Notes About The Poem

In the Jungle

There’s a forest bizarre neither nearby nor far,
full of sights somewhat scary to spook a soul wary.
The deep, darkened jungle, I think you’ll agree 
is never a safe place for you or for me...

The vicious antihistamines attack unwary gabardines,
while hungry, snarling mezzanines will slither on the ground.
Meanwhile, some frenzied proselytes are hiding from the troglodytes,
who, angry from the zwieback bites, are swarming all around!

Inside this jungle, quarantines are known to suck on guillotines
until stampeding nazarenes charge in and scare them both.
The tetanus fights the diocese, as scallions snack on c’est la vies;
they all avoid isosceles, who hide in undergrowth.

The snarling tracheotomies stalk the nonsequitur
and scare defenseless equities that fly from Equador,
while swarms of green parentheses infest the feeble pinafore
for blood.

The buzzing twits and hypocrites gnaw on palaver bones
while fat, lethargic amulets are chased by chromosomes.
The sleepy, sluggish genuflects had best avoid the palindromes
in mud.

You may never have heard of a place so absurd,
you may opt to believe it a myth.
But if ever you visit and wonder, “what is it?”
just ask a nearby monolith.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2020

Poem

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Dietrich Avatar
August 15, 2020 at 1:56 PM
haha, very creative, John. Pure whimsey. My favorite little phrase was frenzied proselytes , (so easy to picture). I enjoyed how you mixed one kind of meter with a shorter one. I've played with doing that kind of thing. It's like inventing your own special poetry! Had this one been for a specific contest?
Watt Avatar
August 15, 2020 at 5:32 PM
Thanks for the comment, Andrea. I sent you a Soupmail to answer your question.
Hamilton Avatar
June 1, 2020 at 9:36 PM
This was a hoot to read enjoyed it thoroughly, it was truly something different. The internal rhyme always grabs my attention, after the first few lines I realized this was not to be taken seriously, that the rhyme was just that a rhyme...who cares if it makes no sense, that was the point after all, right?
Watt Avatar
June 1, 2020 at 10:29 PM
You nailed it sir, though kind of deadpan, this was not to be taken seriously at all. I modeled it after a fun song by Don McLean called "On The Amazon"; youtube it if you can find it. I used to hear it on the Dr. Demento show when I was in my teens. Thanks for the nice comment ~ John
Lawless Avatar
May 30, 2020 at 7:21 PM
This had me laughing at its whimsy and then revisiting its wonder ...and pausing to whisper to myself......now that is different
Watt Avatar
May 30, 2020 at 8:14 PM
John, glad you enjoyed it. My humor tends to be an acquired taste! Thank you for sponsoring such a fun contest and for the generous placement, it was a pleasant surprise!
Kauffman Avatar
May 30, 2020 at 1:47 PM
Whimsical creativity, my friend! Love the blending of the absurd! Congratulations on your win! Well done!
Watt Avatar
May 30, 2020 at 5:09 PM
Glad you tapped in to the absurd whimsy of this. There's a song by Don McLean (a REAL deep cut) called "On The Amazon" that prompted and inspired this write. I imagine even Don McLean fans wouldn't know it unless they listened to Dr. Demento back in the day, chuckle. Thanks for your ever-present encouragement for even my most completely differentest of writes ~ John
Goldsmith Avatar
May 30, 2020 at 12:53 PM
Congratulations on your win. A wonderful story and picture. I have that frog on my desk. Enjoy your win and day...........
Watt Avatar
May 30, 2020 at 5:05 PM
Thank you, my frog twin, for such a wonderful compliment and comment! ~ John
Mishra Avatar
May 30, 2020 at 12:11 PM
Congratulations on the win for one on a completely different pedestal my friend! Happy to see your name in the list :)
Watt Avatar
May 30, 2020 at 5:14 PM
Thank you my poetry friend for your fun and encouraging message!
Brul Avatar
May 26, 2020 at 7:18 PM
What a super imagery you eloquently woven. Shall I say this poem is beautiful? To my faves...
Watt Avatar
May 27, 2020 at 12:41 AM
Thank you for such kindness, I'm blushing... Appreciate the fave, too. Have a great day! ~ John
Johnson-Saunders Avatar
May 22, 2020 at 7:53 PM
Wow, your words gave me much to think about tonight with fascinating imagery and parallels between the supposed civilized and uncivilized. Best of luck in the contest! xx Rhonda
Watt Avatar
May 30, 2020 at 5:24 PM
Thanks for stopping by Rhonda, it's nice to meet you here at the Soup. Hope to visit your page soon ~ John
Barden Avatar
May 22, 2020 at 6:17 PM
Love the layers here, John, the ambiguity and the unusual imagery ... poets in search of depth and profundity often forget (or ignore) the fact that it has to makes SENSE, or else what's the purpose? To weave such as this takes a bit more thought and intent, and that's a place I find joyful. Great stuff, my friend!
Watt Avatar
May 27, 2020 at 12:39 AM
Thank you, my friend. You bring so much to Soup with your exceptional poetry and the way you intentional read and comment. Positive feedback means so much coming from you. Cheers, John
Mishra Avatar
May 22, 2020 at 6:18 AM
Wow! This one is on a completely different pedestal dear friend. The intricate imagery used for the world inside/around a monolith not only describes a world unknown to others but also creates a metaphor for the world we live in. Humans display the same characteristics at times, don't they? All the best John :)
Watt Avatar
May 27, 2020 at 12:38 AM
Thank you for your thoughtful words, Aditi, and for taking time to look deeply into all you read. You offer something very special to other writers with that gift of making people feel noticed. Have a great day ~ John
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