The Cure
by Ginger Andrews
Lying around all day
with some strange new deep blue
weekend funk, I'm not really asleep
when my sister calls
to say she's just hung up
from talking with Aunt Bertha
who is 89 and ill but managing
to take care of Uncle Frank
who is completely bed ridden.
Aunt Bert says
it's snowing there in Arkansas,
on Catfish Lane, and she hasn't been
able to walk out to their mailbox.
She's been suffering
from a bad case of the mulleygrubs.
The cure for the mulleygrubs,
she tells my sister,
is to get up and bake a cake.
If that doesn't do it, put on a red dress.
I think most readers will figure out what "the mulleygrubs" is from the context, but, if you'd like to learn more about the word, click here. It's the perfect word for this poem, and isn't a red dress the perfect cure? I love this poem, it is so down-to-earth!Now go have a piece of cake, then visit your favorite Book Aunt, Kate, for the Poetry Friday Round-Up.
Photo courtesy Huzzah Vintage.
I will try this cure next time I get the mulleygrubs (which seems to happen around Feb. 1 each year in Seattle!) That's a perfect red dress, Diane.
ReplyDeleteWhat a perfect new (to me) word! I can't wait to use it. I'll remember the cure, too - cake and a red dress. Thanks, Diane!
ReplyDeletePS - My word verification was "undrug" - that just kind of seemed to go with the post.
ReplyDeleteI recalled this sculptor friend of mine who mentioned that if he can't make his sculpture big, he'd paint it red. :) Lovely poem.
ReplyDeleteYou're quite right-big smile. I shall use the word 'mulleygrubs' often from now on & remember not to whine too much, remembering Aunt Bertha.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone, I was kind of hoping everyone liked it as much as I did!
ReplyDeleteHA! It worked! I got to the end of the poem and laughed out loud!! (and also vowed to be like Aunt Bertha)
ReplyDeleteGreat poem, Diane! I'll try to remember "The Cure" but I'll have to get a red dress into my closet. Love the word 'mulleygrubs'.
ReplyDeleteLove it! (Though with a seasonal job at Target, a red dress doesn't hold much appeal at the moment:>)
ReplyDelete