The Ballad of Bertie and Barbara

[Miranda]

The Ballad of Bertie and Barbara

Bertie Beetle fond and true
Loved Barbara Beetle through and through,
From the twitch of her jaws to her shiny black shell –
And Barbara Beetle loved him as well.

They set up home by the side of the pond
In mid July when the lilies do frond.
No love was truer and they dwelt in their bower,
The damp earth below and above the sun’s glow.

Down crevice and crack they ventured together,
Revelling in the soft summer weather –
Then one day, tragedy struck – Bertie went down to the pond just to look
And somehow fell over, right off the edge
And ended his life in the green slime and veg(etation.)

Barbara mourned the demise of her love,
Under the gaze of the sun high above.
Her shell it grew dull, she wept and she sighed,
Then laid down in the heat and frizzled and died.

Miranda

[amuse]

i like this! a lot. :)
you mentioned you have children, i think? (hope am not wrong.) have they read this?
the ending: :bawling:

*btw, have you read "The Wife" (think that's what it's called), one of the short stories in Washington Irving's The Sketch Book? this last stanza reminds me of it. in a very good way.

[Miranda]

Yes, I do have children Amuse - only they are all grown now. I wrote this poem awhile ago, but I didnt think to share it with them - perhaps I should have. I read 'The Wife' last night - its a good story isnt it. I like The Sketch Book. I started reading it ages ago, but got sidetracked by other books.They are great short stories arn't they. I love short stories. I think Washington Irving's observations of the English are great. I like the story where an old book starts talking to him in the library..'The Mutability of Literature.' While searching back to find the title of this story, I found another one called 'The Broken Heart' and I'm wondering if this is the one you meant cos its about a woman wasting away after the man she loves dies. I'm glad you liked the poem about poor Barbara Beetle.

[amuse]

oops! you're right. i did mean that one. and "the wife" is a great story too, yes. where he loses everything and still goes home to happiness.

well...it's never too late to share this with little ones you come upon. :)

[Koa]

oooh at first i smiled, then i though 'lovely', then i wondered why i was liking it even if it felt 'happy' and it was rhyming, then the tragedy came as it does in masterpieces (well i was sensing it at some point cos it was too good a poem to end in happiness, if you see what i mean... :D)