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Gnome
A long-time fixture at our home
Is Schnozz, our little garden gnome.
This non-complaining happy chap
Appears to have a handicap,
And looks to me, I must confess,
A poor neglected, grubby mess.
His hollow body, cheaply cast,
Sadly wasn’t made to last.
Beaten down by wind and rain,
Never once did he complain,
But graced our garden without words,
A perch for butterflies and birds.
Like me, he must be past his peak,
I watched a tear roll down his cheek.
Though smiling still, I heard him cough,
Then suddenly his nose fell off.
He looks so weird without a snout,
Perhaps it’s time to throw him out.
I scraped away the grass and grime
And hosed off all the gooey slime.
I’ll try to glue back on his nose,
Some paint would help I do suppose,
And hope to take away his pain,
Oh look! His smile is big again.
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Norma Pain was born in Liverpool, England and now lives in Parksville, British Columbia, Canada. Thirty of Norma’s poems were published by Dana Literary Society, between 2004 and 2007 and she was twice nominated for the Pushcart Prize by that same on-line poetry site. She self-published a book of rhyme in 2000 called Bulging Assets.
Schnozz no longer looks in a huff,
He’s jovial, smiling and buff.
But say, did this save all,
Include from his navel
Removing some decades of fluff?
Thanks for the read, Norma.
Thank you for your funny limerick Paul.
Well, for a bit he couldn’t breathe so the smile was understandable. I love your cadence and lighthearted story
Thank you for your comments Tom.
Norma, I often have told you how much your sense of humor mirrors mine. I really loved this one and am still smiling about it. From the naming of the gnome, Schnozz, to mentioning “the perch for butterflies and birds,” I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Thank you Roy. I have a number of funny frogs and other small concrete artwork around our garden, that I enjoy painting from their original grey color. I couldn’t bring myself to throw out Schnozz. He is just too cute and cheery.
Norma, thank you for the cute poem with a happy ending.
Thank you for commenting Mary. I am happy you enjoyed it.
Adroitly glued and artistically painted! I’m sorry, Norma, but the poem made me think of all the human beings who voluntarily gave up snout and smile for a mask. Big smiles again for them, I hope, along with restored oxygen capacity to do the brain’s work.
Thank you for your comments Margaret. If only I could mend some malfunctioning brains with my glue and paints!
Norma, I went back and reread your poem and realized the love you must have had for an old treasure and the joy you must have felt for taking care of it in a loving way.
You are right Roy. It did bring me joy to sit in the garden and paint him… ‘All-better now’. Thank you again.
Norma –
You always manage to cheer me up no matter what. Thanks for doing it once again ! Nice poem !
Thank you so much Sally.
The rhythm matches the subject and tone. Very nice. Fun
Thank you Leyland. I’m so happy you enjoyed it.
Very nice and crisp poem, Norma.
And Schnozz is so stoical, “without words”.
And a very useful gnome. I like very much :
“A perch for butterflies and birds.”
Sychronicitous that its name is Schnozz and its nose fell off.
Also nice before and after photos.
May you both have long lives. :^)
Lovely comments Damian. Thank you so much.