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Home Poetry Humor

Six Riddles for Autumn 2024, by Evan Mantyk

November 4, 2024
in Humor, Poetry, Riddles
A A
14

.

I.
I travel thanks to water,
But do not float or sail.
More quickly than an otter
And have a smoke-like tail.

What am I?

.

II>.

II.
When at the beach, I soak up sun,
Look down on waves (that’s always fun),
But sometimes I get carried away,
Especially on windy days.

What am I?

.

.

III.
I walk where I like to enjoy a good salad
And those lines on the road, well I find them invalid.
Perhaps you have seen me while you’re driving past.
Hey! those lights are nice but you’re going too—

What was I?

.

.

IV.
I’m bigger than my mother
But also I am smaller.
I’m colder than she is
And when I talk she freezes.
She wants me to use Danish
Though I feel that’s a pain-ish.

What am I?

.

.

V.
My hair is green and long.
I always make a point.
My body’s hard and strong
But if you should disjoint
It, you will see an eye;
With tears of orange I cry.

What am I?

.

.

VI.
An umbrella, a mushroom,
A thick cream or a dream?
I keep changing my shape—
The sky’s billowing cape.

What am I?

.

.

Evan Mantyk teaches literature and history in New York and is Editor of the Society of Classical Poets. His most recent books of poetry are Heroes of the East and West, and a translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. 


ANSWERS: I. steam train, II. umbrella, III. deer, IV. Greenland, V. carrot, VI. cloud
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Comments 14

  1. Cynthia Erlandson says:
    11 months ago

    II. A kite
    III. A deer
    VI. A cloud

    Otherwise, I’m stumped.

    Reply
  2. Mark Stellinga says:
    11 months ago

    1. A wave
    2. A kite
    3. A deer ( we recently got kamikazied by one while on vacation)
    4. ???
    5. ???
    6. A cloud

    Reply
  3. Paul Erlandson says:
    11 months ago

    I. Comet
    II. Umbrella
    III. Armadillo

    Reply
  4. Roy Eugene Peterson says:
    11 months ago

    V. Carrot.

    Reply
    • Cynthia Erlandson says:
      11 months ago

      I don’t think I’ve ever seen a carrot cry. ? 🙂

      Reply
  5. Martin Elster says:
    11 months ago

    1. a steam train
    2. a beach umbrella
    3. a deer (“caught like a deer in headlights”)
    4. Greenland
    5. carrot

    Reply
  6. Martin Elster says:
    11 months ago

    1. a steam train
    2. a beach umbrella
    3. a deer (“caught like a deer in headlights”)
    4. Greenland
    5. a carrot
    6. a cloud

    Reply
  7. Maria says:
    11 months ago

    IV. Dough?? as in bread, pain-ish !

    Reply
  8. Rohini says:
    11 months ago

    These are such fun! Thank you for brightening up a dull, cloudy day.
    I) Salmon
    II) Kite
    III) Deer
    IV) Yeast
    V) Carrot
    VI) Clouds

    Reply
  9. Evan Mantyk says:
    11 months ago

    Thank you all for trying! Martin nailed it.

    Reply
    • Martin Elster says:
      11 months ago

      Thanks, Evan! I very much enjoyed these clever little poems of yours.

      Reply
  10. Margaret Coats says:
    11 months ago

    Good contributions to one of the most venerable genres in English literature, Evan.

    Reply
  11. Susan Jarvis Bryant says:
    11 months ago

    Thank you, Evan. What utter fun! I’m too late to partake, but I’m not too late to ask in true Dickensian fashion – MORE please!

    Reply
  12. Pamela Ruggiero says:
    8 months ago

    Yes. I think the last one is a cloud also, but all were enjoyable to read. Thank you for posting.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Martin Elster Cancel reply

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