The storytellers' goal

The rule's quite simple, you must have a tale
that's worth the telling, and then you must write
with care and feeling, through the day and night
until you've got the whole thing in the mail.
From crises and odd situations never quail,
but keep the plot and ending in your sight;
it's yours to tell, so you must get it right.
The sting's not in the ending, but the tail.
You're not the one by whom it will be read,
still you must draw the reader with a line
that catches both the eye and sleeping mind.
The story takes its form in the reader's head,
the process must be both complex and fine,
and every tale should its true reader find.

green are the woods

we welcome may with joy and cheer
the winter's past and summer comes
the season when we shed dull care

in this bright sun there is no fear
the flowers will soon turn into plums
we welcome may with joy and cheer

warmth and sunshine are to spare
we have no need to hunt for crumbs
the season when we shed dull care

outside the green glows and is fair
inside we sigh and twiddle thumbs
we welcome may with joy and cheer

the joyful spirit's on every stair
hope will illuminate the slums
the season when we shed dull care

we wake refreshed there's no nightmare
the bee outside with pleasure hums
we welcome may with joy and cheer
the season when we shed dull care

the needful things

out of the air we see the future form
a vision that is concrete steel and wood
a simple manifestation of material good
this is the standard actual human norm
between past cold and future snugly warm
not what is now but what indeed should
be the answer the one best understood
none of us seek erasure by the storm
the shapes that scurry about every task
with purpose to create some other's place
have journeyed far and hope is their account
behind each grimace behind every mask
there's true expression in the normal face
each seeks solidity in the just amount

may day

flags we will wave and joy will be expressed
with all our energy we mark this day
all that we know and all that we could say
are gifts of nature that explain our zest
each step we take each ordeal every test
of our commitment to the proper way
all indicate the strength of hope we may
harbour within our hearts although we rest
now here the breeze gives us another start
we listen to the words and make them true
each of our minds contains the best reply
these are not matters for the common mart
we think of forces now brought into view
the reason we are given the purpose why
we must assert our truth above the lie
there's a firm obligation to do our honest part
we wait for the command we'll act on cue
freedom begins in the depths of the heart
the better world we want is always new
above the flags and cheers our hopes will fly
now here the signal comes to every thought
the hope which we release will not be caught

not a celebration

on order are the markers of good time
these are not ordinary ephemeral things
all peace and order celebrate in rhyme

we are now cleansed of dirt and grime
someone may see the fluttering of wings
on order are the markers of good time

nothing will now rise up from the slime
heroes today do not come armed with slings
all peace and order celebrate in rhyme

this is honest action for there is no crime
to answer and justice always flings
on order are the markers of good time

the bell of justice cannot ever chime
while our last hero chants and sings
all peace and order celebrate in rhyme

so in the end we are well past the prime
we've long ago let slip the leading strings
on order are the markers of good time
all peace and order celebrate in rhyme

the odd-shaped pearl

the music does not stop after so many years
each instrument performs like magic on its cue
what's old becomes in a twinkling new
applause falls warmly on each listener's ears
almost the tune brings us to shed our tears
we do not see what the composer had in view
but know what we may see before we're through
the next bright moment banishes our fears
our thoughts in words are not so well expressed
the moment comes and goes and we say not
one word we mean instead we gaze and gape
each of us at that moment fails the test
our minds do not stay cool when things are hot
the angel vanishes and there's just the ape