The old man lay in his hospital bed
His doctor at his side,
Saying gently as he could
"Sir, you, quite soon, will die."
The old man could barely turn his head,
Let alone sit up to reply
So the doctor said, "I'm sorry, sir,"
And left the old man to die.
A bright young man came strolling in
A book of stories in his hand
He said "I have come to read to you,
From my tales across the land."
The old man closed his eyes and said,
"A story would be fine,
I'd love to hear about your travels
Before I cross the line."
So the boy sat on the old man's bed
And opened up the book
Skimming through the contents
And starting at the story's hook.
Halfway through, the young man glanced
At the old and withered face
Then looked back down upon the page
And found he'd lost his place.
The old man smiled as best he could
And laid a hand upon the boy
"How's the weather, son?" he asked.
"Some shine would bring me joy."
Surprised, but happy to oblige
The boy looked to his right
Sad for the sweet old man
Who'd very nearly lost his sight.
"The sun is shining," said the boy,
"The sky is blue and clear.
The grass is sparkling bright and green,
And is that a jay I hear?"
The old man's smile widened
Ready for his midday nap
So the boy closed shut his storybook
And laid it on the old man's lap.
The very next day, the boy returned
To the side of the old man's bed
To find that every tale in his book
The old man had already read.
"I haven't brought another!"
The boy cried in despair.
"Now what shall I read to you!?"
But the old man did not care.
"Tell me of the weather, son,"
He croaked in quiet plea,
"In this pain I sure could use
Some sunshine just for me."
"Of course," replied the boy,
Who did not hesitate
To glance out of the window
And comment on the weather of late.
"The sun is shining," said the boy,
"The sky is blue and clear.
The grass is sparkling bright and green,
And is that a jay I hear?"
The old man let escape a grin
And settled in to sleep,
So the young man left, and took with him
A satisfaction buried deep.
For weeks and months the boy came back
Each and every day
And every time the old man asked
"So how's the weather today?"
And every time the boy would give
His answer just the same
Because he loved the sweet old man
Which is precisely why he came.
"The sun is shining," the boy would say,
"The sky is blue and clear.
The grass is sparkling bright and green,
And is that a jay I hear?"
And after that, they both would yawn
With not much more to say.
They'd bid goodbye and then, quite soon
The boy would be on his way.
One mid-morning, late July,
The boy did not appear.
And the old man cried quite gloomily,
"Why is my boy not here?"
The doctors merely shook their heads
For no-one knew this boy,
This boy who came and brought the sun
Who brought the old man joy.
He called his doctor over and said,
"My life is fading away.
I think that maybe I just might
Be ready to die today.
But before I go, I'd like to see
The blue sky for myself
The grass and the birds I heard from the boy
Through the window above that shelf."
The doctor saw that he had pointed
To a bare, blank stretch of wall,
But there was no such window there
And there'd never been at all.
The boy had told the sweet old man
What he would want to hear
If he knew he'd never see the sky again
If he knew that death was so near.
"Wait!" cried a voice, and the doctor turned
To the young man rushing in
"Sorry I'm late," he said quietly
Ashamed that he'd slept in.
"Tell me of the weather,"
The old man whispered without pre-empt
And the boy replied as he always did
The truth just slightly bent.
"The sun is shining," said the boy,
"The sky is blue and clear.
The grass is sparkling bright and green,
And is that a jay I hear?"
Tears streaked down his handsome face
As the old man sent thanks his way
Crying, as he sat and watched
The old man pass away
Saturday, 28 March 2009
Monday, 23 March 2009
The Tale of Ginger and Muffy
The nanny bleats for my sister as she ambles across the barn
Spilling as she goes the viscous ocean of her womb.
My sister's hands slide soothingly along her muzzle, across her side,
As the animal collapses in the straw.
"Hush now," my sister whispers as the nanny grows frantic-
Under her hands the muscles contract
And the heels of the viscid kid slide from her loins.
The goat cries an anxious yelp of desperation
Her eyes wide and staring, up, at the ceiling, the barn, my sister.
The goat howls again and the kid is out
Shimmering with the fluid of her mother's body.
The nanny licks the newborn clean, sighing with love and exhaustion.
"Thank you," are the unspoken words that pass between the mother and her midwife
My sister, leaking a tear at the beauty of her work.
Spilling as she goes the viscous ocean of her womb.
