Uncle and Auntie
my auntie gave me a colouring book and crayons
I begin to colour
after a while auntie leans over and says
you've gone over the lines
what do you think they're there for
eh?
some kind of statement is it?
going to be a rebel are we?
your auntie gives you a lovely present
and you have to go and ruin it
I begin to cry
my uncle gives me a hanky and some blank paper
do some doggies of your own he says
I begin to colour
when I have done
he looks over
and says they are all very good
he is lying
only some of them are
Commentary
I first encountered John Hegley on Minstrels last year (Poem #1584, Go and play in the middle) and it was love at first sight. On a trip to England this summer I picked up a volume of his poetry entitled Glad to Wear Glasses. It was difficult to pick just one poem to submit, but I find this one a delightful example of his unpretentious, razor sharp wit. His website may be viewed at: http://www.johnhegley.co.uk.
Thank you,
Laura Simeon.