My Alphabet Characters

© November-December, 2007

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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.