KATE O'NEIL
  • About Kate
  • POEMS FOR CHILDREN
    • Barefoot
    • Gargoyle Guile
    • POEMS FROM 'LET IN THE STARS' >
      • High Achievers
      • Paragliders Bald Hill Lookout
      • Sondry Folk
    • Maximouse
    • The Back of Beyond
    • Thackaringas
    • Sea Sparkle
  • KATE'S COOL POEMS
  • TRUMPETINGS
    • Trump l'oeil
    • Sound the Trump
    • Thoughts of a Very Rattled Sabre
    • The Art of the Heel
    • Bulldusted
    • SHARK ALARM
    • Wall
  • Sydney Poems
    • Lament of the kangaroo gargoyle on the clock tower – Sydney University
    • Tom Ugly's Spirit Talks Back
    • “Giraffe Removals. All Suburbs.” (Sydney billboard)
    • Eternity
    • Cell Door Open
    • Animal Feed Available at Restaurant
    • Happy as Larry
    • Hosts
    • Carnival of the Animals
  • The School Magazine
  • BUZZINGS FROM THE BEES IN MY BONNET
    • On Being Elocuted
    • Poetry and the Role of the Toe in Scansion
    • Some Thoughts on teaching Don Quixote.
    • John Thelwall: “Citizen” John, political activist, atheist reprobate, acquitted felon, poet, Professor of Elocution and speech therapist.
    • On 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'
  • Contact Kate
  • Shop

Sondry Folk

 … the condicioun of ech of hem

Chaucer – Prologue to The Canterbury Tales

                                    Kate O’Neil

                                        
Blatherskite

Even though it’s utter blather,
soaps his talk into a lather -
spreads it round with open slather.
Hear the wordy-gurdy guy
spinning all his words to “I”.


Curmudgeon

What a grizzly, grouchy grumper,
glaring, swearing table-thumper.
The world is there to grumble at.
The world is mad! And that is that!


Dandiprat

This man, he’s small.
Talks small. Acts small.
Hard to please
this mini-cheese.
Can’t think big at all.


Fustilugs

Who is this almighty guzzler,
grasping, grabbing, gross and greedy?
All she does is sit and gobble!
Not surprised she looks so seedy.


Haggersnash   

“You’ll keep. Just you wait.
You’ll regret it’s you I hate.”
A haggersnash must do his worst
to hurt because he ‘feels hurt first’.
Watch him tend his little rancour
’til he has a good-sized canker.
Things are looking really grim--
the canker’s almost swallowed him!


Mumpsimus 

He knows his mind.
He shuts it tight.
He will not budge.
He will not bite.
He has no doubt.
His way is right.


Nazzard   

“Living life is such a hazard.
Excuse me while I stay away…
You will not miss a lowly nazzard.
I’ll take my ball and leave the play.”


Scobberlotcher

What an idle layabout!
Likes to loll in lotus-land.
Need a worker? Count him out.
He has a long siesta planned.


Sneckdraw   

This guy’s act is hard to beat.
He’s the master of deceit--
a slippery, sneaky little cheat!
Only someone of his kind
could understand his devious mind.


Tatterdemalion

Where’d ya get the glad rags baby?
That gear has sure seen better times.
Was that velvet in its heyday?
And on your legs – were they once jeans?
Those shoes might once have had some glamour;
(Perhaps when Elvis was alive)
That whiff! That drift! That faint aroma!
Is it Mildew No 5?


Quockerwodger

“Up down.
Left  right.
Yes Sir.
Black’s white.
You bark.
I’ll bite.”


Whiffler

Will he? Won’t he?
He doesn’t know.
Can’t work out
which way to go.
It could be ‘Yes’
but might be ‘No’.
The whiffler whiffles
to and fro.


Windlestraw

He's tall and gaunt
and very thin.
So weak and worn
he's mostly skin.
A wind'll sure -
ly do him in.
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  • About Kate
  • POEMS FOR CHILDREN
    • Barefoot
    • Gargoyle Guile
    • POEMS FROM 'LET IN THE STARS' >
      • High Achievers
      • Paragliders Bald Hill Lookout
      • Sondry Folk
    • Maximouse
    • The Back of Beyond
    • Thackaringas
    • Sea Sparkle
  • KATE'S COOL POEMS
  • TRUMPETINGS
    • Trump l'oeil
    • Sound the Trump
    • Thoughts of a Very Rattled Sabre
    • The Art of the Heel
    • Bulldusted
    • SHARK ALARM
    • Wall
  • Sydney Poems
    • Lament of the kangaroo gargoyle on the clock tower – Sydney University
    • Tom Ugly's Spirit Talks Back
    • “Giraffe Removals. All Suburbs.” (Sydney billboard)
    • Eternity
    • Cell Door Open
    • Animal Feed Available at Restaurant
    • Happy as Larry
    • Hosts
    • Carnival of the Animals
  • The School Magazine
  • BUZZINGS FROM THE BEES IN MY BONNET
    • On Being Elocuted
    • Poetry and the Role of the Toe in Scansion
    • Some Thoughts on teaching Don Quixote.
    • John Thelwall: “Citizen” John, political activist, atheist reprobate, acquitted felon, poet, Professor of Elocution and speech therapist.
    • On 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'
  • Contact Kate
  • Shop