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Literary Nook
T.O.A.S.T.: Telling Old-Age Sonnet Tales
In my Mental Mall St. Patrick’s on Call
In my mental mall St. Patrick’s Grammar on call
a Catholic school I attended in 7th and 8th grade
sister Mary went there too many friends we made
with boys on the soda shop corner I had a ball
teachers dressed like penguins Sisters of Mercy order
our class was together all day taught by one nun
who was lacking in humor and intolerant of disorder
out on the playground at noon we’d have some fun
our 7th grade Sister of Mercy by name was a real meany
she slapped me seventeen times in a row in my face
Dicko got 47, more than 20 slaps for Grady and Sweeney
on the 3rd floor across from St. Pat’s church on Park Place
outside I was a loudmouth joker inside quite tender
my interest in girls began back in those halcyon days
JoAnn, Linda, Kathy, and the older sister of Rita Hayes
her Irish eyes sparkled, glistening black hair and slender
but I a chubby jerkball goofball really wanted to kiss her
adolescent shyness stopped me and I missed the chance
and thus missed having the thrill of a first young romance
now in the winter of life I look back at that spring
when a farmer up the road with horses did plough
happy St. Patrick’s Grammar School memories still cling
tears and love and lots of laughter still fresh till now.
Caveat Emptor: Ignoring the Ides of March
Beware the Jabberwocky! Beware the Ides of March!
Caveat Emptor! Beware a large purple dinosaur!
Be leery of soap operas and eating laundry starch
Stay away from Jurassic Park beware the velociraptor
Pay no attention to the fortune teller and the carney
Don’t fall prey to merchandise labeled Hello Kitty
Or that omnipresent purple dinosaur named Barney
Pay no heed to gossips in a town without pity
Wash hands frequently don’t panic about the virus
Physician heal thyself the ancient Greek doctor said
Look for ethical leaders and scientific truth to inspire us
Apply whatever common sense is already in your head
Careful what you wish for you might someday get it
Who the hell said it? You might as well just forget it.
Joey aka Pepe Batbon is a retired educator who taught in the CNMI, NOLA, and LVNV. He is a sonnet practitioner who enjoys stargazing.
