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I Am Folklore

Posted by Dynamaso on June 11, 2008 - 05:26
from the ABC set Poetry

I remember Robin Hood
And wanting to be a merry man
Although I was only a young boy

I bent sticks into bows
But the string always slipped off
Or the sticks snapped too easily

Dad solved this problem
With a green sapling, a sharp knife
And notches at each end of the bow

He fashioned blunt arrows
While I chased chooks around
Trying to pull a feather for fletches

Soon and finally armed
I spent a memorable morning
Protecting the boundaries of home

I needed something more
A vantage point where I could see
All the directions we could be attacked

So a little boy
Decides to climb the water tower
Not understanding how high it is

I became a legend
A family folkloric story
To be passed down again and again

Although not quite heroic
More a humorous tale of the trouble
A little boy with a big imagination caused

It was the day
I decided I wanted to be a fireman
At least they got to climb high towers

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Comments

jennifer | June 11, 2008 - 06:58

'I remember Robin Hood
And wanting to be a merry man
Although I was only a young boy'

This is just a superb opening, sets the whole thing up so well...

and this at the end:

'It was the day
I decided I wanted to be a fireman'

Just tells you what happened in such a lovely abstract way! Clever stuff...

and are you a fireman?!

Dynamaso | June 11, 2008 - 07:21

Thanks again for your considered comments. I must admit I was partly inspired by Caldwell's marvellous effort. And just to let you know, there is a little poetic blurring of fact in this piece.

I was a volunteer fireman for an Australian Bushfire Brigade many years ago but this is as far as I went. I fell in love with the guitar and music in general and my whole perspective changed.

One of my brothers, however, did become a fireman.

gouri_guha | June 11, 2008 - 08:46

I agree with Jennifer. Superb opening lines, enjoyed the read.

Gouri

Dynamaso | June 11, 2008 - 10:35

Thanks very much Gouri.

Ewan | June 11, 2008 - 13:19

Yes, lovely. The opening brought back, for me, the ancient TV series starring Richard Greene. 'Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the glen...' It was in black-and-white. That theme song was forever doomed to ridicule by Python's Dennis Moore song, but only because they'd seen the programme themselves. Tastes were simple then.:-)

I particularly liked this poem's conversational, anecdotal style which suited the content so well.

regards
Ewan

chuck | June 11, 2008 - 13:37

"Protecting the boundaries of home" That's what they all say. So what's this arrow doing on my lawn? Any more of it and you'll be getting an ASBO.

Caldwell | June 11, 2008 - 19:49

I love the ending, it's such a complete switch from the theme of the rest of the poem. For me it displays how fickle children's passions are - swapping at a moments notice.

Dynamaso | June 11, 2008 - 23:19

Ewan, I'm so pleased I'm not the only one who remembers the Robin Hood series and the opening theme, in particular. It was this show that inspired the little boy and, eventually, inspiring the man to write this poem. I'm very pleased you enjoyed it.

Chuck, hahahaha... Erm, okay, maybe I need to practice my aim before trying to shoot any of your apples. Glad you enjoyed this (but please, don't order the ASBO, it won't happen again, I promise).

Caldwell, thanks very much. My passions haven't changed much (musician; writer; poet; musician; writer; poet; - repeat and shake).

Thanks to all for your considered comments.

sunshine | June 16, 2008 - 15:46

love the ending - lovely tale. Margot

Dynamaso | June 18, 2008 - 00:07

Thanks Margot.