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MystyrMystyry
04-30-2011, 11:36 AM
We blew to the moon in a balloon, we did,
In a balloon we blew to the moon:
Regardless of all the sensible advice,
In the middle of the night when the sky was nice,
In a balloon we blew to the moon!
And when our balloon flipped upside-down,
All on board yelled: 'It's tipped and spinning around!'
We all shouted loud, 'Our balloon is blue,
It's solid! It's new! It's all we've got but it will do!
In our balloon we'll blow to the moon!'
Thick and fast, thin and slow,
These are the moonfolk who sing out of tune;
Their feet are huge, and their heads do glow,
In a balloon we blew to the moon

We blew away in a balloon, we did,
In a balloon we blew so far,
With only a plastic garbage bag
Fastened tight with a greasy rag,
To a thimble for our car;
And we all wailed, as away we went,
'We've pitched our tent - we've paid the rent!
For the moon is bright, and the sky is vast,
We won't be first, but we won't be last,
In a blue balloon to blow so far!'
Light and rich, dark and poor
These are the places they live in June,
And in Winter when they dwell outdoor,
In a balloon we blew to the moon

The wind it swept us up, it did,
The wind it swept us up;
And to keep them warm, we wrapped our toes
In strips of cloth and garden hose,
And covered the mess with a paper cup,
Then spent the day in an unusual way,
We each of us said, 'May what come, come what may -
Though the sea be still, and the journey tough,
We've travelled afar, and we've brought our stuff,
And in our balloon we'll live it up!'
Green and orange, purple and red,
Their eye pops out, and they swallow their spoon,
These are their faces after they've fed;
In a balloon we blew to the moon

Alone and along we drifted aloft;
Throughout the night and some of the day,
We hissed and shrieked as we floated along
As Gerble and Jerble suggested a song,
'By the light of the stars we sail away
There's beer in our tums, and our voices ring,
Above jungles and rivers, above everything
Over deserts and oceans, clouds and mountains
We soar high above all the towns and their fountains
In our blue balloon we sail today!'
Ruby and jade, sapphire and gold,
Are what the moonfolk use at noon;
To brush their eyebrows - or so we're told
In a balloon we blew to the moon

We flew into a stormcloud, we did,
Through a storm of lightning and rain,
But we brought broken umbrellas and Summer raincoats,
And a pot of tea, and two bushels of oats
And a miniature electric train
And a box of tissues for wiping our noses,
And very few vases of ripe green roses
And a half-jar of blue marmalade,
And rainbows to brighten (which got waylaid),
Black and right, left and white
Are the rules of the road and a boon
For those who don't drive and live in a kite,
In a balloon we blew to the moon

And in fifteen minutes we shall return,
In fifteen minutes or less,
And no-one shall say, 'How thin they've become!'
For we've seen the moon, and the Bubblington Chum,
And the caves of the Riffled Kerlyxile!
And no-one will say, 'Will it be soon? -
We should blow a balloon to the moon!'
We drink toasts to our health, for it's been a while
Since returning from lunar exile;
Paper, newsprint, cardboard and card,
Are the houses where live the Loon;
Their heads glow blue, and their teeth are hard,
In a balloon we blew to the moon

Delta40
04-30-2011, 05:34 PM
You have to be one of the most entertaining children's poets I've read in a long time! Get published!

Vignette
04-30-2011, 06:31 PM
This was fun to read! The imagery and adventure are delightful.

MystyrMystyry
05-01-2011, 12:00 AM
Thankyou Delta :)

Thankyou Vignette :)

jajdude
05-01-2011, 03:01 AM
Holy crap, that is great.

AuntShecky
05-01-2011, 04:28 PM
As the prepubescent kids would say -- "Sweeeeet!"

This is fabulous, right up there with two of my favorites of my childhood (several Presidential administrations ago):

http://www.rhymes.org.uk/the_owl_and_the_pussycat.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frog_Went_A-Courting

Jerrybaldy
05-01-2011, 06:48 PM
Like Dahl you straddle childhood and adulthood with your golden ticket to fantasy and I am a fan.

