Eugene, Eugene

1.        Eugene And the Pumpkin Pie

Wee Eugene's but a lonely boy

(arrayed in cap and corduroy),

has Jungle Jim (a ragged toy)

and fancied Friends his only joy.

Well, Jim appears from time to time

behind a pane of pantomime,

a charmed mirage, or dream sublime

inside a Cuckoo's nursery rhyme.

Still Eugene always finds a way

(while riding on his magic Sleigh)

to meet with Jim somewhere halfway

between the Moon and Yesterday.

When Jim brought Eu to Timbuktu

to kiss the Queen (a Kangaroo)

and tweak her tail (bright shiny blue),

Eu sneezed instead “achoo, achoo”.   

The baby Roo, surprised, awoke

and thought 'twas but a funny joke

beholding Eugene cough and choke...

well, sounding like old Froggy's croak.

Said Jim to Roo "Eu has a cold,

we mustn't laugh, we mustn't scold

instead we'll let the tale unfold

and frolic in the marigold".

With runny eyes and mighty sniffle

Eu could hardly get a whiffle,

climbed a hill to reach the cliffle ,

searched the sea for ship or skiffle.

Behind the breeze, some sloops were seen,

a grand delight that pleased Eugene,

and Jim, and Roo, and yes, the Queen;

they then set sail for Halloween.

Above the sea, below the sky

they saw a skinny Scarecrow fly -

within its beak (one couldn't deny),

surprise, surprise, a Pumpkin Pie!

The Scarecrow wore a veil and shawl 

so really couldn't see at all

and swooped too near the sunny ball,

got grilled and let the pastry fall,

which bounced upon the waves below,

then slid beneath the undertow.

"Why did it fall, where did it go?"

cried Eugene with a gasp of woe.

Roo wondered would it reappear

(for where it went was certainly queer),

but where it went became quite clear

to Eu and Jim while standing near

the Queen who, hungry, hopped awhile

observing Crunch the Crocodile

come floating down the river Nil

with belly full and toothy smile.

2.        Eugene and the Wolverine

Within the sandbox played Eugene,

as well, his little friend named Dean, 

a simple-minded Wolverine.

But yesterday was Halloween

when they collected sweets unseen,

all stuffed inside a sad Sardine.

And making sure their hands were clean,

they shared a snack - a tangerine,

a cantaloupe and big fat bean.

But they forgot the Sandbox Queen

whose hungry name was sweet Pauline -

with no invite she felt so mean

and woke the naughty Sand Machine.

Sand trickled in their fine cuisine

which scratched their gums and set the scene

to brush their teeth and in between.

Poor Dean was sad he hadn’t seen

the sandy specks with sparkly sheen,

all hidden like a submarine.

Eu sold his cookie magazine

And bought a brand new limousine

To flee the naughty Sand Machine.

Next time their food they’ll try to screen

from something hard and unforeseen

while tapping on a tambourine

to sooth the hungry Sandbox Queen

and trick the naughty Sand Machine.

3.        Eugene and Antoine

Eugene awoke and looked upon

his Mirror in the morning Dawn.

He saw himself and stopped to yawn

then saw instead his friend Antoine.

Well Antoine said ‘come in, come on

I’ll whisk you with this Magic Wand

then we can journey to the Pond

and sail astride the Silver Swan’.

And once inside the Looking Glass

amazing conquests came to pass

before the midday hourglass

released its sands upon the grass.

Well, first they sought and found the Pond

and hypnotized the Silver Swan

to sail them to the edge beyond,

to Charles, the Froggy Vagabond.

Well Charles was said to be ‘a King’

(whose Crown was hanging from a String)

while hopping with a golden Ring

just waiting for a Kiss in Spring.

Now Antoine said he’d kiss ‘the King’,

(or better said, ‘the Froggy Thing’)

but Eu refused to do such thing

unless the Frog removed the Ring.

The Ring transfixed poor Froggy’s Nose

instead of round his tiny Toes

to keep away the Midnight Crows

(as far as anybody knows).

When Froggy’s Nose was finally free

there was a sudden kissing spree

with Ant and Eu (and Swan made three)

to fix old Froggy’s Destiny.

The Rest is rather imprecise.

As to the trio’s Sacrifice,

the facts alone should now suffice -

the Pond and Froggy turned to ice!

And Swan became a Toucan Bird,

the strangest thing I ever heard,

instead of chirp she only purred

and even then she sometimes slurred.

