Jed Henry Illustration: November 2010

2010/11/30

A Prototype for Midge and Sprout: Midge and Grandy

I've been writing about fairies for almost a year now. Much longer than any grown man should, probably. Way back in March, I wrote this poem. I realized Midge was a keeper, but I should swap Grandy out for a different character, and that's when Sprout was born.

In picture books, anything in meter is a hard sell. So this little poem will probably never see the light of day. I'm still proud it, though.

Midge and Grandy

Midge loved to skitter-scamp through the trees,
and flip-flop with hoppers,
and tumble with bumbles,
glint and glimmer on the breeze.
Roaming, rambling,
briar brambling,
everyday, wherever she pleased.

But today Midge was silent, sitting alone,
garden-gate watching,
hoping and waiting
for Great, Great Grandy-lion to visit her home.
Sweet-tooth candy-lion,
fix-it handy-lion,
soon would be here, happy old gnome.

Midge drowsy-dreamed of the games they'd play -
swimming with ribbits
and pond polly-woggles.
Flip and flitter all the day.
Eating jam-raspies and tickling spikkles
Grandy, come soon, she hoped and prayed.

But when Great, Great Grandy-lion finally came,
he slumped on a stump,
and whittled a twig -
wild old sprite now tired and tame.
Bow-bent banty-lion,
Achy, shaky shanty-lion,
wrinkled and crinkled, not the same.

Climbing on Grandy, Midge started to plead,
Let's fly with the flutters,
and swing with the swoops,
get muddy and mossy, and lost in the weeds!
Holly-tree thumping,
mushy-room jumping,
mulberry mustaches, sunflower seeds!

But Great, Great Grandy-lion came a long way,
and his back was bowed,
and his knees did creak –
teetering, tottering, stagger and sway.
Slowly easing,
windy wheezing,
weary old gnome, so grizzled and gray.

(Illustration: Midge sits disappointed, her plans ruined. Grandy notices her sadness.)

Then Grandy sat up, and began to recite
wild-eyed stories
of long-ago glories,
when he was a midge, a wee little sprite.
Light-haired sandy-lion,
clean-cut dandy-lion -
out for adventure, bold and bright!

(Illustration: Grandy gets more and more animated as he tells his story.)

Once-upon-times of back-in-the-day,
wrestling worm-teeth,
and battling beasts,
seeking out danger, predator's prey.
Badgers and bounders,
skinners and skulkers -
never once losing, never, no nay!

(Illustration: Grandy is now up on his feet, gesturing energetically, forgetting his age.)

Then Grandy and Midge, as spry as sprouts,
stoutly striding,
glassy gliding,
jumped from the stump, and skittered out
to fly with the flutters,
and swing with the swoops,
get muddy and mossy, and scumble about.

They played all the games from Midge's dream -
holly-tree thumping,
and mushy-room jumping,
mulberry mustaches, buttercup cream.
Badgers and bounders,
skinners and skulkers -
spied them all, but never seen.

They lay on the stump in a giggly heap,
Midge snuggling,
Grandy huggling -
hearing the first of the crickets' chir-eep.
Tummies grumbling,
homeward stumbling,
Midge curled up, already asleep.