Best Point With Pride Poems
With one stocking up and the other rolled down
the old lady waddled her way to town.
Her flowered dress sported stains of breakfast.
Her hair was matted, like a birds nest.
Lipstick circled her lips, like a circus clown.
The painted smile veiled depression and a frown.
While quizzically looking up at her face,
the small boy clutching her hand tried to keep pace.
As she shuffled her way down main street,
she chatted with anyone she chanced to meet.
Often she would point with pride
to small boy by her side
As the boy grew older, he began wondering
why she couldn’t tell they were pretending.
Couldn’t she hear their humoring lies?
Couldn’t she see the laughter in their eyes?
Couldn’t she sense the embarrassment in the air?
Perhaps she couldn’t care? Perhaps she wasn’t aware?
Being locked in a child like state
may not be the worst fate,
Because children can make up places
where there are no staring faces.
Charlie’s got an old bar outside of town.
It’s pretty seedy and plenty run down.
Characters who don’t lightly suffer fools
go there to drink whisky and to shoot pool.
Some huffy stuffy ladies from up-town
decided one day they’d shut Charlie’s down.
On a crusade, they made it their mission.
All ‘round town they paraded petitions.
Didn’t like the cartoon-graffitied walls
or the limericks written on the stalls.
They said Charlie’s scarred their town’s pretty face,
called it a blight on the whole human race.
Charlie and friends put their heads together.
They called in Ben, the college professor.
A curious plan began to unfold
as they recalled the legends they'd been told.
The prof walked around. He nodded and "aw"ed
read the walls, and he’d guffaw and applaud.
"Charlie," he said, "think I know what to do
to save our dear bar and make you rich, too!"
He said, “Good man, this place is a gold mine!
Thanks to Andy Warhol and Gertrude Stein!
Except for this 'Careen? Abdul Jabbar’—
Your walls have been graced by many a star!”
“Historical” says the placard outside.
Now, the uppity biddies point with pride.
It all worked out fine. Charlie's got his friends,
his whisky and pool, and plenty to spend.
11/29/2018
Charlie's Cartoon Characters Curiously Careen and Crusade Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Caren Kutsinger
~a first place