fingers by falling on my back? I was letting our cat up from the basement, and going down the stairs to get her food and water, incidentally also carrying a small fake pumpkin to put into storage for another year. This was the pumpkin . . .

Has a mean look to it, doesn't it?

 . . . and because it was awkward to hold, I had my index and middle fingers through the eye holes. When I fell, I must have whacked the pumpkin (and my hand) against the stairs, too, although I didn't feel it at first because my back hurt like crazy. I'm assuming that hurt cancelled out the other hurt.

I'm also assuming the pumpkin put a spell on me to make my fingers take so long to get better, as payback for sticking my fingers in its eye holes, and also for cracking it in half when I fell. I used my trusty glue gun to fix it after about eight months, because I was tired of seeing it on the kitchen counter and being reminded of my Halloween trip (haha, pun intended), but the damage to me and the damage to Mr. Pumpkin clearly balanced out, just like the crafting burns and the oatcakes and the money in and money out at the craft sale.

Anyhow, I actually went for an x-ray at about the six month mark, because it was still hard to write and carry things, there was still pain and limited flexibility in those fingers, and I wanted to know if there was any damage to the bones before I went for physio. It took so long to get the x-ray taken and then get the results back that my fingers had improved some more by then and so I said to heck with physio and just kept using my fingers as best I could for housework and so on. Home style physio, if you will.

So . . . that's the long preamble over with; here's the poem.

* * * * *

Pumpkin's Revenge

Halloween was finally over for another year.
Pumpkin Head had done his best to fill the kids with fear.
Donkey headed down the stairs to store him in a trunk,
Fingers in his eyes -- and then she landed with a thunk.

Mr. Pumpkin split in half, and thought that he would die.
He said, "My life is over, and I've never made a pie!" (haha, another dreadful pun)
His pride had suffered, too, from being carried by his eyes;
"That's no way to treat a friend!" he thought -- a silent cry.

He listened to the Donkey's moans, and grinned a bit in spite.
"I guess she's hurting too," he said. "It serves her bloody right!
"She thinks it's just her back that hurts but I've a clever plan:
"I'll put a hex upon the frailest fingers on her hand!"

And sure enough, within the day, how Donkey's misery grew.
Her fingers pained and swelled and then they turned all black and blue.
A year went by and it was nearly Halloween  again --
A year with Pumpkin's awful curse: The Double-Finger-Sprain.

We shouldn't judge the Pumpkin for his lack of empathy --
His head is filled with empty air; his eyes, they cannot see.
But you can bet the Donkey will be handling him with care,
Not poking fingers through his eyes when taking him downstairs!

*****

Have a Happy Halloween! Please don't take any unexpected trips!

. . . And be careful with your decorations . . .  😈

 

Update:  Next week's topic is . . . common sense . . .




42 comments:

Elephant's Child said...

Loved your tale of woe and hope that you can stay away from Mr Pumpkin's curses in the future.
15 DOZEN cookies?!! You are a baking machine.

dinthebeast said...

So I wanted to scare up something suitably scary for Halloween, but all I've got is this article about squirrels in South Carolina eating the faces off of Jack-O-Lanterns.

https://www.thestate.com/news/local/article220617715.html

I'm glad your fingers are feeling better. Messed up fingers make everything you do harder and more painful.

-Doug in Oakland

River said...

That's quite the story poem, glad your back is better and hope the fingers continue to improve.

only slightly confused said...

Hah...throw him down the stairs ahead of you so you can hang on to railing...nasty pumpkin. If he gets a concussion so much the better.

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

Oh, those dreaded steps! I have fallen victim a few times and some in public places. What I have found out is that old bones can heal(though slower)but pride can be injured forever.

Happy Halloween, Jenny. This year, send your husband downstairs for the pumpkins.

Red said...

Falls for us can be serious issues. It's the silly little things like injured fingers that makes us wonder what happens in a fall. We also tend to remember the fall in slow motion every detail. Okay now, have a better Halloween this year.

Steve Reed said...

I remember that fall! Don't do THAT again! You managed to work a clever poem out of that incident, but I'm sure given a choice you'd still rather it hadn't happened at all. (And no doubt Mr. Pumpkin would choose the same.) :)

jenny_o said...

I broke the baking into two sessions as I find it easier on the body. You're quite the baker at Christmas time, too, EC. All those cakes!

I'm definitely treating the pumpkin - and the stairs - with greater respect since my fall.

Marie Smith said...

Lol. Great story and the poem is perfect!

jenny_o said...

That article is kind of hilarious! The pumpkins actually look more Halloween-y, if you ask me :)

Writing and wiping off the kitchen counters were the two things I found hardest. The knuckles on those two fingers are still larger than on my other hand!

jenny_o said...

Thanks, River. I'm starting to wonder if they'll ever completely get back to normal or not.

I'll be over soon to your blog and get caught up, now that things are a bit calmer :)

jenny_o said...

Delores! How horrifying! LOL

jenny_o said...

Too bad there's no pill for injured pride, isn't it? I never thought about how lucky I was to have fallen in the privacy of my own home!

