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Cursed Boy

A boy was once born, but under a curse
That when this child spoke, he would only speak verse

He was silent for years, not a sound passed his lips
Despite Mum and Dad's coaxing, and all of doc's tips

They thought he was mute until he turned five
When all of a sudden his voice came alive

But his parents' delight would soon turn to fear
Their child's first words were so awful to hear

"I can talk Mum and Dad, I could all the time
But I'll never be able to not speak in rhyme
Nothing but verse will come to my head
So why am I living? I'd rather be dead!"

The doctor was flummoxed, had nothing to say
That a once-thought mute child could speak such a way

And only in rhyme, but how could it be?
So he took him for other doctors to see

But all of the experts the young child saw
Said they'd never seen anything like it before

Just one diagnoses the docs were all making
That somehow, someway, the kid must be faking

Gently they asked him if he might be lying
But then when he answered, they saw he was crying

"I just cannot speak the way others do
I think only in couplets, and rhyming ones too"

The docs said "we can't help, no more we can try
And then it was his Mum and Dad's turn to cry

But they coped, 'til the day he came back from school
All bloody and battered, and whipped like a Mule

"He's been picked on by bullies" his mother did shout
"We should have known that they'd single him out"

And the boy just confirmed his mother's deep dread
When he looked at her, right in her eyes, and then said

"I just can't take the beatings that I've got in store
I don't want to go outside anymore"

Those were the words of a boy sat in tears
So he was kept locked away for thirteen long years

Then one day, when eighteen, he sat up in bed
Called in his parents, and to them he said:

"If I stay here much longer then I'll go insane
It's about time that I get out this house again"

And so he got up, and walked out the door
Took one step, then two, and then many more

"It's magic, it's great, I love it outside
My rhyming's no longer a reason to hide"

Soon he was going outside all the time
And ignoring the people who'd laugh at his rhyme

But one part of his verse speak would still make him sob
Because of it no-one would give him a job

"You're not what we're looking for" one employer lied
But our verse speaker knew the true reason, and cried

"My communication skills aren't even weak
Just because I speak rhymes, at least I can speak"

And as time drew on, and money grew tighter
He realized that he could still be a writer

And soon his great talent had shot him to fame
So much so, I'm sure that you'll know his name

For soon after his great writing talent was loose
Our cursed boy became known by the name Dr Seuss

Author notes

Fakeport

A kind of tribute to Dr Suess I guess. Though it was written at a time I was reading poetry by Milton and Marvell, and I'd fallen in love with couplet poetry (A Nymph Complaining for the Death of her Fawn by Marvell is particulalry brilliant). This is quite different from a lot of my work, but generally I do rhyme, and this was like a poetic expression of the love of rhyme I'd been discovering.

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Comments

1 - 28 of 28

  • Antebellum
    July 19

    Edit | Reply
    For soon after his great writing talent was loose
    Our cursed boy became known by the name Dr Seuss

    haahaa this is wonderful.
    love the rhyme,
    quite entertaining.
    thanks for entering.
    good luck


  • Not-The-Sun gold member
    July 17

    Edit | Reply
    great write it was really fun and interesting read, from the first line all the way through the AN.


  • Ami
    July 14

    Edit | Reply
    Wow I liked this it was intresting I love rhyme
    Great flow and easy read Awesome
    Thanks for entering out contest and good luck
    -♥Amy♥


  • SignifyingNothing
    July 24, 2008
    Edit | Reply
    Oh this was great! Very very clever, and well executed. Not a forced rhyme in the whole poem, at least not that I could see. The ending really works too, what a nice twist. I read so much bad rhyming poetry, and its nice to read one that not only works but is original as well. This was a pleasure. Congratulations on alll the trophies.


  • etoile
    July 18, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    omg
    i LOVE the ending. so cute haha.
    and i usually don't like rhyme much but you wrote it so wonderfully!


  • Spazical
    June 30, 2008
    Edit | Reply

    awsome and fun

    i love this it is an amazing poem


  • xxxLizardKingxxx
    June 27, 2008
    Edit | Reply
    Very amusing I must say
    I wonder if he were around would he still rhyme today


  • lilblueeyesmine1978
    June 24, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    Thanks for sharing this w as great and i love the way it seems to be the lifwe story of such a greeat artist and poet as dr. sueess. thsanks again for sharing and i hpe to read more from you soon.


  • crystallynnbradford
    June 18, 2008
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    yay! Dr.Suess!!!! i think that this piece is just absolutely awesome!


