I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said... (I couldn't comprehend his speech;
he spoke a tongue I didn't understand.
It might have meant "a statue's on a beach"—
at least, he let me see vacation snaps
and there was quite a lot of sand about
and one old statue, African perhaps,
or Indian, I'm in a bit of doubt.)
So anyway, I saw the statue's face:
its nose was crinkled, like a lord who sniffs.
And then there was some writing on the base;
I couldn't read it.  It was hieroglyphs.
It all seems kind of strange, and far away,
but must have had some meaning in its day.

Hi Thomas, i am moving this to workshop as i believe this needs more work. the voice, rhymes, content seems rough here for me

Maybe the poem could be titled Ozzy Manders."  Just kidding.  Loverly modernization.

Rick

pokes some nice fun, Thomas. Enjoyed it. Tom

I'm moving this to Submit.

Rick

Great picture of just how much I sometimes don't get something said, seen, or touched -- yet the thing is, or was, and I'm left a question mark, wondering.

Much enjoyed.

ld

Why not cut "So anyway," Thomas. It strikes me as empty syllables, and that shortened line might have some power to it. Tom

And we keep coming back to it!

i loved 'a lord that sniffs'.

tiko

It just gave me a perverse pleasure to bring in the volta right on the ninth line with something as offhand as "So anyway". :)

Reading this again, with pleasure.