Dan Overgaard

One perhaps and two perhaps,
three perhaps and four.
It’s just a few decisions,
and there’s always another door.
Five perhaps and six perhaps;
seven perhaps and eight—
in time you have a bushel
and it’s hard to keep them straight.
Nine and maybe ten perhaps,
don’t know how many more—
more, ten, nine perhaps,
but who is keeping score?
Eight—remember eight perhaps?—
and seven was a lot.
Six was even-steven,
five was handy, four was hot.
Three was getting underway,
and two just seemed like fun.
It’s fun to toss and drop perhaps,
and now we’re back to one.

First published in Third Wednesday, Vol. XI, No.4, Fall 2018

August 22, 2019November 1, 2019 Dan O

Mr. Adams’s Breakfast Thoughts

Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres – Photo by Dan O

Henry awoke in the
third person singular,
toyed with his cafe au
lait in Montmartre,

wondering, idly, what
Henry should add to his
already copious
jottings on Chartres.

First published in Light, A Quarterly of Light Verse, No. 47, Winter, 2004-2005

August 21, 2019January 14, 2020 Dan O

Long Before Mr. Ed

Caligula Appointing His Horse Incitatus to the Consulship - Style of Pietro da Cortona 1596-1669 - Art Institute of Chicago — Caligula Appointing His Horse Incitatus to the Consulship – Style of Pietro da Cortona 1596-1669 – Art Institute of Chicago

Caesar’s intractable
grandson, Caligula,
skewered the Senate
with little remorse.

Cal (for new heights in
effrontery) up and
appointed the first
senatorial horse!

First published in Light, A Quarterly of Light Verse, No. 46, Autumn, 2004