Wear your odd socks with pride,
No need for them to, in your gumboots hide,
Of funny looks, I don't give a darn,
As I can spin a good yarn.
Is it better to have odd socks,
Or no socks?
That is the question,
You should be asking about your odd sock situation.
Is it worth disrupting your household,
And putting hugs on hold,
All for fear of a laugh at your expense
Which makes no sense,
When the odds are high
That others too, will have a pair of odd socks to deny.
I wear my odd socks with pride,
As I see no need to hide,
My socks are odd,
When I look around
And see so many odd things that still astound.
Categories:
gumboots, absence, blessing, celebration, celebrity,
Form: Grook
trees along the fence line strain
stretched tight by the wind
turning inside and out
leaves in all directions
buffeting and thrashing in the howling gale
sheets of horizontal rain hammer the paddocks
through the knee deep mud
sodden cowprints overflow with water
still the rain pours down uncontrollably
and the wind roars over the hills
scarred with open clay slips
raincoat and gumboots
barely visible in the gloom
the farmer trudges home
after evening milking
Categories:
gumboots, weather, winter,
Form: Imagism
Babies cry, sleep, change nappies, feed. Toddlers drink water from cups. Younger brothers, younger sister, older brother, older sister, small town, large country.
One lane roads, one lane bridges, unsealed, 60mph, in the dark. Bush covered gorges, rail lines across the river, small waterfalls, windows down, no seatbelts in the back seat, lying down, sleeping on the rugs, stopping for carsick ones on the edges. Mum singing, Dad driving, children counting dead possums.
The ways into town run through a long winding gorge or a longer winding coastal road, both prone to slips. Nearest cities Christchurch, Nelson, 200 miles away. Only referred to as the Coast, with its own dialect, only belonging when born there.
Biscuits four trays, oven
Bread hot water cupboard rising, Dad late
Holden Kingswood written off, dead bull
Packs, boots, carbide lamps, white fizzy hosing down leggings, parkas, gumboots, bikes, back porch full.
Flames warm quality coal
Sheet lightening children’s window race
Nothing more calming than the thunder of the rain.
Categories:
gumboots, childhood, nostalgia,
Form: Haibun
Our ability to fight climate change,
May well depend on the number of green thumbs,
We vote for, to lead the charge.
This may lead to thumb printing all candidates,
For all positions to check if they are truly green,
In this we should not hesitate.
All children should be exposed to grass,
That is green,
And to have planted at least one tree,
By the time they are three.
Foster parents should be selected,
On the basis of thumbs that are green,
And given gumboots for free.
Lastly all prisoners whose thumbs that are green,
Should be given reduced sentences,
And free gumboots on release,
Plus a packet of seed and a spade,
As well as their own vegie plot.
Schools should be funded on the basis,
Of thumbs that are green,
And children with green thumbs,
Should be given priority of entry.
University entrance,
Should be subject to a green thumb test,
Without hindrance.
Research into maximising,
The number of green thumbs,
Should take priority.
Categories:
gumboots, analogy, baptism, confidence, destiny,
Form: Burlesque
My little feet tripping walking begun
To keep up with my mothers bigger ones
And quietly years just roll alongside
With walking running matching stride for stride
I wonder when those little feet outgrew
Laced up booties buckled shoes gumboots too
And as we both stand with my feet all grown
Tall as the mirror stands with laughs outshone
Looking at the grey with so many wrinkles
And as we slow our pace and rest rekindles
Holding hands of grandchildren small feet abide
With walking resting matching stride for stride
The circle of life we walk with much pride
Two sets of happy feet walk side by side.
8.3.2021
Hexsonnetta-10 syllables per line.
Categories:
gumboots, growing up, life,
Form: Verse
It poured for a fortnight
The clouds floating like angels in the sky
Streams of rivulets on a downward turn
’Twas our turn to solve a mystery,me at nine
Of catching raindrops from an open sky.
With raincoat and gumboots on Sherlock Holmes
more than ready, as now I,with his mate Watson
a man’s best friend by his side.
Faces turned upwards towards the clouds
Eye shut and mouth wide open
Tongues hanging out not doing any talking.
Cool silver drops, falling into our traps
The laughter and barking now splashing our thoughts
Standing for hours on the curb
To solve the mystery of catching raindrops.
Watson now wagging his tail as mimicking me,stops.
The thrill of raindrops patting us
Sherlock and Watson doing a steller job
With stomachs now protruding
Our thirst now fulfilled
The mystery of catching raindrops, now stilled.
09.09.2020
Categories:
gumboots, childhood, happiness, rain,
Form: Free verse
Playing once in the back yard,
Sis kicked the cat really hard,
Snowy over the back fence went,
Red gumboots did have vent,
"Sit and read," my sis said,
'c...a...t' says cat, I read,
"The cat is gone!" I did not say,
"He is never coming back again!"
