Poetry Bus and Wordzzle – When Memes Collide

I had decided to write a poem for the mini Wordzzle this week, and had just finished the scary little effort below when I read Argent's Poetry Bus instructions. The first ticket was to write something funny – I'm not sure I can top my grapefruit poem. But the second ticket definitely caught my eye:

Tunnel of (unrequited) Love. … it's not always easy to love and not be loved in return. What's it like when that certain special somebody doesn't even know you exist (it's called stalking - Ed). Are they with someone else? Are you jealous? Come and share the bittersweetness with your bus-travelling friends.

I'm not sure this mini poem meets all the requirements, but I couldn't ignore the synchronicity. Check out Delusions of Adequacy to read the other poems (most of which will be either VERY funny, or very bittersweet).

Words for the mini: shade tree, price, disappointment, power, camera

Sitting under a shade tree
fiddling with my camera
I've paid a price.
Bitter disappointment
wars with longing.
That longing has more
power over me
than your restraining order.

And, continuing with the Wordzzle, here is my effort for the 10-word challenge.

Words for the 10-word challenge: shark, Scotland, gravity, final hours, aggravation, heat wave, sweet tooth, killer, tragic, flowers

 "Ms. Bug, I don't believe you understand the gravity of the situation," said the lovely man at Scotland Yard. Despite his unwarranted aggravation with me, I could have listened to him talk all day. Swoon. I continue to be fascinated with the diversity of accents on my visit here in England.

"Oh no officer, I understand very well that you believe I was being a menace. But I don't understand why. Maybe it's this heat wave – it has you a bit tense." I was trying to lighten the atmosphere.

He did not smile at me, and in fact started looking like a menace his own self. His fleshy cheeks (or are they jowls? I think jowls, yes!) were quivering. I wondered if I should mention that he might consider ignoring his sweet tooth every now and then. Perhaps not, at this particular moment.

"Listen, officer, all I was trying to do was save the flowers from that killer! I was minding my own business on a tour of Buckingham Palace & I saw him – he was tramping all over the place with loppers and headed straight for the tulips. I just knew that something tragic would happen!"

"Ms. Bug," (this through clenched teeth), "surely you could see that he was the gardener just doing some pruning. And he wasn't anywhere near the flowers! There was no justification for you tackling him and putting him in a headlock. You assaulted the man!"

"Well, sure, I know now, but at the time I thought I was saving the Queen's tulips. God save the Queen's tulips?" With a scowl he marched stiffly from the room. Oh no, there was going to be no amity here. Apparently I was in real trouble.

Now here I sit in a small room awaiting my fate. These could be my final hours! Well, possibly just my final hours in England. Sigh. I could sure use old Rumpole about now. Or maybe his wife Hilda – she seems to have been more of a shark than he was.

Please note – I've never watched the Rumpole television show, but I've read several of the books that came after. Delicious! They are so much fun. I highly recommend them.

Please go to Raven's blog to read the other Wordzzle participants. And join in – it can be addictive!