Friday, April 18, 2014

Of Rabbits and Hobbits

There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they'll take you.
~Beatrix Potter



More poetry that takes place in fictional locations today as part of my Directory of Imaginary Poems, inspired by The Dictionary of Imaginary Places. Thank you, Laura and Linda, for giving me permission to share your poems!


A gift from P by Hideya Hamano

Peter Rabbit
by Laura Shovan

God, I loved him. Bad boy in a blue jacket.
Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail were such bores
picking berries like good little bunnies.
I wanted to squeeze under fences with Peter,
eat my fill of Mr. McGregor’s onions
and blow the stink of them into the old farmer’s face.
I wanted to run like Death himself was shaking his hoe
yelling, “Stop, Thief!”
           Had my sister lived,
we would have worn matching pink sweaters,
had bread and milk and blackberries for supper.
But I recognized a scythe when I saw one,
and as many times as I made my mother read it,
there’s only ever been one Thief in this story.

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"Peter Rabbit" was first published at the online journal Switched-on Gutenberg.

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Hobbiton by John Mundy

I am in fact a Hobbit in all but size.
~J.R.R. Tolkien


Bibliotherapy
by Linda Baie

Bilbo’s love of home
poignant exasperation
Gandalf at the door

sleepy newest hero
Gandalf offers Thorin’s crew
as Bilbo butters bread

"Abandon books and maps!"
advice given, warily taken
the world is out there

heroes should be followed
I steal into the circle
hooded me, a mouse

heave the rucksack alone
what happens out the door
will change me

Smaug rules my kingdom too
Time to learn how to fight dragons
Bilbo shows me a way

Linda Baie © All Rights Reserved

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Today's Poetry Friday round-up host is Robyn at Life on the Deckle Edge. I'm off visiting my parents, but I will make the rounds when I can!

14 comments:

Diane Mayr said...

Two well-known imaginary places made new!

Laura's "I wanted to run like Death himself" took my breath away.

I'm going to be sad when this April travel comes to an end. Happy Easter!

Linda B said...

Thanks for sharing my poem, Tabatha. Your idea is a wonderful adventure for us. Laura's poem takes dear Peter Rabbit into a new place. I love the voice of defiance!

Mary Lee said...

Both poems made me go, "Oh, wow!"

Buffy Silverman said...

Terrific poems--thanks for sharing the rabbits and hobbits! And what is it about bad boys in blue that is so appealing?!

Anonymous said...

Loved both of these. What a great pairing. I may have to write my own as I couldn't get one written before.

Michelle Heidenrich Barnes said...

I'm with deowriter. I'm sorry that I never found the time to come up with one of my own. But it IS wonderful to read them all and feel so inspired! Too late for the series, perhaps, but never too late to put words on paper.

Tara said...

Wonderful adventure, indeed! I know what Diane means about mourning the end of April's bounty of poetry!

Ruth said...

Ohhhhh! These are both so wonderful!

Robyn Hood Black said...

Yes - thanks to both of you poets and to Tabatha, who is always conjuring up some kind of poetic/artistic/communal magic. (Must say the first line of Laura's would have made me spit out my coffee had I been drinking it at the precise time I read it this morning....!) ;0)

GatheringBooks said...

Love the two beautiful ladies you have here, Tabatha. Of Bad Boys and Adventure seeking - how absolutely valiant to simply abandon books and maps and set off out into the world!

Irene Latham said...

Oh my, these are WONDERFUL! I love me some Peter, too... and oh Bilbo! Well done, poets! xo

skanny17 said...

So late to this party! Loving what is happening and both Laura's and Linda's very interesting poems. Maybe I can play catch up and use your prompts.
Thanks for your nice comment on Laura's blog, I left you a reply and loved the video!
Thank you, Tabatha,
Janet F.

Author Amok said...

Thanks for all of your comments, friends. "Peter Rabbit" was one of my postcard poems, though it wasn't part of the official 2013 series.

Linda, I think you capture what appeals to so many about "The Hobbit" -- that drop everything call to adventure. Who hasn't wanted to abandon books and maps like Bilbo at some point in her life?

Becky Shillington said...

Tabatha, I enjoyed reading these poems! Thanks for sharing them, and Happy belated Easter!!