Though Charles the Frog was mighty cold,

upon the Pond he stiffly strolled

behind the The Ring that slowly rolled

in search of one more nose to hold.

Well, Eu watched Antoine set the Pace

when beating Toucan in the Race

to seek and find a warmer Space

in front of Mother’s Fireplace.

So Antoine waved his charmed Baton

and whisked Eu back to Mum’s Salon -

But looking back, Eu’s friend was yon

behind the silvered Amazon.

4.           Eugene and the Milky Way

Eugene stayed in to play today

inside his secret hideaway; 

he laughed and ate a Milky Way

with little fear of tooth decay.

But Dean, his friend, was far away

just driving in a Chevrolet

and didn't wish to disobey

so hurried home with no delay.

What took so long, I couldn't say

but Dean came late, in disarray -

he'd lost, alas, the Milky Way

that he had hidden Yesterday.

When asked, Eugene led Dean astray

about the missing Milky Way, 

blamed Pauline in her negligee

who'd fed her little Popinjay.

Then Dean said sadly, in dismay, 

"It was a gift for your birthday".

Well Eu felt bad, no longer gay

and offered Dean ice cream frappé.

Soon afterwards they romped in hay

beside the forest near the bay; 

but when the sky turned somewhat gray

they flew back home to hide away.

At home, with all his toys at play, 

Eugene confessed to Dean, to say

"Dear Dean, look here, I can't betray, 

I ate the sweet, it made my day."

Said Dean, "I knew it anyway, 

I saw the traces straightaway, 

your chocolate lips, the giveaway; 

but we're best friends, so that's OK."

4.           Eugene and the Milky Way

Eugene stayed in to play today

inside his secret hideaway; 

he laughed and ate a Milky Way

with little fear of tooth decay.

But Dean, his friend, was far away

just driving in a Chevrolet

and didn't wish to disobey

so hurried home with no delay.

What took so long, I couldn't say

but Dean came late, in disarray -

he'd lost, alas, the Milky Way

that he had hidden Yesterday.

When asked, Eugene led Dean astray

about the missing Milky Way, 

blamed Pauline in her negligee

who'd fed her little Popinjay.

Then Dean said sadly, in dismay, 

"It was a gift for your birthday".

Well Eu felt bad, no longer gay

and offered Dean ice cream frappé.

Soon afterwards they romped in hay

beside the forest near the bay; 

but when the sky turned somewhat gray

they flew back home to hide away.

At home, with all his toys at play, 

Eugene confessed to Dean, to say

"Dear Dean, look here, I can't betray, 

I ate the sweet, it made my day."

Said Dean, "I knew it anyway, 

I saw the traces straightaway, 

your chocolate lips, the giveaway; 

but we're best friends, so that's OK."

5.         Eugene and the Gold Doubloon

Eugene took his nap at noon

and dreamt about Loraine the Loon

reclining in the long Lagoon

adorned in birdie pantaloons.

Then Eu suggested to the Loon

“Let’s pay a visit to the Dune

we’ll search and seek and very soon

we’ll find a shiny Gold Doubloon.”

But naughty Sand Machine typhoons

arrived and whisked them to the Moon

and left the playmate pals marooned

where gold of pirate ships was strewn.

Pale moonbeams played a mystic tune,

and touching on a magic rune,

Wee Eu, he found a pink harpoon

and in his hand a Gold Doubloon.

Instead of sitting on cocoons,

Loraine, she hatched the Gold Doubloon

when suddenly popped a blue Balloon

revealing Royce the red Racoon.

Well Eu, awaking from his swoon,

was sad he’d lost the Gold Doubloon.

Instead he found a Macaroon

and munched and munched all afternoon.

6.        Eugene and the Dragonfly

When Eugene climbed a mountain high
and wandered down a dale nearby,
he came upon Doug Dragonfly
asleep beside a Tiger’s eye.

Soon Eu was thinking “Now’s the time
to take a rest from my long climb
and waken Doug to tell him I’m
about to pick a bunch of thyme”.

But Doug was quite a grumpy guy 
when woken from his dream whereby 
he’s dancing with a Butterfly
in magic realms that mystify.

So Doug complained “My dream's now gone
of dancing to the carillon
with Butterflies upon the lawn,
which won’t come back until I yawn.”

Then Eugene said “Well I know what!
A mug of tea and hazelnuts
served with a chocolate Buttercup
will surely help to cheer you up!”

Thereafter, picking tufts of thyme,
they heard the distant bluebells chime
and watched the Fairies pantomime 
and dance till Eugene’s suppertime.