  • Simply Simple
    June 8, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    How funny.

    An interesting little story you have here. Thanks for entering and following the rules. Excellent work. Although, I think I spotted a few typos.


  • Nam
    June 7, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    All your lines of an end rhyme to the next or previous line but this one:

    "Said they'd never seen anything like it before"

    Why?

    All the uses of "doc/s" should be "doctor/s", respectively.

    "Those were the words of a boy sat in tears" - "sat"? Did you mean "sad"?

    "But one part of his verse speak would still make him sob" - I believe the use of "speak" in context would be "spoke".

    I wonder what would happen if all the children who were picked on for miniscule things stayed locked up in their house for 13 years would become? I state this because that part seems far-fetched.

    -Nam


  • Falcon SilverWolf
    June 5, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    oh i loved this one the story and the idea of curse lovely. and then the whole dr seuss always been a fan i loved i


  • pantress silver member
    June 3, 2008
    Edit | Reply
    This story was easy to follow and flowed nicely. Congradulations on the silver


  • cricketjeff gold member
    June 3, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    I really like this little verse
    You see I have the self-same curse
    My version is a planet beater
    I also have to speak in meter
    If you should want to win the gold
    Then that's a skill you must enfold
    If you want help to meet the task
    We're always here so please just ask!


    • fakeport
      June 3, 2008
      Edit | Reply
      I thank you for your comments wise
      and also for my silver prize.
      And though my meter faltered here
      it's not beyond me; have no fear,
      for I will keep my meter true
      when I enter your contest: New.
      And as "Cursed Boy" found in the end
      I also know that rhyme's my friend.


  • Bean Sidhe silver member
    June 1, 2008

    Edit | Reply

    LOVE IT!

    I'm wild about Dr. Suess & although I can't write in form to save my soul - I really, really enjoyed this! It was clever & funny. Made me smile!


  • Sandra R Reynolds gold member
    May 30, 2008
    Edit | Reply
    Really a great write.


  • SmartBrick
    May 27, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    OH MY MANGO! this is EXTREMELY good!I love it soooooooooooo much!!!!!!!!!You don't need luck in this contest!but I'll wish you luck any way!Good luck in my contest!(Once again like you'll need it!)~~~

    signed confused


  • TheDemonEve
    May 22, 2008

    Edit | Reply

    BRAVO!!!!

    The ending of this piece just kicked me in the face. Dr. Suess is by far one of my favourites, and this is now one of my very favourite poems. Your rhyming is spot-on as well, by the way. VERY VERY well done!!!

    Best of luck and thanks for entering!!


  • xCandieKissesx
    May 14, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    Lovely. I like the consistent rhyme and the cool flow. The imagery was good too! The only thing that could be changed would be length.

    I'm not into epics or stories but whatever. Stellar! Thanks for entering and good luck!

    + Jackie


  • SageyBaby
    May 9, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    Oh my. I think this has to totally be my fave piece from you. The rhyming was so consistent and it was amazing the way it flowed. This is written by a pure genius and I absoloutly loved how you told the story. I see youi've entered it for a few contest, good luck and i hope you win a place because this was just pure brilliance!So clever!


  • hiMe-sama
    May 9, 2008
    Edit | Reply
    loved this..so entertaining.

  • Tempa Lee
    May 8, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    hey this is Dani...the judge of the contest. just to let you know that i do not know who you are...so if you know me please don't be upset if i leave you a comment that does not make you smile. it's just i'm judging this contest and i wanna be able to seek out the good and get rid of the bad. I LOVED IT!!! FROM START TO FINISH!!! OMG this was just great and i love to rhyme so you did a great job. you're the person i'm looking for to be by my side. great job. best of luck to you in this contest.




    ~Dani~

  • JWGoethe
    April 29, 2008
    Edit | Reply
    Fun, entertaining, and very cool. I enjoyed this immensely.


  • whispernthedark Greeters member
    April 26, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    This is creative, the flow is great. I really like this piece. Thank you for entering the contest, good luck.

    ♥
    whisper


  • Heavens Child
    April 23, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    I think this is great. It's unique, creative and captures the attention of the reader. A job well done. Thank you for your entry.


  • perfectsunset gold member
    April 16, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    This was a brilliant write! Great imagery and thought. Thanks for entering & best of luck


  • CanadianGirl1
    April 14, 2008
    Edit | Reply
    Wow! Great Write ... thanks for your entry

1 - 28 of 28