September by Ernest Noyes Brookings

SEPTEMBER
by Ernest Noyes Brookings

September only once a year ninth month
Has thirty consecutive long days
Frequently an incompetence contains mumps
Thought — where there’s a will there’s a way

In a several room large family home
Mother to children — did you attend and study at school?
Mutually yes to which quite long from here roam
In addition in entirety obeyed old golden rule

At a quite large military training camp
Sergeant — attention line up and salute Old Glory
With us is not a single ragged tramp
But the bugle revile and taps another story

While in a long military parade
Leader with baton — follow my cadence in time with band
This is not an inside-store bar aid
But an exhibition to those on both sides and in stand

From headquarters trip to pleasure resort
By boat full speed, train or plane or bus
From where there are no verbal retorts
And none are private, all are open to us

From New Hampshire trip to beach or foliage
In prechartered local MTA buses
Many trees have beautiful colored foliage
Verbally the private group never cusses

In the town manager’s office
Conduct all construction with special care
Because one wrong stick would be obvious
And leave one section bare

The twenty-first start autumn
The beginning of three month season
Maritime bats — ever caught ’em?
Thought — for everything there is a reason.

***

More about Ernest Noyes Brookings.
Sent to us by our friends at The Duplex Planet. You might want to visit since they’re having a whopper of a sale on back issues.
This poem was first published in Duplex Planet #52, 1983.