Chipmunk cheeks, chubby knees
toddler toddles unsteadily.
Plops down on diaper padded bum
eyes surprised at sudden landing.
Spies round unknown object
in midst of packing boxes.
Left-over, missed by movers,
his to explore and claim.
Metal globe on brass colored axis,
somewhat dented
but sporting what looks to him
like gaily colored splotches.
Blues and reds and blacks
and yellows and greens
and shapes that fascinate.
Pudgy fingers reach out,
touch cool round surface
and tentatively push . . .
then more . . .and more and
ooooh spinning colors.
Faster, faster, faster,
round and round and round.
Squeals of delight
draw me to the door.
I see this happy child,
the world, a spinning top for him.
Unaware of famine, wars, discord,
and oh so intricately drawn borders.
Imagine whirled peace
with colors spun into one.
Boundaries blurred and gone
and laughter the only sound.
Or just as suddenly,
what could be.
A world in shock,
tipped off its axis
and the only sound,
disappointed screams.
Written for dVerse, the virtual pub for poets around the globe. Today I’m hosting Tuesday Poetics.
For the prompt, I’ve provided a list of sixteen Ben and Jerry’s ice cream flavors, many of which have been retired. Writers must include the name of at least one flavor from the list of sixteen in the body of their poem – and the poem cannot be about ice cream! I’ve used the flavor Imagine Whirled Peace. It was a Ben and Jerry’s ice cream flavor from 2007 to 2013.
Writers cannot change the order of the words in the flavor, or the tense of the words. They cannnot change the words of the flavor into plurals or possessives. They cannot add words between the words in the name of the flavor. Of course, folks are free to use more than one flavor from the list. After all, who doesn’t like a double-dipper or triple-dipper ice cream cone????
Pub opens at 3 PM Boston time. Come join us – it should be fun!
lillian the home poet 
This is exquisitely drawn, Lillian 😀 I especially love; “Metal globe on brass colored axis, somewhat dented but sporting what looks to him like gaily colored splotches. Blues and reds and blacks and yellows and greens and shapes that fascinate.” ❤❤❤
LikeLike
Glad you enjoyed, Sanaa!
LikeLike
This was wonderful, Lillian. I could so easily picture this!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Dale. Glad you enjoyed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very much so!
And I’m actually almost done mine. I was just a tad stuck, so I went to read a few 🙂
LikeLike
Wow, I really like how you worked “imagine whirled peace” into this, Lillian! I had fun with your poetics prompt 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks, Lynn. I decided with all the heat and 24-7 news that is thrown at us…so many negatives and difficultires headlined…just to have a bit of fun would be nice….and to indulge in ice cream! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Deftly spinning contrasts, Lillian.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Captures the innocence of a child who hasn’t seen the evil and despair in this world yet. So beautiful.
LikeLike
Thank you for your kind words. Truly appreciate them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A timely message. I love how you focused on the flavour “Imagine Whirled Peace” and ran with it. That one had me stumped so I avoided it. You turned it into a very thoughtful piece!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Mish. Glad you enjoyed this one.
LikeLike
“Imagine whirled peace
with colors spun into one.
Boundaries blurred and gone
and laughter the only sound.”
my favourite lines from your poem.
much.
💚love
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Gillena. In my mind, you nailed the best lines in the poem. I rambled a bit with this one…
LikeLike
Love the visualization of the innocent child curiously spinning the globe, we all need such eyes to push boundaries and shake things up! 👏👏
LikeLike
Thank you Tricia! So glad you enjoyed. And yes we do need to shake things up!
LikeLiked by 1 person
💖
LikeLike
Your poem is gorgeous, Lillian. “Imagine” like a cone swirling through my mind today.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a lovely comment to read, Helen. Thank you so much!
LikeLike
imagine whirled peace indeedy loved this
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you enjoyed! Whirled peace / world peace / would love either one, right?
LikeLike
I love the progression of meaning.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So glad you enjoyed!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Through the eyes of a child, or as an adult!!! This is brilliantly penned!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Mary! Your comment made my day 🙂
LikeLike
Oh, my! This is brilliant, Lillian. The way you spun the contrast.
Thank you for the wonderful prompt.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So glad you enjoyed my poem and the prompt too!
LikeLiked by 1 person