Meerschaum Pipe
Once I had a meerschaum pipe,
that I borrowed from a friend,
who had bought it at a yard sale,
and was kind enough to lend,
She had bought it from an older man,
whose dead uncle�s pipe it had been,
Poor Uncle Walter, his pipe was sold,
by a nephew without respect for kin,
He sold it for six dollars flat,
though my friend had offered more,
So to give more care to Walter�s pipe,
she took it from his store,
One day I stopped by her house,
while traveling through her city,
on my way to another state,
and could stay not long, such a pity,
I stayed long enough for her to show
her glass case containing a collection,
of assorted pieces she had bought,
and arranged there with much affection,
She showed my glasses of crystal,
and other things of that type,
There in the case among them all,
was Uncle Walter�s pipe!
I redeemer my mother asking once,
�How do you spell meerschaum?�
I told her I�d never heard of the word,
and would never hear it again,
Well now it seems that I was wrong,
for when I saw it in her glass case,
I knew that it was a meerschaum pipe,
and elation came over my face,
For by its light color I could tell,
that the pipe was made of coral,
and heeded what my mother had said,
about the strangest word in the world,
And so I found a meerschaum pipe,
which I never thought I�d find,
While I was admiring the pipe,
something came into my mind
I remembered that I had need of a pipe,
for the part of Pozzo in a play,
So my friend let me borrow the pipe,
and I took it home that day.
Once I had a meerschaum pipe,
that I borrowed from a friend,
who had bought it at a yard sale,
and was kind enough to lend,
I took the pipe to drama class,
and so in my turn in leant,
my teacher proclaimed it �Glorious!�
and it was chiefly loved by Trent,
Yet I began to miss my pipe,
and eventually refilled my lack,
But our time together was not long,
for it was soon time to give it back,
And so I lost my meerschaum pipe,
and bravely faced my deprivation,
I almost forgot to give it back,
but remembered in the bus station,
I produced the precious pipe,
with heart as heavy as stone,
I handed it back to her openly,
and thanked her for the loan,
She said she�d grant it to me one day,
And so fulfilled my secret hope,
Then hid it, for fear people watching,
thought it was a pipe for smoking dope,
I went home happy that evening,
though I felt a bit bereaved,
But the next time I saw my friend,
I was greatly relieved,
For she gave to me the meerschaum pipe,
And my thankful voice did falter,
For engraved upon the bas of it was,
�TO SARAH FROM UNCLE WALTER�
Yes, once I had a meerschaum pipe,
Now I have it back again,
I wrote this poem because I love my pipe,
And especially the word meerschaum.