“They saw their injured country's woe;
The flaming town, the wasted field;
Then rushed to meet the insulting foe;
They took the spear, - but left the shield.”
―Philip Freneau
.
And by a prudent flight and cunning save A life which valour could not, from the grave. A better buckler I can soon regain, But who can get another life again?
Archilochus
Friday, August 4, 2017
The iMom
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
Mathew 7:15-20
---
Because I feel that, in the Heavens above,
The angels, whispering to one another,
Can find, among their burning terms of love,
None so devotional as that of “Mother,”
Therefore by that dear name I long have called you—
You who are more than mother unto me,
And fill my heart of hearts, where Death installed you
In setting my Virginia's spirit free.
My mother—my own mother, who died early,
Was but the mother of myself; but you
Are mother to the one I loved so dearly,
And thus are dearer than the mother I knew
By that infinity with which my wife
Was dearer to my soul than its soul-life.
Judy didn't want to do her duty. ______ ”It’s boring," she would say, "What is duty anyway, ______ but doing what you hate?"
(Judy was already eight!) Her parents wondered all day long, "Wherever did we go so wrong? ____”It may already be too late _________ to save her from a dreadful fate!"
Judy told them, "I don't care." "But dear, you won't get anywhere," ______ her worried parents said.
"Why should I go anywhere? "I like it here," was all she'd say –– ______ and then go skipping off to play!
Judy hated to get up –– ______ She wouldn't go to bed. She spilled the liquid from her cup –– ______ She hated to be fed.
She wouldn't lace her shoes up right –– "I hate it when they fit so tight," ______ said she –– and then tripped off to watch TV!
She never wore a pretty dress, "It's lots of fun to be a mess," ______ she’d say –– and then go skipping off to play.
She hated school –– ______ the teachers made her do such horrid things. She'd sit and drool at lovely thoughts ______ like growing angel's wings.
"To fly between the drapes ______ would make the neatest of escapes," ______ she thought, Then went to do the very things ______ she knew she hadn't ought.
She hated reading writing, ______ and of course arithmetic. "It's so boring, boring, boring ______ it’s bound to make me sick," ______ she said. "I'm sure it feels much better ______ to be dead!”
As Judy reached the age of nine, ______ she followed still no known design. Her teachers met and talked one day: "Wherever did we go astray?" ______ said they.
"Nowhere! I'm fine," ______ said she –– And then skipped home –– to watch TV!
By now, she hated all her toys ______ and all the other girls and boys. She hated meat –– she hated fish –– ______ and every other proper dish!
She only spoke in raves and rants ______ and wouldn't wear her underpants! She went outdoors one day undressed! ______ The neighbors whispered, "She's POSSESSED!"
The school psychologist was called, ______ but quite refused to be appalled. "Your rigid rules just shouldn't be. ______ ”They stifle creativity," __________ he said. Just leave the little girl alone, ______ and she'll get better when she's grown –– __________ and safely wed!"
He's absolutely BONKERS!" ______ said her mother when she heard. Her loving father pursed his lips ______ but didn't say a word.
"I really think it's time for us ______ to go on the attack "It may be just the right approach –– ______ something that we lack" –– ______ her mother said, __________ ”I’m finally seeing red."
Just then, the little Judy in ______ the boudoir rode her bike, And crashed into her father's shin. ______ He howled his dislike, "That's IT!,” he yelled, ______ “YOUR PARENTS ARE ______ OFFICIALLY ON STRIKE!”
He left his job; he paid no bills ______ or taxes anymore. Her mother didn't shop or cook. ______ ”It’s such a crashing bore” –– ______ said she –– __________ and ambled off to watch TV!
The dirty clothes kept piling up. ______ The house began to stink! There was no tea or coffee –– ______ every cup was in the sink.
Her father wouldn't mow the lawn. ______ It grew to be knee high. He shrugged, and gave a great big yawn, ______ “I hope it hits the sky," ______ he cried –– ______ Her mother simply shook her head __________ and sighed.
The garden wasn't tended. ______ The weeds choked out __________ the blooms. No clothing now got mended. ______ Garbage filled up __________ all the rooms!
"They're cutting off the power," ______ her mother said one day. "Great! I love a good cold shower," ______ said her father sounding gay.
