I attend a writing class. We meet in the very chilly basement of the Amnesty Bookshop, after closing, once a week. Surrounded by stacks of books with improbable titles we read out our work and thrash out ideas. The group is led by a local author and playwright who sets us weekly “homework” to inspire our writing.
Once a term it’s poetry. I’m rubbish at poetry. Love reading it but can’t write it so I always do something daft. This terms poetry homework we were given one line from a song and had to use that as the inspiration and first line of our poem.
I’m going to let you suffer; here is my poem.
A Small Life
The beast in me is caged by frail and fragile bars
And I want to reach through them and touch the stars
But I’m only a hamster and I don’t know what stars are
Can you eat them?
The beast in me is run ragged on the wheel
And I race around with such passion and zeal
But I’m only a hamster is zeal a meal?
I hope so.
The beast in me whirls around in a plastic ball
That spins down the stairs at the end of the hall
I’m only a hamster is this my all?
Probably.
A frail and fragile hamster
Extra points if you can name the song and artist.
Ziggy Shortcrust 
Wooooo love it…. the words and the wonderful hamster.. nice work !
Aw, thank you.
Enjoyed 🙂
Thank you 🙂
Wonderful depiction of hamsterness! Especially “I don’t know what stars are / Can you eat them?” and the flummoxed expression on your hamster’s face – I can almost see its whiskers twitching while it ponders your questions.
I’ve had two hamsters in my life and they were always sitting up on their little haunches pondering life.
The poem touched me. I relate to the hamster. I also loved the drawing.
I know what you mean. And thank you.
Loved your poem, Ziggy. I have been feeling that way lately, so it really spoke to me. I had to Google who wrote the line–looks like Johnny Cash. He was a musical god! Keep writing and illustrating, and I’ll do the same–to shoot those hamsters right up to the stars : )
Yes let’s 🙂 and a Brownie point for Johnny Cash.
loving the Hampster, he’s real cute 🙂
Aw thanks.
Well that poem deserves praise, you entertained, delighted and carried out the assignment, plus it rhymes.
Good image of the hamster too. Well done!
Thank you so much. That is so kind.