humpty dumpty
by dinaz rogers
On a very high wall
nice and tall
sat Humpty Dumpty
painted up like a doll;
poor egg … a sight
it looked a fright.
Cheeks: two dots of pink
Eyes: in deep-black ink
Lips: all blue
one black felt shoe
other a bright ecru.
Then came
all the
King’s horses
and all the King’s men
who stood as guards
lest Humpty fell
and broke in shards.
‘Cause Humpty without:
health coverage, catastrophic illness,
life, or accident insurance…
could sue the royal wall-builder.
Poets, painters,
printers, social workers
even doctors and nurses
wondered out loud
opined and debated,
then one spoke:
“What would happen to Humpty
if he fell and broke?”
A philosopher declared if he fell
it was so fated.
The artist assailed Dumpty’s face
garishly painted.
The chef thought: a thousand ways
once he was cracked
Humpty be transformed
into omelets, quiche or cake?
Aah, the possibilities to be tried
poached, baked, scrambled or fried?
Then along came a publisher …
Saw a big sale in this tale
of that unbroken shell on the wall,
dismissing all the King’s horses
and all the King’s men,
he opened a book …
the egg fell in — look
un-splattered
and became
in the fullness of time
a favorite children’s
nursery rhyme.