Two Story Poems

The creative tap seems to be turned to "on" and so here are two story poems in a single post.

THE BATH TUB

The bath tub is unhappy.

"Though people come to me naked,

And give themselves, sighing, to my embrace,

All they ever leave me

Is dirt;

Warmed and soothed by me,

They rush off to meet somebody else.

It isn't as though I hadn't any charms--

Because I am a porcelain fixture,

My skin will never wrinkle

No matter how long a bath may last.

And yet,

I spend most of my time cold and alone.

If I could,

I would be a saddle

Or a sports car seat;

A pendant

Or a wedding ring.

Then I would be treasured, taken out, and shown off.

But I am too hard to be comfortable,

And too ponderous to be jewelry."

And so the bath tub is unhappy.

Remember that

Next time you soap up.

Remember that the lonely crave

A tender word.

_____________

ENSEMBLE

A Hat and Scarf

Cannot agree.

"You just hang there," snipes the Hat. "It's repellent."

"Oh, excuse me," sneers the Scarf.

"So high and mighty, well la-de-da!

If not for someone's head holding you up,

You'd be lucky if Boots would be your friend!"

Soon, the rest have aligned into camps;

Coat is solidly with Hat,

While Mittens staunchly support Scarf.

As the temperature plummets,

The arguing goes on and on

Despite all hurt feelings,

And in spite of whatever thoughts each might privately have

When alone on a hook indoors.

It is like this all through January,

February as well,

And for weeks thereafter.

But Spring always comes, no matter what,

And the heavy, quarrelsome Hat and Scarf

Are replaced by

Silk and Straw

Who go together beautifully,

And would never dream of doing anything so tiresome

As bickering.

____________