My sister's hands slide soothingly along her muzzle, across her side,
As the animal collapses in the straw.
"Hush now," my sister whispers as the nanny grows frantic-
Under her hands the muscles contract
And the heels of the viscid kid slide from her loins.
The goat cries an anxious yelp of desperation
Her eyes wide and staring, up, at the ceiling, the barn, my sister.
The goat howls again and the kid is out
Shimmering with the fluid of her mother's body.
The nanny licks the newborn clean, sighing with love and exhaustion.
"Thank you," are the unspoken words that pass between the mother and her midwife
My sister, leaking a tear at the beauty of her work.
Thursday, 19 March 2009
Take-Your-Daughter-To-Work-Day
I see you-
That three-year-old hiding behind the bush
Come on, then!
Show me something miraculous
Light the tree on fire,
Turn the water red,
Show me!
Where have you been, kid?
Have you really become so weak?
Are you really now this powerless
That you won't look your own daughter in the eye?
You did create me, after all- I was your idea...
Dad.
Come on, Daddy, show me how it works
Show me how you sleep at night
How you look yourself in the mirror
And manage to keep your breakfast down.
Show me how you hid behind this tree
And watched your sons kill each other
Watch your daughters die.
Dad, explain please, how this works
How you put all those bodies under the sand,
And still get by.
You call me "daughter",
But where were you,
Where ARE you
When I need you, dad?
So I guess, Dad,
It's time for you
To be the kid.
NB: Although it may not be clear in the poem, the father refers to G-d. Please give feedback as I may be entering this into a poetry competition that's very important. If you don't think I should enter this one, please tell me which of the poems I've published on the blog you think I should enter.
Thanks,
Katie J.
That three-year-old hiding behind the bush
Come on, then!
Show me something miraculous
Light the tree on fire,
Turn the water red,
Show me!
Where have you been, kid?
Have you really become so weak?
Are you really now this powerless
That you won't look your own daughter in the eye?
You did create me, after all- I was your idea...
Dad.
Come on, Daddy, show me how it works
Show me how you sleep at night
How you look yourself in the mirror
And manage to keep your breakfast down.
Show me how you hid behind this tree
And watched your sons kill each other
Watch your daughters die.
Dad, explain please, how this works
How you put all those bodies under the sand,
And still get by.
You call me "daughter",
But where were you,
Where ARE you
When I need you, dad?
So I guess, Dad,
It's time for you
To be the kid.
NB: Although it may not be clear in the poem, the father refers to G-d. Please give feedback as I may be entering this into a poetry competition that's very important. If you don't think I should enter this one, please tell me which of the poems I've published on the blog you think I should enter.
Thanks,
Katie J.
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Purim, Parties and Pyrotechnics... With Some Added Regurgitatory Talents
Purim this year came at the dawn of March, with the warm sunshine hinting that Spring is just around the corner. Whilst last year Purim coincided with the weekend, this year it fell early in the schoolweek, so there were no excuses for our school to deny us the celebrations we deserved.
Approaching the bus stop this morning, instead of seeing the regular mass of black and blue that are the dull colours of our school's uniform, I was greeted by the colourful fluorescence of creativity, for almost every student had abandoned their normal clothing and donned costumes of all shape and size, merging to form a dancing rainbow on the pavement.
During the bus ride, the walk into school, and scaling the two flights of steps to my homeroom, I saw seven Superwomen, two Batgirls, three Catwomen, a Clark Kent, Mr. Tickle, the Phantom of the Opera, a Barbie Doll, two pirates, Fonejacker, Red Bull, three leprauchauns, four Snow Whites, a Jedi and Mrs. Edward Cullen, to mention but a few.
Because our school insists on religously following the Jewish mitzvahs ((see what I did there?? :P)), my entire year ten group gathered in the main hall at 9:30 to hear the tale of how Esther the Jew and her Uncle Mordy saved the day. With all the superheroes in school today, I wonder why none thought to come as SuperJew??