MystyrMystyry
05-01-2011, 08:03 PM
Thankyou jajdude :)

Thankyou AuntShecky :)

Thankyou JB :)


Though I may not have had the best childhood, I never forgot how to be one - indeed I've lived most of my adulthood as such (perhaps as a result, though more likely because having surfed both waves I found it preferable)

As you are all quite aware it can be an exhausting process this poetry caper, and I often wonder if I have the energy to produce just one more - but when absolutely no-one criticises it for failing to touch them, it really means a lot

Thankyou everyone :)

Skia
05-01-2011, 08:27 PM
My little sister would love this piece. :D
You neeeeed to get published.

NOW!

Delta40
05-01-2011, 08:39 PM
Standing ovation for MM and a demand for another poem....:grouphug:

jajdude
05-01-2011, 09:29 PM
Man, this is one of the best things I've ever read, and I read a lot. I've read it, like a dozen times. Love it.

Nice one.

MystyrMystyry
05-02-2011, 12:16 AM
Thanks Skia - any specific publisher you have in mind? Would it benefit from illustrations do you think? If so, who and what style?

So many questions...

Thanks again Delta, we'll see what happens ;)


Thanks again jajdude - a dozen times is twice as many as I have, which is certainly something


:)

jajdude
05-02-2011, 03:25 AM
Well, it is a piece of brilliance my friend. I think all should have a look at this.

Delta40
05-02-2011, 07:42 AM
Ha Ha (Evil Mr Burns laugh) Now you're really under pressure to perform MM!

Jerrybaldy
05-02-2011, 07:02 PM
I like to think that poetry is true art as we have no fecking chance of making money from it :)

jajdude
05-02-2011, 09:05 PM
I even sent to my brother, who is one of the greatest men alive, that's how impressed I am.

deryk
05-02-2011, 09:37 PM
This is a marvel MM!!

Not only is it as imaginative as you always are, but there is a tight cohesion between the form and the flow of ideas as well. Which lends extremely well to being a memorable children's verse. Brilliant!

Skia
05-02-2011, 11:43 PM
any specific publisher you have in mind?

Penguin Putnam without a shadow of a doubt. :)


Would it benefit from illustrations do you think?

Yes!!


If so, who and what style?

Nick Sharratt, he does some amazing illustrations. http://server40136.uk2net.com/~wpower/images/product_images/9780552548335.jpg

MystyrMystyry
05-03-2011, 06:07 AM
Thanks again jajdude

Thanks deryk

Thanks Skia - I've sent it to them as well, fingers crossed



:)

Wendy M
05-03-2011, 06:48 AM
I agree it was sensational work to read and so much fun, well done! If you are not published I will eat my hat! :)

Skia
05-03-2011, 10:17 AM
The whole of LitNet will protest if they don't publish it. They will though, Remember, 'For Skia'. Just Joking! :D

MystyrMystyry
05-11-2011, 06:33 PM
Thanks Skia - 'For Skia' Nice ring to it... ;)

jajdude
05-13-2011, 01:12 AM
I have no idea what this means:

Riffled Kerlyxile

but lovely work all the same.

MystyrMystyry
06-28-2011, 08:06 AM
Thanks again again jajdude

jajdude
06-28-2011, 09:04 AM
Still fantastic MM. I think I'd throw away all my pens after writing something that good.

I'm envious. Haha.

Mutatis-Mutandis
06-28-2011, 09:21 AM
Have you been published, MM? And, if you haven't, why the hell not? I'm only familiar with one other "children's poet" and that's Shel Silverstein, and you're stuff seems much better. If I ever get a job teaching freshmen again, I'll definitely be sending you some PMs to get permission to use your stuff as an introduction to poetry.

And I love the rhyme scheme.

Maryd.
06-28-2011, 11:58 AM
Nice one... You really are a piece of work. Well done sir.

everyadventure
06-28-2011, 12:58 PM
Moonfolk. :D