Poetry for Simple Enjoyment
By Hope Louise Edwards Wills
Series Two


BOY NAMED SUE
By Hope Louise Edwards Wills

The farmer and his wife thought it was time to give the pup a name.
He had been called the pup ever since he came.
He was a Pomeroy by breed
So what kind of a name would he need.
The pup wanted to be called Spike
That’s the name he would like.
Fannie said, “He is black so he
Could very easily be named Blackie.”
Farmer said, “No, he needs a more noble name like King.
That has a very royal ring.”
“No,” said Fannie, “How would that sound
To our own loyal Harry Hound?”
Farmer said, “Well, Mac, Andy or Jack doesn’t sound right.
This thinking of a name could take all night.”
The pup had been listening quite intently.
Come on! Spike, Spike, Spike, that’s the name for me.
Fannie finally clapped her hands with glee.
“I know what the pup’s name should be!
He’s my beautiful little boy.
I think I’ll name him Pomeroy!”
The farmer was so glad to have the naming done.
He said, “That’s it, Fannie, that’s the one.
Pomeroy? Oh no, thought the pup this can’t be
All the farmyard animals will make fun of me.
He ran to crying to Harry Hound.
Harry said, “The House Folks know what’s best, I’ve found.
Just be very glad that you
Weren’t called “A Boy Named Sue!”

HW


GUSSY GOOSE
By Hope Louise Edwards Wills

A new goose came to the farm and her name was Gussy.
She outdid Henrietta at being fussy.
The food was not tasty, the barnyard was too small.
There was nothing she liked, nothing at all.
Clara Cow tried to be friendly, but Gussy just turned her head.
“She’s very rude,” Clara said.
“I tried to get to know her,” said Delta Duck.
“But I didn’t have much luck.”
The pup tried to get her to play,
But Gussy gave a loud honk and scared him away.
And it was shocking to see Gussy chase the farmer’s wife down the hill.
Poor Fannie almost took a spill.
Henrietta saw that and had a fit.
She told Harry Hound, “This is it!”
Henrietta marched over to where Gussy stood.
She said,  “Gussy, you’re not top fowl in this neighborhood.
That job is already taken by me,
And better than me you will never be.
I can see that Mother Goose you aint,.
And that is my biggest complaint.
So learn some manners and learn them fast,
Or around here you will not last.
I’ve heard the farmer’s wife loves goose pate’
You might want to remember that each day!”

HW


LOOKING FOR PEACE
By Hope Louise Edwards Wills

Gussy is a temperamental goose.
Who at times would let loose
With a loud honk and an angry hiss,
That was sure to upset the farmyard bliss.
Harry Hound shook his head in despair,
Gussy and Henrietta were fighting out there.
No farm animal considered Gussy a dear.
She was actually a real pain in the rear.
But Henrietta could hold her own,
Harry thought as he chewed a soup bone.
Soon Henrietta came up to Harry, her feathers a wry.
“Something has to be done with Gussy,” she said with a sigh.
“Harry, what would you do with that goose?
My idea is to find a noose.”
Harry said, ”Now Henrietta, don’t even think that way.
Just try to avoid her today.”
“Avoid her?” said Henrietta, “She is always in my face.
She should be put in her place.”
“Well,” said Harry, “I’ll think on it some.”
As his brain was turning numb.
For all the tension Gussy had brought,
A peaceful farmyard is what he sought.
So he thought and thought and thought some more.
This problem was so very hard to ignore.
Then he heard the farmer say,
“We are getting a gander today.”
Harry thought on how happy Gussy would be
And that will mean peace for me.
I just hope the gander doesn’t rile
Gussy, at least not for a little while.

HW


THE NICKNAME
By hope Louise Edwards Wills

Harry Hound told Henrietta Hen
“There’s that pup cryin’ again.
The House Folks got together, poor boy
And gave him the name Pomeroy.
He wanted to be called Spike, you know.
He thinks everyone will tease him so
Let’s you and I help him out today
And talk to everyone. What do you say?”
Henrietta said, “That’s a fine idea, Harry
And I think I know where we will find Gary.”
At the trash can they found Gary Goat.
He’d eaten so much he’d begun to bloat.
Henrietta said, “Gary you know the pup, that poor little boy.
The House Folks have gone and named him Pomeroy.”
Gary said, “Ha! Ha! Hee! Hee! Don’t make me laugh any more.
I’m full of gas and it’s hard to ignore.”
Harry said, “Don’t laugh, Gary, that’s not nice.
And you wouldn’t have gas if you’d lay off the rice.
You should feel sorry for the boy
And count yourself lucky that you weren’t named Pomeroy.”
Next they talked to Paula Pig, stirring her stew.
She said, “The pup is crying? What did he do?”
Henrietta said, “It’s really nothing that he did.
But the House Folks gave the name Pomeroy to the kid.”
Paula said, “That is a rough deal.
But send him over here for a good hot meal.”
Then they talked to Tom Turkey.
They named him Pomeroy?” said he.
“We could think of a nickname, I suppose.
He just might like one of those
I think we should call him Pom
That name sounds a lot like Tom.”
The nickname suited the pup to a “T”.
Or maybe I should say to a “P”.

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THE PUP
By Hope Louise Edwards Wills

Harry Hound found the new pup laughing. Ha! Ha! Ha! Hee! Hee! Hee!
Harry said, “You young pup, are you laughing at me?”
“Yes,” said the pup. “You have to sleep in and old barn.
The farmhouse is mine, that’s where I’ll be.”
Harry said, “You young whipper snapper,
My warm bed in the barn is just right for me!”
The pup ran off to chase the baby chicks.
That got him in an awful fix.
Henrietta Hen flew at him in a rage.
The tongue-lashing he got would fill this page.
The pup saw Gary Goat eating leftovers from the trash.
Gary said, “You can’t have any you will get a rash!”
The pup saw Cora Cow’s tail sway.
He thought it was a sign to play.
Cora Cow was not in the mood.
She thought the pup was very rude.
The pup ran over to Paula Pig
Who still, by the way, was very big.
“Your diet is not working, Paula,” said he.
Then rolled on the ground laughing uproariously.
Paula said, “Go ahead and laugh but if you do,
You won’t get a bite of my veggie stew.”
The pup tried to steal an egg from Della duck,
But he didn’t have much luck.
She reached out and bit his nose,
A just punishment, I suppose.
The pup decided he’d had quite a day.
Tomorrow? In by the fire is where he’d stay.

HW