The second session of the day was what made this year truly the greatest Purim of my life. The crowd filtered slowly towards the school's theatre, where we were presented with the best "magic" show that was ever toured the earth. Some of you may have heard of Stevie Starr The Great Regurgitator, who, as vomitous as it may sound, managed to swallow everything from live fish and numbered coins to sugar and billiard balls, and bring them back up again in whatever order we requested ((and in the case of the sugar, bone dry!!)) The crowd oohed and ahhed at his spectacular tricks, one of which involved swallowing a locked padlock, the key and a ring, and bringing them back up with the ring locked on the padlock. It seems impossible for a human oesophagous to accomodate a number eight pool ball, but Stevie managed to do this without injuring himself in any way ((although his broken/missing teeth sported enough evidence of how the tricks could go wrong)). A more impressive act was one where he swallowed ten thumbtacks attached to a very strong magnet, and bring the magnet back up with as many tacks attached to it as the audience requested. Some other tricks involved encapsulating small fish in film canisters, capturing cigarette smoke in a soap bubble, even swallowing butane gas and releasing it onto a lit lighter ((hence the pyrotechnics mentioned above)).
After school a few friends ((dressed collectively as the Spice Girls)) and I were invited back to our friend's house for a Spice Girls themed party, where we watched the hilariously awful film, of course entitled Spice Girls. We laughed at their awful acting and the hysterical plotline that makes fun of itself, and altogether had a wonderful time.
I hope that you, dear readers, had as eventful a day as I did, or, if you're not Jewish, then at least you had an interesting one.
Chag Purim Sameach!!
Katie J.
Approaching the bus stop this morning, instead of seeing the regular mass of black and blue that are the dull colours of our school's uniform, I was greeted by the colourful fluorescence of creativity, for almost every student had abandoned their normal clothing and donned costumes of all shape and size, merging to form a dancing rainbow on the pavement.
During the bus ride, the walk into school, and scaling the two flights of steps to my homeroom, I saw seven Superwomen, two Batgirls, three Catwomen, a Clark Kent, Mr. Tickle, the Phantom of the Opera, a Barbie Doll, two pirates, Fonejacker, Red Bull, three leprauchauns, four Snow Whites, a Jedi and Mrs. Edward Cullen, to mention but a few.
Because our school insists on religously following the Jewish mitzvahs ((see what I did there?? :P)), my entire year ten group gathered in the main hall at 9:30 to hear the tale of how Esther the Jew and her Uncle Mordy saved the day. With all the superheroes in school today, I wonder why none thought to come as SuperJew??
The second session of the day was what made this year truly the greatest Purim of my life. The crowd filtered slowly towards the school's theatre, where we were presented with the best "magic" show that was ever toured the earth. Some of you may have heard of Stevie Starr The Great Regurgitator, who, as vomitous as it may sound, managed to swallow everything from live fish and numbered coins to sugar and billiard balls, and bring them back up again in whatever order we requested ((and in the case of the sugar, bone dry!!)) The crowd oohed and ahhed at his spectacular tricks, one of which involved swallowing a locked padlock, the key and a ring, and bringing them back up with the ring locked on the padlock. It seems impossible for a human oesophagous to accomodate a number eight pool ball, but Stevie managed to do this without injuring himself in any way ((although his broken/missing teeth sported enough evidence of how the tricks could go wrong)). A more impressive act was one where he swallowed ten thumbtacks attached to a very strong magnet, and bring the magnet back up with as many tacks attached to it as the audience requested. Some other tricks involved encapsulating small fish in film canisters, capturing cigarette smoke in a soap bubble, even swallowing butane gas and releasing it onto a lit lighter ((hence the pyrotechnics mentioned above)).
After school a few friends ((dressed collectively as the Spice Girls)) and I were invited back to our friend's house for a Spice Girls themed party, where we watched the hilariously awful film, of course entitled Spice Girls. We laughed at their awful acting and the hysterical plotline that makes fun of itself, and altogether had a wonderful time.
I hope that you, dear readers, had as eventful a day as I did, or, if you're not Jewish, then at least you had an interesting one.
Chag Purim Sameach!!
Katie J.
Friday, 6 March 2009
Dear Body...
Dear Hair,
I liked you better when you were blonde, but I do rather like this whole red tint thing you've got going on. You behave yourself most of the time, and when you do look nice you're very lovely. You look very shiny in most photos, which I like a lot, and you do get the occasional compliment. Also it's great to be able to do that sexy hair flip thing :P Thank you, hair!
Dear Eyes,
Oh, I do love you, eyes. People talk about you all the time, and every so often people lose themselves in you, which is very flattering indeed. You're a nice colour and you have a pretty pattern, which is very cool :D Without you I wouldn't be able to read, or see how beautiful the world is, which would totally suck, so thanks, eyes!
