Best Finn Poems
This is the tale of a soul reaching out to others,
but receiving a cold shoulder wherever she goes.
Words and phrases
are misconstrued,
meanings attached
which cloud the issues
which she wishes
to address.
A passel
of jaded poets condescending;
who sear and cauterise
synapses
of intellect, and
in the
bud,
it’s
vim.
I
don’t
give
a
rat’s tail anymore.
Copyright © Suzette Richards | Year Posted 2019
REPOSTED 11 July 2021 with white space added between the lines.
POET'S NOTE: The expression with reference to a rat that I use in my shaped poem, could perhaps be related to a phrase ‘don't give a dead rat’ from Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884).
‘The Mouse’s Tale’ (which was my inspiration for this concrete shape) is a shaped poem by Lewis Carroll which appears in his novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Though no formal title for the poem is given in the text, the chapter title refers to ‘A Long Tale’ and the Mouse introduces it by saying, ‘Mine is a long and sad tale!’ As well as the contribution of typography to illustrate the intended pun in this title, artists later made the intention clear as well.
MacJock looked uptight
When we said "That's not right,
We're not paying one pence you see"
Den Finn swung and missed
With his powerful fist
And it landed on the jaw of McGee
MacJock grabbed a bottle
Intending to throttle
The closest poor sod in his way
And this caused a ruckus
McGee was so luckless
It certainly wasn't his day
But when Macjock hit McGee
He went flying you see
And busted MacJock's new table
Then McGee tossed a chair
Clear through the air
Hoping MacJock to disable
The others ensued
In this Hullaballoo
Until, all I could see was the brawl
There were glasses and mugs
Bottles and jugs
Smashing against every wall
The place was a mess
I sure can attest
When the fightin' came to its end
Not an eye was still blinking
So I started thinking
Dat its tyme to go 'ome un mend
Just one more part will end it
Today I think I'll be a tiger
With stripes that are yellow and black.
I'll roar through the jungle with eyes on my prey.
I'll be ready for any attack.
Or maybe I'll be like a monkey,
Dark brown and with eyes small and round.
I'll swing through the trees by my long curly tail
And I'll never come down to the ground.
Then maybe I won't be a creature
But I'll be a pirate instead.
I'll have an eyepatch, a scar and a cutlass
And bandana tied tight round my head.
I could be a brave Super-hero
With face mask to hide the real me.
I'll jump from tall buildings and help save the world
And I'll still make it back home for tea.
But if, when it comes to selection,
I find it too hard to decide.
There's someone I know who can help me to choose.
The face painter. It's my birthday. I'm five.
Finn was in some searing pain
as he went to see the Doc
Good thing, it wasn't very far
a short walk 'round the block
As Finn walked in, He managed a grin
But his voice was week and shaken
The Doc said "Please sit down right here,
For some test you may be taken"
Finn explained he was in pain
from his head, right down to his toe
And how in hell did he get like this
Only heaven was sure to know
So, Finn with his finger, pressed on his thigh
and he winched at the pain that it caused
Then touching his toe his arm and this cheek
The pain Finn was in, gave Doc pause
"So Doc can you help me, do you know what it is,
I sure hope this pain doesn't linger"
The Doc shook his head, said "You've done it again,
Finn, you've broken your finger
Finn and Freda’s Christmas wishes were known only to each other.
Trusted protective older sister, and Finn, her impish little brother.
Helpful hints were solicited by parents for many determined days.
Important questions asked in a variety of creatively subtle ways.
Neither child would violate the trusted confidentiality of the other.
Treasured trait that is strong fifty years later in this sister and her brother.
