Les reminds me of many of my rants about poetry and modern poets in my earlier years.  I’ve calmed down a bit on the subject after finding formalist poetry magazines and that there are still writing programs where forms are taught.  All is not lost on the subject, even if one might think so if all one sees is Poetry.

But, today, I come not to rant about poetry, but to share a bit in this season of sharing.  It seems your humble curmudgeon is associated with an organization that does a Christmas collection program every year for a local shelter.  And so, I buy a stuffed animal to make a child smile.  This year, the critter that attracted my eye was a big ape or monkey-like thing.  Its arm and leg on each side are of a piece and adjustable as to length.  So, the owner can make their monkey have short legs and long arms, long legs and short arms, or medium length limbs all around.   Or even one leg short with a long arm and the other side with a long leg and short arm.  I’m sure this fellow will be quite fun for any child.  But, a store-bought monkey is something anyone could have.  It isn’t unique, even if nice for a child in a shelter for battered women and children.

So, I usually decide to include a little poem to make each stuffed animal a little more unique.  I print the poem off on nice paper, roll it up as a scroll, and tie it onto the animal with a ribbon.  Here is this year’s inclusion:

Montmorency “Monty” Monkey

His arms and his legs can be long or quite short
and he’ll misbehave like a terrible sport.
He’ll bounce all around like an acrobat clown
erasing all traces of gloom or of frowns.

There are other things that our Monty might do
Like waltzing around in your mother’s best shoes,
Or swinging from lamps to go hanging on Gramps
And drawing the curtains to climb like a champ.

A monkey’s a monkey and not like a child,
Who could not misbehave and never runs wild.
So, play all you want with wild Monty the monk,
But do be polite and don’t act like a punk.