(Classic illustration by Heinrich Hoffman)
I published my PDF chapbook for children and adults, Twisted Limericks, on Scribd.com about ten years ago and posted it on WordPress. I recently upgraded and revamped it to share again.
You can view/print/download it for free on Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xyCYWrhUn6riYEiDltpC1T3RAICm4DdJ/view?usp=sharing
Thanks for stopping by!
Dawn Pisturino
April 17, 2023
Copyright 2011-2023 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
Birdie, birdie in the tree,
Are you lonely just like me?
Rise into the morning sky
And fly, birdie, fly!
Tired of the verdant bough,
Hanging low with apples now?
Look, the yellow sun is high.
Fly, birdie, fly!
I wish I could fly like you,
Sing a song or maybe two,
Flutter softly my good-bye,
And fly, birdie, fly!
When the moon began to rise,
I would leave the darkened skies,
Fold my wings where I would lie,
And die, birdie, die.
Up to heaven I would go,
White and pure as new-made snow,
Safe beneath the father’s eye:
Fly, birdie, fly!
All the world would miss my song,
Sweet and pure and not too long,
Partly triumph, partly sigh;
Fly, birdie, fly!
1985
Dawn Pisturino
June 9, 2022
Copyright 1985-2022 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
[NOTE: I apologize for the confusion. I totally messed up this post when I originally wrote it. I accidentally published it when I was saving it for another day, then removed it. Then, when I restored it this morning, it popped up for June 1st instead of today. I was going to let it go, but it kept bugging me, so I re-did the post so I wouldn’t obsess over my mistake all day. That’s not OCD, right?]
by Dawn Pisturino
For my daughter, Ariel
Butterfly, Butterfly,
Dappled with red,
Night-time is coming,
Fly home to your bed!
The white moon is rising,
He hasn’t a care;
The bright stars are shining,
Reflecting him there.
Oh, Butterfly, Butterfly,
What shall you do?
If darkness enfolds you,
How will you get through?
Fly home on a moonbeam,
Guided by stars,
Or maybe such planets
As Venus and Mars?
Or, drifting along on a
Sweet summer breeze,
You’ll land where you want
And do as you please?
Float down on a flower,
The sweet nectar there,
Drawing you inward
And filling the air?
You’ll suck up your supper,
Then lay down to sleep,
Your wings folded neatly,
Their beauty to keep.
And when, in the morning,
You suddenly wake,
The sun will be rising,
A new day will break.
Then, Butterfly, Butterfly,
Fly away home!
Or follow your instincts
To wander and roam.
But come again – do! –
If you happen this way,
Night-time or daytime
Or any old day!
February 8, 1986
This poem was set to music by composer and film maker Barry Gremillion and recorded in October 2013 by Barry Gremillion and Ariel Pisturino. It was uploaded onto SoundCloud.
Thanks, Ariel and Barry!
Thanks for stopping by and visiting!
Dawn Pisturino
June 6, 2022
Copyright 1986-2022 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
by Dawn Pisturino
For my daughter, Ariel
Butterfly, Butterfly,
Dappled with red,
Night-time is coming,
Fly home to your bed!
The white moon is rising,
He hasn’t a care;
The bright stars are shining,
Reflecting him there.
Oh, Butterfly, Butterfly,
What shall you do?
If darkness enfolds you,
How will you get through?
Fly home on a moonbeam,
Guided by stars,
Or maybe such planets
As Venus and Mars?
Or, drifting along on a
Sweet summer breeze,
You’ll land where you want
And do as you please?
Float down on a flower,
The sweet nectar there,
Drawing you inward
And filling the air?
You’ll suck up your supper,
Then lay down to sleep,
Your wings folded neatly,
Their beauty to keep.
And when, in the morning,
You suddenly wake,
The sun will be rising,
A new day will break.
Then, Butterfly, Butterfly,
Fly away home!
Or follow your instincts
To wander and roam.
But come again – do! –
If you happen this way,
Night-time or daytime
Or any old day!
February 8, 1986
This poem was set to music by composer and film maker Barry Gremillion and recorded in October 2013 by Barry Gremillion and Ariel Pisturino. It was uploaded onto SoundCloud.
Thanks, Ariel and Barry!
Dawn Pisturino
June 6, 2022
Copyright 1986-2022 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
Spring Poems by Dawn Pisturino
April Showers
I looked into the heavens
And saw the face of God.
He was a kindly gentleman
And not too very loud.
He wore a watch upon his vest
Which gave the time of day.
He looked at it: “The time has come,”
Was all he had to say.
And soon a gentle rainfall
Came from the April sky.
It kissed my wondering up-turned face
And poked me in the eye.
But then a very curious thing
Did happen at my feet.
A tiny flower sprouted up,
All blooming and complete.
It opened up its tiny leaves,
Embracing fast the rain,
And if I ever doubted God –
I never did again.
November 25, 1985
~
Spring
Spring! The vigor of new life soars in my veins!
I am free and alive and wonderful,
Free as the silly sparrow twittering in the tree-top,
Too gaily alive.
Alive as the new-sprung fountain of youth in the riverbed,
Which knows not that it is bound by grassy banks,
But runs down the waterway in a mad race for the finish.
And, wonderful as the tiny petals of a flower,
First opening up to the Father Sun
Like a virgin bride in the marriage bed.
Sun gives new life to the blood,
And blood gives new life to the body,
And the body gives new life to the soul,
Ad infinitum, ad infinitum, ad infinitum.
But every Spring plays its part as a new beginning,
And we never tire of the encore.
