Poems and Their Parodies

I find these types of things quite funny.

Trees
Joyce Kilmer

I think that I shall never see
A poem as lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

~

Poet-tree
Earle Birney

i fear that i shall never make
a poem slippier than a snake
or oozing with as fine a juice
as runs in girls or even spruce
no i wont make now nor later
pnomes as luverlee as pertaters
trees is made by fauns or satyrs
but only taters make pertaters
& trees is grown by sun from sod
so are the sods who need a god
but poettrees lack any clue
they just need me & maybe you

~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~

This Is Just to Say
William Carlos Williams

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

~

This Is Just to Say
Erica-Lynn Gambino

(for William Carlos Williams)

I have just
asked you to
get out of my
apartment

even though
you never thought
I would

Forgive me
you were
driving
me insane

This entry was posted in Poetry.

One thought on “Poems and Their Parodies

  1. Or there’s the Ogden Nash version:

    I think that I shall never see
    A billboard lovely as a tree

    Indeed, unless the billboards fall,
    I’ll never see a tree at all.

    I think that poem parodies both funny and serious are a great way for budding writers to practice poetry and get the feel for a meter.

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