7.        Eugene and the Eskimo

Not so very long ago,

a bit before the morning’s glow,

Wee Eugene met an Eskimo

while trudging through the windblown snow.

Bedecked in boots and winter fur,

the Eskimo said “I’m Jack Spur.

Or call me Jack if you prefer,

it might be somewhat easier.”

Soon Jack was passing by to say

“Well could you help me find my way

back through the door to Yesterday,

to where I left my silver Sleigh?”

So Eugene said “I’ll come along,

but listen, hear the breakfast gong,

my Mama’s made the porridge strong

and chocolate milk, if I’m not wrong.”

So, filled with porridge to the brim

and feeling vigor, full of vim,

Wee Eu called Jack and said to him

“Well now we’ll travel on a whim.”

While seeking Yesterday and more

they searched an unseen corridor.

Somewhere behind the mirrored door

was Yesterday, the day before!

Without a fear they slid within,

with Jackie playing violin.

And Moon above was seen to grin

’cause Jackie’s tune was kind of thin.

Though searching long to find the Sleigh

they heard instead an echo stray

quite sounding like the Donkey’s bray,

the Donkey’s bray of Yesterday.

The Donkey’d left to find some food -

well, something fresh and not yet chewed

by Fran the Cow that always mooed

(and sometimes burped when she was rude).

The Sleigh was at the Donkey’s back

and nowhere’s near the railway track,

so Jack took Eugene piggyback,

just stopping once to eat a snack.

The Donkey heard the munch of chips

and wondered if his hungry lips

would ever taste some bacon strips

before the midnight Moon Eclipse.

Well Fran and Donkey, unforeseen,

found Jack at lunch with Wee Eugene

and shared a mighty fine cuisine,

provided by the Sandbox Queen.

Well ,Franny chewed her little cud

and Donkey ate a shiny spud,

and Jacky said “Now we must scud

before the coming springtime flood".

So Jack jumped back upon his Sleigh,

the Donkey droned a farewell bray,

(and Franny burped, need I to say?)

while Eu returned from Yesterday,

surprised to hear his Mother say

“Well, now it’s time for you to play!”

8.        Eugene and the Christmas Tree

Eugene awoke on Christmas morn

to find the Christmas Tree'd been shorn

and presents strewn around, forlorn,

midst bows and tinselled paper torn.

So blowing on his little Horn,

Eu called Eunice, the Unicorn.

The duo flew away airborne

(straped to Eu's side his Sword, a Thorn).

Escaping back to Yesterday,

in search of thyme and Santa's Sleigh,

Eu sought to brave the grinchy Fay,

reclaim the joy of Christmas Day .

Then Eunice and the Reindeer Corps

chased fey Fay to a sandy Shore

where Santa banned forevermore

the Fay to mop and scrub the floor.

Then Santa iced the windowpane

(thus waking Eu from dreams again),

left gifts arrayed, and candy cane,

beneath a Tree with candled mane.

Reviews

[Terpsichore]

A thoroughly enjoyable fifteen minutes; not just for the fun, but also the admiration of the skill that birthed such excellent and entertaining poetry.

T

[Terry O'Leary]

Thank you, Tersichore!
I'm glad you enjoyed!!

[...]

This is a magical illustration of words. Would make a wonderful book, dear poet

[Terry O'Leary]

Thank you, Lynn... very kind!

[Beccy]

Read these earlier in the day with my son Charlie.

Utterly magical from first line to last. My favourite of all, Eugene and the gold doubloon; Charlie's favourite; Eugene and the Wolverine.


Move over Mr Lear and make space at the table for Mr O'Leary.

Beccy.

Ps. These are so very publishable.

[Terry O'Leary]

Thank you, Beccy! Very kind!!!

I'm happy you enjoyed... and also that Charlie did too... It's great thinking I could actually their fantasy world!

Terry

[iand63]

You are a very lyrical poet, and a very astute wordsmith Terry. Always enjoy reading your words as they are always imaginative and precisely constructed.

[Terry O'Leary]

Thank you, iand63...
You are always very kind...
And I always enjoy reading your comments... ;-))

[Alias]

Read the first - adding to reading list to come back the others. So sweet, so well written, captures a child's play perfectly, the nonsense and the wonder and the excitement, and all with a story-time rhyme scheme - excellent. Love these! Would make a wonderful illustrated book haha x

[Terry O'Leary]

Thank you, Alias!
I wish I could draw...