Apartment for Rent: An Original Fairy Tale Poem

Here's another poem from my unpublished poetry collection Excerpts from the Fairy Tale Files. This poem is written in the form of a classified ad.

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APARTMENT FOR RENT

One room, up-tower, furnished, neat.
The low, low rent cannot be beat.
Has awesome view of Castle Bay.
Installed a ladder yesterday
That’s strung with rungs of golden hair—
No other like it anywhere.
Have not seen my last tenant since
She fled and wed a handsome prince.

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At Blue Rose Girls, I have a post titled Let It Snow...Let It Snow...Let It Snow: Repetition in Poetry.

You'll find the Poetry Friday Roundup over at Great Kid Books.

Farewell, My Lovely: An Original Fairy Tale Poem

Yesterday, I decided to write a new fairy tale love poem in honor of Valentine's Day, which is almost here. I feel I still need to do a bit of tinkering with Farewell, My Lovely to get the rhythm just right. Here's my first draft:

Farewell, My Lovely

She's beautiful! Forsooth, she's dead.
Look at her lips--so ruby red.
Her skin’s as white as fallen snow.
Her ebony hair’s like silk. Oh no!
I’ve fallen in love with a corpse—alas!
She looks so alive in her coffin of glass.
What will I do? I can’t tell the queen!
I know she’d make a royal scene
And conk me with her orb of gold…
And make me sleep out in the cold.
The king would have a raging fit.
He'd tell me I’m a foolish twit,
Take my inheritance away!
Tabloids would write an exposé.

I’m so forlorn. Oh, woe is me.
I shan’t live forever happily.
Today I found the love of my life—
But she will never be my wife.
I want to be the royal heir!
I must find a living lady fair
To marry me and be my bride.
I can't wed a gal who's already died.
I plan to rule this kingdom...so
Farewell, Snow White. Heigh-ho, heigh-ho.







At Blue Rose Girls, I have another fairy tale poem titled A Charming Prince Has Second Thoughts.


Rasco from RIF has the Poetry Friday Roundup this week.

Jack Attack: An Original Fairy Tale Poem

Here’s another poem about Jack and the Beanstalk from my unpublished collection Excerpts from the Fairy tale Files. I posted a different poem about Jack last month. You can read it here.


JACK ATTACK

Jack traded Milky White for beans.
His mother went ballistic.
She scolded him, “You numbskull,
Magic beans? Be realistic!
There’s no such thing as magic beans…
Or broccoli or peas!
Now all we have to eat tonight
Is this last ounce of cheese.

And don’t start spreading stories
Of a giant ten feet high
Who lives in some grand castle
In a kingdom in the sky.
Jack, go to bed without your meal…
And stop all this pretending.
You’d better pray this fairy tale
Will have a happy ending.”

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At Blue Rose Girls, I have Winter Wonderland: Original Snow Poems & Pictures

Laura Salas has the Poetry Friday Roundup at Writing the World for Kids.

My Dear Little Red: An Original Fairy Tale Letter Poem

I was away for several days in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. We had no Internet access in the timeshare where we were staying. I spent my time cooking, eating, reading, and talking with old friends. It was a great vacation…and a wonderful way to start off the New Year!

Here is another fairy tale poem from my unpublished collection Excerpts from the Fairy Tale Files. The poem was written in the form of a letter to Little Red Riding Hood from her grandmother.


My Dear Little Red,

Thanks for the basket of biscuits and bread,
Warm cinnamon buns and the buttery brie,
The thermos of piping hot peppermint tea.
And thanks for the visit. I’m sorry that you
Were swallowed, like me, by that nasty wolf too.
Why, he had been skulking around some time
Before he committed his dastardly crime.
Thanks heavens the huntsman, so nimble with knives,
Arrived just in time and saved both our lives.
Last week I installed a new cottage alarm.
Now that should ensure that I come to no harm.
Please come for a visit again very soon.
The food was delish!

