Scrib-Scrabblin’ Away

Scrib-Scrabblin’ Away

Borrowed stuff. A character parodied from Herman Melville's Bartleby the Scrivner and a title inspired by Paul Simon's 1977 hit "Slip Slidin' Away."

————

Bardleby the Scribbler, he

embraced his poet wannabe

whose rhymes were rough and packed with fluff

so really never good enough

to read aloud before a crowd

without the fear he’d be avowed

a useless twit who’s too unfit

to write a thought that he could knit

into a phrase that might amaze

instead of causing them malaise

of heart and soul, a barcarole

where seasickness would take control.

His audience might raise laments

throughout poetic firmaments.

Indeed, we knew that’s what we’d do—

but hear him? We’d prefer not to.

By: Ken Gosse

From: United States