They'll soon cut off the water: ______ you’ve used up every shirt," ______ said her mother to her father. So what! Why should we bother? ______ We have a little daughter __________ who loves to play in dirt!" ______ said he –– ______ and went off humming merrily.
The food spoiled in the larder. ______ Everything got much MUCH harder. "What's going on?" Judy asked one day. "Don't worry, honey, –– just go out and play," ______ was all they said –– ______ and then went shuffling back to bed!
Judy love it all –– at first –– ______ but felt she soon might die of thirst. "What's happened to my juice and milk?" ______ she asked at last. "We have no money, dear, –– ______ you’ll simply have to fast," ______ her mother said –– ______ and ambled back to bed!
The mailman still brought letters. ______ They weren't very sweet, "My dear, we're now bad debtors -- ______ soon they'll put us in the street," ______ her father spoke –– ______ as if the whole thing were a joke! Her mother hadn't much to say, ______ but acted like it was okay!
Feeling hungry cold and tired ______ Judy said, "This isn't fair. "I'll go out and I'LL get hired; ______ I see it's time I GOT somewhere."
But, looking dirty, thin and pallid ______ didn’t open many doors. Judy's papers weren't valid.
"You're a DROPOUT, and unfit ______ to do the meanest of our chores," ______ they’d scold –– ______ and Judy shivered in the sudden cold.
She went back to her parents ______ on the curb, and cried and cried. "Do you think we ever could go home ______ and live once more inside?"
"I think that might just be arranged, ______ but only if you've really changed," ______ her mother said, "Promise us you'll go to school ______ and not be such a little fool. "Your way from now on must be earned ______ by showing that your lesson's learned.
"Say neat and clean, and show your beauty; "Don't be mean. And DO YOUR DUTY. "In other words, be as good as gold, ______ or else we'll stay out in the cold," ______ her father said.
You mean we have a CHOICE?" ______ asked the girl in startled voice. "Of course we do," ______ they said. "It was the only way we could get through ______ to show how much we cared for you!"
"You mean you went ______ through all of that for ME?" And when they said, "Yes!" ______ all she could think to say was, "GEE!" ______ but added soon, ______ ”I see I've been a really stupid kid! _______ I’m sorry. I'll do better."
4 comments:
___ Little Judy and Her Duty ____
PART ONE
Judy didn't want to do her duty.
______ ”It’s boring," she would say,
"What is duty anyway,
______ but doing what you hate?"
(Judy was already eight!)
Her parents wondered all day long,
"Wherever did we go so wrong?
____”It may already be too late
_________ to save her from a dreadful fate!"
Judy told them, "I don't care."
"But dear, you won't get anywhere,"
______ her worried parents said.
"Why should I go anywhere?
"I like it here," was all she'd say ––
______ and then go skipping off to play!
Judy hated to get up ––
______ She wouldn't go to bed.
She spilled the liquid from her cup ––
______ She hated to be fed.
She wouldn't lace her shoes up right ––
"I hate it when they fit so tight,"
______ said she –– and then tripped off to watch TV!
She never wore a pretty dress,
"It's lots of fun to be a mess,"
______ she’d say –– and then go skipping off to play.
She hated school ––
______ the teachers made her do such horrid things.
She'd sit and drool at lovely thoughts
______ like growing angel's wings.
"To fly between the drapes
______ would make the neatest of escapes,"
______ she thought,
Then went to do the very things
______ she knew she hadn't ought.
She hated reading writing,
______ and of course arithmetic.
"It's so boring, boring, boring
______ it’s bound to make me sick,"
______ she said.
"I'm sure it feels much better
______ to be dead!”
(CONTINUED)
___ Little Judy and Her Duty ____
PART TWO
As Judy reached the age of nine,
______ she followed still no known design.
Her teachers met and talked one day:
"Wherever did we go astray?"
______ said they.
"Nowhere! I'm fine,"
______ said she ––
And then skipped home –– to watch TV!
By now, she hated all her toys
______ and all the other girls and boys.
She hated meat –– she hated fish ––
______ and every other proper dish!
She only spoke in raves and rants
______ and wouldn't wear her underpants!
She went outdoors one day undressed!
