Here in the hundred-acre wood
lots of honey-colored pathways
we don’t eat, but only taste.
Owl, a little black raincloud,
says, “Tut it looks like rain!”
Afraid of Heffalumps and Woozles,
germs lurking past curfew.
Oh bother, a nightmare brigade
under foggy, crescent lampshade.


It’s d’Verse’s Quadrille night and De Jackson (aka WhimsyGizmo) asks us to consider the world “bother” in a poem of exactly 44 words. It was impossible for me not remember this episode of Winnie the Pooh that frightened me greatly as a child and fear of germs and curfews here now that I imagine make the park a spooky place in the late evenings.

37 responses to “Confuzzle-Quadrille #126”

  1. sanaarizvi Avatar
    sanaarizvi

    Some incredible wordsmithing here 😀 I love; “Afraid of Heffalumps and Woozles lurking past curfew. Oh bother, a nightmare brigade.”💝💝

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you very much. Couldn’t not do Pooh. I just told a friend earlier today the English Garden here is so much like the hundred acre wood.

      Liked by 1 person

  2. energizer31415 Avatar
    energizer31415

    Well penned.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you. 🙂

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  3. oh, this is just charming. So whimsical.

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    1. Thank you. I’m so glad you fancied it.

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  4. For a bear of very little brain, Pooh stories always delight and instruct in the most pleasant way.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I agree. Always loved the series and also found Pooh very profound. Thanks, Lisa.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Very cool true story: when my kids and I used to take long bike rides, there was a very neat iron bridge going over a small branch of the local river where the current was pretty slow. It was a favorite stopping place because we often saw some form of life or another in or along the banks. Sometimes we played pooh sticks there. I hope one day to be able to take my new granddaughter out there to play it.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. That sounds magical. We love the park. It is a gigantic fantasy land to the children. Every time we find something new. My son just is just finding his bike balance; it’s all very exiting as we can now all bike together. Here’s to the memories that lie ahead.

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      3. Awwww biking together is so much fun and enjoyment.

        Liked by 2 people

  5. Excellent as always.❤️

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    1. Thank you so much, Grace. It was good to walk down memory lane with this one.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. My pleasure.Truly enjoyed it.❤️💕

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Actually brilliant. Seriously. I mean… I love Winnie the Pooh so I’m slightly biased…. but still!


    David

    Liked by 2 people

    1. It reminded me I should share my joy of Pooh with my two littles. Was just looking for an illustrated picture book for them this morning. Thank you very much, David.

      Liked by 1 person

  7. This is so beautiful! The honey pathways you can only taste completely captured my heart. Just gorgeous all round.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you. I love how Pooh says today is the best day and just encourages us to be thoughtful creatures. 🙂

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  8. Oh Poohtiful work indeed!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hehe, yes, Poohisms abound but still couldn’t resist. I call the park here the hundred-acre wood and looks just as I’d always imagined as a child.

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  9. How imaginative. I love this confuzzle poem.

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    1. Thank you kindly, Grace. It was fun to write yesterday evening.

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  10. I love this… especially the germs hanging around past curfew! Everyone’s fear!

    Liked by 1 person

  11. A wonderful flight of fancy that I think Milne would have smiled at!

    Liked by 1 person

  12. A beautiful evocation of a storybook world. My little one is a big Pooh fan!

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    1. Thank you, Ingrid. This quadrille reminded me that I should share Pooh more with my two littles.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Sure to enchant them! I love sharing my favourite childhood stories 😊

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Yes, both of my children love Eloise. Have you read any of her stories? She’s six and just such a fun character.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. No, who is that by?

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      4. Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight, respectively. Wow, didn’t realize how old of a story it was.

        Liked by 1 person

      5. I will look out for that, thanks!

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  13. Heffalumps and Woozles alike, love your quadrille! That includes Helen Heffalump!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ha! Thank you very much, Helen. It was most frightening as a child, these morphing creatures. Now, they only scare me a little bit.

      Liked by 1 person

  14. MAN, this is such a good mashup of Pooh-speak and our current world situation. Powerful stuff.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you. And thanks for hosting a fun prompt that brought back memories. Cheers!

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  15. I feel like you brought me back to the bedroom in the last stanza… amazing how close the hundred-acre wood is to my bedroom.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thank you, Björn. It made me pull up covers in my own bed as those creatures still raise goosebumps for me. Cheers!

      Liked by 1 person

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