Dear Nose,
You're a nice shape, although you did used to be a little big for my liking. You get spots on you but you banish them quickly, which is nice of you I guess. I wish you had freckles, but it's okay that you don't. You let me smell all sorts of nice things, likes flowers and chocolate and bread baking and stuff, which is awesome, I must say. So cheers for that, nose!
Dear Mouth,
You're not too big or too small, but you let me gossip, which is sort of nice, even though sometimes people don't like it. I can also say all kinds of stuff with you, which is great 'cause I rather like talking. You let me kiss, too, which is... well... nice :) so thank you very much, mouth, for giving me that opportunity :D
Dear Ears,
You're a bit bony- yeah, I know ears don't really have bones, but that cartilage stuff you have is very hard and a little annoying. And you stick out, which isn't cool, guys! But with you I can hear all the awesome music in the world!! And all the other beautiful sounds, like birds, and the ocean, and movie soundtracks! I love that! So thanks a heap, ears!!
Dear Arms,
You're not very strong, and you're a little pudgy, but you hold my balance, which is useful because balance isn't a good thing not to have. You're just the right length and you let me gesticulate, which helps when I'm arguing with people :D so thanks, arms!
Dear Legs,
I don't care much for the upper part of you, but you let me walk and cycle places which is sort of, well, necessary. Also you let me run away from people who aren't being very nice to me, which is good, even though they say you're not supposed to run away from your problems ((but who ever listens to those things??)). So thanks, legs!
Dear Stomach,
You, my dear, are lovely! You're quite flat most of the time, which is nice of you, but you get a bit round when I've just eaten. You have an innie button, which is nice because outies are a bit gross. You also have very minimal PMS pains, which is good because I've heard that for some people they can be quite nasty. So thanks for that, tummy.
Dear Back,
You needn't be so hunched, you know. I guess that's my fault, seeing as I haven't paid much attention to posture. You hardly ever give me pains, which is kind of nice, although sometimes you get weirdly numb when I've been sitting funny. But thanks for keeping my torso up straight, back!!
Dear Bum,
You're rather large, which makes it very difficult to find trousers that fit, but some people say you're very nice so I guess I can't complain. You don't have any weird moles or freckles so that's good, but you also go numb often when I sit weirdly on the bus. Normally, though, you don't give me pains, even when I've been sitting on hard ground. So thanks, tush!
Dear Hands,
You're quite big, you are. Like man hands. They say that the size of a man's penis is the length from his thumb to his index finger when fully extended. If that's true, then I'm certainly very well endowed :) You let me type ridiculously fast, and you also let me write, which is amazing because I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't write. So cheers for that, hands.
Dear Feet,
Must you be so massive?!? I mean, seriously, was it really necessary to be a size 10?? You couldn't settle for a normal 6 or 7?? Jeez. I mean, I can hardly ever find shoes that fit you!! But, I guess, you let me walk places, and you let me buy ultra-cool shoes in the first place, which is cool 'cause I rather like shoes :D, so thanks.
Dear Body,
You're perfect. I wouldn't have you any other way.
All my love,
Katie J. (hey, that rhymes!!)
Dear Eyes,
Oh, I do love you, eyes. People talk about you all the time, and every so often people lose themselves in you, which is very flattering indeed. You're a nice colour and you have a pretty pattern, which is very cool :D Without you I wouldn't be able to read, or see how beautiful the world is, which would totally suck, so thanks, eyes!
Dear Nose,
You're a nice shape, although you did used to be a little big for my liking. You get spots on you but you banish them quickly, which is nice of you I guess. I wish you had freckles, but it's okay that you don't. You let me smell all sorts of nice things, likes flowers and chocolate and bread baking and stuff, which is awesome, I must say. So cheers for that, nose!
Dear Mouth,
You're not too big or too small, but you let me gossip, which is sort of nice, even though sometimes people don't like it. I can also say all kinds of stuff with you, which is great 'cause I rather like talking. You let me kiss, too, which is... well... nice :) so thank you very much, mouth, for giving me that opportunity :D
Dear Ears,
You're a bit bony- yeah, I know ears don't really have bones, but that cartilage stuff you have is very hard and a little annoying. And you stick out, which isn't cool, guys! But with you I can hear all the awesome music in the world!! And all the other beautiful sounds, like birds, and the ocean, and movie soundtracks! I love that! So thanks a heap, ears!!
