I don’t do things the way most people do. I don’t know if it’s the autism or genetics, but I always try to look for different ways of doing the same old thing.
This holds true in writing, especially. With Valentine’s Day just a couple days ago, I was thinking about my wife and the fact that here she is married to a guy who writes poetry all the time, yet he hasn’t written her a love poem in at least a couple of years. What kind of a hubby am I??
So I thought about it and thought about it. True, I could write a typical, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s rose?” kind of thing, but those have been done. I decided to do something different.
Now, before you read this, you should know the backstory. Shortly after we’d gotten married, my wife Jen asked me, “If I was an animal, what kind of animal do you think I’d be?”
Without hesitation, I replied, “A platypus.”
(Yes, these photos were taken on the same day – within minutes of each other.)
Needless to say, she was shocked – not only at the speed with which I replied, but the fact that I hadn’t responded with an animal more beautiful, like a swan or a gazelle or a sturgeon or something. But then I explained my rationale.
I told her that she was a multi-faceted person made up of all sorts of disparate traits that really shouldn’t go together – but they do! Her musical tastes run from Pantera to Brittany Spears to Andrea Bocelli. She’s a brilliant APRN but can be a ridiculously silly goober at home. She’s a vegan who loves bacon.
In that respect, I explained, she’s just like a platypus: a web-footed mammal with no stomach and no nipples that lays eggs and uses its duckbill nose to sense the electric fields of other animals like fish and shrimp. What kind of mind-altering herbs was God smoking when He came up with the concept for this creature, anyway?
Fortunately, after some thought and contemplation, Jen has somewhat embraced the idea of a platypus. She’s owning it, actually, as she plans to get a platypus tattoo in the near future!
And with that, I present to you – my love poem:
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“Platypus: A Love Poem”
An enigma, you are
equal parts mammal, bird,
reptile, and yet your very own
creature, unique among the
kingdom. Born of an egg more leather
than porcelain, raised on milk
that pooled in your mother’s skin, you
defied all manner of convention
as a legitimate member
of the zoological scene.
No desire to slap the pond’s surface
with a beaver-borrowed tail,
no need of teeth (as gravel suffices),
your eyes and ears let a duck bill
do the hunting, sensitive to seeking
out the electric field of a nearby crayfish,
soon to be deep inside a stomachless gullet.
A conundrum, you are
equal parts beauty, brains,
brawn, loving mother,
fierce protector,
perfect partner,
all the best parts
of the kingdom
in one.
.
- © 2024 Matt F. Esenwine, all rights reserved
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Margaret Simon is hosting today’s Poetry Friday roundup and has her grandson, Mardi Gras, and winter all on her mind. Head on over to her blog Reflections on the Teche for more poetry and all of today’s links!
~~ SCHOOL VISITS still available! ~~
I’m booking author visits for the 2024 spring semester and still have a few dates available. If you think your school might be interested in having me visit, check out all the presentations I offer, then email me at Matt (at) MattForrest (dot) com!
I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be discussing dinosaur breath or crafting origami sea turtles!
Student presentations include:
- The Making of a Picture Book
- How a Child Saved a Book
- “Once Upon Another Time”
- The Most Imporant Thing about Writing Poetry
- “I Am Today”
- “A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
- “Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
- The Making of a Picture Book
- The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
- Free Yourself with Free Verse
- Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
Learn more at MattForrest.com!
If you or someone you know might be interested in having me visit your school, library, or other organization, please email me
at matt(at)mattforrest(dot)com!
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FLASHLIGHT NIGHT:
- NY Public Library’s “100 Best Book for Kids 2017” AND “Staff Pick!”
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- Finalist, 2019 New Hampshire Literary Awards
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- “Cute…intriguing…4 out of 5 stars” – Tulsa Book Review
- “Rhythmic…funny and informative” – Unleashing Readers
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Coming July 2, 2019!
Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme 