Sometimes my friends post things on Facebook that are just begging for a response in verse.

Frost

Prompt:

This road, it did not lead exactly where I thought it led.

[...]

Actual road. I took a few of the unofficial trails that cut through the woods between the various office parks around here looking for the coffee shop and ended up one cul-de-sac further north than I wanted. This was an ultimately rectifiable mistake, I got my coffee, and had a beautiful walk.

[...]

The guys smoking on that loading dock were pretty surprised to see me emerge from the woods so I'm guessing they don't get too many passers-through.

Response:

Cream and Sugar Not Taken

Two trails split off past the office park, And sorry I could not go both ways In the time allowed for a coffee break - So the cruel reward for a path mistake Was to finish the day in a drowsy haze -

I looked down one as long as I could, And it seemed quite straight and kept up well, But it veered before I thought it should, So I picked the other, what the hell, It looked about right, though I couldn't quite tell Its course, since it passed right through the wood.

On the trail I took I found that soon The overgrowth cast shadows black. Oh, I lost a good part of the afternoon Winding around, and not too soon I found myself in a cul-de-sac.

Two stevedores smoking, both jaded guys, When I emerged from the woods that day, Betrayed their sudden frank surprise, Which I could read in those veteran eyes, And told me the coffeeshop wasn't that way.

I backtracked doubletime to the fork, To rectify my first mistake, And by the end of my coffee break, I'd bought my coffee and come back to work.

Beatles

Prompt:

Downtown, Bethesda, Maryland.

Waiting for the Tripper Bus

Response:

This is the season, affordable routes out of town This is the season, affordable routes out of town, now

She rides a Bus Tripper, one way ticket, yeah It took me so long to find out, and I found out

She's in Bethesda, she's waiting for her bus there She's in Bethesda, she's waiting for her bus there, now

She rides a Bus Tripper, one way ticket, yeah It took me so long to find out, and I found out

Sesame

Prompt:

 Light purple cummerbund You know you're my only one Don't need no date to the prom When I've got a light purple cummerbund on

Response:

Light-purple cummerbund, you're the one You make black-tie lots of fun Light-purple cummerbund, I'm awfully fond of you.

Bo-Bo-Bo-Be-Do

Light-purple cummerbund, smile of smiles Your color can be seen for miles Light-purple cummerbund, you're my very best bund, it's true.

Doo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Be

Every day when I make my way to the gala I find a little waist-sash who makes me the dapperest fella. Light-purple a-durple cummerbund

Light-purple cummerbund, you're the one You make black-tie lots of fun Light-purple cummerbund, I'm awfully fond of you.

Frost 2

Prompt 1:

Off to go cross-country skiing on a frozen lake.

Response 1:

My facebook friends will think it dope To ski where there is not a slope Upon a flat and frozen lake Whose fish have long abandoned hope.

Prompt 2:

Finger Lake: skiid across. In a snowstorm.

Response 2:

The sky astorm, the air asnow, By ski is how I wish to go. No one would find me should I fall Until the spring sun's melting glow.

Perhaps it seems bizarre to all, but since my car is light and small I harnessed it to pull my rope, Ghost-skied the whip, no work at all.

My Facebook friends will think it dope To ski where there is not a slope Upon a flat and frozen lake Whose fish have long abandoned hope.

My cold and weary hands will shake If I ride long without a break. I must reach land, or ice, though deep, under my small car's weight will break.

The lake is lovely, dark, and deep, but I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.