That is one way to learn to read,
Fear of gumboots, yes, indeed!
Categories:
gumboots, animal, cat, childhood, memory,
Form: Free verse
An expert is a strange bird,
That is often,
Rightly taken for the fool that they are.
The true expert however,
Has not been blinded by science,
Does not carry a trumpet,
Take out full page adds,
Sit behind a desk,
In a swanky office,
Or sleep in a penthouse.
The true expert can often be found in the field,
Wears more than just suits,
Does not look out of place in gumboots and shorts,
Owns a laptop that is case hardened,
Carries a notebook that is dog eared,
Does not bite off more than can be chewed,
And is not afraid to look down or up,
To make sure your eyes have not deceived you,
It is wise to throw a few questions in the expert's direction,
To see if their instinct is to dodge them,
Or catch them.
Categories:
gumboots, analogy, art, beautiful, best
Form: Imagism
Miss Five whimpered as she walked from the house,
Her feet hurt and caused her to grouse.
She made many stops
\ and not a few small hops
When boots came off - culprit was found - squished mouse!
Written 31 August 2018
For Limerick Contest
Sponsor Charles Messina
nb. Gumble boots was my name for my gumboots at age 5. That day they
were Grumble boots.
Categories:
gumboots, animal,
Form: Limerick
If you wander into your local school or preschool,
What are the odds of spotting even a single pair of gumboots,
And does it matter if you find none.
If you think it no,
Then fast forward to their teenage years,
Look at how many are wearing Jackboots,
And not giving two hoots about anything,
Unless it is connected to the virtual world,
Then give me the answer that matters.
Having never been without a pair of gumboots,
Splashing in puddles second nature,
Rain no obstacle when I wish to walk or sing.
A mud pie making king,
Dry socks always in stock,
Adventures all year round,
Never bored,
Always grateful,
To mum and Dad,
For giving me the right kind of boots.
For those without gumboots,
There may yet be hope,
If enough letters go to the Minister of Education,
In favor of Gumboots being part of school uniforms,
So, once again the sound of children splashing through puddles can be heard,
And teenagers can once again be seen wearing the right kind of boots,
For life in the real world.
Categories:
gumboots, appreciation, baptism, blessing, character,
Form: Light Verse
How boastful the way I rode a sled
To flaunt my gumboots as drag pads fled,
I walked through cold snow
Fell off with pants low;
Exposing my hairy legs instead.
As I was Walking in the Snow Contest
For Kevin Shaw 2/22/2018
Categories:
gumboots, self, snow,
Form: Limerick
The Ballad of Stinking Mick
Now Mick hung close to a Butt verbose,
And the cheese it ran like treacle,
Some said it was on the bloody nose,
That he lived, was thought unbelievable,
For he was a hairy Wombat Louse,
Hitchhiking on a vehicle,
He tried sucking up to a Mouse,
got dislodged by a Gay Boll Weevil,
There came a blast, hot and sticky cast,
Aroma, most unpleasant,
With bowel movement, he was passed,
Hot an steamy, flavoured, masked?
Mick thought it effervescent,
He’d spring and slide upon the tide,
His gumboots trickled full, (Kiwi slippers)
On a passing Rat he snagged a ride,
High speed, for a Wombat Louse,
I aint being snide, no bloody Bull,
On a Tom-Tit sure he’d been before,
The Wren had flown him high,
Caught by a Cat, he did attack,
with some ten thousands more,
Puddy left with an open jaw,
Thought and pondered bloody sure,
Perplexed with thoughts of why?
The food was flapping high,
The itch stuck in his craw?
Poor puddy bloody paw,
Was reduced to sigh
Should I this underscore,
apply?
This part I will deny,
No lice no bloody moer….( new aussie slang)
Don Johnson
Categories:
gumboots, adventure,
Form: Ballad
Gumboot heroes
splashing in the rain
two caped crusaders
bring the challenge on
wagon wheels in their pockets
a nickel buys the day
hide and seek
the adventure that we play
double dog dare ya
to be as brave
…as me
a budding buccaneer
swathed with yellow gumboots
a princess with a tiara demands purple
but then she is only four
stand by you forever
spit and hope to die
your word is your bond
what else do you have to give
double dog dare ya
to jump as high
…as me
no puddle ever too deep
no dream ever too far
a promise is a promise
don’t ja know don’t ja know
two untouched treasures
priceless trust and innocence
best friends forever
what else would best friends
…possibly be
IRISH
Categories:
gumboots, childhooddog, dog,
Form: Free verse