The Roll Call Poem

As a poet I freely admit, I love an opportunity to indulge in a bit of wordplay...

Wordplay is an essential  life-source for poetry. For me, it adds instant appeal. 

This poem uses a list structure and relies on a host of names to add a dash of intentional humour. Hope you hear it as the roll is called.  

Roll call

In primary school

when my teacher called the roll each morning

to mark our attendance

our names were called

and we had to reply

PRESENT!

Once someone said,

PRESIDENT

-and everyone laughed

 

I can still recall many of those names

those faces

I remember them well,

our teacher calling on each of them to reply

as the roll was  marked.

They return once more…

 

Ben Downe –a flexible fellow

Phillip Yagob – always hungry

Al Batross- a bird lover

Robin Banks- collected coins

Rick O’Shea – always bouncing off walls

Peter Houtt- lacked energy

Ken Tuckey- loved fried chicken

Con Ickle– had a pointy head

Cara Larm-  often wailed for no reason

Eileen Over- had balance issues

Rose Thorn- rather prickly individual

Amy Abull- Sweet and friendly

Marge Areen- always wore yellow

Paige Turner- loved reading books

Molly Coddle – spoilt and needy

Teresa Green- nature lover

Terry Bull- a wicked boy.

© Alan j Wright

It is Poetry Friday once again and our host this week is Margaret Simon at Reflections On The Teche. Margaret shares news regarding a couple of interesting poetry sharing challenges in which she has recently been involved. I urge you to visit the link...