"Providence", said a Pig !

A salutary tale !

The past summer had been long and incongruously hot

still I played every game, though my score remained nought 
yet despite that empty feeling,  like when you've lost the lot,
I remained steadfast in the hope of one final, productive shot!

But with the very last match, providence brought
those longed for scoring runs, so eagerly sought
then after, straight to an ale house caring not a jot
of my betrothed elsewhere waiting, like the lady of Shallot!

As that previous day, a fine wedding ring I had bought
hand crafted and embossed with a jewel, expertly wrought 
my intention to propose at a well known lover's spot,
a place where each evening, we would meet at precisely 8 o'clock!

But too much booze and bravado, mixed together in a pot 
are quite often the undoing of many an honorable plot,
so later that night, swaggering down a road I knew not
I tripped over my boot lace, which had not been tied taut!

Tumbling head first into a ditch,  like a clumsy clot
I lay there cursing, precarious and distraught,
then a passing pig sat down beside me, in the grime and the grot
and with a look of disdain,  it spoke to me rather snooty and snot!

"Providence can elevate a man, or reduce him to squalor and rot
just as a drunken fool's efforts, invariably amount to naught 
and no lady of principal would marry a man who can't tie a knot,
so if I were you, I'd give these matters some pragmatic thought!"

Then it slowly got up and made off in a pompous, prancing trot, 
leaving me to mull over a lesson,  sagaciously taught
and since this immodest encounter, defiling and fraught
to this very day the wise counsel of the Pig, I have never forgot !

 

Reviews

[Einstein Noodle]

ahahahaha i love it Tom ..what a marvelous tale of men caught in a swale ... to the pig all hail .. tho a drunkard may rale ... this hero didn't fail ... to the pig's wisdom avail ... your poem's experience lifts me ol' heart .. there is hope for us fools after all and the ol' dog can learn ... fine story telling .. and very fine rhyme scheme success ... glad I found this one sir!
E.

[Tom]

Coolio, oink, oink, and who denies not just the brilliance, but the sufferance of the much maligned Pig!

[Einstein Noodle]

indeed ... max malignement :)))))))))))

[Robbie~xoxo~]

It is refreshing to read something lighthearted and full of zest!....Chuckling here!... LOL
you always bring a smile to my face, Sir Tom...

The lessons learned are not, without humility... ;) (from a pig, no doubt) LMAO!!

Love your flow of words... fabulous rhyming!~xoxo~:)

[Tom]

Thank you Robbie, you got the gist of the poem perfectly !

[Robbie~xoxo~]

You made me laugh... thank you for that. ~xoxo~:)

[Tom]

My raison d'etre !

[Robbie~xoxo~]

Existence douce! ;)

[Tom]

Naturally !

[Travis Gibson (poetic h..]

I envy the light-hearted space a piece like this comes from. Its a lesson I'm trying to learn, this piece is full of study notes. Great work!

[Tom]

Thank you indeed Sir !

[Thomas Fitzgerald]

A blow by blow as it were, a telling piece of a subject dear to your heart, well done.

[Tom]

Thank you Thomas !

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Tom... Many a human can
make a ruin of life's quest.
The secret is ... can we still
do our best. Yes... truly... Pat
Quite a story... You have the
Knack... !!

[Tom]

Yes indeed Patricia and thank you for your compliments !

[Joiedevivre]

you are the true master of rhyme and reason, for your poems are such joy to read, they always make me smile and think. This one is a definite favourite, so well penned! Bravo.

[Tom]

Thank you so much Joiedevivre

[Neville]

Hey Tom, congratulations on what amounts to another delightful read. As far as I am concerned, you have something of a unique and engaging style all of your own.

I am bowled over, my good man and sourly but nevertheless surely stumped for any additional accolades to strap to your sticky wicket...All Good Things my Good literary Friend. N

[Tom]

Thank you indeed Neville for your most appropriate appraisal !!

[Neville]

Now that is cricket..... N

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

You always make me smile with your stories, Tom. I like the way that you are completley willing to put down on the page what your heart and mind agree to say...you are a fearless writer, and I truly enjoy you. I've missed reading you, and hopefully I'll be back more now so that i can keep up!

[Tom]

Thank you Sarah for such a praiseworthy, insightful review and so nice to see you back on-line here once more!

[Sheila Kline]

And here I thought you were off for another game of Cricket, and instead you landed up in "the thicket of it".....lol
A wonderful lesson learned and given in your poem with your usual excellent rhyme and flow. Hummmmm.....guess a fellow would learn to tie his laces after this event! The lady of shallot had him not!

[Tom]

'Cricket and the thick of it' & ' he lady of Shallot had him not'!! Now that's hot! Thank you for your encouraging review as always Sheila !

[Baby Ricochet]

Cute poem. The last time a pig talked to me Tequila was involved.

[Tom]

Thanks Rico, BTW was she called Providence by any chance??

[Baby Ricochet]

Matilda.......

[MsJewel]

Great rhythm and rhyme to this one Tom. I love the little twist at the end - falling into a ditch - so unexpected. I find it difficult to tell a story within a poem and you have done an amazing job.

:) Julie

[Tom]

Thank you Julie for your kindly words !