Reflections from the Swamp
Dear Readers
Isn’t this a great time of year! An old friend, Maria, always drops in at about this time of year. She used to be a nun but then got a job looking after a widower and his brood of seven children as a nanny in Austria. She ended up marrying the guy. We were sitting around the cookstove, reminiscing about old times when she gave us a brown paper package all tied up in strings. These packages are one of my favourite things. Maria loves to sing, so we put on a record and began signing to the sounds of music on the vinyl. One of the songs was about brown paper packages.
After Maria left, I looked at the brown paper package and was inspired to write a poem about my favourite things. I used the same tune as the one on the record.
Herring in bottles
Herring in bottles and horsemeat on crackers
Salt in my licorice and Gouda from Bakker’s
Loonies and toonies and coffee at Tim’s
These are a few of my favourite things
Cream in my coffee and stinky blue cheeses
Discounts on salmon still free of diseases
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wing.’
These are a few of my favourite things
Girls with pearl earrings and greens from the garden
Music on records, especially pipe organ
Kale in the salad and spices that zing
These are a few of my favourite things
When the pipes burst, when car stalls,
when I’m feeling sad
I simply remember my favourite things,
and then I don’t feel so bad.
I know that you, dear reader have your favourite things. Wouldn’t it be great if we could have a poetry contest right here in the Millstone? Well, we can!’ Statistics show that you have a much better chance of winning if you enter the contest.
I did a similar contest last year and won! My bride tells me that I can’t keep judging my own poetry contests. I’ve heard that employees of companies that offer competitions can’t enter themselves. I’ll moderate the poetry challenge but won’t join myself.
Send your poetry entrees to Brent Eades at the Millstone. editor@millstonenews.com. See the link and title your poem,” Brown paper Packages” or “My Favourite Things.” Submit entrees by Dec22/21 to qualify for the grand prize. The prize will be fantastic, and it will be wrapped in a brown paper package. A certificate lauding your poetic skills and status as a poet in the community accompanies the award.
I’ll judge your poem on your ability to follow the rhythm of “My Favourite Things,” as sung by my friend Maria in The Sound of Music. You will also receive points for unique favourite things and humour. Hint, if you sing yourself your poem, you can hear if it follows the tune.
Get a jump or your neighbours and start writing poems to the tune of “My Favourite Things” sung by my friend Maria in The Sound of Music.
The next time you’re walking down a street in Almonte, people will turn their heads and say,” Hey, look, there goes the poetry winner who won the best poet in Almonte award! Let’s try to get an autograph!