He thought that he had lost all his marbles on the crossing
The autumn tides had been huge and the currents strong
Mostly the aquamarine ones off track and abandoned
A bit like blue smarties excluded from the shiny packets
Forbidden colorants had lost their way into his life
Must have put them into one of the Nivea tins he collected
For safe keeping so well they were hidden too mindlessly
His mood though full of the blues like cyan in a capsule
As he struggled through the time warp of self-deception
No more cerulean light and Munch’s scream full of morose
Moribund insanity with the ocean’s plight darker than black
He felt sizzling hotter than blue blazes in his very own hell
Like cold death warmed up and the hobgoblin gone crazy
Women were said to bring bad luck as distraction of sailors
Strangely naked ones were welcome on board to relax the tiller
And the compass’s needle pointed nether like phallic delight
Tall and erect full of heart blood and passion he had once been
Yet living disaster had struck home and all pastels were stuck
Out of the blue an angel appeared who was poignantly wearing
A fine blue seductive dress of intricate weave and labyrinthine fabric
He undressed her in rising fantasy and she wished just the same
A super blue blood moon ready for passion and climax of harvest
Nivea turned into deep heat mixed with menthol and chocolate
With blueberry essence and grapes south of navel and nave
Finn had found huckleberries at last and she had been waiting
An eternity for a Prince to cherish her plum and gift her a peach
Dew reappeared like morning glory as they condensed into one
And christened white satin sheets for they embarked wet and wild
Fiona shone bright fair and beautiful honest open and upright
A sapphire dropped from heaven in light of a precious fine marble
November 11th, 1938. winter, Sweden
neighbor's pond water is not frozen yet
bucket spilled drops are chilly
grandma Sven's crocheted mittens are not warm enough
younger brother Finn tells me to hurry
family waits for these precious drops of water
cannot fire up cast iron cook stove without stew juice
Chester, our broken down farm pony waits patiently
sky spells out snowstorm
I am shivering now, my feet feel frostbitten
I wish that we were closer to the home
Christmas Krampus is coming, my brother teases me
When I laugh I see my breath, it travels up in weather puffs
if we do not move soon, there will be frosty icicles on our noses
I am grateful for Finn
he knows how to keep my mind off my discomfort
What Stout Is About
Me, Finn and McGee
We went to the pub the see
This new fancy Stout
They've been talkin' about
I ordered, and we were served three
Now when I looked down
Me mouth made a frown
For a fly was afloat in me beer
So I tossed the drink out
And I gave out a shout
I'll be wanting a fresh one right here
Finn then looked in
And a fly seemed to swim
In his glass filled with stout so brown
So he pulled the bug out
Then tossed it about
And drank the stout all the way down
Now Wee Luck McGee
looked down just to see
That a fly was floating about
So he grabbed both his wings
And while shaking the thing
Said "Bastard, you best, spit it out"
Bot I couldna leave
Wid Wee Luk McGee
Sprawled out on the flaw
So I stepped over Finn
Und tried to begin
"elpping 'im oop arf da flaw
Den Finn 'ad awarkin'
McGee a bit shaken
Awl made our way
Teh da street
We all were surprised
When we realized
We managed teh stay on our feet
McGee was da first
Teh trump oop a curse
Und swear 'e'd be drankin' no more
Den Finn chimed on in
Wid his big toothy grin
'E Raised oop 'is 'and as 'e swore
"No more awl nightin'
Drankin' und foightin'
We'll dew what we tink is roight (right)
We awl 'ad teh agreed
Let lyin' dogs be
Da is, until next Foriday noite (night)
Dee End Tank you my friends
Hank built the loveliest quirkiest cottage for his wife, Finn.
She had specific ideas, and incorporated each one in.
Everyone who saw it wanted one for themselves and asked.
But Finn said “no, this was a labor of love that Hank amassed.
No one else is getting a quirky cottage like mine, it’s one of a kind.”
We all loved this cottage and Hank; she had married a gold mind.
We were all laughing
And it seem quite baffling
For reasons no one was sure
Why'd we carried on
From dusk until dawn
As we all wound up, on da floor
Now MacJock lost his smile
And He all of the while
Kept a tab on all of us lads
And I t'ought I felt ill
When he presented the bill
Dat's when I knew we all had of been had
Then grimily he said
"I don't care where its lead
But only the first round was free
Now isn't true, I'm sure I told you"
He said that, while looking at me
I was in shock
As I said to MacJock
You tricked us
To drink all this while
And now we owe you
the money that's due
And dats when Finn
Lost his smile
She was a woman who had a little hair on her chin.
She was older, robust, called simply Old Finn.
It did not make sense that they called her this at nineteen.
Still, she was the wisest one in the local tavern, usually seen.
If we had a question about our drink or our food
We could always ask Old Finn; she was in a loud mood.
That never changed, her voice brought rats from the rafters.
She was a beer-loving-waitress, known by beer drafters.
Her manner was coarse, but she was tavern exact.
Knowing how to do every job and that is a fact!
I grew up here with my grandparents since a little tyke.
I cannot give you your car keys, honey. Borrow a bike.
She took no risks, would not let anyone drive home drunk.
Sometimes she would call the police – her nephew McFunk.
Lumberjack burley, he would take you swiftly out of danger.
You might wake up in bed, sometimes next to a stranger.
Old Finn would keep your secrets, she never spoke ill of you.
She would uplift your spirit, and help you keep down your blue.
Her funeral was the largest our village had ever seen or had.
If you don’t believe me, ask your cousins, mom or granddad.
'Unity!' preached President Joe
~ whose nose then grew like Pinocchio's
He was late every single day.
Spoke badly of his fellow man.
Kept asking them about his pay.
Lied and cheated, Horman T. Finn.
A good first day, new job? No way.
Why is this little guy sleeping again?
I asked several people including his twin.
If you let him sleep, it will be a win-win.
If you don’t, you’ll have to answer to Finn.
Who is Finn? I asked his cousin and twin.
They gave me weird looks and a simple grin.
Just wake him up if you dare, said his twin.
But I did not do it, because I was now afraid of Finn.