Look Out Below
The sign he reads out loud, “There’s holes ahead.”
The Rip Van Winkle Bridge quite disturbs me.
A story book that’s come to life — with head
To lose. My dad inches along bravely.
The chickens must brood o’er a dicken’s deuce.
We steer to the left and the right, afraid.
We stare at the grave pavement claim, the goose
Of golden time, the sleepy hollow shade.
The radio plays somber tunes, as Cole
Never imagined death— the Catskills fresh.
Diedrich Knickerbocker, lots of soul,
Could tread the troubled water’s edge — refresh.
Let’s build our solid homes, not on the sand.
You’ve guessed! We flew the coop, hopped on dry land!
5/18/2020
Bridge over troubled waters Poetry Contest
Sponsor: John Hamilton
Used howmanysyllables.com
1.The Rip Van Winkle Bridge - a cantilever bridge from Hudson, NY to Catskill, NY
2.There was a real sign on the bridge that said, “Holes ahead.”
3.Washington Irving wrote the story of “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” In the latter, there are people who lose their heads. At one time he wrote by the pen name, Diedrich Knickerbocker when he wrote a satirical book about NY history and politics.
4.Shakespeare used the term “dickens” - deuce being another term for the devil
5.“Chicken Little,” was a children’s tale where the chicken “was afraid,” the sky was falling - it wasn’t!
6. In “Jack and the Beanstalk,” Jack stole the goose that laid golden eggs.
7. Thomas Cole - created the first paintings of the American landscape
8. I grew up with the colorful history of Dutchess County and thereabouts.
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