A Winter's Metaphor

Old man winter brings cabin fever gloomy,
  in word’s wisdom of foolishness becoming quite a game.
   O say thou blacken pot to the darken kettle,
   “Smut gives to each of the fire it fame!”
      Nero's fiddle spoke to Rome as she burned, 
        though smut and ashes beheld the gloom!
         Darken career and ashes a city,
          finesse of fiddle, no better than spittle!
           A fiddle of madness brings back no fame, 
             for speaks the fiddle in mad Nero spittle,
               it’s blends of vanity’s pity to a ashen city,
                 far be it from silence a violin’s finesse,
                   when winter’s gloom doeth life caress!!
Hey, the cat did fiddle, but in his own spittle,
he fiddle in madness all the days of his reign, 
with smut on his tea kettle, and a blacken fame!

For Contest: Free Verse for Winter
For Chris Aechtner
Copyright © | Year Posted 2011

Poem

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Brown Avatar
February 25, 2011 at 11:40 AM
Congratulations John, on your well deserved win in Chris D. Aechtner's contest " Free Verse For Winter". Love, Carol
Kendrick Avatar
February 19, 2011 at 12:40 PM
Congratulations on your win..Sara
Pettit Avatar
February 19, 2011 at 12:31 AM
Chris liked this entry. Congratulations on winning in the contest.
Mannan Avatar
February 18, 2011 at 8:04 PM
Beautiful and full of amazing images. many congrats for this win dear friend.
Dietrich Avatar
February 18, 2011 at 6:35 PM
Hey, way to go,john, on this awesome winners' list of winter poetry. A big congratulations!
Mehta Avatar
February 18, 2011 at 5:45 PM
Congratulations on the well deserved win in the contest of Chris, John
Gorelick Avatar
February 18, 2011 at 4:48 PM
Congrats my friend..this gets better each time you read it..BG
K. Avatar
February 18, 2011 at 2:19 PM
Coming back here John to say Super congrats on your win :) way to go with this unique one :)
Haick Avatar
February 18, 2011 at 1:15 PM
Congratulations on your fine win in the contest with this interesting verse with a touch of history. Love, Annalise
Devonshire Avatar
February 18, 2011 at 10:28 AM
Dear John, Congratulations on your win in Chris's contest with this wonderful free verse. Love, Carolyn
Onclaud Avatar
February 18, 2011 at 9:31 AM
unstoppable with this awesome write.. THUMBS UP to you for the great win, john! :) huggs, nette
Sweetheart Avatar
February 18, 2011 at 8:57 AM
Congrats Moses my friend on your excellent win in the Winter Free Verse contest.. with this awesome entry luv.. enjoy another grand victory and sweet success with much luv..
K. Avatar
February 14, 2011 at 2:10 AM
I enjoyed reading this one, definitely a different and creative spin to the winter challenge-- very cool presentation too and very interesting metaphors you used here too--- & uh-oh I just saw Chris' comments below-- how I hope this is back in the contest! I think others are also experiencing this glitch in their contests?
Kendrick Avatar
February 13, 2011 at 4:41 PM
Good luck in the contest with this interesting work..Winter is a time of feeling trapped inside for some...Enjoyed..Thanks for the kind review of my work..Sara
Dietrich Avatar
February 13, 2011 at 2:50 PM
all that fire, spittle and fiddle, it really gives one the "Feel" of the madness! I think Chris should quite enjoy this one, john! Very creative.
Melody Lightning Ink Avatar
February 13, 2011 at 8:49 AM
even from the tittle, you will know the poems greatness.i really enjoy your rhymes here. that's one essence of poetry. good luck.
Onclaud Avatar
February 12, 2011 at 10:52 AM
ahhh, words can be perceived in so many ways, dear john! beautiful portrayal of the theme.. go for the win! :) huggs, nette
Devonshire Avatar
February 12, 2011 at 10:07 AM
Very unique perspective on the foolishness of words turning into a game. Love the wayyou mention's Neros fiddling as Rome burned and how the fiddle of madness brings no fame. You made me smile thinking of the cat fiddling in his own spittle and the pot calling the kettle black. Quite a clever poem! Wishing you success in the contest. Haven't been able to come up with one on this theme, but you did an outstanding job here. Love, Carolyn
Haick Avatar
February 11, 2011 at 2:20 PM
Definitely one for the Winners' List, John! Best of luck in Chris's "Free Verse For Winter" Love, Annalise
Mehta Avatar
February 11, 2011 at 12:34 PM
Beautiful write with absorbing metaphors and with nice expression.. the cat did fiddle, but in his own spittle...John
La France Avatar
February 10, 2011 at 6:07 PM
How creative and utterly fantastic, loved it, a winner to me~~
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