My Alphabet Characters
- Marian Glaser
- Sep 19, 2018
- 3 min read
© November-December, 2007
I met a many-armed Allandalso
who grabbed me, held me close, began talking,
repeating one dull phrase over although
I heard and could only dream of walking.
I glimpsed a madly rushing Byandby,
an expert at looking harried and wan,
shouting “In two minutes.”, (which was a lie),
going towards coffee, swift as the dawn.
The party flowed: laughter, love, dance, wine, song.
King Clam came. A pool grew. Lifeless quiet.
He drained all energy, now seeming wrong,
sucked by his vacuum. None could deny it.
Pedestrian life can suddenly fill
with Delight. Joy sharpens senses. Trees
and flowers seem to emit light at will.
Waters sparkle. May Delight’s work not cease.
Eager’s eyes shone. This task had to be done.
Chaos reigned in attic, bedroom. basement.
Dusty junk piled in corners. With dad gone
brooms, mops, could finally make a dent.
Friend melds a group into a unity,
a magnet, aligning and strengthening,
creating a new level, becoming a key
to transcend a lone human being.
Glad, Generous, Gloomy, Grumpy, are all
the same person in different mood.
Here comes Glad but look out: the next cold squall
will change Glad to Gloomy to glare and brood.
Hairy shed everywhere. No seat, bed,
coat, rug or plate of food was exempt.
Hairs swam in the soup, curly and deep red,
clean, shining. Hairy was never unkempt.
It was easy to forget Iota.
Small size hid multisyllabic power.
While lolling on a silk cushioned sofa
Iota’s cold look could make strength cower.
The ghost of Jabberwocky wandered in,
gazed longingly at his stuffed mounted head,
sighed, “Those were the days when I could have been
the best and scariest. Now I’m just dead.”
The Klein bottle was alien, not part
of those crowding the liquor cabinet..
Other dimensions had shaped it, not art.
Outside, inside merged, seamless where they met.
Lurking Larry let luckless Levity
look longingly, letting his dark lantern
light low. Lovingly she licked her lolly.
Their luck lingered, allowing them to learn.
Mighty Mouse mixed a martini and moaned,
“Why did it have to be me who saved that
living mountain? He fought, grabbed my throat, groaned.
He made me want to quit, throw in my hat.”
Nonsense chuckled. The chaos caused at school
had been less fun than this. The staid speaker
asked the heckler’s name, following some rule.
Hearing “Nonsense.” had made him look bleaker.
Ought sighed, thinking of all the things undone and
the must-do’s waiting. No time for love, fun,
playing music with the newly formed band
or quietly sitting, soaking up sun.
Pan chuckled and put his pipes to his lips.
His wild woods had gone but wildness remained.
People followed his tunes, their rises and dips,
crawling, soaring or flying, unconstrained.
Quest paused. This long search would continue but
this spot was peaceful. Weary hearts could rest,
renew strength and hope, jolt out of the rut.
Then they could struggle to the final crest
Rhyme dictates what can be said, left unsaid,
resounding as loud in absence as in
presence, both kinds there, strung on the same thread.
Each word reverberates, calling its kin
Seed knew that life was here, within its coat,
ready to sprout when conditions allowed.
Seed could be buried, lie dormant or float.
Carrying life lightly left it unbowed.
Thing’s form was foggy studded with bright stars
that flared often: each time the word was used,
anything, something, those things (meaning spars),
or thing-a-ma-jig for the more confused.
Up floated to the ceiling, felt at home.
Others were sitting, down flat on the floor,
pinned, weighed down, looking glum, unable to roam,
unlike Up who could laugh and play, then soar.
Vehement spat the words out, voice starting
to become hoarse. Namby-pamby was horrified.
This public display was crude, like farting.
Vehement ignored, pointed out, defied.
Water shape-changes: fog, snow, ice, pool, lake.
It could dance with sunlight, nurture life, be,
be still or be violent. It would take
a long list to catch its variety.
Xanadu inspired colourful daydreams,
lush, sensuous, unforgettable, the kind
that shows new paths, changes drab lives and seems
too vibrant to be denied by your mind
Footsteps are heard, strange footprints are seen, Yeti
has come. The air is colder. Something has
brushed by, quiet, mysterious. Yet he
has great strength, radiates as the steps pass.
Zest may come last but Zest gives life much joy.
Zest sings, feels intensity, adds brightness.
Kittens have zest. Their deeds are never coy.
The energy of Zest adds lightness.
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