The Fool and Three Wishes
Author: Bill Roberts
The Fool was having trouble sleeping,
which wasn’t normal for a fool.
But the Fool had done a good deed that day,
whisking a dog from the path of a car.
The dog, more foolish even than the Fool,
ran off to play, the way stray dogs do.
This night, the Fool tossed and turned
recalling the close call with the dog.
In the midst of his sleeplessness,
a Voice whispered in the Fool’s ear:
Oh, Fool, for your good deed
you may have three wishes.
The Fool sat bolt upright,
not believing his ears.
Again, the Voice whispered to him:
Fool, you may have three wishes.
Being a fool, the Fool covered his ears
and screamed, “For one, shut up!”
The Voice, offended, spoke not again.
The Fool lay back down, contented.
But the Fool tossed and turned all night,
lamenting that he was such a fool.
Note: I wrote this poem some time ago, trying to gain momentum to write something – anything! – for children, which is not my knack. This is what happened. I’d be interested to know what you think….even if you think I’m a fool!
December 31st, 2009 at 7:38 am
A fool and his wishes are soon parted. Is there a misstep in the fool’s contentment and lamentation?