The sunrise was beautiful this morning and as the hours slipped by, the temperature rose to a balmy -5. The sun continued to shine. There seemed to be so much to do but, for the life of me, I wasn’t sure what it was. Truth be told, I hadn’t really planned this day as I usually do so I was at a bit of a loss. I poured a cup of coffee and picked up a book, Poems That Live Forever. Before long, I was lost between the lines, forgetting the coffee, forgetting the “unplanned” day. I came to a chapter titled, Humor, Nonsense and Whimsey. Now that caught my interest and before long, I found myself laughing out loud – so many nonsensical poems written in a long forgotten era.
What in the world was Edward Lear thinking when he wrote “The Owl and the Pussy Cat”? Some say Lear’s devotion to the ridiculous was a method for dealing with or undermining the all-pervasive stuffy, orderly ways of Victorian society. Smart man, I say. But really, was that what he was thinking when he wrote that poem?
Oh but doesn’t it bug you when people try to analyze a piece of art. Whether it is a painting, a poem or a book, they will delude themselves that they fully understand what the artist was thinking, feeling or trying to achieve. What a way to spoil something beautiful! I just think Lear had a great sense of humour. He saw humour in everything around him and had the uncanny ability to put it to words making people smile and laugh. He poked fun at everything, including himself.
The Owl and the Pussy-cat
By Edward Lear
The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
in a beautiful pea-green boat;
They took some honey and plenty of money
wrapped up in a five-pound note…”
And the poem goes on so that in the end the Owl and the Pussy-cat were married by the Turkey and they danced to the light of the moon. Brilliant and so funny! Wouldn’t you just love to have been the one who thunk that up and wrote it down.
Just enjoy the moment and allow yourself to laugh
George Carlin once wrote, “Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.” Now that, I think, is just perfect! Every day living presents so much humour that one doesn’t have to look very hard for something to laugh about. When you pick up a magazine, when you read a book, when you walk to your kitchen and forget why, when you trip over nothing – whatever, whenever – there is space for laughter. Unless your livelihood depends on picking things apart (in which case pick away), stop being so serious. Stop analyzing everything. Stop looking for hidden meanings. Just enjoy what is before you and allow yourself to laugh.
And, that’s just what I did during my ‘unplanned’ day.
The humour and nonsense continues:
Defrosted and Empty
March 2023
It took three months to clear it out
to eat all that was inside
And heavy is this woman
no taller than I’m wide.
Oh but it was exciting
to look in and see it shine
and not a peck of ice was there
to trouble my little mind
It only took 24 hours
as I left it alone to defrost
not even the need for elbow grease
just patience was the cost
The water dripped onto the towels
they’d have to be washed for sure
but more than that there was no need
to settle any score
And now my freezer’s empty
Oh what in the world will I do
I’ll have to get a job you see
to fill it up anew
For meat is rather expensive
and bread is even more
Perhaps some frozen veggies
or pizzas from the store.
Say! Listen and I’ll tell you
that I will find a way
to once again the freezer fill
Oh yes indeed – some day.
