Morning in a Toon Town (A Poem)

By Joyce Jacobo

[Author’s Note: A fun experiment involving cartoons.]

This morning the hen atop my bedside clock

    (hens are much more sensitive to sleepers than roosters)

    clucked until I kicked off the bedsheets

    and then she offered me an egg for breakfast

To change into regular clothes was a snap—

       a simple matter of a scene transition

   but I will admit that my closet contains

       nothing except identical outfits

         (to remain on-model is important for a toon)

Outside the sun winked and gave me his best wishes

     while in his yard my neighbor (a flamingo) instructed

     his hired lawn gnomes where to stand as guards

           over his flowerbed filled with sunflowers

                which liked to dance for passersby

The paperboy was a dalmatian pup

      who broke windows with every flung newspaper

      and caused many grievous shouts from grumpy residents

A cow dressed in a crisp white uniform

      delivered glass bottles of milk to each doorstep

      aided by her four plump calves dressed in overalls

I even saw the town constable stride past

      massive and proud in his unblemished uniform

      a true tomcat on the prowl through his territory

                 (he has a whistle that dangles on a string around his neck)

This whole place used to bounce about in grayish hues

               (back in the rubber hose days)

    but now it comes in so many hues

    rainbows stay away out of jealousy

Just another morning in my hometown…

      another morning in a toon town