Miss Lovell

Poetry Portfolio

Haiku 1: Herding Cats/SimileTeaching young childrenIs like herding crazy catsFun, yet frightening.

Haiku 2: Frigidaire/ Metaphor

An arctic tundraScrumptious food insideRefrigerator

Haiku 3: Clock/Onomatopoeia

Tick tock on the clockThe hand moves ‘round his round face.Time passes slowly.

Limerick 1: Poppy the Walrus/Alliteration

.

There once was a walrus named Poppy Who’s flippers were far too floppyShe went to the docHe said, “you’re just in shock.”“Your senses are just a bit sloppy.”

Limerick 2: Larry the Gopher /Personification

There was once an old gopher named Larry

Whose wife had a bowl full of cherries.

He stole one on Friday,She said “hit the highway”And now he is much less than merry.

Free Verse: Horseshoe TableAs far back as I can rememberThe table made of horseshoesHas sat in that yellow kitchen.My grandpa made it.It took him awhile,Or so I’ve been told.I never got to meet him.He made it for his wife, Marge.She was my grandma, Mom-mooThat was what we called her.She was a fine lady, my Mom-moo.She never met a person she didn’t like,And everyone loved her.In my Mom-moo’s kitchenEveryone was welcome.She invited them inTo sit at her horseshoe tableIn those mismatched chairs.“Come on in!”She would say.

People from all walks of lifeSat at that tableAnd ate her food,Delicious creationsMade with loving hands.So many sat aroundThat horseshoe tableAnd laughedAnd talkedFor hours.Every birthdayEvery holidayEvery family gatheringWas held at that horseshoe table.The laughterStill rings clearlyIn my mind

Free Verse Continued Her imageStill shines brightIn my heart.Sitting there at her horseshoe table.“Come on in darlin’”She’d say to me.When I walked through the doorTo her yellow kitchen.“Mom-moo loves you”She’d say to me.As I’d wave goodbyeClosing the door to that yellow kitchen.There she satAt her horseshoe tableSmilingAt her horseshoe tableLaughingAt her horseshoe tableI miss herAnd that horseshoe table.

BalladIt was sunny, bright and beautiful in the mountains

high that dayI was hiking down a steep ravine covered fully in

rocks and clayThey said, “Come on! It’s tons of fun!” As I

weaseled my way to the river.Then I looked at the ominous water fall, and my

body began to shiver.

“It’s not that high!” “It’s tons of fun!” “You’ll just fall into water.”

I thought, “Oh, yeah, sure, go ahead and tell that to my father.”

And then I thought, you only live once… but I really don’t want to die…

So I did what anyone would do and climbed up really high.

Once at the top, I thought, “Well shucks, there’s really no turning back now…”

So I slid along the cliff and thought “My mom would have a cow!”

I strode to the edge of the giant boulder parting me from death.

And I felt the wind blow through my hair as I took one great deep breath.

Over the edge I slid like a log and into the cascade I fell

And then came the silence inside of the falls that is far too beautiful to tell.

And then came the CRASH as I slammed in the river, the water kept pushing me down

Till I broke through the surface, arms flailing (on purpose) and felt like quite the big clown

So that is my story, I hope it was fun, I certainly will not forget it.

I hope that you too get to take lots of chances and never ever regret it.

Sonnet: Hyperbole/MetaphorI wish the dog with the big black nose

And deep brown eyes and soft black ears

Would never slip into that deep repose

That he’d last and last for years and years.

The dog over there with the baleful eyes

The one who lifts my hand upon his rather large head

The one with a love of key lime pies

The one who tries desperately to sneak into my bed.

If he lived forever, he’d live to be one hundred years plus twenty three

I’d feed him jelly beans and say, “Come on, it’s time to go to bed.”

He’d run around all day and night so happy, joyous, wild, and free

He’d race through trees and bark at nothing, filling little squirrels with dread.

This is my wish for my dear friend,

My constant shadow till the end.