The first prompt of the new year
at dversepoets.com is to choose
one of the topics for writing from
last year out of a list. I chose "listing",
a form of writing that is like a
catalog or list of thing—an inventory of people,
places, things, ideas, but it is no simple shopping list or to-do list; must tell a story or make a whole new point. Some can be beautiful, but I had written this in fun awhile ago and it fits the prompt.
There was a sinner man who had an evil wife -
her favorite tool of choice was a butcher knife;
They had a deadbeat son, who broke all the laws,
their daughter was a troublemaker, wrongdoers all
Good for nothing, ne'er d well ex-convicts,
criminals up to nothing but dirty tricks;
Fugitives on the run, wanted by city hall
What would become of their victims after all?
Hooligans, hustlers, let me find all the words,
they lived as desperadoes when not jailbirds;
Worse than scalawags, derelicts, delinquents
recalcitrants, or undeserving miscreants
Scum of the earth, crooked way beyond the pale,
no strangers when it came to raising cash bail;
wanted for multiple transgressions by police -
evildoers, lowlife punks, rascals, bullies
evildoers, lowlife punks, rascals, bullies
They made Bonnie & Clyde look like benign thieves,
shocked no one when they kidnapped their own niece,
or when they swindled the mayor with high blackmail,
gunned down anyone who was hot on their trail
They weren't just black sheep but slippery eels -
they couldn't run except backwards on their heels
their ugly mugshots made the news for years
Finally the judge sentenced them to four lifetimes - Cheers!
oh ha - you paint them well...and i'm glad that in the end there was justice...ha... when they even made Bonnie & Clyde look pale.... oy...maybe four lifetimes are not enough...smiles
ReplyDeletethis has a flavor of a grimm's fairy tale, a moral message, nearly a child's rhyme book. i imagine you could turn this into an illustrated story ~
ReplyDeleteha. def a cool story....we just recently watched the bonnie and clyde miniseries on tv too...the rhyme does lend to it being a moral story...some fun along the way as well...they are quite the characters you created....
ReplyDeleteI love the story Katy ~ Good that they are sentenced to 4 lifetimes ~ Enjoyed the listing technique as well ~
ReplyDeleteyes this has a real grimm's fairy tale aura...a real dark bit of whimsy.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how many words we have for people of questionable character and morals - and you've woven loads of them into this clever, fun list poem.
ReplyDeleteThis poem was a story and a movie in itself, i like how it developed and how well you made it sing.
ReplyDeleteYour poem was quite a story and memorable characters as well as a list. "They made Bonnie & Clyde look like benign thieves" - this line made me smile.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of a song we used to sing as students...
ReplyDeleteMy father makes counterfeit money,
my mother brews synthetic gin.
My sister sells kisses to sailors
and that's how the money rools in!
Rolls in, rolls in, my god how the money rolls in, rolls in.
Rolls in, rolls in, my god how the money rolls in, rolls in.
My uncle's a slum missionary
saving young maidens from sin.
He'll save you a blon for a shilling
and that's how the money rolls in!
Rolls in, rolls in...
My aunt runs a girl seminary
teaching young girls to begin.
She never says where they're to finish
and that's how the money rolls in!
Rolls in, rolls in...
My brother's a Harley Street doctor
with instruments long, sharp and thin.
He only makes one operation
and that's how the money rolls in!
Rolls in, rolls in...
My father has spent all his money,
my mother has drunk all her gin.
My aunt's with my brother in prison
and so no more money rolls in!
..my response is below ..computer !#7/*%@!
Deleteif I didn't know better.. I would sear you know my old neighbors... :)
ReplyDeleteBjorn, this is very similar...kind of fun for a change and so many possibilities...thanks.
DeleteRobert, sorry about the misplaced comment..thanks for stopping by..
DeleteRum'ns them! Glad they got caught in the end!
ReplyDeleteAnna :o]
heir ugly mugshots made the news for years
ReplyDeleteFinally the judge sentenced them to four lifetimes - Cheers!
Crime doesn't pay, so it is. When a family makes it their business it is a human tragedy! Great write Cathy!
Hank
Everyone gets caught in the end!! I liked the mention of 'slippery eels.' It seems these two WERE quite slippery until they were caught! Great characters. Great tale.
ReplyDeletequite a story and the rhyme makes it an interesting capturing read!
ReplyDeleteWell, I LOVE the title and of course, the reference to Bonnie & Clyde. Your gift for rhyme and rythm works perfectly here!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Margaret!
ReplyDelete