Poetry Corner - 'Hare In Summer"

In the little strip of shade

That a strainer-post has made,

squats a weakly panting hare.

All day he has squatted there.

Only with the shade he shifts.

As I approach, he slowly lifts

his goggling eyes, but will not run,

Fearing me less than the naked sun.

- Flexmore Hudson.

For some reason today, this poem that Mr. Ralph taught us in grade 6 at school came into my head.  Perhaps it's because I wish I had a little strip of shade right now.  My apartment is currently copping a VERY hot afternoon sun and I'm pretty sure I could bake a cake in record time in my living room.  I am taking refuge in the other side of the apartment with a little fan.

Mr. Ralph taught us poetry at school every friday, and had an obvious passion for it.  I think the above poem may have been the first poem he taught us.  As I remember, he didn't tell us what we would be doing as yet.  He simply told us to turn to the first page in our books, to draw line on a particular angle, then several vertical posts coming off that line, then the shade strips coming of the side of the posts, the sun up in the corner, and then the little hare in the shade.  And then he shared the poem with us.  I think maybe it stuck because of the visual image.  If I could work out the equivalent to "paintbrush" on a mac, I'd draw it for you - but alas.

I have to say I quite liked poetry growing up, and used to write it too.  Not really the serious stuff, more silly random stuff.  Like the poem I wrote one morning about Pinoccio having another nose.  There was also "The Treehouse" which I wrote, about a girl and her dad getting a little carried away with plans of a grand treehouse in their backyard.  If I can find it maybe I'll post it on here! 

My poetry has also received international acclaim, including my haiku written in Japan about the Kappa (mythical frog-like creatures famous in areas of Japan such as Tsuyama), not to be confused with the word "happa" meaning leaf.  So my awesome haiku said that because it was autumn, the Kappa were changing colour.  I didn't even know Kappa existed before writing that poem...

Me with a Kappa