All my love,
Grandma June


Click here to read Dear Goldilocks and some other letter poems.

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The Poetry Friday Roundup is at Live. Love. Explore! this week.

An Original Fairy Tale Poem about Jack and the Beanstalk

I dug into my unpublished collection of fairy tale poems this morning to find something to post for Poetry Friday. I’ve had problems with the beginning of the third stanza of the following poem about Jack and the Beanstalk for years. I keep changing the first two lines of that stanza. I even rewrote them this morning. I'll probably rewrite them again some day.

Q: Do you know who robbed the sleeping giant?

A: Jack, a boy who’s self-reliant.
He climbed the beanstalk near his shack
And stole some gold coins in a sack.
He raced back home and spent the money
On chocolate cookies, milk, and honey.

In ten days he returned again.
This time he poached the giant’s hen…
A hen that laid bright eggs of gold
(All over-easy, I’ve been told).

Then in a month—and in a daze—
Jack climbed the stalk and cast his gaze
Upon the castle in the sky.
Nobody knows the reason why
The newly wealthy farm boy Jack
Became a kleptomaniac.
He stole the magic harp for fun.
He really had no need of one.
And lo, the giant never caught
The little thief! An afterthought:
A good boy tempted may not heed
The Golden Rule. Ah! Such is greed.

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Jama has the Poetry Friday Roundup at Alphabet Soup this week.

Three Original Fairy Tale Poems & A Cybils Reminder

The Cybils 2010

Nominations remain open until October 15th at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time

2010 Poetry Nominations

Cybils Nomination Form


One of the children’s poetry books nominated for a 2010 Cybils Award is Marilyn Singer’s Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse. I think it is an ingenious and clever collection of fairy tale poems. I LOVE fairy tale poems.

Today, I thought I’d post of three of my own fairy tale poems—which I wrote many years ago. All of the poems are about Snow White’s evil stepmother and mention the magic mirror.

FOR SALE

My magic mirror is for sale.
It’s such an awful tattletale!
It told me things about my foe
I’d really rather never know.
I MUST be fairest in the land…
Not second best! You understand?
I want to be the most divine.
My reputation’s on the line!
The seven dwarfs? Those little cretins!
They should be in the dungeon, beaten.
They foiled my plans to kill the lass.
I’ve got to sell my looking glass
And spend the cash on wrinkle cream,
A nose job, and a health regime,
Two weekends at a beauty spa.
Then I’ll look like a movie star.
I’ll be the fairest in the land!
And Snow White?
She can go pound sand!


THE EVIL QUEEN SPEAKS TO HER MAGIC MIRROR

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
You say Snow White is best of all.
She may be lovely, I’ll agree—
But she’s a moron. Can’t you see?
Thrice I fooled her she’s so trusting.
I think her brain needs readjusting.
I’ve never seen her reading books.
She only cares about her looks.
I’m not as pretty as the kid…
But she’s no smarter than a squid.
Why, I’ve earned ten advanced degrees
From seven universities!
I’ll change the question. Now I’ll be
The best in this vicinity:
Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who’s the SMARTEST one of all?


Q: Who’s the nemesis of Snow White?

A: The wicked queen, with great delight,
Concocted schemes to kill the child…
But failed. The queen was driven wild
Each time her mirror told her that
Snow White survived. “That little brat
Is like a cat that has nine lives!
I’m second best while she survives.
Each trick I’ve tried has been for nought.
Now with frustration I am fraught.
Snow White the fairest? Poppycock!
Her snow white face could stop a clock.”

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The Poetry Friday Roundup is at Liz in Ink this week.

The Princess Speaks to the Frog Prince in Condescending Language: An Original Fairy Tale Poem

Sorry that I'm posting so late today. At this time, my list of "things to do" has gotten very long.

Here's another poem from my unpublished poetry collection entitled Excerpts from the Fairy Tale Files. In the poem, an exasperated princess speaks to the "still a frog" prince while they're eating dinner.


