Never judge a book by its' cover

One for the kids

He reeked of fish and nastiness
was dishevelled, covered in goo,
spent most of his time perched on a rock
out to sea but just in view.
Sometimes though he would come ashore
and the kids would run and hide,
standing six feet six and as ugly as sin
of him they were terrified.

One day however curious Karl
short sighted to the point of blind,
was dared to talk to the giant stink
in the hope of a name to find.
So when he lumbered onto shore
Karl met him on the sand,
"hello sir I'm pleased to meet"
he said as he offered his hand.

The giant stink stopped in his tracks
gave the boy a quizzical look,
then softly held the offered hand
and very gently shook.
"I'm pleased to meet you too my boy
how are you this fine day,
and what is it that brings you here
to pass across my way"

Upon the prom the hiding kids
all gasped at what they saw,
certain that a grisly end
would come to Karl for sure.
As for many years the giant stink
was an ogre thought to be,
eating uncooked fish for breakfast
then small children for his tea.

But to their stunned amazement
they watched events unfold,
a story that in years to come
would be told and told and told.
The giant stink and curious Karl
conversing on the sand,
greeting like two long lost friends
warmly shaking each other's hand.

"Please tell me if you do not mind
your title or your name,
and if you do I'll tell you what,
I'll do the very same.
In fact I'll tell you my name first
it's Karl, mum calls me "k",
and you can call me that as well
cos we're friends as from today."

The giant stink looked at the boy
he thanked him in his mind,
this simple gesture showing that
goodness still lived in mankind.
A giant tear rolled down his cheek
he gave a giant sniff,
a seagull landed on his head
"A pleasure to meet you "K", I'm cliff"

Author's Note

Be interested to hear what any youngish kids of reviewers think of this,even my 14 year old daughter liked it,amazing!!!!
Name taken from,"what do you call a man with a seagull on his head?"........CLIFF
All of this to get a wee joke in :)

Reviews

[Woody]

lol thank you for writing something for us, youngish reviewers, Gee. I may have come across that joke, still it took me by surprise (a pleasant one). beautifully executed. and there's even a little message in there.

[Gee]

Thanks Woody,we can't help but learn and improve by reading all of the really good work on here

[Woody]

I couldn't agree with you more. I'm learning every day.

[sereenaoutloud]

lol this is a fun and actually had me going as i thought it was going to be a moral write about never judging a person, you know how as kids we always had that one person or house in the neighborhood that we told long tales about ...but then it hit his funny end hhehehe love it!! going to read to my 7yr old i think he would fined it very amusing !!
great fun write papa Gee :)

[Gee]

So many words to get in a schoolboy joke,tut,tut.'..Thank you for calling my child

[ANTO]

A great wee piece and the inclusion of the joke (the inspiration for this one) lets the reader into the mind of the author in a way akin to having a back stage pass.
I definitely could see this being read aloud to kids in schools and libraries and them all laughing themselves silly at the end.
Some great phraseology
- "...in the hope of a name to find."
- "...and what is it that brings you here,
to pass across my way" - skilled penmanship Gee.

[Gee]

Hi there Anto,all this just to get the Cliff gag in,what a knob!!Also highlights how interested I was in Evertons 2nd half.Thanks for getting back to me,just bracing myself for a 5woman invasion of the house!Should be some interesting banter later!!!!Hope all's well in your manor me ole China(here's Frankieeeeeee)Take care,and again thanks

[ANTO]

lol @ 5 woman invasion. haha - they'll be spoiling you and you'll complain but you'll love it - you'll be happier than Frankie Fraser in the school of dentistry.
later my friend :)

[Gee]

LOL..........

[creative Marie]

I enjoy your perspective, I would have never come up with an idea as such myself. I have one uncertainty with the word choice for this poem; being when Karl asks for the the Stink's "real name" personally I would either replace the word 'real' with the word 'true' or I would take out the word completely and just leave it at "what is your name" of course that is just my opinion, your poem otherwise has a good rhyming rhythm to it and well demonstrates how we tend judge people based on the outside rather than what's on the inside.

Also don't worry about continuing this poem for it is really good as it is with a ending that reveals a source of clarity yet hides an interest as to what might happen next. Plus I feel if the poem were to get much larger it'd just become to too rambling.

[Gee]

Thanks for such a comprehensive review,it's v much appreciated