To the Unborn Child
Your father and I tried to make the best decision;
It was in your best interest, from our vision,
To place you back into the hands of God.
We could not give you what you needed,
Even though love from both families would have proceeded,
But we feared a possible, painful neglect.
We both know you are in a better place,
With God’s smiling face,
The reassurance in the situation.
There are twinges of guilt and remorse,
For we’ll never see your face on this course.
Please forgive us,
We had to hand you over, unexpected.
What Went Down in '69
It all began at Alice’s Restaurant,
With two cats by the name of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
They tried to Carry on Camping,
But some damn fool insisted on screaming Death Rides a Horse.
Upon meeting Easy Rider on their journey,
Proclaimed that Frankenstein Must be Destroyed,
(Who was fit to be tied over Godzilla’s Revenge)
Because the chump took him Hook, Line, and Sinker,
Over some far out Italian Job.
Then John and Mary came along,
Both pining over some Katzelmacher,
Having met him Last Summer.
He was a Midnight Cowboy they kept crowing about,
Who claimed to be On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
The two freaks went on about how he said he’d Paint Your Wagon,
But apparently the Rascal didn’t have the balls,
Because he was a Sterile Cuckoo.
Finally, Butch and Sundance (minds totally blown),
Screamed Take the Money and Run,
Seeing as how they were Undefeated.
Fleeing to The Valley of Gwangi,
Where Eagles Dare,
They decided to catch a Z or two.
~Erin Tesseneer
2010
Selected Haikus
❧ The senses tingle/
The kettle sounds its alarm/
Some afternoon tea.
❧ The coffee is hot/
Books, papers, pencils piled high/
The semester’s end.
❧ Faces painted bright/
His voice carries on the wind/
The Madcap laughs on.
❧ A grey winter’s day/
Hundreds of screaming young girls/
British Invasion.
❧ In the cold winter/
The Band of Brothers fight hard/
The starkness of war.
~Erin Tesseneer
