Friday, January 10, 2014

A SMALL BLAST FROM THE PAST

While looking for some old pictures of my husband's family this morning for a genealogy project he's undertaken, I chanced on an album from my high school years that brought back memories.  There were newspaper clippings from competing in declamation meets, honor rolls, play programs, dance cards, basketball scores, stories I wrote for the school paper, etc.  But what caught my attention were a few short poems I didn't write, but used to recite along with a beatnic bongo drum accompaniment. I wasn't part of the beatnic scene, but it was fun to play the part at parties. Let me share them once again:

The tusks that clashed in mighty brawls
Of mastodons are billiard balls. 

The sword of Charlemagne the Just
Is ferric oxide, known as rust. 

The grizzly bear whose potent hug
Was feared by all is now a rug.

Great Caesar's dead and on the shelf;
And I don't feel so well myself!

                            ---Arthur Guiterman
 

And the second one:

As I was sitting in my chair,
I knew the bottom wasn't there,
Nor legs nor back,
But I just sat,
Ignoring little things like that. 

A little Ogden Nash: 

If you hear the call of a panther;
don't anther. 

It's not the cough that carries you off;
It's the coffin they carry you off'n. 

And finally a belated Christmas poem: 

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the pad,
Not a hipster was stirring; not even Big Dad.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care;
They'd been worn six months,
They needed the air.

My taste in poetry hasn't improved much over the years.  Neither has my sense of humor. 
 
The picture is fifteen-year-old me the night I was crowned Homecoming queen.
 
 

5 comments:

Cheri J. Crane said...

Loved this post, and I thoroughly enjoyed the poems, and the picture. =)I'm glad you shared.

battraws said...

How fun!

Runaway Bridal Planner said...

I love looking through pictures of the past too! Love your dress in the picture, you were a beautiful queen!

Dianne said...

Here is another blast from the past. We were rural neighbors near Jerome, Idaho and I enjoyed talking and sitting next to you on the school bus occasionally during high school and having you and your family in our ward. Where did you go after that and where did you finish high school? You have accomplished so much. I'm proud of you and glad I stumbled onto your blog today.

Jennie said...

Dianne, after Jerome I went to Dietrich and later graduated from Minico. I remember two different Diannes from Jerome; what was your last name?