Dear Arms,
You're not very strong, and you're a little pudgy, but you hold my balance, which is useful because balance isn't a good thing not to have. You're just the right length and you let me gesticulate, which helps when I'm arguing with people :D so thanks, arms!
Dear Legs,
I don't care much for the upper part of you, but you let me walk and cycle places which is sort of, well, necessary. Also you let me run away from people who aren't being very nice to me, which is good, even though they say you're not supposed to run away from your problems ((but who ever listens to those things??)). So thanks, legs!
Dear Stomach,
You, my dear, are lovely! You're quite flat most of the time, which is nice of you, but you get a bit round when I've just eaten. You have an innie button, which is nice because outies are a bit gross. You also have very minimal PMS pains, which is good because I've heard that for some people they can be quite nasty. So thanks for that, tummy.
Dear Back,
You needn't be so hunched, you know. I guess that's my fault, seeing as I haven't paid much attention to posture. You hardly ever give me pains, which is kind of nice, although sometimes you get weirdly numb when I've been sitting funny. But thanks for keeping my torso up straight, back!!
Dear Bum,
You're rather large, which makes it very difficult to find trousers that fit, but some people say you're very nice so I guess I can't complain. You don't have any weird moles or freckles so that's good, but you also go numb often when I sit weirdly on the bus. Normally, though, you don't give me pains, even when I've been sitting on hard ground. So thanks, tush!
Dear Hands,
You're quite big, you are. Like man hands. They say that the size of a man's penis is the length from his thumb to his index finger when fully extended. If that's true, then I'm certainly very well endowed :) You let me type ridiculously fast, and you also let me write, which is amazing because I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't write. So cheers for that, hands.
Dear Feet,
Must you be so massive?!? I mean, seriously, was it really necessary to be a size 10?? You couldn't settle for a normal 6 or 7?? Jeez. I mean, I can hardly ever find shoes that fit you!! But, I guess, you let me walk places, and you let me buy ultra-cool shoes in the first place, which is cool 'cause I rather like shoes :D, so thanks.
Dear Body,
You're perfect. I wouldn't have you any other way.
All my love,
Katie J. (hey, that rhymes!!)
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
Mes Vacances Février!
Pendant mes vacances, je suis allée absente avec mon père, ma belle-mère Shirley, et mon demi-frère Joel. Au samedi, nous sommes volées en Turquie et on est arrives tôt après-midi. Nous sommes mangées le diner au un petit restaurant turc prés d’hôtel. On a essayées nourritures different et on a goûter la cuisine turc- thé du pomme! C’est très délicieux et nous chaque eu très énorme et beau. Un représentant de tapis a montré beaucoup belle tapis de mon père et Shirley. Peu après, il est servi thé du pomme!
Le lendemain, on a mangées déjeuner dans le restaurant d’hôtel, mais après de, je me suis ne senti pas bien, alors je suis allée m’endormi. Pendant mon sommeil, ma famille ont visitées le Hagia Sofia, un mosquée célèbre. Ils sont dit c’ètait très beau.
À le jour troisiéme, je me suis senti mieux, alors nous sommes allées au le marché d’épices. Dans l’aprés-midi, nous sommes allées au le gare d’avions, et on est volées l’Israël.
Mon soeur, Rebecca, est recontrée-nous á l’aeroport. Au Israël, nous avons fait du courses, mangées la cuisine locale, et visitées son famille. Rebecca introduit-nous de son ami, Amir.
Je ne parle-pas Français bien, alors j’arrêtais maintenant. Au revoir!
Le lendemain, on a mangées déjeuner dans le restaurant d’hôtel, mais après de, je me suis ne senti pas bien, alors je suis allée m’endormi. Pendant mon sommeil, ma famille ont visitées le Hagia Sofia, un mosquée célèbre. Ils sont dit c’ètait très beau.
À le jour troisiéme, je me suis senti mieux, alors nous sommes allées au le marché d’épices. Dans l’aprés-midi, nous sommes allées au le gare d’avions, et on est volées l’Israël.
Mon soeur, Rebecca, est recontrée-nous á l’aeroport. Au Israël, nous avons fait du courses, mangées la cuisine locale, et visitées son famille. Rebecca introduit-nous de son ami, Amir.
Je ne parle-pas Français bien, alors j’arrêtais maintenant. Au revoir!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
