Titch

Freeverse

So easy to call him Titch.
He᾽s just a tiny teddy-bear.
Yet I, a grown-up man,
feel a strange affection.

Affection, yes, for something fluffy,
and all you can do is look at it,
talk to it - or should I say “him”? -
and leave it on a shelf, table, desk.

Ah, yes, so much history:
Theodore Roosevelt.
He hated the name Teddy,
but folk would call him that.

So thank you, Theodore.
I will not call you Teddy.
You hated it, I know,
so this teddy we call Titch.

(29 Jul 2023)

Reviews

[Betty Hermelee]

I think nick-names are cute and reflect the personality of the person, in this case, a teddy bear, go with Titch... even though he might hate it... names are really silly, it what's behind the name that counts...
very cute....
Best, B

[Andrew John]

Thank you, Betty.

[Betty Hermelee]

You're very welcome!
Warmly, B

[Pete]

what's in a name anyway? now if you could get Titch to charge up San Juan Hill you'd really have something. be sure to look out for him so that no one ever knocks the stuffing out of him. people get attached to all sorts of things ... :)

[Andrew John]

Thanks, Pete.

[JessyJacob]

Dear Andrew, teddy call by name him the Roosevelt, a funny type, calling him Titch or a Theo, is ok, but why do you say kid and you also strong affectionate guy with much maturity. I see you as sometimes kid sometimes a man, you change roles only to make you fit, but your heart is so sensitive that shrinks like touch me not when someone hurts and don’t know sometimes how to react for the reason being you a kid that defends more openly for the culture you imbibed but inside you do feel like Aryan, the emperor, who rules over kingdom of woman, the Roman handsome.

[Andrew John]

Thank you for your comments, JessyJacob.

[JessyJacob]

Sure, I just love your sensitive nature that touched me. Thank you for calling by my full name

[JessyJacob]

I just waited when you are going to call so.

[Chris Shaw]

Plenty of those bears still in my home on shelves and in cupboards. None of them called Teddy either. There’s Peter, Paddington , Porridge and yes little yellow Ted. Also some who are nameless. Yes fluffy and we do hold affection for them. Thank you Andrew. A cuddly write.

Chris

[Andrew John]

Thanks, Chris. I have a very old one called Jeremy, named after a cartoon bear who used to advertise Sugar Puffs (I think) way back. My Jeremy is made of a furry (not actual fur) overcoat. Had him for 40-odd years. We're weird when it comes to toys. We're really kids.

[carl]

also would like to say enjoy your form of free verse, some seem to write prose and label it free verse, but this is well done to the degree that I understand the form.

[Andrew John]

I agree with you on free verse. Yes, being "free" is still in need of some small discipline - in other words, it's still not _entirely_ free. Thanks for your comments here, Carl.

[carl]

my wife has one of those, a gift from me when we first started dating, and yes it sits on a shelf, and is the recipient of much affection b/c of it's history. Don't think he has a name, but he knows who he is and that he is important and though of fondly. nice read, thanks for the post -carl