Poetry for Simple Enjoyment
By Hope Louise Edwards Wills
Series Six


CONTENTED PIG
By Hope Louise Edwards Wills

Paula Pig was in a contented mood.
She loved to cook good food.
She now had pumpkin for her stew
And she had made biscuits too.
Harry Hound came by sniffing the air as he
Eyed the stew pot hungrily
Said Paula, “Come over Harry and try my stew
And have yourself a biscuit or two.”
“Thank you Paula,” said Harry. “I think I will.
But look who’s racing down the hill.”
Pom the pup came to a sliding stop.
When he saw the stew, his jaw did drop.
“Oh Paula,” said Pom, “Can I have some stew?”
“Yes Pom,” said Paula, “I’ll crumble a biscuit into it too.”
Henrietta Hen came hurrying by,
“Those girls won’t listen,” she said with a sigh.
Paula said, “Henrietta, come try my stew.”
Henrietta said, “I only have time for a taste or two.
The girls are lazy, the eggs are few,
And I don’t know what to do.”
Harry said, “Calm down Henrietta and count to ten,
Those hens will start to lay again.”
Thomas Turkey came racing down the hill.
Said he, “Pom, you won but some I’ll win with time to kill.”
Paula laughed, “No one likes a cocky turkey Tom,
And I know you can “out eat” Pom.
You love your biscuits, I know you do,
So come here and have a few.”
The biscuits and stew were gone and Paula danced a jig.
She was a very plump, very contented pig.

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GILBERT GANDER
By Hope Louise Edwards Wills

Gussy Goose came honking down the lane,
Glaring at Gilbert Gander with disdain.
“Gilbert,” hissed Gussy, “You can’t do anything right!
That is why we always fight!
Just get away from me do you hear?
Or I will kick you into next year.”
“Oh, please be quiet Gussy dear
Or all our farmyard friends will hear.”
Gussy hissed, “You mean the hen, the hound, the pig and the goat?
I’d like to throw them all into a leaky boat
And shove them all into the lake.
So just go away! Give me a break!”
Gilbert turned away filled with woe.
What to do about gussy, he didn’t know.
She was so beautiful. She looked like a queen.
But she could be so very mean.
Why did she make him feel so low?
When he really did love her so.
He tried to give her a flower once,
But she just hissed and called him a dunce.
Gilbert wanted to make her happy,
But he had run out of every possibility.
So he would let her alone, get out of her way.
After all, tomorrow was another day.

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GUSSY’S VALENTINE GIFT
By Hope Louise Edwards Wills

Henrietta Hen saw Gilbert goose who looked so sad he could cry.
“What’s the matter, Gilbert?” she said with a sigh.
“Henrietta,” said Gilbert “Do you know it’s Valentine’s Day?
I have to find a gift for Gussy or she will make me pay.”
Henrietta said, “Well, if it was me, I’d like cleaning supplies,
But don’t give those to Gussy. She’d poke out your eyes.”
Paula Pig heard them and said, “If it was me, I’d like a few
More spices for my veggie stew.
But don’t try to give Gussy that
Or she will surely knock you flat.”
Harry Hound came by and said, “I’d like peace and harmony,
But with Gussy, that is not to be.”
Gary Goat heard that and laughed out loud.
“Well, you know what I’d like,” he told the crowd,
“Trash and more trash, but Gussy wouldn’t like that a bit.
She would have a hissy fit.”
Gussy came wandering down the lane,
With eyes on the crowd she gave a look of disdain.
Gordon ran up to her crying, “Gussy, my dear,
I haven’t gotten a Valentine’s Day gift for you yet, I fear.”
“Nonsense, idiot,” hissed Gussy, “You’ve done Ok.
My gift is all morning you’ve stayed out of my way.

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PICNIC PLANS
By Hope Louise Edwards Wills

The farmer and his wife were planning a 4th of July picnic.
The animals all thought that was terrific.
The city cousins would get to see
How a holiday was celebrated in the country.
Rosy and Ruby (the robins) were putting up banners of red, white and blue.
The farm would look lovely when they were through.
Henrietta Hen was running around,
“Not clean enough,” she said with a frown.
Harry Hound said, “Paula Pig, do you know what there will be to eat?”
“Harry,” said Paula, “You know my veggie stew can’t be beat.
I’ve heard veggie burgers will be on the grill.
There will be hickory nuts from the tree on the hill.
A nice egg salad is being planned.
Henrietta says her egg salad is the best in the land.
There will be fresh veggies galore,
And if we run out, we’ll pick some more.
Calvin Crow is bringing berries
And I think he’ll bring some cherries.
I’ve heard there will be a huge cake
That the farmer’s wife will bake.”
Harry said, “Paula my stomach is growlin’
And around the table I will be prowlin’
For tidbits left behind
After all the house folks have dined.”
Paula laughed, “Harry I’m sure that you will find
All the tidbits left behind.
Just get there before Gary Goat.
You won’t get a thing if you don’t.”
Harry said, “It will be a fine celebration for the city cousins to see.
Mighty fine. Yes siree!”

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Attention: No animals were eaten in the making of this rhyme.


UNLOVABLE GUSSY
By Hope Louise Edwards Wills

Gussy goose was deep in thought.
She and Gilbert had just fought.
Not that fighting with Gilbert bothered her at all,
It sure kept life from being dull.
Pour old Gilbert didn’t have a clue
Of how to please her or what to do.
Then there was the other animals who she
Could not stand and had no desire to see.
Like Harry Hound and his wish for peace and harmony.
”Well,” thought Gussy, “He won’t get that from me.”
And Gussy had heard Henrietta Hen boast about being the toughest old fowl.
Well, she was then, but she wasn’t now.
Paula Pig was irksome, too
Standing over her pot of stew.
“I would like to toss her in,”
Gussy thought with a great big grin.
Gary Goat was an idiot who never left the trash can alone.
It was enough to make her gag and moan.
That brat Pom (the pup) was always around
But hissing loudly scared him away, she found.
She knew she didn’t have friends, she wanted none.
Being the meanest one on the farm was so much fun.
And Gussy thought, “How wonderful it is to me
To make their lives a misery.”

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