The Princess Speaks to the Frog Prince in Condescending Language
by Elaine Magliaro

Amphibian, you’re slimy, green…
The most repulsive thing I’ve seen.
Oh, woe is me! Is this my fate—
To have you hop around my plate…
The golden plate I got from Papa?
You’re leaving footprints in my supper!
And while the minstrel sings a ballad,
You flop your webbed feet through my salad.
I know you fetched my golden ball,
But you should follow protocol
And dine out in the kitchen where
The servants do. You’ll fit in there.
You’re sooooo disgusting, little frog.
I think I’ll feed YOU to my dog.

Big Bad Wolf at the Beauty Shop: An Original Poem

I haven’t posted one of my poems about fairy tale characters in some time. In the following poem, the Big Bad Wolf doesn’t seem so intimidating. He’s sitting back in a barber chair and talking to his hairdresser/beautician—giving orders about what he wants done. There’s nothing like a good hairstyle and "pawicure" to make a wolf feel like he’s a real hunter ready to prey on little pigs and a wee lass who’s bringing goodies to her Grammy.


Big Bad Wolf at the Beauty Shop
by Elaine Magliaro


Snip the burrs from my back paws.

Sharpen all my blunted claws.

Shape my tail and tint the tip.

Trim my fur…but please don’t clip

The long hairs on my chinny chin.

They make me look SO masculine!

A Red Riding Hood Fairy Tale Poem

Back in 1994-1995, I took a year’s leave of absence from my teaching job when I was invited to travel to the People’s Republic of China with an educational delegation. I was in China for just a couple of weeks. That was a year when we were also doing major renovations on our house—so I really needed to be around much of the time. Once the contractor and his workers were finished, I had a lot of free time. I decided to spend it writing children’s poetry.

Every school year, I used to do an extensive unit on folklore in my classroom. Some years, my students even wrote fairy tale poems. Their fairy tale poems inspired me to write my own collection, Excerpts from the Fairy Tale Files, while I was at home on leave. Here’s one of the fairy tale poems that I wrote in the form of a Question & Answer:



Q: Who tricked Little Red Riding Hood?


A: The wolf who waited in the wood.

He coaxed sweet Red to pick wildflowers,

Then sneaked away and GULP! devoured

Dear old Granny, jumped in bed

With Granny’s bonnet on his head.

The wolf, alas, was not yet through.

When Red arrived, he ate her, too!

His belly full, his eyelids closed.

He licked his chops and, snoring, dozed.

Anon, a whistling huntsman passed.

He heard loud snoring, was aghast

To find the wolf in deep repose,

All gussied up in Granny’s clothes.

The huntsman raised his knife and cut

A deep slit in the culprit’s gut.

Then out crawled Granny, Little Red.

All three pronounced the sly wolf dead.

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At Blue Rose Girls, I have a poem by Trish Crapo titled Back Then--a poem about childhood and innocence.

At Political Verses, I have a new poem: Who Dat Hangin' at da Laundromat?

Mary Ann has the Poetry Friday Roundup at Great Kids Books.

The Giant's Magic Harp Sings: A Fairy Tale Poem

November was a very busy month for me. December has kept me on my toes so far too! Sorry I haven't been posting much lately. I dug into my computer files for a poem to post today. I selected a fairy tale poem for you--a poem in which the giant's golden harp cries out to her master as Jack--of Beanstalk fame--runs off with it.

THE GIANT’S MAGIC HARP SINGS

“Save me,” sings the magic harp.
“Hear my solo in F sharp:
Save me, save me. Scooby-do,
Master, I belong with you.

“I like living in the sky,
Somewhere over the rainbow, high
Above my country ‘tis of thee.
Fee fo fo fum! Rescue me.

“Oh, great giant, take me back.
I don’t want to live with Jack.
Save me, master, don’t refuse—
Or I’ll only sing the blues.”

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At Blue Rose Girls, I have a poem by June Harvey titled I Cannot Speak of War.

