VOODOO DOLL

 

Is it fair to prick my heart with arrows and sticks?

When I pick only love charms for thine

Sweet and soft pooka teddy bear brown

Don’t be so cruel

Why do you growl and whine all the time

Whilst I suffer and whimper

Being a poor little voodoo waif doll

That like a crowbar

Opens boxes with surprises

And like a trowel

Buries the hatchet and bones

So be fair my love

So many teddies here in the toy room cupboard

Frown instead of smile

When they see my tar-smeared face

Amongst fudge-faced teddy clowns

Pandas and polar bears

Way back in north Antarctica

Stands nearby a wilted shy poppy of disgrace

A discarded voodoo doll!

O blimey me!

 

When you said you’d steal

A honey hive

From singing bees

But instead of me

You gifted a spoonful

To Marie Fleur

A walkie-talkie dolly

With pink rosy cheeks

And golden curly locks

Why not me

Your voodoo doll

With scars on my face

A patchwork tattered frock

Good grace! Don’t you ever like beggar maids?

 

Why the marching soldier

From Kathleen’s toy treasure chest

Marched right up to my

Hanging ornament

And declared a truce for war

Just seeing my pretty riddled face

With black sooty tar

Maybe he thought I was a flag post of “Victory”

That a steam engine way past chugged

Emitted black smoke and black clouds of puff

For a ragamuffin star

Of a battle-field

That before it commenced into a bloody war

Its armies and sergeants

 Right at its frontiers

Ceased bombardments and firing

All because of me

A barricade to animosity

Wretched me!

At least I stood for the truth

Amidst cruelty

 

Even the jack-in-the-box

Awoke right from his box

As he scared me right out of my wits

By pulling my threadbare wig

Just because some matted strand

Dreadlocks unfortunately stood out

Like the hundred legs of a centipede

In a funny manner sprouted out here and there

As if it were pulled out

By an unruly scallywag

 

Even the horse champion Benny

I used to talk so much about

Thought I was a scullion maid

And refused to eat barley and sugar cubes

I’d keep especially for the happy crook

Now he grimaced

And looked so full of disgust

It just made me feel like a rebellious urchin

A child wanting some affection and love

Hope one-day Voodoo doll

Rides her horse to the moon

A wish she made

A boon for many wayside travelers

If wishes were horses

Horse Benny would I fly upon

 

What about golliwog Gump

Golly me he was my only chum

He’d never hurt a fly

So how could he ever treat me badly?

He made me a huge plum cake

And frosting with stars, moons, and snowflakes

Oh how I ate every crumb

He dished out

A shy wilted flower……

His dear Marigold!

He kept me like a treasure trove

Not even robbers could steal

He guarded me with love and ardours full of zeal

For he thought I looked supreme

His Pollyanna Voodoo flower doll shines strong

I even smelt like one “Toxopneustes roseus”

He gifted me the best sea urchin rose perfume

He named

“Sunset waif of seaside surf station”

 

I filled with sheer delight

A thorn amongst the blossoms

Stood up to the cold and windy night

For he lit me candles with matches

To keep me warm

No more did I feel like a Voodoo doll

Selling matchsticks in matchboxes

For there were bright candles all around

The sand castle where

That poker-faced golliwog Gump

Lit up my towering fortress strong

Whilst tender nit witted me

Delighted in his warm and loving companionship

Strong brawny sooty golliwog

Even bartered his shoes

To make me a bed full of roses

I even had a seashell telephone

Now I sea urchin voodoo doll

Lived like a queen

With my golliwog lord Gump

Supremely in our peninsula

Surrounded by the Arabian Sea!