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Poet Personification

Notes About The Poem

16 August 2023

Contest: An Old Shovel Sponsor: John Lawless

King of Spades

You say I’m made to be a spade but that just curls my wings
I sit here ready to scoop up the widest range of things
Scooping apples off the ground and thrusting them all forward
To where the wheelbarrow awaits as I denude the orchard

They say to call a spade a spade is honesty at work
I do not know who said that but he was a total jerk
For spades can dig a tidy hole as that is what they’re for
But I can dig a hole and I can do a whole lot more

So if you call a spade a spade, it isn’t quite a sin
But please accept that if you do, you may invert my grin
For mixing sand and gravel in a mix of three in one
Is something for a specialist, and I, indeed, am one

So grab my handle, use your foot to push me in the ground
Make a hole that’s very square or even one that’s round
But when it comes to flinging all that soil to one side
Only I can do it best for I’m so very wide

Time was when a cellar-man would use me scooping coal
And industry employed me as its furnace feeding soul
I’ll always fight my corner and I’ll state my case real loud
For I am no mere spade; I am a shovel and I’m proud!

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Mark Toney

September 17, 2023 at 4:18 PM

Terry, I enjoyed your celebratory poem with it’s creative theme. “For I am no mere spade; I am a shovel and I’m proud!” Congratulations on your excellent win in John’s contest.

Terry Flood

September 18, 2023 at 3:40 PM

Thanks, Mark. And congrats on your top placed win.

David Kavanagh

August 23, 2023 at 12:45 AM

A shovel is certainly not a spade, ask anyone that’s tried to dig a hole or indeed mix cement with one, like this fool here, excellent one Terry, you may have buried the rest of the competition with it, bol, cheers David

Terry Flood

August 23, 2023 at 12:55 AM

As a shovel, I confess that I over promoted my ability to dig holes. In my defence however… I could have been referring to sand or soft soil. What a shame Rum n Raisin didn’t have access to a shovel in R&R 4…. Hmmmm….

David Fisher

August 17, 2023 at 5:06 PM

This is great... a poem that's as well grounded as its subject. And the last line's a winner, contest or not!

Terry Flood

August 17, 2023 at 5:13 PM

Thanks, David. I use shovels and spades and often use whatever is nearest… MISTAKE! Spades is for spading, shovels is for shovelling!

Ilene Bauer

August 17, 2023 at 1:07 PM

it's always great fun for me to come across a poem about a subject that is so ordinary that most would not find it worthy of writing about and you have done this shovel proud, terry!

Terry Flood

August 17, 2023 at 3:02 PM

Thanks, Ilene. Can’t take credit for the subject matter; that’s down to the remit of John’s contest. I can, however, humbly accept your complement re the content ;-)

Tom Cunningham

August 17, 2023 at 5:43 AM

We'd certainly be lost without them, I've got one my dad gave me, it's at least 70 years old now and no signs of wear and I've used it for snow, cement mixing you name it. Good luck in the contest. Tom

Tom Cunningham

August 17, 2023 at 9:59 PM

Lol I believe there was.

Terry Flood

August 17, 2023 at 3:04 PM

I’d just like to know where my shovel is never where I left it…. Hmm… wasn't there a detective called Sam Spade… or have I imagined that?

Deb M

August 17, 2023 at 5:29 AM

Ha….what a great poem Terry… And the last line is a beauty! Debx

Terry Flood

August 17, 2023 at 3:07 PM

Thanks, Deb. After my struggle with Rum n Raisin 3 (literally took ages) I was chuffed to start and finish this in around fifteen minutes (including re-edits). Glad you dug it!