by my daughter, Bethany Sheldahl, age 16
Once upon a midnight thunder, while I pondered full of hunger,
Of the many things forgotten at the store,
While I nodded, dearly wishing, suddenly there came a swishing,
As of someone gently squishing, squishing at my chamber door.
'Tis some visitor', I muttered, squishing at my chamber door.
Only this, and nothing more.
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December
Where there was no grape to have - no more
And no apricots, no plums (unless you count the dried-up ones
Which never do make me say 'yum'), Ah, no fruit; only raisins
You may be wondering why I say a raisin is not a fruit
This is why: because it looks like something
That was scraped off a boot - very disgusting
Not a food which I was lusting
But there was no such time for wishing
While there was a squishing, squishing at my chamber door
Nameless sound, forever more
But, as I was dearly wishing
Still persisted the sound squishing
Louder, louder the sound grew
Until through the window flew
A stately box of sun-dried grapes
Coming through my curtain drapes
"Grapes?" I wished aloud - and heard an echo
"Grapes," the squishing sound replied
Squishing past my curtain drapes
Not wanting to be rude, I asked
"Raisins, why have you the task
Of coming here to me?"
Alas, no reply, though I could make out the printed words "Eat Me!"
"Eat you? Why, that is preposterous!" I tried to reason
But it was the raisins' season
So to be polite I choked one down
But instantly appeared a mound
"What do you torment me for?'
Quoth the raisin, "Have some more!"
"I will not!" I answered, with resent
But the raisin was persistent
And sadly, I said nothing more
Quoth the raisin, "Have some more!"
Was this to be a waking nightmare?
For many a time, in my dreams
Squishy raisins muffled screams
"Be you real or fright of darkness?"
This I asked in uttermost starkness
But the raisin said no more
Now surely this was much too scary
To be real, I reasoned fairly
As I pinched myself and tried to sleep it off
When I was awakened by a choking cough
Raisins, raisins, all around me
Multiplying, they surround me
And I hear a squishing cackle
From the raisin - "Have some more!"
Now the raisins never leave me
Day and night did they bereave me
Day and night forevermore
Always screeching "Have some more!"
Once upon a midnight thunder, while I pondered full of hunger,
Of the many things forgotten at the store,
While I nodded, dearly wishing, suddenly there came a swishing,
As of someone gently squishing, squishing at my chamber door.
'Tis some visitor', I muttered, squishing at my chamber door.
Only this, and nothing more.
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December
Where there was no grape to have - no more
And no apricots, no plums (unless you count the dried-up ones
Which never do make me say 'yum'), Ah, no fruit; only raisins
You may be wondering why I say a raisin is not a fruit
This is why: because it looks like something
That was scraped off a boot - very disgusting
Not a food which I was lusting
But there was no such time for wishing
While there was a squishing, squishing at my chamber door
Nameless sound, forever more
But, as I was dearly wishing
Still persisted the sound squishing
Louder, louder the sound grew
Until through the window flew
A stately box of sun-dried grapes
Coming through my curtain drapes
"Grapes?" I wished aloud - and heard an echo
"Grapes," the squishing sound replied
Squishing past my curtain drapes
Not wanting to be rude, I asked
"Raisins, why have you the task
Of coming here to me?"
Alas, no reply, though I could make out the printed words "Eat Me!"
"Eat you? Why, that is preposterous!" I tried to reason
But it was the raisins' season
So to be polite I choked one down
But instantly appeared a mound
"What do you torment me for?'
Quoth the raisin, "Have some more!"
"I will not!" I answered, with resent
But the raisin was persistent
And sadly, I said nothing more
Quoth the raisin, "Have some more!"
Was this to be a waking nightmare?
For many a time, in my dreams
Squishy raisins muffled screams
"Be you real or fright of darkness?"
This I asked in uttermost starkness
But the raisin said no more
Now surely this was much too scary
To be real, I reasoned fairly
As I pinched myself and tried to sleep it off
When I was awakened by a choking cough
Raisins, raisins, all around me
Multiplying, they surround me
And I hear a squishing cackle
From the raisin - "Have some more!"
Now the raisins never leave me
Day and night did they bereave me
Day and night forevermore
Always screeching "Have some more!"
Comments
Bethany Sheldahl!!