Composing and Decomposing
by Jerry Robbins
I thought some idea to impart,
but before I could make a start,
my eye would not keep its place
and promptly fell off my face.
“Maybe a cup of coffee would glue
the parts that want to say adieu?”
But when I went to get a drink
my foot fell off my leg – a-plink!
I sat down delicately on my duff
before something else could fall off.
I did not figure thus:
that I would so soon combust…
I leaned hard upon the desk
which forced my elbow to wrest
itself from my torso’s top
and promptly join my foot – a-plop!
I took pen in hand to write,
then worse became my plight
as the fingers on my one good hand
rudely took off in flight!
I rested my head on
what was left of my hand
and was about to stand
when foot two went awry.
Pondering, I did not know why…
“At least I have my ears,” thought I,
and, reaching up to check them out,
I landed a loosening blow
upon my now-endangered snout
Which, forsooth, forsook my face,
leaving a blank where my smeller sat -
A hole big enough to house a cat.
(Don't even try to picture that!)
Not giving up to decay,
I decided to have a share
with my Creator on high, O Vey,
who is supposed to care, they say.
On promptly kneeling down to pray,
my left leg abruptly gave way
leaving me awkwardly tottering
even as I was quietly muttering:
"Lord, I am quite dismayed,
but I'm not looking for any trouble.
I cannot throw a respectful punch at You
with this bony pile of rubble."
A long pause ensued.
No lightning bolts from on high.
I studied the ground beneath.
“What will God now bequeath?”
As I was trying to hold that thought,
my mind became more wrought
as, moving slowly toward dread,
all its synapses it did shed.
I am none the worse for this
for, while my brain has gone amiss,
I would raise my arm, the future to foretell,
but alas! That has fallen off as well.
but before I could make a start,
my eye would not keep its place
and promptly fell off my face.
“Maybe a cup of coffee would glue
the parts that want to say adieu?”
But when I went to get a drink
my foot fell off my leg – a-plink!
I sat down delicately on my duff
before something else could fall off.
I did not figure thus:
that I would so soon combust…
I leaned hard upon the desk
which forced my elbow to wrest
itself from my torso’s top
and promptly join my foot – a-plop!
I took pen in hand to write,
then worse became my plight
as the fingers on my one good hand
rudely took off in flight!
I rested my head on
what was left of my hand
and was about to stand
when foot two went awry.
Pondering, I did not know why…
“At least I have my ears,” thought I,
and, reaching up to check them out,
I landed a loosening blow
upon my now-endangered snout
Which, forsooth, forsook my face,
leaving a blank where my smeller sat -
A hole big enough to house a cat.
(Don't even try to picture that!)
Not giving up to decay,
I decided to have a share
with my Creator on high, O Vey,
who is supposed to care, they say.
On promptly kneeling down to pray,
my left leg abruptly gave way
leaving me awkwardly tottering
even as I was quietly muttering:
"Lord, I am quite dismayed,
but I'm not looking for any trouble.
I cannot throw a respectful punch at You
with this bony pile of rubble."
A long pause ensued.
No lightning bolts from on high.
I studied the ground beneath.
“What will God now bequeath?”
As I was trying to hold that thought,
my mind became more wrought
as, moving slowly toward dread,
all its synapses it did shed.
I am none the worse for this
for, while my brain has gone amiss,
I would raise my arm, the future to foretell,
but alas! That has fallen off as well.