Tension Twosome (kids poems from the Musea Vaults)

[Tom Hendricks]

Here are two recent kids poems of mine that I’ll collectively call a ‘Tension Twosome’. (For more such kids poetry see my book “Moon Tea”)

SHOT OUT OF A CANNON

She is the woman
shot out of a cannon
that never came down
that never came down

it’s very uncommon
but life goes on and
crowds shift about
crowds shift about

tension smacks the atmosphere
a little bit here a little bit there
‘seems not right that she’d disappear’…

and never come down
and never come down/

A ROW OF DRAGONS
there was a row of dragons
on each side of the canal
as our little sailboat
slowly floated by

taller than any redwood trees
scaly with watery eyes
not a word was said as we
slowly floated by

as each was passed his head did turn
their maws were open wide
and saliva drooled off their fangs as we
slowly floated by

near the end the last in line
let out a roar of fire
baying his head toward the Moon as we
slowly floated by

they backed away as if one nerve
controlled the entire line
and left us there to wonder as we
slowly floated by ….

c. Tom Hendricks 2005