______ The neighbors whispered, "She's POSSESSED!"
The school psychologist was called,
______ but quite refused to be appalled.
"Your rigid rules just shouldn't be.
______ ”They stifle creativity,"
__________ he said.
Just leave the little girl alone,
______ and she'll get better when she's grown ––
__________ and safely wed!"
He's absolutely BONKERS!"
______ said her mother when she heard.
Her loving father pursed his lips
______ but didn't say a word.
"I really think it's time for us
______ to go on the attack
"It may be just the right approach ––
______ something that we lack" ––
______ her mother said,
__________ ”I’m finally seeing red."
Just then, the little Judy in
______ the boudoir rode her bike,
And crashed into her father's shin.
______ He howled his dislike,
"That's IT!,” he yelled,
______ “YOUR PARENTS ARE
______ OFFICIALLY ON STRIKE!”
(CONTINUED)
___ Little Judy and Her Duty ____
PART THREE
He left his job; he paid no bills
______ or taxes anymore.
Her mother didn't shop or cook.
______ ”It’s such a crashing bore” ––
______ said she ––
__________ and ambled off to watch TV!
The dirty clothes kept piling up.
______ The house began to stink!
There was no tea or coffee ––
______ every cup was in the sink.
Her father wouldn't mow the lawn.
______ It grew to be knee high.
He shrugged, and gave a great big yawn,
______ “I hope it hits the sky,"
______ he cried ––
______ Her mother simply shook her head
__________ and sighed.
The garden wasn't tended.
______ The weeds choked out
__________ the blooms.
No clothing now got mended.
______ Garbage filled up
__________ all the rooms!
"They're cutting off the power,"
______ her mother said one day.
"Great! I love a good cold shower,"
______ said her father sounding gay.
They'll soon cut off the water:
______ you’ve used up every shirt,"
______ said her mother to her father.
So what! Why should we bother?
______ We have a little daughter
__________ who loves to play in dirt!"
______ said he ––
______ and went off humming merrily.
The food spoiled in the larder.
______ Everything got much MUCH harder.
"What's going on?" Judy asked one day.
"Don't worry, honey, –– just go out and play,"
______ was all they said ––
______ and then went shuffling back to bed!
(CONTINUED)
___ Little Judy and Her Duty ____
PART FOUR
Judy love it all –– at first ––
______ but felt she soon might die of thirst.
"What's happened to my juice and milk?"
______ she asked at last.
"We have no money, dear, ––
______ you’ll simply have to fast,"
______ her mother said ––
______ and ambled back to bed!
The mailman still brought letters.
______ They weren't very sweet,
"My dear, we're now bad debtors --
______ soon they'll put us in the street,"
______ her father spoke ––
______ as if the whole thing were a joke!
Her mother hadn't much to say,
______ but acted like it was okay!
Feeling hungry cold and tired
______ Judy said, "This isn't fair.
"I'll go out and I'LL get hired;
______ I see it's time I GOT somewhere."
But, looking dirty, thin and pallid
______ didn’t open many doors.
Judy's papers weren't valid.
"You're a DROPOUT, and unfit
______ to do the meanest of our chores,"
______ they’d scold ––
______ and Judy shivered in the sudden cold.
She went back to her parents
______ on the curb, and cried and cried.
"Do you think we ever could go home
______ and live once more inside?"
"I think that might just be arranged,
______ but only if you've really changed,"
______ her mother said,
"Promise us you'll go to school
______ and not be such a little fool.
"Your way from now on must be earned
______ by showing that your lesson's learned.
"Say neat and clean, and show your beauty;
"Don't be mean. And DO YOUR DUTY.
"In other words, be as good as gold,
______ or else we'll stay out in the cold,"
______ her father said.
You mean we have a CHOICE?"
______ asked the girl in startled voice.
"Of course we do,"
______ they said.
"It was the only way we could get through
______ to show how much we cared for you!"
"You mean you went
______ through all of that for ME?"
And when they said, "Yes!"
______ all she could think to say was, "GEE!"
______ but added soon,
______ ”I see I've been a really stupid kid!
_______ I’m sorry. I'll do better."
___________ And –– she DID!
~ FreeThinke - The Sandpiper, Autumn 1997
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