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THE STORY OF LEW McGLEW

His christening was held in a church near the Zoo,
but no one at all would admit that they knew
who had decided to christen him Lew,
though one or two said they might have a clue.

Even his grandfather, McTavish McGlew,
sitting alone in a polished wood pew,
when asked if the spreading rumours were true,
shook his wise old head and quickly withdrew

to avoid the kind of hullabaloo
that he suspected was bound to ensue,
once all of them knew of young Lew’s tattoo —
brightly coloured in dark  and  light  blue.

Done  by an artlst  in  Woolloomooloo;
quite a perfectionist, through and through,
but  kept  hidden  in church,  quite  hidden  from view,
so no one would know of young Lew’s  tattoo.

To tattoo a baby was something quite new
and Lew’s mum had thought that, for his debut,
she’d make an effort the Smiths to outdo —
the Smiths were her neighbours,  I thought you knew.

So why all this intrigue, this great to-do.?
Why cover up something so bright and so new,
this hidden picture. Lew's blue cockatoo
with each of its wings just slightly askew?

The reason's clear, I'll explain it to you —
the Smiths in the small church were present too
with their son and heir who was also quite new,
and displaying to all his coloured tattoo.

On a green and gold background — a grey kangaroo
proclaimed to the world what his parents both knew,
that the Smith’s young son, though still very new,
would to Australia always be true.

The McGlews appeared dumbfounded, well wouldn’t you?
so quickly covered up Lew to stop further ado,
for inside their hearts they both of them knew
that you can’t beat a 'roo with a blue cockatoo!

Author notes

Woolloomooloo is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

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Comments


  • Dryad Enya
    October 11

    Edit | Reply
    Nice, very nice. It is always greate to have some comedians around, your just what I need after all these sad entries about love and death and baaa you know what so this came just in time to stop me going mad!

    Most amusing write i've read all month, sincerly worth a read from more than just me and well done on winning silver with it in the contest Mega-Rhymer!
    Best of luck in the contest,
    Dryad Enya


    • Shenton silver member
      November 11
      ?
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      Dryad Enya

      Thankyou, from Perth in Western Australia, for your very complimentary comments and for your good wishes.
      I've just spent a most interesting half hour 'Googling' the Wallis and Futuna Islands, which I can now add to a lengthening list of places around the world where reside members of Ap who have read and commented on my writings.

      Lew McGlew was written some years ago, before ever joining Ap, in answer to a challenge to submit a poem with an aaaaaaa... rhyme scheme. I regard it as my 'party piece', and keep a copy of it in my wallet for those unexpected occasions when someone says "Come on Shenton, you're supposed to be a poet, give us one of your poems'.
      In spite of the number of times I've 'recited' it I still need a paper prompt.
      Having now lived in Australia for the past 50 years I have realised that the last couple of lines have to be given special emphasis.

      I reiterate my thanks and send you my best wishes.
      Shenton