Donning vile yellow cape,
He flies low over urban streets,
Ever watching for missing covers
Over small square holes in pavement.
Zounds!
There's one out of place!
Flat it lies, dead on concrete surface,
While trucks and buses rumble by;
Noxious vapors arise from unseen depths,
And rodents scurry to safer quarters!
He descends, casting eagle eye
Up and down the street;
None approaches.
Gloved hand
Reaches down;
Center lift slot is engaged.
Clank!
It's in its place!
And another!
Thick, it lies in path
Of heavy traffic,
Like iron grilled cheese sandwich
With rat-nibbled notches.
Quick!
Blown tire and ferrous frisbee
May soon punctuate the hum
Of evening rush hour!
Alas!
Three trucks from north,
Two buses south,
An SUV, a car!
(Whew! They missed
The hatch, the hunk,
The fearless hero!)
He waves his hand,
And all is still;
Drawing a breath,
Two gloves heaving,
CLUNK!
The world is safe;
Have no fear!
Hatch Man is here!
Author notes
This is based on real life--school bus driver helping out the street department. I just decided to have fun with it! :-)
Comments
1 - 12 of 12
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I love hatch man. This poem is funny. I like it. Post more
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this was a very fun read...you have written a great piece here...we all took the journey with you as we read along...great story telling skills. I enjoyed it very much. Thanks for sharing. peace an dlight, Kendal
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You're welcome!
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I enjoy your thematic approach
"Heavy traffic" is described as "thick, it lies in path"
,and you choose "iron grilled" quickly.
Thanks.
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Glad you like it! Actually, "thick" refers to the fact that this hatch cover is heavy cast iron, whereas the previous one was thinner steel plate.
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Super heroes are everywhere in real life and I like this take on it. The lines "ferrous frisbee and iron grilled cheese sandwich were enjoyable". the second stanza, 8,9 were a bit odd for me, not sure why, might have been reading too fast.
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Thanks! I understand what you are saying about 8 and 9--it's a bit mysterious, but that's intentional.
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A day-brightener! Great word pictures!
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This poem made me smile and laugh, I thoroughly enjoyed it! This part: "Like iron grilled cheese sandwich
With rat-nibbled notches" is one of my favorites too. I love the "sound" words, the clanks and clunks. :-) Great piece!
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A hilarious delight!
This is extremely clever and well-executed! I think my favorite part is the metaphor of the hatch cover as "iron grilled cheese sandwich / With rat-nibbled notches"! But even more brilliant is, "They missed / The hatch, the hunk, / The fearless hero!"--since those nouns _could_ all 3 be understood to refer to the hero himself--he's "the Hatch" (Hatch Man), and probably a hunk, too! Great word-play! (But why is his cape "vile"? Does it get dirty in his work?)
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"vile yellow"
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this is hilarious, Panther Man! lol
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