Two Poems By Ken Gosse

Phantoums on the Shore

The Carpenter and Walrus walked
beneath the shining sun.
The moon was angry as it stalked
the globe whose day was done.

Beneath the shining sun
the beach was dry as it could be.
The globe whose day was done
completely dried the deep blue sea.

The beach was dry as it could be
so oysters ran on shore.
Completely dried, the deep blue sea
was there for them no more.

As oysters ran on shore
the two prepared their serviette.
Completely dried, the deep blue sea—
but appetites were whet.

As both prepared their serviette,
the oysters gathered round.
Both appetites now filled past whet,
the oysters made no sound.

The oysters had been gathered round
where angry moon once stalked;
But now the oysters made no sound
where two friends talked and walked.

A Peaceful Poem

Down the street, a garden gnome
in early morning likes to roam
amidst the fragrance in the loam
he cultivates around his home.

He plants flowers, then he’ll grow’m;
that’s because he likes to show’m.
Dirty flowers? Shampoo foam—
he says it’s easy to dry-blow’m.
As for weeds, just pick and throw’m!

Passers-by who’ve come to know’m
often hear him sing this tome,
for his life’s a peaceful poem
which offers everyone, “Shalom.”

Ken Gosse generally writes short, rhymed verse using whimsy and humor in traditional meters. First published in First Literary Review–East in November 2016, since then in The Offbeat, Pure Slush, Parody, Home Planet News Online, Sparks of Calliope and others. Raised in the Chicago, Illinois, suburbs, now retired, he and his wife have lived in Mesa, AZ, over twenty years.