The Oliphants Get a Parade

[milo]

my mammy told me, take care whatcha do
for the karma remembers all things
and after ya die ye'll get whatcha earned
and ye'll see what 'cher good living brings.

But dyin' I did and I'm calling it bunk
'cause I was reborn as a flea
and my big brother, john was reborn with a trunk
as a pachyderm, how can that be?

'Cause the oliphants get a parade,
ya the oliphants get a parade.
My big brother john was a bully, old son
and yet I was reborn as a flea!
But he got it made in this karmic charade
cause the oliphants get a parade.

Mike kept a shop in the heart 'o down town
and a generous shop-keep was he.
And he went to the church and took care 'o his kin
and his wife and his girls (he had three).

John got to drinkin' and ran Mikey down
and then Mike was reborn as a mouse.
but a pachyderm charged and ran that mouse down
'cause 'ol John is now big as a house!

Now the oliphants get a parade,
ya the oliphants get a parade.
My big brother John was a bully, old son
and yet I was reborn as a flea!
But he got it made in this karmic charade
'cause the oliphants get a parade.

Big Ben loved the bars and the bars was his life
and his life was spent rousin' and drinkin'.
But big Ben had a temper and a very sharp knife
and would cut a man down without thinkin'

Yah a life spent on drinkin' and cuttin' men down
well, what does that mean for 'ol Ben?
He's reborn as a tiger and loose on the town
and he's cutting men down once again!

Now the oliphants get a parade,
ya the oliphants get a parade.
My big brother John was a bully, old son
and yet I was reborn as a flea!
But he got it made in this karmic charade
cause the oliphants get a parade.

[Quixilated]

milo,

This is fantastic. It has a very Rudyard Kipling feel. I like the dialect or accent, whatever it is, it's magnetic. Also, really wish there was music to go along for it's just the sort of thing that could get stuck going round in one's head for a week.

--Quix

[milo]

milo,

This is fantastic.  It has a very Rudyard Kipling feel.  I like the dialect or accent, whatever it is, it's magnetic.  Also, really wish there was music to go along for it's just the sort of thing that could get stuck going round in one's head for a week.    

--Quix

Thanks, quix. I was going through the napm stuff and was sadly getting ready to dump this as there is no practical use for it in the world of poetry but it makes me laugh for some reason.

[Quixilated]

Dearest milo,

What!? It's use is to be delightful. Also, I don't think you understand how good you are with words. I would give anything to be as eloquent as you are when you are merely offering critique, or even reprimand. In the imaginary world that I've concocted for the pigpen, you are The Wizard, partly because I'm pretty sure you are "invisible" most of the time, but also because you can make or break a person with only a handful of words. However, if this dumping-amazing-poetry-for-no-good-reason trend is going to continue, I may have to petition you to let me keep the "rejects" in a safe place away from harm. Maybe we can compromise and make a special pen just for those? You just ... you're giving me little heart attacks with all this reckless, and needless, violence against innocent and perfectly lovely poetry.

Sincerely,
Quix
(poem advocate)

[milo]

I probably should have just said I don't intend to work on it or develop it anymore as it is what it is and there isn't much else to really do with it. There are cliches and inversions - meh, this is why I put it in "fun".

Loving the idea of being a wizard, btw.

[billy]

i enjoy it as is there are exceptions to rules, this is one of those.

[just mercedes]

This is a great piece of whimsy! Don't discard it, it's a gem.

[milo]

Thanks jm

[Achebe]

More, please