Husband has a tricky knee so he's a danger on the stairs as well :)

jenny_o said...

I intend to have a very CAREFUL Halloween! You've had some recent falls that weren't too pretty either. You're right about falls being serious as we age.

jenny_o said...

I'll certainly try not to do it again! I stored Mr. Pumpkin in a cupboard upstairs this time, so he's easier to get to and to put away :)

jenny_o said...

That's what's known as making lemonade from lemons, ha ha

Susan said...

I found you from a comment on Sue's cottage at the end of the Lane blog. I usually check out people if they say they are Canadian. I'm so glad I did, you sound terrific fun. Love the poem, you have a gift. Reminds me of Bill Richardson. If you check out my blog you will see it is on hiatus but I think you will gather we share the same outlook on life.

Susan Kane said...

Ouch. Nothing like a good fall to make one realize that we are mortal, our bones can get hurt, etc.
All advice above is excellent.
Take it easy this year!

jenny_o said...

Thanks for dropping in, Susan! I see you're from BC - a beautiful place by all I've heard, and a trip there may be in my not-too-distant future as our daughter is moving to the USA just below BC. We couldn't do one without the other, I think :) Thank you for your kind words - I just try to have fun with the poems. Looking forward to visiting your blog!

jenny_o said...

Susan, the other two regulars in this poetry challenge, Diane and Delores, are also Canadians, and they are wonderful writers, far better than I am. If you are interested, their blogs are linked at the beginning of this post; just click on each of their names :)

jenny_o said...

That's for sure. When I was younger it was like I was made of rubber! I plan to be VERY careful this year, and actually have been very careful all year long.

Janie Junebug said...

I remember when you fell. That was a nasty fall. Your poem is much cleaner than the one I wrote and posted today. I'm a nastay girl.

Love,
Janie

jenny_o said...

And I re-read your comment from last year's post where you said you broke your back so badly. Now THAT was nasty.

I read your poem, you naughty poetess, you :D

Martha said...

HAHA! What a great poem. Those pumpkins can be quite vengeful. I'll have to remember not to poke their eyes :) I'm glad you are feeling much better!

Diane Stringam Tolley said...

Truly delightful, Jenny! I winced for you. And the pumpkin! :)

jenny_o said...

I never knew they could be so testy! lol

jenny_o said...

I will convey your sympathy to Mr. Pumpkin! We have a rendez-vous tomorrow around supper time. No, no, not to eat him -- to put in his batteries and set him on the front steps! ha ha

Janie Junebug said...

I try to be careful about my back, but accidents happen.

kylie said...

I think I started reading your blog when you posted about that fall.
It's still Halloween here so happy Halloween. I wish you stumble proof stairs and pain free fingers.... And candy, lots of candy 🍬

John M said...

Good story and pumpkin photo.🎃👌

jenny_o said...

Our little trick-or-treaters will be arriving in an hour or so. If I can just keep out of the treats a few more hours ...!

Thanks for your wishes. Fingers crossed.

jenny_o said...

Thanks, John! Mr. Pumpkin takes a better picture than I do :)

Diane Henders said...

A tragic tale of pumpkin woe! (Don't tell Mr. Pumpkin that it made me giggle.) ;-) Have a safe and happy Halloween!

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Halloween

Plastic spiders
And cobweb spray
Monster masks
In the shop display
And fake blood and bat wings too
Luminous paint and slimy goo
Orange pumpkins by the score
Grown for carving - nothing more
It's just a ravenous money machine
And that's the truth about Halloween

jenny_o said...

Thanks, Diane - the same to you!

jenny_o said...

Sadly, yes.

Although, for little kids, I think the delight in dressing up and being out after dark is still a pure feeling unrelated to any purchased item except maybe their costumes. I love to see the faces of the little ones; they are so excited.

Thank you for joining in again, YP!

37paddington said...

I am glad your injuries continue to improve. Such a painful fall. Revenge of the pumpkin, ha! Be well, my friend.

jenny_o said...

Thanks, 37p, and the same to you.

Mr. Shife said...

Hope your Halloween went well and no misadventures like last year. Thanks for sharing your poem. Loved it. Take care.

jenny_o said...

It was an uneventful Halloween; in other words, just perfect :) Have a good week, Mr. S.

baili said...

Oh my dear friend Jenny i am so sorry that it too so long to feel your back and fingers normal

i can only imagine the suffering you been facing meanwhile and i must appreciate your strength and bravery that you were never late to any of your post or any other household duties

Sending you warm loving hug and a motherly kiss on forehead my friend!

please please be careful with your steps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry about your arm either dear Jenny!!!!

though i am happy that all stuff was good help to raise money but i am sad for your arm as well hope it will be fine soon
heartiest prays and lots of love !

holding pumpkin by eyes made you write such great poem ,wonderful imagery that goes straight with situation !

i agree his look is weird
take great care my friend and Happy Halloween!

jenny_o said...

Thank you, baili; my arm is fine and I am being very careful on the stairs! I have learned my lesson :) Hugs back to you!