AN UNEXPECTED KNOCKING ABOUT
There I was, one wet spring morning,
As proud as a two-year-old can be;
For I was allowed to carry the umbrella,
And this made me speechless with glee.
I set off for the elevator at the end of the hall,
(We lived in an apartment then)
Racing faster and faster, and faster
’til I reached the speed of Mach ten (almost).
The umbrella was standing straight up in my hand
’til I decided it would be best
To carry the umbrella horizontally,
Across my little chest.
Now, the problem with this umbrella
Was that it was very large,
And didn’t quite fit through the door
That I was preparing to barge.
When I tried to enter the elevator
There was a resounding crack!
The umbrella caught on the sides of the door
And threw me onto my back.
I was completely bewildered.
What had just happened to me?
There was no reason I couldn’t go in,
At least none that I could see.
So I picked up the umbrella and tried again,
And again I was rebuffed.
I might have tried again
But by that time I’d had enough.
I threw the umbrella to the ground,
Having been emotionally scarred,
And I really couldn’t understand
Why my parents were laughing so hard.
—from 2015 Rattle Young Poets Anthology
__________
Why do you like to write poetry?
Maci Modean Greenberg: “I write poetry when I have an inspiration. Sometimes I feel so strongly about something that I need to put my feelings into words. Other times ideas come to me randomly in the middle of the night or while I’m staring out the window. Some thoughts must be expressed and poetry is a great way to do it.”