July 2007 IBPC Nominations, August Comp Options

[Cleo_Serapis]

I'd like to nominate Michelle's All the Wile currently posted in Herme's Homilies for critique. I enjoyed the fresh subject, word choices and form very much and would like to see this one achieve a wider audience.

Cheers
~Cleo

All the Wile by Michelle

By day they masquerade in saccharine smiles
while feigning pleasantries. With practiced guile
they plant their schemes and brazenly parade
in saccharine smiles. By day, they masquerade.

When sunlight rests, those imps and fiends convene
unmasked, to dance a dervish round their Queen
Malevolence. They act on her behest,
those imps-- and fiends convene when sunlight rests.

With spouting sparks they sharpen trident spears
to prod when whispers fail to hold an ear.
Licentious prater permeates the dark.
They sharpen trident spears with spouting sparks.

Before I knew the sun, I romped at night
by firelight. Then, privy to their rites,
my shriveled heart was black yet weighed a ton;
I romped at night before I knew the sun.

Beware of covert brotherhoods and pacts,
of accusations made without the facts.
The average person dozes unaware
of covert brotherhoods and pacts. Beware!

[Michelle]

The Captive by Nada Lott

We crouched upon the forest floor
in rapt anticipation.
Comrades and conspirators,
we manned our secret station.

The object of our scrutiny
was cleverly disguised:
a simple trap my Daddy had
ingeniously devised.

A small round metal washpan
was propped up like a lid
upon a stick from which a string
led back to where we hid.

Beneath the pan, some bread crumbs
were scattered temptingly
to lure some trusting creature
into captivity.

A little bright-eyed chipmunk
came sniffing at the bait.
My fingers trembled eagerly
but Daddy whispered, "Wait."�

Suspended in the stillness
of the mountains' magic sway,
I held my breath as, silently,
we watched our timid prey.

At last the chipmunk ventured in;
the moment had arrived!
I pulled the string and sprung the trap
so cunningly contrived.

I bolted up. "We got him!"
I squealed in pure delight,
"ll take him home to be my pet.
He'll sleep with me at night!"�

Would Daddy spoil my moment
with a bossy "No, you can't?"
The subtle way he handled me
took on a different slant.

He put his arm around me
and, in a gentle voice,
began to talk about some things
that might affect my choice.

That morning at the chipmunk home
this scene might have occurred,
and here's the conversation
we might have overheard:

"Oh, Mother, what a lovely day!
May I go in the woods and play?
A little girl named Mary Kay
is camping there along the way.
I want to visit her to say
I'm glad she came and hope she'll stay.
Your fondest wish I will obey,
but please, please Mother, say I may."�

"Now, son, I told you long ago,
you've got to learn to take it slow
when meeting strangers -- you don't know
if you've encountered friend or foe.
But Mary Kay sounds nice, and so
I guess it's all right if you go.
Don't give me cause for worry, though.
Be home before the sun is low."

He then described the mother
as she stood out by the gate
to call her kids to supper,
but the youngest one was late.

And even at that moment,
unaware of what we'd done,
the frantic chipmunk mother
would be searching for her son.

Before he got the last words out
I felt so mean and low,
with teardrops streaming down my face
I hollered, "LET HIM GO!"

* * *

As we released our little friend,
I'm sure my dad suppressed a grin.
The maestro knew that, once again,
he'd played me like a violin.

I thank the Lord for giving me
a father wise enough to see
the greatest gifts will ever be
those offered voluntarily.