Fill for Challenge 7.5

[heliopausa.livejournal.com]

With thanks to Cofax for the loan of the Riverwiggle, from her epic Carpetbaggers, and in faint imitation of poems like Leigh Hunt's 'The Fish, the Man and the Spirit':

The Marshwiggle and the Riverwiggle

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The Marshwiggle speaks:

What stolid courage do they show!

Who live on Shribble’s ceaseless flow

Who perilous on planks of wood

Paddle the deep and murky flood

Where waters do not gently slide

Or stand, each quiet ditch beside

But thunder on, forever strange,

In fearful, endless, tumbling change:

Oh cousin, how I honour you

In such grim haunts to live so true!

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The Riverwiggle speaks:

Some Wiggles there are, who dauntless dwell

In marshland! Where no tongue can tell

what dank miasmas crawl around

the sodden, shaking, quaking ground

Where never strong, free waters flow,

But petty runnels dribble slow

Or stagnant lie, in slimy weed --

To there abide were harsh indeed:

Oh cousin, how I honour you

In such grim haunts to live so true!

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The Marshwiggle and Riverwiggle speak at once:

Here by each well-known fenny pool //  Here by the river, running free

The quiet small waters running cool // By good firm bank, and sturdy tree

We breathe the soft, unmoving air // We breathe the open, living air  

  And pity the poor Wiggles there.
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The Naiad speaks:

What willy-nilly woe is this? You miss my many-branching bliss!

I dive and dip and slither through the runnels and the river,

I loiter where the brimming waters lip the boggy ledge,

I drift in slow backwaters and I surge with river-daughters,

I twist and turn in torrents and I plash the rushy sedge --

All my ways are sweet delight, gloomy marsh- and river-wight!

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Comments

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

How fun how miserable the Wiggles are, each to their own miserable place and pitying and admire the other who is in such grim and dire straits. It's not a misery contest -- it's almost, well of course you are a Wiggle and so therefore MUST be miserable and I am week and less of a Wiggle to live in the much, much nicer place.

Delightful! The Naiad's light hearted teasing is a wonderful end!

[heliopausa.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's a kind of "aren't things awful" call-and-response, from bog to river. :) I rather rushed the Naiad, so I'm glad her teasing tone came across.

[pencildragon11.livejournal.com]

YAY WIGGLE FIC. POETRY, even! Such a lovely way to start the morning. Thank you!!

[heliopausa.livejournal.com]

I was thinking you could do with some Wiggle, anyway, while you get all that work done! :) Glad it started the day cheerfully (as far as Wiggle cheerfulness goes.)

[pencildragon11.livejournal.com]

It was exactly what I wanted, and laughing out loud is always a good start to the day.

Oh boy :D

[lauraandrews.livejournal.com]

Awesome poem! Meter and Rhythm and word choice were excellent :D Poor, gloomy Wiggles. I think you really must write more Wiggle Poetry; you've got the knack :-D

Re: Oh boy :D

[heliopausa.livejournal.com]

:D Thank you -- but I think this will stay as a one-off! And I think they're all pretty happy in their glumness! :)

[cofax7]

Oh, how awesome! Brava!

[heliopausa.livejournal.com]

Oh,I'm very glad you liked it! And thank you for the Riverwiggles. :)