The Poem That Nearly Wasn't

I've got to write a poem
By Thursday at the latest.
Rhona set us homework
And I know that she'll be waiting.

It's got to have emotion
And be first person singular.
But I haven't got a notion
No ideas in particular.

No time to write an epic
Of complicated verse.
My tempus has all fujit.
Oh heck! What could be worse?

Now get a grip there, Patrick.
You've shelled out for this course.
You've got to think of something,
For better or for worse.

I'll think about my heroes
Who wrote great funny lines;
Spike Milligan and Ogden Nash,
Who sometimes ended a verse with a line so long it almost ran right off the edge of the page and down the margin and didn't even rhyme.

Tick! Tock! The time is passing.
My nerves are getting fraught.
My head is full of empty,
Not a single bloomin' thought.

My heartbeat rate is rising,
As time for class draws near.
But at least I've got emotion.
Yes, panic, dread and fear.

Aha! I know! I'll write it!
I'll write these nervous thoughts.
Who knows? Perhaps they'll like it?
On the other hand ... P'raps not.


By Patrick Wise
(aged 66 and 3/4)