dVerse — MTB — No More Chocolate Before Bed

The Tilled Field, 1923 - Joan Miro

When the teats on the cows
were so tight, and the balls
on the bulls were just right;
when the corn danced tango
on the ass of a pig;
when the rat consorted
with the goat and then birthed
ghoulish vermin, I woke!

image:  Joan Miró, “The Tilled Field” (1923)

I love Dr. Seuss and read so many of his stories over and over to my kids when they were small, always using different voices as I read them.  This one, “Horton Hatches the Egg” was one of their favorites (or was it one of my favorites?):

Björn is today’s host for dVerse’ Meet the Bar. Björn says:
So today I would like you to try your hands at anapestic tetrameter form, you can do it with rhymes or without. You can break up your 12 syllable lines, and add little flaws. It can be funny or stark, but listen to the hopscotch rhythm and after a while you’ll be hooked.

42 Comments Add yours

  1. I wish you could hear me laughing out loud!Jackson think I’ve lost it. :-) Well done Lisa.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Ha ha! I love the image of you laughing and Jackson staring at you. Much obliged Linda <3

      Liked by 1 person

  2. This was so fun… I wonder how you feel when you wake up laughing.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Bjorn, eat chocolate before bed and see ;)

      Like

  3. Ingrid's avatar Ingrid says:

    This is wonderfully surreal just like the Miró: I remember being enchanted by this painting as a kid, and I think it’s the first time I’ve seen it since then!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thank you, Ingrid. I adore the internet because you can find exactly the right image for whatever the need might be. So very awesome you remember this from your childhood and were enchanted by it then.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. merrildsmith's avatar merrildsmith says:

    So funny! I had a weird animal dream the other night, but not this surreal. 😀
    The Miro is perfect.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      LOL thanks, Merril. I bet you weren’t dreaming in anapestic tetrameter ;)

      Liked by 1 person

      1. merrildsmith's avatar merrildsmith says:

        No, but I have dreamt poetry. And I have read words in my dreams–apparently that’s a poet thing. 😀

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

          I’ve dreamt words, numbers, names, and phrases. I’d love to dream a poem <3

          Liked by 1 person

  5. robtkistner's avatar robtkistner says:

    Fun fun write Lisa, nicely nonsensical. Wonderful… :)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thank you, Rob!

      Like

  6. Milk chocolate I’m guessing by the opening line, but it was just a wild ride after that. I am grateful that you woke. And that you penned these lines (if not the animals)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      LOL, such a fun comment, D, thank you.

      Liked by 1 person

  7. Sadje's avatar Sadje says:

    Haha, this is good Li

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      :) Thanks, Sadje.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Sadje's avatar Sadje says:

        You’re welcome 😉

        Liked by 2 people

  8. rothpoetry's avatar rothpoetry says:

    This is too cute! I love your goolish nightmare!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thanks much, Dwight!

      Liked by 1 person

  9. memadtwo's avatar memadtwo says:

    A surrealistic Seuss! wonderful! (K)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      :) Thank you, K!

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Dora's avatar Dora says:

    Phantasmagorical, Lisa, and fantasitc fun. 🤗

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thanks so much, Dora. As things started to go awry, so did the rhythm…

      Liked by 1 person

  11. Badfinger (Max)'s avatar badfinger20 (Max) says:

    A goat rat…that I would love to see…NOT… That was a good laugh before I go to bed.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thanks, Max! I wanted it to be strange but not logistical :)

      Liked by 1 person

  12. Mish's avatar Mish says:

    Well that was entertaining! The randomness of dreams is fascinating. You definitely captured it here. :)

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thanks, Mish! You’re right, you just never know with dreams.

      Like

  13. Reena Saxena's avatar Reena Saxena says:

    Dreams become stand-up comedy artists :) packed with punch lines.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Reena, I love your description, thank you :)

      Liked by 1 person

  14. kim881's avatar kim881 says:

    I love the Miro painting – but what a dream, Lisa! Colourful nonsense with a touch of the macabre.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thank you, Kim :) It did take a turn didn’t it.

      Liked by 1 person

  15. Ron Rowland's avatar Ron Rowland says:

    I’m still smiling and laughing

    Liked by 2 people

  16. Glenn A. Buttkus's avatar Glenn A. Buttkus says:

    Just too much fun was had here. I struggled with mine, wanting to create a semblance of 12 syllable lines. Many of you went with the Seuss limerick version. I wish I had; loved this.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thanks, Glenn. It’s a form I’d like to try again but on a more serious subject, as the ones Bjorn and Linda wrote turned out so well.

      Like

  17. writingwhatnots's avatar writingallsorts7909 says:

    The Miro goes perfectly with your funny phantasmasgorical poem. Loved it.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thank you! It took me a bit to find the right image to go with it.

      Like

  18. writingwhatnots's avatar writingallsorts7909 says:

    Sorry, that should read ‘phantasmagorical’!

    Liked by 1 person

  19. hdwoonie23's avatar Helen Dehner says:

    OMG this is so funny / creative, I could roll around on the floor laughing. GREAT write.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Helen, I’m glad it made you smile :)

      Like

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