Posts Tagged ‘Children’s Literature’

In Praise of Boring

May 10, 2012

Macaca_fuscata_juvenile_yawning

It can’t be overstated
That dull is underrated
And boring is sublime
When you need a project ready
Be thorough, slow, and steady
Work and time will make it shine

Don’t make your schedule hurly-burly
Hit the sack and rise up early
And you’ll save yourself much strife
If you’re staying out till three
You’ll find a heap of misery
Home’s the place to make a life

Flash and fancy might be funner
But when you need to do it doner
Painstaking effort is the way
Poco a poco is my motto
And until you win the lotto
You should show up every day

by Richard W. Bray

Dishes

December 2, 2011

Dirty_dishes

Dishes


Are the dishes in the dishwasher clean?
Did you forget to turn on the machine?
Are the dishes in the dishwasher clean?
Why are they foul and obscene?
Are the dishes in the dishwasher clean?
They s lack all luster and sheen.
Are the dishes in the dishwasher clean?
Why are they yucky moldy green?
Are the dishes in the dishwasher clean?
You look confused; don’t you know what I mean?
Are the dishes in the dishwasher clean?

by Richard W. Bray

The Easy Way

October 8, 2011

The Easy Way

My friend Sal looks really great
From fifteen years of lifting weight
I got buff the easy way
Photoshop in just one day

Credit cards are awfully nice
Until you have to pay the price
One day they hauled my stuff away
For buying things the easy way

My septic tank began to spew
I fixed it with some super glue
Then it burst one smelly day
The perils of the easy way

When it got too trashed for play
I packed up and moved away
Ain’t it always like I say?
Why not try the easy way?

Manual labor is awfully hard
And why should I clean my new yard?
Why not try the easy way?
And burn my troubles all away

Things don’t always go as planned
That little fire got out of hand
The fire chief hauled me away
For doing things the easy way

by Richard W. Bray

sports shorts

October 1, 2011

sports shorts

Serve and volley and attack
Whack that ball, I’ll whack it back
I’m about to bust my spleen
The score is only Love-fifteen

My ball’s brown and your ball’s green
Whydya’ hafta’ be so mean?
You just knocked my ball away
Nice guys just shouldn’t play croquet

Run and run and kick the ball
Run some more and take a fall
They kick your knees, they kick your shin
You still go out and run again

Spin and aim and throw and grunt
Putting shot is quite a stunt
But when the shot put’s in the air
Folks around had best beware

Red lines, blue lines guys with sticks
And pucks that feel as hard as bricks
But I can barely tie my skates
A hockey star won’t be my fate

by Richard W. Bray

Likely Stories

August 27, 2011

gatorkid
Likely Stories

I got an alligator
I feed him every day
That’s why friends and neighbors
Never come and play

My buddy got a race car
And drove to Timbuktu
Holler when he’s zooming by
And he will wave at you

My uncle got a rowboat
He takes it to the lake
He don’t catch no fishies
He’d rather eat a snake

My brother got a trumpet
He plays it all night long
He never took no lessons
He only knows one song

My neighbor got a rhino
He keeps it in his yard
We were playing football
It hit me really hard

My teacher got a schoolbook
To teach me how to read
When he tried to teach too much
It made my psyche bleed

My roommate made a rocket
And took it to the moon
He just sent a postcard
He’s coming back in June

My sister got a scooter
She took it to the zoo
A tiger tried to take it
Got kicked in the wazoo

by Richard W. Bray

Moochers

July 22, 2011

Moochers


Hey, watch out!
Here they come
What ya’ got?
They want some
Must be that time of year
Cuz the moochers are all here

They show up at your dwelling
When you’re getting set to eat
Boldly they will tell you
That you owe them all a seat

Once they fill their innards
They’ll discreetly slip away
You’ll be doing all those dishes
While they run around and play

As if your possessions
Really should be theirs
Moochers love to “borrow”
Your money, books and chairs

The dude who recommended
“Never a lender be”
Probably let a moocher
“Borrow” his tv

Yesterday a moocher
Knocked upon my door
And asked if he could come inside
And watch me do my chores

I said that this would seem to be
A silly waste of time
“Watching others work,” he said
“Makes me feel sublime”

I was raised to be unselfish
And always lend a hand
I know that this is right
But I still don’t understand

Those people who would rather
Waste the livelong day
Living off of others
Instead of making their own way

So if you see them coming
Turn off all your lights
And hide down in the basement
Until they’re out of sight

by Richard W. Bray

Not Amused

July 8, 2011

Not Amused

Was not amused when you used
My shirt to wash your car
You left it thrashed, torn and trashed
An ugly ball of tar

