Pages

Friday, February 3, 2017

MAGICAL HATS AND BROOMS


                                                                 
POEMS BY ERNESTINE COBERN BEYER

                                                   THE MAGICAL HAT
                                                                               
                                                                              LEO HARRINGTON
                                    Patrick was hunting, one Halloween day,

                                    Through a trunkful of treasures long hidden away,

                                    When much to the pleasure and profit of Pat,

                                    He came on a wonderful magical hat.

                                    Well, quite as if this were his usual habit,

                                    He put in his hand, and he drew out a rabbit.

                                    Pleased, but not thrilled into shivers and chills,

                                    Pat muttered: "That trick is as old as the hills!"

                                    Then thoughtfully scratching his smart little head,

                                    "I think I will pull out some people!" he said.
         
                                    And he did!  From that hat so imposing and tall,

                                    He pulled out a lady in bonnet and shawl.

                                    A dignified man and his neighbor came next,

                               And one or two more whose expressions were vexed.

                                    "I," said the lady, "was having a nap!"

                                    "And I," said a man, "was at dinner, young chap!"

                                    "I," sniffed the neighbor, "was feeding my cats!"

                                    "We hate," they all cried, "to be pulled out of hats!"

                                    With this, looking ever so grumpy and glum,

                                    They jumped in the hat out of which they had come,

                                    And -- pffftt! -- they all vanished!  "Now, that,"

                                                        approved Patrick,

                                    "Is what I would call a remarkable hat trick!"      

                                                  
The Magical Broom


It was Halloween night when I noticed my broom

With which I had lately been sweeping my room.

Seeing it move, I remarked with surprise:

"I cannot and will not believe my own eyes!

A broom doesn't move from its place by the shelf!

A broom is a broom!" I declared to myself.


Yet it struck me as strange when I noticed, my dears,

That the broomstick was growing a couple of ears;

And I have to admit that I turned rather pale

When all of a sudden it sprouted a tail.


Said I to myself: "I am dreaming, of course!

A broom doesn't turn itself into a horse!"

Refusing to look at the broom any more,

I hurried away, and I opened the door.


But there I was stopped by a queer little sound.

I paused with a shiver, and glancing around,

I lectured myself in my sensible way:

"You're hearing things, silly!  A broom doesn't neigh!"


 Little I knew!  'Twas uncanny, of course,

But the broom had become a complete little horse!

He pawed at the carpet and whinnied at me:

"Hop up!" he invited, as plain as could be.

So I climbed on his back as he wanted me to,

Then out of the window he happily flew!

Feeling as if I had saddled a breeze,

I clung to his mane as he hurdled the trees.


                                    
Gracefully rising, he headed for Mars,

And the street that he galloped was cobbled with stars!

Now suddenly witches appeared in the night

And followed behind like the tail of a kite.


Uttering horrible cackles and croaks,

They swooped all around in their fluttering cloaks.

Heavens to Betsy!  A spooky parade--

But somehow or other, I wasn't afraid!


As my broom and I traveled that shimmering land,

The Man in the Moon waved a glimmering hand

And cheerfully hailed me, inviting me, please,

To stop for a bite of delicious green cheese;

  
But before I could answer a yes or a no,

We were sliding the sky to the valley below.

I was back in my own little cottage again.

I looked at my broom very sternly, and then

Said I: "I have never been out of this room!

It couldn't have happened!  A broom is a broom!”

And untangling a cloud from its bristles--once more,

I stood it aslant in its place by the door.

                 

No comments:

Post a Comment