by J.H. (9th Grade)

Spring has come with flowers
So I stopped and gave a sniff
And not just one li’l breathing in
No, I gave it quite a whiff!

I choked and gagged and quackled
Coughed and wheezed and hacked
The flower tried to kill me with
It’s pollen filled attack

When my scene was finally over
And strangers had stopped peering
I gathered up my garden tools
Intent on a good shearing

I readied my great arsenal
I honed and sharpened well
That flower would not live for long
And neither would it smell

But the evil weed had other plans
For it had weapons too
Bumblebees and hummingbirds
And other things that flew

We both were set and ready
With our armories of ruin
The duel was almost sure to be
A brutal execution

I first got out my pruning shears
With mighty confidence
And the Bumblebee Commander
Engaged their first defense

I fell under the torrent
Of all the stings and insects
I rushed back to my wheelbarrow
In an effort to recollect

I readied up my shovel
And charged into the fray
Unfortunately all the butterflies
Were fluttering in the way

I whirled ‘round the shovel
And brought a couple down
But the kaleidoscopic swarm of bugs
Was like a Renaissance ball gown

I finally retreated
And retrieved the lawn mower
The flower wouldn’t stand a chance
I was really gonna show ‘er

I revved it up real nice and loud
And then began to charge
When suddenly a root appeared
And it was pretty large

I layed off from the mower
And though ‘twas against the law
I brought it out with reverence;
The Mighty Flaming Chainsaw

“Once more unto the breach!” I yelled
And back again I dashed
I burned the weed’s defenses
Reducing them to ash

That wicked loathsome wily weed
Was definitely doomed
With the power of the chainsaw in my grasp
All hope I there consumed

I slew the flower then and there
The vicious battle over
I’ve told my story now it must
End, and have a closure