For We Write Poems prompt # 25: Wizard of Oz
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Not A Happy Camper
Me? I’m Mortimer, mumbling Munchkin
mopping up mayhem of after movie mess.
mopping up mayhem of after movie mess.
Straw. In clumps,
lumps, some still wet,
they carted here in bales
while whispering tales
of a scarecrow that needed
stuffing, “if you know
what I mean.”
lumps, some still wet,
they carted here in bales
while whispering tales
of a scarecrow that needed
stuffing, “if you know
what I mean.”
Marks, all over my lovely
yellow bricks from that metal
man who thought he could
skip down this road without
friction that caused sparks
which then left burnt straw in all
those cracks and crevices.
yellow bricks from that metal
man who thought he could
skip down this road without
friction that caused sparks
which then left burnt straw in all
those cracks and crevices.
And that Lion? No better than
that mop-eared dog leaving
poop behind that’s gotta be
scooped up, then dropped
in some special Sanitary Dumpster.
Animals! Nothing but Animals!
that mop-eared dog leaving
poop behind that’s gotta be
scooped up, then dropped
in some special Sanitary Dumpster.
Animals! Nothing but Animals!
I prayed for them to be done,
gone away forever. When
they left, felt relief in my chest,
sat me down on my wee little
porch to have one soothing snort,
and here come the tourists!
Wanna see where it all happened
always asking stupid questions
about “cute” little Dorothy,
and that awful witch
with her despicable monkeys.
Have made up my mind
it is time to resign, cut all ties
with this Adopt-A-Block
of-the Yellow Brick Road
Project.
And, this particular mumbling Munchkin,
is moving to some meandering, nameless,
muddy path he refuses to mention, away from
all this mind-boggling, melodramatic madness.
Elizabeth Crawford 10/27/10
Soul's Music 
Eizabeth, this is absolutely priceless! I just love your sense of humor here and the detail. Enjoyed the “yellow brick road project” and ambitious Mortimer!
Lol, when I remembered the prompt for today, I immediately saw Mortimer, scooping up the poop and mumbling to himself about animals and burnt straw. Just had to take a closer look. Thanks Mary, glad you enjoyed it,
Elizabeth
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Brilliant poem! Goes into the descriptive phase so you see it all! Excelllent, Elizabeth!
I have no idea how many times I’ve watched the movie, and used these characters in my writing classes. They always seem to have more to tell me, but Mortimer was a bit of a surprise. Thanks Diane,
Elizabeth
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Yes, really wonderful piece! Thanks so much.
Thanks Annell, hope it made you smile a bit. I was grinning the entire time I wrote. There was more, but I ran out of time and Mortimer didn’t leave a forwarding address, lol.
Elizabeth
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Elizabeth,
I agree this is absolutely priceless. A wonderful approach to the prompt.
Pamela
Pamela, thank you. I had fun with this one. The movie always makes me smile, and the prompt seemed to beg for the same,
Elizabeth
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Brilliant: humourous, factual, quirky – I loved every bit of it.
VV
Viv, hmm, I like the quirky, lol. Thanks for the appreciation.
Elizabeth
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I like your take – especially regarding the damaged bricks.
Hi Victoria, and thank you. I have no idea why those bricks bother me, but they do, and always have. When I think about the Yellow Brick Road, I often see it winding away and over the horizon and see any number of Munchkins preiodically spaced, with buckets and mops, industriously, polishing them and singing all the while they are doing so. Have no idea what that pertains to other than the weekly chore of scrubbing the kitchen floor when I was a child. That floor was not yellow, nor brick. Haven’t a clue. Thanks for stopping and commenting,
Elizabeth
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This is really good, reads naturally and moves well – haven’t read them all yet but I think this just might be the cream of this particular crop. I do think it would have done as well without the initial and final (more explanatory) stanzas, if the title had held a sort of ID to who’s bitching and complaining in there. 🙂 – not a criticism, just a thought; what I said before, I stand by. Well done!
Thanks Ruth, I didn’t think of that and it is a very good idea. I could hear Mortimer mumbling in my head, so that’s where the poem started. Will have to go back and see if I’d like it as much without him, as a framing device. I felt sorry for the little guy, lol.
Elizabeth
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That Munchkin voice is steady. I particularly like Stanza 5.
Thank you Irene. The movie is iconic, so it made sense that people would be drawn to come and see where the story took place. And my poor little Munchkin would be stuck forever cleaning up more messes. Had to find a way to relieve him of that dilemma, especially after creating it for him, lol.
Elizabeth
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Great idea!
Nice movement between fantasy and reality
Thank you Barb, it means a lot, coming from you. I so enjoy coming on your site because I know I’m going to find something thought provoking and much of the time laced with humor.
Elizabeth
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Marvelous. Puts my Snow White-themed poem, “Yeah, I Got Your Grumpy Right Here, Pal” to shame.
Great stuff. Salute.
Oh, but I remember the Snow White poem and liked it a lot. Thanks for the kind words Ron, I do occasionally get a bit whippy and take a stab at something light and funny. Have to keep em guessing.
Elizabeth
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I liked this — the curmudgeon, grumbly munchkin, and all those “m”s! Taking this a bit into the adult world with that scarecrow reference, too. An enjoyable read.
-Nicole
Thank you Nicloe, I enjoyed writing it. It does wonders to occasionally get outside ones normal zone.
Elizabeth
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This is brilliant! I smiled through every wonderful line! Love the adopt a block of the yellow brick road bit!!!!!
Thank you Sherry, glad I could make you smile. I certainly enjoyed writing it, and my daughter laughed out loud when she read it. That’s a good feeling,
Elizabeth
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LOLsss
Super cute- what an amazing sense of humor you possess.. 🙂
Thank you Olivia. Sometimes I let myself get too lost in the words and start taking them too seriously. This was a definite and knowing step away from that and I am so glad I did it. Glad you enjoyed and wish you the best with your own writing endeavors,
Elizabeth
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lovely humor.
keep smiling.
I will certainly do that, Jingle, and you must do the same. Thanks for stopping and commenting,
Elizabeth
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