Sarah Muddles and Other Home-Grown Poems by G.P. McGlynn        copyright mm                 

THE GOOD OLD DAYS

"Whatever happened.." Gramps often would ask
"To long, cold winters and lightbulbs that last?"
"And what about milk trucks, cobblestone and prams
And where are the walking sticks and sweet smelling hams?"

"I remember..." he'd say (more often than not)
"When gum was a penny and that was a lot!"
"From the well came our water, which we had to carry
And we milked our old cow for lack of a dairy!"

"Our pants were all patches, our shoes full of holes
And I grew up, I recall, in my big sister's clothes."

And then Gramps would think about what he'd just said
And with a smile and a gentle nod of his head,
He'd say to us all gathered round his big chair:
"I'm afraid that the good old days just can't compare.
When I think of all that we have here today,
It's here, with you, I would certainly stay."

WHAT IS IT?

Mom says it's bad for me
Sis says it's dumb
But Dad says it best--
"STOP SUCKING YOUR THUMB!!"

IF SCHOOL WAS NO MORE

If school was no more--what a wonderful thought!
No homework, no books, no small i's to dot.

If school was no more--oh, the things I would do!
I could spend the whole day making mock chicken stew.
Playing tag would be fun, and...well, other things too!
There'd be no limit to what a small boy could do!

There's hinking and biking and, um, millions of things!
I could learn how to...well...there's always my swings!
(There's other things too I could write on this line,
It's just that I don't know them all at this time.)

If school was no more--imagine the cheers
From kids just like me, bored completely to tears.

THE GREAT POPCORN STRIKE

Out of the matinee we marched
One behind the other.

I hope we made it perfectly clear--
They supply the butter!

%&#*@&*!!

It's driving me crazy (I must frankly admit)
And I'm just about ready for a great, raging fit!

It started back when I began this small poem
And persisted until I gave up and went home.

But I'm back at it now and it's making me nuts
(this problem for which I am spilling my guts.)

I'm considering offering a most generous reward
to the person who can help me rhyme the word, orange!