ORIGINAL VERSE

Southland Times, Issue 22158, 28 October 1933, Page 18

ORIGINAL VERSE

AN ALPHABETICAL NIGHTMARE. An Angular Anarchist Angrily saw, A Bandy-legged Baronet Batter a Boar. A Cuckoo was Cooking a Cake for a dove, Devotion’s Device to Develop her love. An Eloquent Elephant Elegies wrote, To a Fortunate Forcible Four-footed goat. A Gravedigger Gravely mixed Gravy and ink, For a Horse-chestnut Horse, asking Hoarsely for drink. An Innocent Infidel Interest sought, From a Jew of the Jewry who Jewellery bought. A Kingly young Kingfisher Kindred had none, So Lunched all alone on a Lonely plum bun. A Marvellous Marchioness Marmalade boiled, Which Noteworthy Notary Notably spoiled. An Over-grown, Over-fed, Over-worked boy, Was Parting a Partridge with Partitive joy. A Quarrelsome Quarreller Quarrelled in vain, While a Reveller Revelled to Revenue gain. A Seafaring Seaman was Sewing a shroud, For a Trumpery Trumpeter Trumpeting loud. An Unemployed Underling Unmasked his hand, While a Villainous Villager Villany planned. A Whitechapel Whitewasher Whitened a Wall, To Execute Exquisite pictures for all. A Yearling was Yearning some Yellow to buy, From a Zealous young Zebra who kept a supply. And the Alphabet said, as he woke with a groan, That a Nightmare so frantic he never had known. —4 marks to Cousin Marion Robertson (15), Bainfield Road. HAPPINESS. How sweet the golden sunshine after rain, How trifling was the storm now it is gone. The world is bright with happiness again, Its glad joys pass before us one by one. We frowned and fretted yesterday, because The skies were darkened wth a hanging gloom; Why do we not in contemplation, pause To think of bright days when the dark ones loom. For never yet a storm has come our way But it has passed, and passing brought the sun— The raging blast that worries us to-day Is nothing, for its time is quickly run. So trouble not when dark appear the skies. Life was not made for sorrow, wise men say, The darkest night at sunrise quickly flies To leave us free to greet the glorious day. —4 marks to Cousin Connie Jellyman (14), Queen street, Otautau. DAFFODILS. The daffodils are gone and with them went Another landmark of the passing year; Their sweet and golden life was gladly spent To bring to us their gifts of joy and cheer. They came to banish winter’s snow and rain, To usher in the balmy spring so sweet, The summer’s heat, and autumn’s golden grain Will pass, before these friends, again, we meet. Yet memory will keep them with us still, Nor did they live their short, sweet lives in vain. The gladness that they brought will last until The springtime brings our golden friends again. —4 marks to Cousin Connie Jellyman (14), Queen street, Otautau. SONNET TO THE SUMMER SKY. Beauteous, shining summer sky, That spreads its azure veil Of soft, transparent gauze on high. O’er which the cloud-ships sail, And little shafts of golden light Play gaily hide-and-seek. You beckon with alluring signs And we perforce obey. Beneath your smiling canopy We while the hours in play. Your placid, sweet serenity A solemn peace imparts, And a gleaming fleck of pleasure lights Our tired and weary hearts. —3 marks to Cousin Noreen Cockerell (14), 67 Cargill street, Dunedin. SUMMER GLADNESS. Oh who would sad and silent be When summer sweet is here, When every flower and beast and tree Is full of joy and cheer. The birds sing gaily all the day, The bees go humming by; Glad laughter fills the children’s play, There is no time to sigh. The long bright days are here once more, A joyful song we sing For well we know that Summer’s store A thousand joys will bring. —3 marks to Cousin Margaret Jellyman (13), Queen street, Otautau.