The Desperate Plight of Cornelius White

Has the art of oral conversation perished in the past ?

Cornelius White and Alfonsus Brown
lived in the country not the town
neighbouring farmers who rarely spoke
each hoped he'd get rich, t'other go broke

When autumn time came round again
Cornelius was anxious to harvest his grain
acres and acres of golden ripe fields
ready to give forth, bountiful yields

So when he climbed upon the seat
of his big yellow combine to cut the wheat
he turned the key but the engine was dead
and Cornelius' heart grew heavy like lead

The old farmer cursed his woeful luck
knowing that rain could run amok
damped and spoil his splendid crop
because those mighty blades could not chop

Then a thought entered his brain
though it was tethered with some refrain
I'll ask Alfonsus for a lend of his combine
then set off to his house with a bottle of wine

But on the way Cornelius began to think
would his rival kick up an odious stink
gleefully laugh at his desperate plight
and the more he thought, the more he wanted to fight

So when he arrived at his neighbour's door
Cornelius could stand the strain no more
"I don't want your dam combine," he began to shout
While Alfonsus within, wondered what it was all about?

Then off he stormed back up the road
and the crop was lost which he had sowed
thus the moral is plain for all to see
talk to your neighbour, before committing hari-cari!

Author's Note

'pride cometh before a fall'

Reviews

[Marie]

Indeed pride does go before a fall and you have captured that superbly in the closing lines of this gripping poem, Tom. Cornelius (given to over thinking) thought that Alfonsus thought like he did, but poor Alphonsus had no idea what was the matter with Cornelius, who it seems cut off his nose to spite his face! A great moral in this story, Tom. I so enjoyed reading. Finely inked and well expressed. A captivating write. Thank you for sharing...

[Marie]

Indeed pride does go before a fall and you have captured that superbly in the closing lines of this gripping poem, Tom. Cornelius (given to over thinking) thought that Alfonsus thought like he did, but poor Alphonsus had no idea what was the matter with Cornelius, who it seems cut off his nose to spite his face! A great moral in this story, Tom. I so enjoyed reading. Finely inked and well expressed. A captivating write. Thank you for sharing...

[Tom]

Yes indeed, ' cut of your nose to spite your face, would make an excellent title for the poem and sums it up succinctly, thanks Marie, have a jolly weekend my Co. Kerry friend!

[Marie]

Bless you, Tom. Thank you for your kind review of my review! But that is really what Cornelius did, bless him! I too, wish you a very lovely, relaxed and pleasant weekend to enjoy, Tom. Weather not too bad in Kerry this week, but one can feel Autumn in the air and a few little leaves are beginning to fall from the trees already. Take care, keep safe and well, Tom. Bless you always, dear friend...

[Einstein Noodle]

ahahaha love the scene and characters ..your titles always draw me in Tom ...i have farmers in my heritage and those gritty opinionated old guys can easily fall to pride ...so your story is very believable ... to cut off ones nose to spite the face also applies here i think...nice rhyme and rhythm to read ...descriptive scene setting ..love the characters
E.

[Tom]

Yes Sir EN, pride cometh before a fall, thanks my friend!😀

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

Ha! This is brilliant Tom. Love the theme of this stellar poem-parable. There is no weakness in asking for help from a neighbor. But yes, it takes strength to do it- and use your words!. Beautiful form,cadence,flow,rhyme- Master Class. Sad but funny last verse- what a needless disaster! Great.

[Tom]

Poem-parable, yes exactly Annette, thanks again for another memorable visit & review!

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

You are very welcome Tom. Always a pleasure!

[AYVID N]

Our egoes get so much in the way don't they? Life could be so much better if they didn't. Loved the wonderful rhyming and structure of this poem. As always, the message is beautiful Tom.

[Tom]

Yes indeed my friend, the words egos, over, inflated do come to mind, thanks as ever for your welcome visit Divya!

[AYVID N]

You are welcome Tom!

[writ rajat]

My poem on the rapid suicide of farmers may be you like it.

oh farmer don't do that,
because of you I can sit
on dining table and eat,
just I cannot eat any more ,
the number of time I put my fingers into my mouth
to finish one time meal is very smidgen in comparison to number of deaths,
I cannot understand how frood people eat, eat and eat,
possibilities are that the person who grow grains may have died,
how can we keep them in the very very side
let us contribute let us sell our suit boot ,
to finish their dues from the root,
god will not forgive us for not taking it seriously,
they have also ate their grain when they were in avatars,
why are they dying continuously,
i hate government i hate democracy,
until they stop doing so much hypocrisy,

[Tom]

A very pertinently personal poem, penned in alluring poetic rhyme, kudos Sir!

[writ rajat]

I know......

[emmajoy]

What a fine time you had with the ethics of how to be a good neighbour! Laughed aloud, Tom, admiring the musical bounce of this poem and that wonderful ending. There's art to your writing, truly is.

[Tom]

Thank you Emmajoy for your encouragement and welcome visit!

[Norman 223]

I remember this original joke about a lawnmower,but you have raised it to a higher plane,both in the literary field and also introduced a philosophical element into it. It,s not just the joke, but the way that you tell it,that makes all the difference.

[Tom]

Maybe as the late, great Frank Carson would have said, " it's the way I tell 'em" lol...thanks Norman!

[barleygirl]

This is very clever & well-conceived & amazingly perky with good rhyme & rhythm thru-out. I am envious of poets who can tell a multi-layered story in verse with playfulness & wry humor to convey a life lesson. How do you pack all that in there? *smile* Especially I like that this is written in a straightforward way, so the story is easy to follow.

[Tom]

Thank you Barley, yes, I do like a good yarn and glad to see you do too !

[alanwgraham]

I liked this. It's good to hear a comic rhyme with a moral and you have done it well.
I'm not quite sure that mutiny is the right word. How about-
Thus the moral of this is plain for all
it's better to talk before taking a fall!
Cheers,
Alan

[Tom]

Thank you Sir for your welcome visit & constructive critique!