1987
~
Robin Red-Breast
When Robin Red-breast comes to town,
All the children dance around,
Clapping hands and stamping feet,
Happy with their little treat!
February 2, 1987
~
Have a wonderful Spring day!
Dawn Pisturino
April 25, 2022
Copyright 1985-2022 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
KILLERS
A killer rampaging a town,
Ran into a carnival clown.
The clown drew a knife
And took that man’s life,
Then started a spree of his own!
July 16, 2011
~
THE WITCH AND THE BURGLAR
A witch riding home on her broom
Spied a burglar trashing her room.
“I’ll get you for this!” she said with a hiss.
His head was soon found in Khartoum.
July 17, 2011
~
AN UPPITY CAT
A cat who liked veggies and cheese,
Refused to eat mouse canapes.
“I just can’t abide that tough, hairy hide.
I’d rather eat onions and peas!”
July 16, 2011
~
LIZZIE BORDEN
When Lizzie got awfully mad,
She hacked up her stepmom and dad.
The ax at her feet, she giggled and bleat,
“Why am I so terribly bad!”
September 26, 2011
~
The Sorcerer from Beijing
A sorcerer born in Beijing,
Found a magical jade dragon ring.
It breathed out green smoke,
Transforming that bloke
To a blood-thirsty cannibal king!
July 14, 2011
~
LIZZIE BORDEN II
When Lizzie got awfully mad,
She hacked up her stepmom and Dad.
Amazed by the mess, she had to confess:
“What a rip-roaring party we had!”
September 27, 2011
~
The Sorcerer from Beijing II
A sorcerer born in Beijing,
Found a magical jade dragon ring.
It breathed out green fire, burning all his attire
Except for one shoe and stocking!
July 7, 2011
~
The Man in Galloway Bay II
A man lost in Galloway Bay,
Cried out in a very loud bray,
“I’m lost in the sea, someone please rescue me!
I’ve been swimming for more than a day!”
July 7, 2011
~
The Old Man from Brazil II
There was an old man from Brazil,
Who ate ‘til he made himself ill.
He gave up the ghost, said good-bye to his host,
And flew home to his house on the hill.
July 7, 2011
~
A Nasty Old Gnome
A nasty old gnome name o’ Bill
Liked to puncture old teeth with a drill.
He gathered some bones from the graveyard he owns,
But that skeleton wouldn’t sit still!
February 5, 2012
~
The Man in Galloway Bay III
A man lost in Galloway Bay,
Cried out in a very loud bray,
“I’m lost in the sea,
Someone please rescue me!
The fishermen think I’m filet!”
July 7, 2011
~
All limericks by:
Dawn Pisturino
March 10, 2022
Copyright 2011-2022 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
Ophelia is Dead
by Dawn Pisturino
Dead! Ophelia is dead!
Her hair bound with daisies,
Gold locks floating free,
She drowned in the river,
Cursing me.
She told me I was ugly,
She pulled my frizzy hair,
She teased me by the water,
And I pushed her there.
Dead! Ophelia is dead!
And I really don’t care.
Dawn Pisturino
February 1, 2012; March 3, 2022
Copyright 2012-2022 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
SPIDERS
A girl who ate spiders for lunch,
Found shiny black widows to munch.
The poison contained in their bodies remained,
Giving that girl quite a punch!
July 12, 2011
~
SPIDER CIDER
A girl who liked spiders inside her,
Washed them down with a very fine cider.
“Two parts cyanide makes them slither and slide,”
She wrote to her secret confider.
July 13, 2011
~
SPIDERS II
A girl who liked spiders to eat,
Found poisonous spiders a treat.
Their sweet-tasting nectar
Began to infect her,
Turning her into dead meat!
July 13, 2011
All limericks by:
Dawn Pisturino
March 2, 2022
Copyright 2011-2022 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
The Sleeping Beauty
Dedicated to my daughter, Ariel Pisturino
Lying there in sweet repose,
Lips as red as any rose,
The Sleeping Beauty rests her head
Upon a gold and velvet bed;
Golden tresses fair displayed
Around the shoulders softly laid,
Be-decked in sequined, jeweled dress,
Her slender hands across her breast.
Fair Maid! — What evil cast you here
To sleep a full one hundred year
Until a Prince with noble pride
Into the castle court should ride
And climb the steeply winding stair
To find a maid with golden hair
Lying on a couch asleep,
Lost in dreaming long and deep,
And drop upon the tender lips
A kiss so pure the magic slips.
And, lo! — the eyelids flutter wide
And see a vision at her side:
A handsome Prince so near and nigh,
The maiden cannot help but sigh
And stretch out pleading hands to him
Who kissed her softly on a whim,
And thanking him with grateful smile,
Requests of him to stay a while.
The Prince proves better than a guest
And presses her against his breast;
Then carries her, swift as the wind,
Upon his horse across the land
To marble castle rising high
Against the purple morning sky.
And when she curtsies to the King,
The Queen presents her with a ring
And crown of jewels sparkling white —
Gifts of softly glowing light —
That bind her to her Prince’s life:
No more a maid! — but now, his wife!
Dawn Pisturino
April 25, 1987/February 10, 2022
Copyright 1987-2022 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
The Queen of Hearts made cherry tarts
On Cupid’s Special Day.
The Knave of Hearts threw out those tarts
And stole the Queen away.
His bow was strong, his arrows sharp,
He drew with deadly force.
His missile pierced the tender heart,
Killing her, of course.
With hungry zeal, he yanked the heart
From Queenie’s bloody chest
And feasted on her royal blood,
Rating it the best!
Dawn Pisturino
December 16, 2011
Copyright 2011-2022 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
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