Little girls on the monkey bars
Smiling coyly at the jungle gym
Where prisoner of playground wars
Small boy short and slim
With brilliant eyes stares back at them
Lighthouse signals blink of danger
‘One if by land, and two if by sea’
“Beach where death befalls the stranger”
Squint states existentially.
Eyes wide open make their plea:
Oh a simple taste of freedom
Lash-strung violins sing
Hit the bars to hear the hum
Music is a magical thing
Escape the cage on dragon’s wing
Past the land where the wild things are:
|Over coconut, banana, palm–
Over domesticated land of car–
Concrete safari, beggar lacking alm.|
—Now smogless air shimmers from calm
“Come down from up there”
Two voices harmonize
Sound punctures vacant stare
Meaning returns to glazed eyes
Hero climbs down from the skies
Woodchips taste familiar to his feet
Mulch to protect flowering dreams
“Hello” and then “hello” repeat
A shuffling of the teams
Small boy noticeably beams
wordcoaster 
Aug 04, 2011 @ 00:57:23
I love this poem…It reminds me of my childhood and the imagination that came with it..Its weird how we lose our imagination along the way.
Aug 04, 2011 @ 03:25:54
Thank you! Yeah, maturity is definitely overrated, though it’s probably a good thing we DO fantasize less when we get older. I think the wisest adults still maintain their imaginative side underneath the shell of maturity 🙂
Aug 04, 2011 @ 01:06:51
I like the rhyming format you used. Very nice.
Aug 04, 2011 @ 03:40:09
Thanks! I like to try out different rhyme schemes–this one seemed to work well with the prompt.
Aug 04, 2011 @ 06:33:52
Wonderful poem! I am amazed at your ability to blend the prompt words into something so lovely and spontaneous as this work. I, as you will see, was immediately sent bounding off in a different direction.
Nicely done!
Aug 04, 2011 @ 10:35:17
Thanks! I definitely was a bit intimidated by the wordle, but it came together pretty nicely in the end 🙂
Aug 04, 2011 @ 08:45:42
beautiful poem thank you
Aug 04, 2011 @ 10:37:40
Aw, you’re welcome 🙂
Aug 04, 2011 @ 09:57:53
Oh I love this poem well written well done 🙂
Aug 04, 2011 @ 10:38:08
Thank you so much! 🙂
Aug 04, 2011 @ 10:02:10
you have wild and extraordinary imagination, what an exciting ride in your words.
well done.
🙂
Aug 04, 2011 @ 10:41:20
Thanks Jingle! I really enjoyed this challenge–glad you enjoyed reading it as well 🙂
Aug 04, 2011 @ 10:24:46
Beautiful and vivid reminds me of some events in my own childhood awesome rhyming scheme
Aug 04, 2011 @ 10:44:15
Thanks! I think a lot of kids can probably relate at least in part to this situation. (I know I can, at least 😉 ) Hmm, perhaps I should try out this rhyme scheme more often.
Aug 04, 2011 @ 16:42:40
A lovely take on the prompt … and the picture at the end is … PRICELESS !!
Aug 04, 2011 @ 18:14:12
Aw thank you! That’s Kamir, one of my Belizean buddies 🙂
Aug 04, 2011 @ 23:14:09
This was lovely… Such poignancy in the way you evoke childish play, how imagination carries the mind, stops time, creates worlds apart. It’s a beautiful take on the prompt, and I’m glad I found your site!
Aug 04, 2011 @ 23:37:07
Thank you! I’m glad you found it as well 🙂 Imagination is such a key ingredient in ‘most every child’s game and it really is a joy to watch the worlds being built straight out of someone’s brain. So glad I could share a small sliver of that with you!
Aug 05, 2011 @ 12:13:18
Up there in your special tree is a place I’d like to be where inspiration comes to mind away from people so unkind who never seem to understand the dreams that take us to the land of childhood. 🙂
Aug 05, 2011 @ 14:36:29
Word. Haha, I just pictured someone rapping this and ending up with arms folded on “of childhood” But seriously thanks for reading and commenting 🙂
Aug 05, 2011 @ 14:03:17
Great take on the wordle! loved it. Blessings, Terri
Aug 05, 2011 @ 14:48:21
Thanks Terri–imagination is such an invaluable thing and I think it’s such a shame that it’s eroding bit by bit in today’s society. Time to bring it back 🙂
Aug 05, 2011 @ 21:47:11
This was quite lovely! Wonderful take on the prompt 🙂
Aug 05, 2011 @ 23:35:13
Thank you! It was interesting watching this one take shape, it’s funny how writing can sometimes even take the author by surprise 🙂
Aug 06, 2011 @ 01:10:30
The Where the Wild Things Are reference made my night!
Aug 06, 2011 @ 01:33:03
Thanks–love that book! It’s probably the preeminent children’s fantasy book. I liked certain scenes from the movie, but hated how much angst the film held overall. It was quite a downer actually. 🙂
Aug 06, 2011 @ 01:40:51
I agree wholeheartedly. And coming from an angsty sad sap like me, that’s saying something.
Aug 06, 2011 @ 02:11:40
Angst is the last thing you want in a children’s movie. Next time I hear the words “Spike Jones” and “new remake of a children’s classic” in the same sentence I just might have to buy a gun.
Aug 06, 2011 @ 03:56:36
Right behind you! Send a warning shot over to Tim Burton, as well. Not thrilled with what he did to Alice.
Aug 06, 2011 @ 04:25:04
That one I didn’t even see because it looked so terrible. Also I’ve never met a Tim Burton film I’ve liked yet. Don’t know what Helena sees in him. 😉
Aug 06, 2011 @ 07:15:35
Twitted and stumbled and liked and shared. Nice one.
Aug 06, 2011 @ 23:21:48
Wow! Thank you so much–you’re too kind 🙂
Aug 06, 2011 @ 08:40:34
remarkable poem! I love how you use the word prompts and the smile in the end is truly sweet 🙂
Aug 06, 2011 @ 23:23:48
Thank you–I thought this picture matched well with the poem; he’s such a cute kid and he never lets anything get him down 🙂
Aug 07, 2011 @ 01:32:37
So much of talent. very nicely interwoven words.Thanks for share.
Aug 07, 2011 @ 09:41:22
You’re quite welcome! Thanks so much for your compliments 🙂
Aug 12, 2011 @ 21:38:46
This poem made me feel like I was on the playground again. This was wonderful:
Sound punctures vacant stare
Meaning returns to glazed eyes
Hero climbs down from the skies
Very touching and meaningful poem. Well done!
Aug 13, 2011 @ 09:21:53
Thank you! Glad it had the power to transport you to such a happy place 🙂
Sep 06, 2011 @ 15:55:14
THANKS FOR SHARING
Sep 06, 2011 @ 19:19:59
You’re quite welcome! I’m more than willing to share what I write–sometimes you could even call me desperate… 🙂