poem of the week

YOU’LL DRINK YOUR ORANGE JUICE AND LIKE IT, COMRADE

Soviet Union agrees to absorb quantities of citrus fruits to relieve Cyprus surplus. – Newspaper item

There’s a Cyprus citrus surplus,

Citrus surplus Cypriotic.

No Sicilian citrus surplus

But a Cyprus citrus surplus,

Not a Cyprus citron surplus

But a Cyprus citrus surplus,

Not a Cyprus citrus circus

But a Cyprus citrus surplus.

It’s a special citrus surplus,

Cyprus citrus super surplus.

“Just a surface citrus surfeit,”

Says a cryptic Coptic skeptic.

But the bishop in his surplice

Certifies the surfeit citrus –

In his surplus Sunday surplice,

Certifies the citrus surfeit,

Who’ll assimilate the surplus,

Siphon off the Cyprus citrus?

Sipping at the citrus cistern

Who’ll suppress the Cyprus surplus?

Says the Soviet to Cyprus,

“Send us all your surplus citrus;

This is just a simple sample

Of Socialist assistance.

Should you show a similar surplus

In the simmering summer solstice,

Send a summons to the Soviet

For surplus citrus solace.”

Now on Cyprus they’re all reading

Victory, by Joseph Comrade.

-         Ogden Nash

Snow and haircuts and candy!

It's snowing today so I tried making candy again, it turned out really well! No saws were required to slice the candy roll. It still isn't perfect but no one will complain about me perfecting a candy recipe.

When Elizabeth was here Oscar asked to get his hair cut, no hair just like Dad. And I immediately complied, and she took some pictures with settings I didn't even know my camera had. Some of them turned out pretty cool! And Oscar liked his haircut very much. Until he went to school and all the kids and teachers freaked out about it, so that he came home and said he wanted his hair back because  no hair was a distraction.

And a little later I was possessed and cut John's hair too. And then I went and got my hair cut. We're all ready for something, now.

Yesterday we went on a new hike, along Bobcat Ridge. It was warm and beautiful, and we were very lucky to arrive just when someone was leaving, so we got a parking spot. John rode in the backpack for about half the walk, and then ran the other half with Oscar. Edie sang us the song of her people, whenever she felt inspired. I realized I have gotten used to these trails through exposed prairie, and now I know some things to look at while we're walking. When I first moved here I found these trails  so arbitrarily placed. And you're in the sun almost the whole time! 

poem of the week

MAX SCHLING, MAX SCHLING, LEND ME YOUR GREEN THUMB – A TRAVELOGUE OF FLOWERY CATALOGUES

Bobolink!

Bobolink!

Spink!

Spank!

Spink!

Bobbink!

Atkink!

Sprink!

Burpee.

-Ogden Nash