This Poem was Submitted By: marilyn terwilleger On Date: 2005-09-07 14:57:11 . . . Click Here To Mail this Poem to a Friend!

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I Am Fred Chapter V

"Where is the elf named Fred?"  I said. "With his jaunty hat and suit of red." "Long ago he left in search of his beloved, the wee sprite mostly bowlegged." I walked across my lovely garden bed and much to my surprise I spied the elf named Fred, he was leaning his head upon the garden shed. "There ye are, milady, I am Fred," he said. "Where have you been, dear Fred?"  I said. "Searching far and wide for me sprite," he said. "Did you find her, are you now contented?" "I found her, milady, but I am most dead!" "Most dead," I cried, "did she assault you Fred?" "Nay, milady, not me sprite twas Mr. Toad," he said. "Why did Mr. Toad prefer you dead?"  I said. "He wants to wed me sprite, but I am Fred," he said. "What ever shall you do?"  "I am confounded," I said. "I must bump him off, I am Fred," he said. "When will you do that?"  "I am astounded!" "As soon as this lump is gone from me head," he said. "Remember I am Fred with me jaunty hat and suit of red."

Copyright © September 2005 marilyn terwilleger

Additional Notes:
For those of you who never read about Fred and his antics the other four chapters are posted here.


This Poem was Critiqued By: arnie s WACHMAN On Date: 2005-10-01 15:42:21
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.64516
Another one of your jaunty delicious tales of Fred, but I fear and dread Fred for he may yet succumb to another blow to his head which will make him dead....


This Poem was Critiqued By: Troy D Skroch On Date: 2005-09-28 22:20:07
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
LOL! Fred better watch out or he will be dead. Mr. Toad has a whip for a tongue and a purse with a gun. MT, whatever shall we do with you! Writing about sprites and elves and abusive frogs. Is this something that you are writing for your grandchillin'? I like the repletion of "but I am Fred." He just won't give up on it. Like it means something or he's trying to tell us something of world wide importance. And coming from an elf in a "jaunty hat and suit of red," somebody better listen up if for no other reason than "I am Fred!" LOL! I don't know what to think. Love it, it's fun!!! And with your rhyme in my head I'm off to bed, T
This Poem was Critiqued By: Gerard A Geiger On Date: 2005-09-14 11:07:27
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Dear Marilyn; I have not read your other chapters about fred. I imagine you are writing a children's story with this simple verse and rhyme scheme. It is attractive and will appeal to a less mature audience than we usually encounter here at the Poetic link. I applaud your effort Marilyn....and am sorry that I cannot offer any suggestions for improvement. Thank you for offering me the opportunity to read this work...and I will try to get to the other 4 chapters, before I can comment more fully. Always your friend, Gerard
This Poem was Critiqued By: Joanne M Uppendahl On Date: 2005-09-10 09:41:42
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Marilyn: Playful Fred is most welcomed on this rainy, grey Saturday here in the PNW! And Chapter V is as lively as your other installments. Fred seems to have continued on with his mysterious life, in the interim since we last heard of his exploits. Wouldn’t it be amazing, though, to learn of the secret lives of statues, other ‘seemingly’ inanimate objects which populate our gardens and homes? In my yard there is a giant dragonfly, a statue of St Francis, and one of Our Lady. Then there is a reading fairy candleholder, an assortment of angels of every variety, and such winged creatures. If they have lives as colorful and piquant as your elf, it would seem a shame for me not to have been their amanuensis, as you have been for Fred. But to your poem: "Where is the elf named Fred?" I said. "With his jaunty hat and suit of red." "Long ago he left in search of his beloved, the wee sprite mostly bowlegged." I’m very curious about who is responding to the speaker’s query, above. It sounds like an omniscient voice, perhaps the Queen of the Faeries? This brings a smile, as Fred seems ill-suited to the somewhat fragile beauty of a delicate fairy or nymph. Perhaps “wee sprite” is also of the elf species, since she’s bowlegged. I walked across my lovely garden bed and much to my surprise I spied the elf named Fred, he was leaning his head upon the garden shed. "There ye are, milady, I am Fred," he said. Fred seems to have been awaiting your approach. Your approach to Fred seems tied to your appreciation of your lovely garden. There is an intimacy to a garden that allows for the lowering of the thresholds of perception, if you take my meaning. Especially at dawn and twilight, according to legend. "Where have you been, dear Fred?" I said. "Searching far and wide for me sprite," he said. "Did you find her, are you now contented?" "I found her, milady, but I am most dead!" Poor Fred! I like the way you make “contented” past tense as it keeps the rhyme very plosive ‘d’ – a kind of dull, earthy sound in keeping with Fred’s rather blunt mien. "Most dead," I cried, "did she assault you Fred?" "Nay, milady, not me sprite (--) (‘twas) Mr. Toad," he said. –maybe an em dash & apostrophe here? "Why did Mr. Toad prefer you dead?" I said. "He wants to wed me sprite, but I am Fred," he said. What a shocking idea! Mr. Toad, fancying himself as marriage material for a sprite! I can see Fred’s outrage. "What ever shall you do? I am confounded," I said. –maybe eliminate the two middle quotation marks, here, and below – "I must bump him off, I am Fred," he said. "When will you do that? I am astounded!" "As soon as this lump is gone from me head," he said. Mr. Toad must have given Fred and awful blow! But Fred seems undeterred to his purpose of finding and wedding his beloved sprite. May all of the garden inhabitants aid him in his endeavor. "Remember I am Fred with me jaunty hat and suit of red." I remember him well, and send him, through you, amanuensis, my every good wish for success and marital fealty. Do please keep us informed. I am ready for Chapter VI! Applause! for Fred’s bravery! Boo! for Mr. Toad’s knavery! All my best, Joanne
This Poem was Critiqued By: Lora Silvey On Date: 2005-09-09 00:31:27
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Ah Marilyn, Toothache and all and you still came up with this delightful epoloque, I love it. It is well structured and the easy flow makes it a pleasant read. Your verbiage is colorful and you drew me in with your conversatons. Thank you for the respite I so desperately needed this evening. I will now have to go in search of it's precursors, I can't wait for the sequel. Hope your on the mend. God Bless. Lora
This Poem was Critiqued By: Turner Lee Williams On Date: 2005-09-07 22:38:41
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.80000
Marilyn--Glad to see another installment in the "...Fred on-going saga. And, it was only a matter of time before Fred would become agitated enough to take his frustrations to the next level: this man has been pushed to the brink of no return by his fickle woman's infidelities with her numerous and bold suitors-smile. Excellent continuity with previous sequels; satirical/humorous treatment of an age old story:"the fight for love and glory." Entertaining with deliberate and well con- ceived continuation. I can hardly wait for the next episode-smile. TLW
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