Cautionary Tales

A Cautionary Tale-Desmond Dove's Demise

I have always enjoyed the cautionary tales made famous by writers such as Hilaire Belloc and Ogden Nash. Cautionary tales were designed for the admonition of children and were quite popular more than a hundred years ago. Belloc's Matilda (who told lies and got burned) and Nash's Isabella (who didn't care) have always resonated for me. It was the writing of these authors that spurred me to write some cautionary tales of my own. The poem I'm sharing today is about a boy called Desmond.

DESMOND DOVE'S DEMISE

A child that only a mother could love
Was an apt description for Desmond Dove
With a rough tough head and hair so wooly

-Desmond was a fearsome bully

Every day around the school

Desmond’s reign was oh so cruel

In line, Des knocked heads together

And then announced –Boy, aren’t I clever!

He stole food from little kids

Then bopped them with their lunchbox lids

He always pulled on Polly’s hair

And told the teachers- I don’t care!

He teased Elyse and made her cry

And squirted mustard in Scott’s eye

He put paint in Hannah’s shoe

And filled Nigel’s pockets up with glue

He throttled Jason, kicked Sheree

He got a stick and whacked Sam’s knee

He stood on Mandy’s chair and broke it

He wrote a rude word –then he spoke it!

But, then he taunted Big Denise…..

-And now poor Desmond rests in peace.

Alan j Wright

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