Thanks, Bob. That's my kind of poetry and now I'll go to bed with a smile on my face. And I'm not embarrassed to admit that I love RL Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verses. I think of "I have a little shadow" every time I walk my granddaughter and see our shadows, and his poem about swinging when I swing her--and when I used to swing--and although I no longer live in a winter climate, when I did and got dressed in the winter morning, I always thought of the poem Bed in Summer.."In winter I get up at night and dress by yellow candlelight. ..." G.Cindy --- Bob <rwiley@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > I agree that Cummings is hard to understand, so, > here is a little poem > offered by the poet laureat of synicism Ogden Nash. > No obfiscation here. > > The Boy Who Laughed at Santa Claus > by > Ogden Nash > > In Baltimore there lived a boy. > He wasn't anybody's joy. > Although his name was Jabez Dawes, > His character was full of flaws. > > In school he never led his classes, > He hid old ladies' reading glasses, > His mouth was open when he chewed, > And elbows to the table glued. > He stole the milk of hungry kittens, > And walked through doors marked NO ADMITTANCE. > He said he acted thus because > There wasn't any Santa Claus. > > Another trick that tickled Jabez > Was crying 'Boo' at little babies. > He brushed his teeth, they said in town, > Sideways instead of up and down. > Yet people pardoned every sin, > And viewed his antics with a grin, > Till they were told by Jabez Dawes, > 'There isn't any Santa Claus!' > > Deploring how he did behave, > His parents swiftly sought their grave. > They hurried through the portals pearly, > And Jabez left the funeral early. > > Like whooping cough, from child to child, > He sped to spread the rumor wild: > 'Sure as my name is Jabez Dawes > There isn't any Santa Claus!' > Slunk like a weasel of a marten > Through nursery and kindergarten, > Whispering low to every tot, > 'There isn't any, no there's not!' > > The children wept all Christmas eve > And Jabez chortled up his sleeve. > No infant dared hang up his stocking > For fear of Jabez' ribald mocking. > > He sprawled on his untidy bed, > Fresh malice dancing in his head, > When presently with scalp-a-tingling, > Jabez heard a distant jingling; > He heard the crunch of sleigh and hoof > Crisply alighting on the roof. > What good to rise and bar the door? > A shower of soot was on the floor. > > What was beheld by Jabez Dawes? > The fireplace full of Santa Claus! > Then Jabez fell upon his knees > With cries of 'Don't,' and 'Pretty Please.' > He howled, 'I don't know where you read it, > But anyhow, I never said it!' > 'Jabez' replied the angry saint, > 'It isn't I, it's you that ain't. > Although there is a Santa Claus, > There isn't any Jabez Dawes!' > > Said Jabez then with impudent vim, > 'Oh, yes there is, and I am him! > Your magic don't scare me, it doesn't' > And suddenly he found he wasn't! > From grimy feet to grimy locks, > Jabez became a Jack-in-the-box, > An ugly toy with springs unsprung, > Forever sticking out his tongue. > > The neighbors heard his mournful squeal; > They searched for him, but not with zeal. > No trace was found of Jabez Dawes, > Which led to thunderous applause, > And people drank a loving cup > And went and hung their stockings up. > > All you who sneer at Santa Claus, > Beware the fate of Jabez Dawes, > The saucy boy who mocked the saint. > Donner and Blitzen licked off his paint. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Grandma Cindy" <popularplace@xxxxxxxxx> > To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 1:51 AM > Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: E. E. cummings > > > > Rick, I don't know about you and Ann and google. I > put > > the words, As freedom is a breakfast food into > google, > > even without quotation marks, and the first site > on > > google gave me the poem. Maybe google only works > well > > for Macs? grin I even put it in with breakfast > food as > > two separate words, though in the poem it is one. > > > > Well, the poem is below. I'm afraid I like my > poems > > easier to understand--I like to have them bring > > emotions and images to mind rather than have to be > > intellectual about them. > > > > I do, I think, understand the main point. I > believe > > this is one of his love poems and I can see that, > but > > to me it's a bit overblown. I like Shakepeare's > > somnets and Elizabeth Barret Browning's better. > smile > > > > G.Cindy > > - > > as freedom is a breakfastfood > > > > as freedom is a breakfastfood > > or truth can live with right and wrong > > or molehills are from mountains made > > --long enough and just so long > > will being pay the rent of seem > > and genius please the talentgang > > and water most encourage flame > > > > as hatracks into peachtrees grow > > or hopes dance best on bald men's hair > > and every finger is a toe > > and any courage is a fear > > --long enough and just so long > > will the impure think all things pure > > and hornets wail by children stung > > > > or as the seeing are the blind > > and robins never welcome spring > > nor flatfolk prove their world is round > > nor dingsters die at break of dong > > and common's rare and millstones float > > --long enough and just so long > > tomorrow will not be too late > > > > worms are the words but joy's the voice > > down shall go which and up come who > > breasts will be breasts and thighs will be thighs > > deeds cannot dream what dreams can do > > --time is a tree (this life one leaf) > > but love is the sky and i am for you > > just so long and long enough > > > > ee cummings > > > > ***WISH LIST (CALLED REQUESTED ADDITIONS TO THE > BOOKSHARE COLLECTION)IS > > AVAILABLE AT > > > http://people.delphiforums.com/jamiecalton/Book_Requests.htm > > http://www.friendsofbookshare.org/ > > > http://studentpages.alma.edu/~07jmyate/book_requests.htm > > > > A LIST OF BOOKS CURRENTLY BEING SCANNED IS > AVAILABLE AT > > > http://people.delphiforums.com/jamiecalton/scanning.html > > > > Jake's site for useful links: > http://www.jbrownell.com/bkslinks.html > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > > Be a better friend, newshound, and > > know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. > > > http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ > > To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank Email > to > > bookshare-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > Put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the > Subject line. To get a list > > of available commands, put the word 'help' by > itself in the subject line. > > > > > > > > > > -- > > No virus found in this incoming message. > > Checked by AVG. > > Version: 7.5.519 / Virus Database: 269.22.0/1344 - > Release Date: 3/26/2008 > > 8:52 AM > > > > > > To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank Email to > > bookshare-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the > Subject line. 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