How to use this Page

No Fooling
by
Greg Pincus

I hate to be tricked. I hate to be schooled.
I hate to be pranked. I hate to be fooled.
You do the fooling? I'll say you're the worst
(If the date on the calendar's not April 1st).


Yes, it's the one day of the year when maybe, just maybe, you can get away with fooling people without getting an emotional reaction. Just don't push your luck beyond 40 or 50 bits of foolishness, I figure.... And by the way, happy start of National Poetry Month as well as April Fools' Day!

For some utterly non-foolish fun, check out this week's Poetry Friday roundup over at Amy's Poem Farm. Great stuff there (including the kickoff of Amy's own Poetry Month project).

And if you want to get all my poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

My New Year's Resolutions Are Making Me Loopy
by
Greg Pincus

I make ten resolutions every year, and they seem good.
But I can never keep them even though I know I should.
And so this year I added one when it was time to make 'em:
I resolved that this would be the year that I would break 'em!
Yet now each time I break one I quite quickly start up weeping
Because it means that there is one that I continue keeping.
Yet if I keep one then it means there's one that I am breaking
Which means I've kept what I resolved, of that there's no mistaking.
But keeping resolutions means I broke my resolution
Which means, again, I've kept the one I thought was the solution.
Still, keeping means I'm breaking... and I'm feeling like a dum-dum
Since now I fear I'll spend my year resolving this conundrum.


Happy New Year, y'all! And welcome to the first Poetry Friday of 2015, with the roundup hosted by Tricia over at The Miss Rumphius Effect. And in an attempt to give you some insight into my writing process, behold the assistance I got writing this very poem:

This poem first ran here at Gottabook back in 2011.

I’M THE SQUEAK UPON THE STAIR...
by
Greg Pincus

I’m the squeak upon the stair...
Yet when you look, there’s no one there.
I’m howling winds, groaning floors,
Extinguished lights, slamming doors.
I’m flitting shadows, darkening skies,
Piercing screams, distant cries.
I’m all your fears – heard, felt, or seen.
I’m in your head. I’m Halloween.

Halloween is on Poetry Friday again (with the roundup hosted by Linda over at TeacherDance)! This makes me happier than peanut butter cups, I gotta say. May those of you who trick-or-treat have a happy, safe evening (same for those of you who don't, by the way). And... boo!

If you want to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe:

A Modest Leap Day Proposal
by
Greg Pincus

Leap Day comes so rarely.
Why not make it cool?
Make each one a holiday -
Cancel work and school!


Happy Leap Day to you all. It's the second one we've had together at GottaBook... and it's my second Leap Day poem, too.

If you'd to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Punxatawney Phil Sees His Shadow
by
Greg Pincus

You say “Boo! More snow and gloom.”
But me? I think it’s cool -
More winter means that there’s more chance
Of a snow day off from school!


And a Happy Groundhog Day to you all, whether you're for or against the predicted six more weeks o' winter.

If you want to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

SOMETHING’S IN THE AIR
by
Greg Pincus

My friends have all been arguing.
My brother spats with sis.
My mom and dad
Are fighting mad
(Although I saw them kiss).

Perhaps it’s just the summer heat
That’s making tempers flare?
That could be true.
I have no clue,
But something’s in the air.

So now, today, July the Fourth,
I think a picnic’s right.
I’ll make a call,
“Come one and all,
Let’s eat and talk all night.”

I’ll post big signs about each guest,
I’ll list their flaws and quirks.
Then I’ll step back
To yell “attack!”...
And watch the fireworks.


Happy July 4th to you all (whether you're celebrating Independence Day or are, perhaps, overseas and merely experiencing July 4th as another day). For that matter, happy whatever day it might be when you read this! I've heard this Internet thang is forever, and you might just run into this another day... :-)

By the way, if you want to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Melancholy Valentines
by
Gregory K.

I got two dozen Valentines.
I look at them with sorrow.
Sure, today, they mean "be mine" -
But what about tomorrow?


May your day be full of candy hearts and lots of chocolate (no matter what day you end up here, in fact!).

And if you want to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

RESOLUTIONS
by
Gregory K.

Every year on New Year’s Day,
I grab myself a pen.
I write my resolutions down to look at now and then.

Two years ago, I’d written twelve.
I broke them all by June.
Last year I broke them faster still (the first of March at noon).

This isn’t great, I must admit,
But now I’ve got it solved.
And so, this year, on New Year’s Day, here’s what I have resolved:

Bug my dad, annoy my sis,
Distract my oldest brother.
Skip a chore, create a mess, and once ignore my mother,

Chew some gum, devour pie,
Eat burgers, fries, and cakes,
Teach my baby brother all the joys of chocolate shakes.

My resolutions could go on.
Instead, I’ll stop right here.
Just once I’d like to keep them all...
And this might be my year.

The first Poetry Friday roundup of the year is here over at A Year of Reading. Go on and check it out!

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

And Happy New Year!

It's Poetry Friday AND Halloween, so it seems like a good time to re-post a poem originally posted here two years ago.


HALLOWEEN
by
Gregory K.

Be prepared
To be scared.
Ghosts and ghouls are haunting.

Mummies moan.
Specters groan.
You know it’s you they’re wanting.

Wolfmen howl.
Goblins yowl.
A shadow hides a grave.

Streetlights flicker.
Heart beats quicker.
It’s so hard being brave.

Flashing lightning,
Far too frightening.
You know you want to flee.

But don’t run.
Just have fun.
And bring candy home for me.


Poetry for Children has the Poetry Friday links collected right here. Have a happy and safe Halloween if you're heading out tonight. Feel free to bring me candy!

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

A GIFT FOR DAD
by
Gregory K.

My family plays lots of games, and sometimes I feel bad –
No matter what, from sports to chess, I always beat my dad!
I know he’s trying really hard in every game we play.
I see the glimmer in his eye... but things just go my way.
Sure, he never moans or whines. I’ve never seen him crying.
But I’m afraid if this keeps up, then one day he’ll stop trying.
And so today, I have a plan (although he’ll never know it),
When we play games, I’ll let him win!
I hope he doesn’t blow it.


As you ponder whether this is a Father's Day poem, a father's birthday poem, a poem for Dad on any day, or all of the above, why not check out this week's Poetry Friday roundup over at just another day of Catholic pondering?

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

LEAP DAY BABY
by
Gregory K.

My father never acts his age.
My mother says that's great.
See, Dad's a leap day baby and today he's turning eight!


Now go leap on over to the Poetry Friday roundup hosted by the uber-wonderful Kelly Fineman and get a bonus helping of poetry in February. You'll be glad you did... and it's probably the only time I'll ask you to leap. So c'mon already. LEAP!