Poetry for Simple Enjoyment
By Hope Louise Edwards Wills
Series Five


HARRY HOUNDS DAY
By Hope Louise Edwards Wills

Harry Hound was having a busy day.
The farmer’s city cousins were coming to stay.
The farm must look it’s very best,
Until that was accomplished Harry would not rest.
Harry took a walk to see the pasture green.
He said to Bruno Bull, “We’ve got city folks coming so don’t be mean,
Now is the time to be quite and serene.”
Harry saw Henrietta Hen outside the hen house
Being quiet as a mouse.
Harry said,” Henrietta what are you doing and why?”
Henrietta said, “I just gave the girls a lecture
And she did sigh.
So I am listening to hear what they say,
Not that they will get their way.”
Harry said, “The city folks will soon be here
And will stay a while it would appear.”
Harry saw Gary Goat and had to say,
“Gary, don’t get in the trash today!
I don’t want to see the farmer with his rake,
Trying to clean up the mess you make.”
Then Harry saw a strange car
Coming up the lane, from afar.
The city folks sere fascinated by what they did see.
Did they like it? Absolutely!
They thought the pasture was so green
And the bull? He wasn’t mean.
Fannie Farmer showed them the hen house
That was so clean.
Henrietta made sure it was pristine.
The eggs were large, the milk was sweet,
Nothing in the city could compete.
The cows were grazing the pasture green,
That was a most delightful scene.
The farmer looked down at Harry with praise,
“This is Harry Hound, my helping hand these days!”
And Harry was happy. All he could do for a while
Was smile.

HW


JUST A DREAM
By Hope Louise Edwards Wills

Harry Hound was taking a break on this winter day,
Leaning on a nice pile of hay.
All his friends were out and about,
Later he would be too no doubt.
Just then Gilbert and Gussy Goose came by.
Looking lovingly at each other, they told Harry, “We came for a visit just to say Hi”
Gussy said, “We just came from seeing dear
Henrietta and those sweet girls of hers.
We also saw Gray Goat and he is so happy the trash thawed out.
I worry so much the poor boy will get the gout.
And we were invited to dine with Paula Pig who is serving her scrumptious stew.
She said for us to invite you too.”
Tom Turkey and Pom (the pup) were sliding down the hill.
Gussy said, “They asked me to slide and I think I will.”
Gilbert said, “Well Gussy, my love, we’re having quite a day.”
“We certainly are, and Harry,” said Gussy “meet us later at Paula’s. What do you say?”
“Yes, I’ll be there,” said Harry waking up from his dream.
Outside Harry heard Gussy hissing shrilly at Gilbert and so it would seem,
Life on the farm hadn’t changed at all
And Gussy would keep it from being dull.
But Harry thought it was nice to have had a dream
About a nice Gussy who wasn’t so mean.

HW


READY FOR FALL IN THE FARMHOUSE
By Hope Louise Edwards Wills

Summer was winding down. It was almost fall.
Fall on the farm was never dull.
The farmhouse was in a real tizzy.
Fruits and veggies to can kept Fannie Farmer slightly dizzy.
Some things would be frozen as well,
Warm peach pie was a favorite of the Farmer in the Dell.
On a cold winter night he would ask, oh so nice,
For just another little slice.
Fannie thought blueberry crunch cake was just right
For a cold winter night.
And a pot of green beans with ham always tasted great,
After working in a cold barn till late.
The apples would soon be ready to pick,
But don’t eat them green, they might make you sick.
Apple pie cobbler, dumplings, sauce, butter and more,
Is what Fanny thought as she opened the cellar door.
Apples, potatoes, turnips and squash, what a sight.
And so good when fixed just right.
 Fall was coming to the barnyard, too.
The leaves would soon be a lovely hue.
 The barn loft would be filled with hay,
And the temperature would be dropping any day.
The animals were getting ready for snow and ice,
But were dreaming of springtime. Oh, so nice.

HW


READY FOR FALL IN THE FARMYARD
By Hope Louise Edwards Wills

Harry Hound sniffed the air and he did say,
“Yes, I can smell fall on its way.
The crops ripening in the field,
And my master hoping for a good yield.”
Henrietta Hen came rustling by,
“A busy time, Harry, my oh my.
The hen house needs a good cleaning before winter sets in.
The girls cleaned it once, but I’ll have to do it all over again.”
Gary Goat came by and said, “I’m so bored.
I stopped by the kitchen for a snack but I was ignored.”
Harry said, “Gary those folks in the kitchen are busy, so leave them alone.”
He said this in a no-nonsense tone.
Gary looked at Harry and said,
“Oh, all right but you know I don’t sleep at night if I’m not fed.”
Paula Pig was walking by,
“Oh come on Gary,” she said with a sigh.
“I’ll heat up my veggie stew,
And Harry, you might as well come, too.”
Gussy goose passed by and Paula said, “Gussy would you
Like some of my veggie stew?”
Gussy said, “Your stew? I think not!
I would just as soon eat snot.”
But Paula knew what Gussy was like.
She said “Gussy, you go take a hike.”
It could be winter, spring, summer or fall
But the animals had not changed. No, not at all.

HW


THOMAS TURKEY
By Hope Louise Edwards Wills

Thomas Turkey wasn’t worried about Thanksgiving.
He knew that his time was not up. He would be living.
After all, he was a pet on the farm,
And none of the animals ever came to harm.
So he spent his days strutting around
And he would talk to Harry Hound.
Sometimes the house pup would chase him here and there,
But Thomas really didn’t care.
The Pup was just having fun
And Thomas kind of liked to run.
Henrietta Hen was always entertaining.
She would never stop complaining.
The girls were lazy. They would not clean.
So Henrietta always made a scene.
And when he was in the mood for a treat,
Paula Pig always had something good to eat.
Bruno Bull had interesting tales to tell
About the Farmer in the Dell.
As for Thomas, it was a given,
That he enjoyed the life he was livin’.

HW