Wasn’t pleased when you seized
My favorite possessions
I can’t believe the way you thieve
You need sophistication lessons

I’m not impressed how you guessed
And opened up my locker
You took the shorts I wear for sports
So I could not play soccer

I’m glad to say you soon will pay
It fills me with elation
I booked you a season with the French Foreign Legion
You really needed a vacation

by Richard W. Bray

Leave me Alone

June 26, 2011

Go_Away_400x400

Leave me Alone


I don’t want to eat my spinach
I don’t want to do my chores
I don’t want to clean the bathroom
I just want to eat some s’mores

I don’t want to iron my trousers
I don’t want to cut the lawn
I don’t want to do my homework
I just want to play till dawn

I don’t want to plant a garden
I don’t want to wash the car
I don’t want to do the dishes
I just want to look at stars

I don’t want to work for money
I don’t want to paint my home
I don’t want to fix the plumbing
I just want to be alone

by Richard W. Bray

Let Me Tell Ya’

June 8, 2011

Let Me Tell Ya’

Cinderella:
Let me tall ya’
Her prince is one happy fella

Ichabod Crane:
Don’t lose your brain
Enough to drive a guy insane

Frankenstein:
No friend of mine
Scarin’ people all the time

Hercules:
Golly geez
He can bench press eighteen trees

Mother Goose:
On the loose
With stories for the kids to use

Winnie Pooh:
How do you do?
Got some honey just for you

Charlie Brown:
Don’t be a clown
Kick that football. Don’t fall down

Mr. Ed:
He often said,
“Don’t make me glue when I am dead”

by Richard W. Bray

Sarah Fitzgerald

April 26, 2011

Carl

Sarah Fitzgerald

Sarah Fitzgerald and her brother Harold
Went to the park to play
But no girls nor boys and none of their toys
Could be found that day

For a monster named Larry and his cousin Jerry
Had scared them all away
So Sarah decided the two should be chided
And she had much to say

She marched to their dwelling, the one which was smelling
Of grime, garbage and gore
Though her brother pleaded, young Sarah proceeded
To walk right up to the door

Their uncle appeared, looking quite weird
Drenched in the blood of a boar:
“I’m not sorry to say that the two ran away.
They don’t live here any more.”

Harold told Sarah to leave it alone or a paira’
Dead youngsters they’d be
But Sarah declared that she wouldn’t be scared
By a monster or two, nor by three

Harold was prudent, an erstwhile student
Of monsters and their history:
“In Nineteen-oh-two they made a big stew
Of children like you and like me!”

Sarah was headstrong, “I will get along
With or without you around
And I’ll have you know that I’m willing to go
To the village where monsters abound”

Poor Harold followed, all fear he swallowed
As they journeyed to menacing grounds:
The City of Doom, a patch of great gloom
Where hideous creatures are found

As they entered the city where nothing is pretty
They suddenly started to hear
Wails and groans and hideous moans
Her brother quivered with fear

Several gargoyles and ghouls sporting boils
Grew increasingly near
Sarah’s pace quickened, the musty air thickened
But she knew her quest was sincere

An ogre named Carl said with a snarl,
“These two wayward youngins’ are mad
But here you are, you’ve traveled so far
Without your mum or you dad”

Sarah inquired, “Sir, help is desired.
Some monsters are making me mad
That hooligan Larry and his cousin Jerry
Have been cruel, naughty and bad”

The cantankerous ogre stared a cruel glare
And veins bulged out on his head
Harold shut eyes. The kid realized
The two were soon to be dead

Carl shuddered and shook. Poor Sarah couldn’t look
The air was frozen with dread
They thought he’d explode or perhaps he’d implode
He began to chortle instead

“My dear, I must say you do have a way.
That’s the best laugh I’ve had in a while
You deserve to be praised in various ways
For remarkable gumption and style”

What then ensued can only be viewed
As a case for the Odd Monster Files
(Folks who were there are likely to swear
That he even broke into a smile)

“You know, I reckon, someone should beckon
Those two young rascals to me”
This was no sooner said than the two lads were led
On a chain for all to see

They proceeded to plead that their dastardly deed
Was merely some young monster fun
The cousins then learned in quite certain terms
That their kid-scaring days were now done

Now Sarah’s revered and heartily cheered
Whenever she comes to the park
The children can play not simply all day
But even when it turns dark

Now Harold tells all that it was his call
To boldly and bravely embark
On that fateful day when two kids went away
To protect all who play in the park

by Richard W. Bray