I’m doing the Poetry Friday Roundup at Wild Rose Reader today.

Bridge Banter: An Original Fairy Tale Poem

I know I haven’t been posting much at Wild Rose Reader lately. I apologize. It’s been an extremely busy summer. I had hoped to write reviews of two poetry books for today--but I never got around to doing that. I spent most of this week shopping, preparing food, and packing for our third trip to Maine this summer. Instead of the reviews, I’m posting another poem from my unpublished collection titles Excerpts from the Fairy Tale Files. The following poem is a conversation between the Third Billy Goat Gruff and the Troll that lived under the bridge.


BRIDGE BANTER

I’m Billy Goat Gruff, the third. I’m tough.

I’m muscle-bound and mean.

And I’m the boss so let me cross

To reach the pasture green.


Well, I’m the troll. I’m brave and bold

I’m really getting sick

Of bearded deer trip-trapping here

Around my bailiwick.


You will not pass to reach green grass.

I’ll kill you, Gruff. Now scoot!

I’ll stand my ground—so turn around

And find another route.


You ugly troll, I’ll reach my goal—

It’s written in the story.

Now eat your pride and step aside

And things won’t get too gory.

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At Political Verses, I reposted a poem about Glenn Beck titled Dead Beckoning. The post includes a video of Beck on FOX TV and a link to Glenn-Harried Glenn-Lost, a recent segment on The Colbert Report. Here’s the link: Glenn Beck Revisited.

The Poetry Friday Roundup is at A Wrung Sponge this week.

An Original Fairy Tale Poem

Here is my submission for this week’s Monday Poetry Stretch - Spinning Tales at the Miss Rumphius Effect. I wrote the following poem in the form of a Q & A. It’s from an unpublished collection entitled Excerpts from the Fairy Tale Files. I did make a few changes to the poem this morning. (You can read more of the poems from the collection here.)



Q: Who was the nemesis of Baby Bear?


A: A girl with curly golden hair.

She ate his porridge, broke his chair,

And took his comforter. Beware!

She did the same thing twice before

To Baby Buck and Baby Boar.

Her parents thought her antics droll.

They let her keep the things she stole.

They let her stay up late at night.

They never taught her wrong from right.

Beware of Goldilocks, that brat—

Don’t let her near your habitat!

Fairy for Hire: An Original Poem

Here’s my response to Tricia’s Monday Poetry Stretch - Personal Ad Poetry.

My poem doesn’t exactly follow the rules. The poem was supposed to be a personal ad about a favorite animal or historical figure. My personal ad poem was composed by the fairy godmother from Perrault’s version of the Cinderella tale.


FAIRY FOR HIRE
by Elaine Magliaro

Did you get an invitation
To the prince’s ball in May?
Would you like a brand new pumpkin coach
To ride in on that day?

Do you want a silk brocaded gown
To spend the gala day in?
A shiny pair of crystals shoes
To waltz the night away in?

Just call me any day or night
At MAGIC WAND SUPPLIERS.
I’ll conjure up the lovely things
Your little heart desires.

A Charming Prince Has Second Thoughts: An Original Poem

Here’s an original fairy tale poem from my unpublished collection Excerpts from the Fairy Tale Files.


A CHARMING PRINCE HAS SECOND THOUGHTS
by Elaine Magliaro



Listen…Sleeping Beauty snoring

Sounds just like a lion roaring!

If I kiss her cheek, she’ll rise

And look into my deep blue eyes.

She’ll fall in love with me no doubt.

I’m the only prince hereabout.



Should I kiss Beauty? Should I not?

In this dilemma I am caught.

If I wake her now she’s mine—

A roaring, snoring valentine!

I know they say that love is blind,

But it’s not deaf. I’m disinclined

To rouse this maid. I’ll let her snore

And dream of me forevermore.

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At Blue Rose Girls, I have a poem by Wendell Berry entitled The Peace of Wild Things.

Karen Edmisten has the Poetry Friday Roundup today.