The Bright Red Rubber Band

[Stephen Whiteside]

The Bright Red Rubber Band

I saw a bright red rubber band upon the path today.
In fact, now that I think, I also saw it yesterday.
I'm pretty sure the day before I also saw it there.
For three days - maybe more - it's been subjected to the wear
Of the sun and of the rain, and of the rough, uncaring wind.
At last today I picked it up, and made sure it was binned.
It likely fell when I had gone to get my daily mail.
(I mostly keep these rubber bands. There's times, alas, I fail,
And so, it seems, on this occasion, that is what I did.
Well, now it's in the rubbish bin, with firmly fastened lid.)
Now, you might say, why write some verse about a rubber band?
Why bother that the couplets rhymed, and also that they scanned?
No one cares about a rubber band that's on the ground,
And whether it's forgotten, if it's lost, or if it's found,
Especially, if anyway, it ends up in the bin.
To occupy a reader in this way is just a sin.
I really cannot argue. This is all I have to say.
You do not have to read this. You can always turn away.
With luck, indeed, that's what you've done. I do not ask for more.
The writing is a bit of fun. The reading is a bore.
The poet should be dragged outside, be gagged and bound, then shot.
Again, I cannot argue, but I rather hope I'm not.

Stephen Whiteside 11.09.2014

[Neville Briggs]

Well , Yes...and...No. I think ??

[Stephen Whiteside]

Thanks for the reprieve, Neville. You are a true gentleman, and I am a lucky man.

[Terry]

Hi Stephen

If it comes to that why write about anything?
Except as you for fun and your own enjoyment,
what better reason than that could you have.

Terry

[Stephen Whiteside]

True enough. Thanks, Terry.

[Maureen K Clifford]

Well I liked the quirkiness and the way it bounced along . I could have read something else but then I would have missed the fun

[Stephen Whiteside]

Thanks, Maureen.

[Maureen K Clifford]

I shared it over to our FB page as well and 63 people like it there so it can't be all bad Stephen

[Stephen Whiteside]

Wow! OK...

[Shelley Hansen]

Hi Stephen -
I was one of those 63 people who liked the poem on the Facebook page! Like Maureen, I love its quirkiness and it just proves that readable and enjoyable poems don't have to be on profound subjects! As we all know, we can write about anything (and often do!) I'll never look at a rubber band on the ground in quite the same way again
Cheers, Shelley