Once Upon A Red-Blue Moon Poem by Richard D Remler

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Once upon a red-blue moon
Before the robin went to sleep,
Before the willow thought about
A reason worthy of a weep.
Before the brave tomato flea
Counted all the way to three,
Young Mervin Melman none too soon
Tap tap tapped at his cocoon.

Oh, the memories were surely there,
Of leaves so sweetly red and green.
Mervin smiled short and fair,
And cleverly remained unseen.
He recalled he had a family
And wondered wherever they could be?
So certain they were just outside,
Waiting near the Lantern Slide.

But Mervin Melman could not smell
The summer breeze he knew was there.
He could not see the poplar trees
That lined the Possum City Square.
He could not taste the morning dew
That nature freely sent his way.
Nor hear the sweet Ickwidget song,
Or the young takk-rabbits out at play.
And that simply was not good enough.
Not for Mervin, nosirree!
There was far, far, far too much
That Mervin simply had to see.

He had to see his Mum just once,
And his Dad a time or two.
He wanted to see his brother Ralph
And his little sister Sue.
Oh, of course they were just right outside,
Where bottleberries grew,
Where the late, late, late of sunny Spring
Caught up to Summer's blue,
Playing tag and laughing
Of an Autumn yet to be.
And Mervin, oh, he was certain
They were all waiting on the tree.
Knowing he was ready
To sneak outside and say,
"I've missed you all so very much.
My, what a welcome day! "

So Mervin moved and twisted,
Tried to stretch his legs just so,
Wrestled out antennas
Just as far as they could go.
He heard a crickle and a snip,
And twisted over tip, tip, tip,
When air as fresh as daisy grace
Gently drifted ‘cross his face.

He could move freely now,
And peered around
The tiny branch
Where he was bound,
And shed his paper tape cocoon
For just a bit of moving room.

The breeze felt cool against his knees,
A very welcome, gentle breeze,
And Mervin carefully climbed as high
As he safely could, so he could dry.
His wings were still so very new,
As fragile as a twilight's dew,
But the dawn would breathe a brand new song,
And oh, his wings would be so strong.

He waited there, how long, it's true,
Young Mervin Melman never knew.
His wings, oh they were simply grand,
A prize worthy to command.
He stretched them out so they could dry,
Before the morning slipped on by.

And he remembered leaves
Of green and red,
The floppit where he'd lay his head.
The songs his Mother sang each night,
As soft as any firelight.
And his brother, draped under a cloth-
Would claim he was a Riddle Moth.
And he'd make his little sister cry,
For she was sure she was a Butterfly.

But, be it far as he could see,
And be it far as he could tell,
He was as lonely as can be,
Upon a very lonely tree.
Where had they gone?
Where did they go?
Mervin simply did not know.
He looked so very different now
They would not know him anyhow.
They would not understand that he
Was the same kid that he used to be.

He moved his wings and stretched them out,
Moved them here, and moved them there.
And practiced flapping them about
Within the warming, springtime air.
He flapped and flapped and flapped 'til he
Was as high as he could ever be.

The world seemed so much smaller here,
The sky so very red and blue,
And oh, so extra, extra clear,
And very, very, very new.
He breathed in the light of day
And spied the ancient Lantern Slide,
And without a single word to say
Young Mervin learned that he could glide
Without the difficulty he
Was certain flying 'round would be.

His sky seemed such a lonely place,
And Mervin's heart sank low.
As the world moved beneath him
Just as cold as winter snow.
Mervin remembered his sweet home.
And thought, "It isn't good to be alone."
As the cool winds rushed across his face,
Yet he felt so out of place…

"You've got girlie wings." somebody said,
And Mervin turned to see
His brother Ralph gliding by,
Laughing hysterically.
"Be nice to your brother, " His Mother said,
And Mervin smiled wide,
Feeling his heart grow at least
Three sizes deep inside.
"I'm a Riddle Moth! Just watch me fly, "
Ralph snapped as he sailed through the sky,
And Sue just laughed and sighed a sigh,
"You're just a pretty butterfly."
And Mervin breathed with great relief,
And smiled to his Mum.
"I know I had my doubts about this,
But this might just be fun."


Copyright © MMXIII Richard D. Remler


**A Children's Tale**