Once and Never

 

Once and Never

 

I really wasn’t ready

For the time that you weren’t there.

I didn’t and you hadn’t,

And no one seemed to care.

They lined up oh so closely,

We didn’t have a chance,

They stared at us morosely,

And slowly began the dance.

 

I stood off to the sidelines

I knew it would begin.

Watching the surly bride’s hinds,

They came up to my chin.

There was much I could have done then,

But fate will have its way,

I meandered into the den,

To watch the children bray.

 

They were loud and so offensive,

I enjoyed it while I could.

They were really reprehensive,

And surely up to no good.

The made a fancy tier cake

Out of shoes and Elmer’s Glue

I reprimanded them for their peers sake,

And shoved them up the flue.

 

I was forced back to the party

By the butler stern and tall.

Who rescued the sooty children,

And rolled them in a ball.

He rolled them down the hallway,

Into a garden near.

And planted them head downwards,

And watered them with beer.

 

I asked what was his purpose,

Why would he treat them so?

He said he’s from the circus,

And to fetch for him the hoe.

He weeded them with vigor,

So they would grow up fast.

But they didn’t seem much bigger,

As he poured for us a glass.

 

Then he turned on all the sprinklers,

“To get the worms to rise, you see.”

And he gathered them in a basket,

To sing in harmony.

Then he left me in the garden,

With the hoe and weed and hose,

And twenty soggy children

In wet and muddy clothes.

 

I turned them all right side again,

And bade them all good night.

And went back to the ballroom

To overcome my fright.

But everyone was all paired up,

And dancing without shoes.

I never will forget it,

Or how it never made the news.

 

Cliff Lake 10/8/2022

Copyright © Clifford Lake 2022