In continuing the Hokey Pokey theme from last week (and buying myself some time to take several photos for the next blog entry waiting in line) the following is from the Washington Post Style Invitational contest that asked readers to submit "instructions" for something/anything, but written in the style of a famous person. The winning entry several years ago - the Hokey Pokey - as written by The Bard himself:
O proud left foot, that ventures quick within
Then soon upon a backward journey lithe.
Anon, once more the gesture, then begin:
Command sinistral pedestal to writhe.
Commence thou then the fervid Hokey-Poke.
A mad gyration, hips in wanton swirl,
To spin! A wilde release from Heaven's yoke.
Blessed dervish! Surely canst go, girl.
The Hoke, the poke -- banish now thy doubt
Verily, I say, 'tis what it's all about.
This made me laugh out loud when I saw it years back, and again yesterday when I was cleaning out a desk drawer. I'm pre-empting this busy week even before it arrives. :)
billie hinton’s camera-obscura:
life and lessons on November Hill Farm
Surely canst go, girl...
ReplyDeleteBanish now thy doubt.
Mad swirl, still center,
Enter,and all misgivings rout.
Oh my gosh - you are SO CLEVER!!
ReplyDeleteI love your verse.
billie
So much more fun than the to-do list. Unless "write verse" was on the list and then it would be a whole different matter.
ReplyDeleteThe trick, it seems, it to learn to stop rebelling against myself.
but hey, don't you think this counts as whim???
ReplyDelete:)
billie
You're right. This item is on my to-do list disguised as the notation Whim. Cool. I can now mark that off.
ReplyDeleteYesterday I read in some magazine that when you're doing something you committed to do, but feel irked at, keep reminding yourself that you chose it, that in truth you don't want to get rid of it. I find that's true. I only get irked when I feel like something is imposed and not chosen by me.
Great point about the to do list ... I have a "to do notebook" actually, expressly for the purpose of having a clean empty page to roll things forward to... and I've gotten fairly good at letting the flotsam just fall off the list altogether, whether it got done or not.
ReplyDeleteI told a client once who was having some issues with getting things done - and rebelling against her own to do list - that she needed to add lots of fun, cool things to the list so the chores were interspersed with taking care of herself.
I have never done that myself, but I often think in terms of rewards - check items off, reward with a quick trip to a nice coffee shop, or Fresh Market for those individual truffles... or a quick trip to email or the internet for a hit of blogging... :)
Big medical appts. and procedures are good for bigger things! I recall my lovely eggplant teapot and flowered cosy were the result of ... what? I can't recall the procedure (mercifully, I suppose) but the teapot is one of my favorite things on a daily basis.
billie