Grizzle

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This one is a much longer poem and has been at the back of a metaphorical drawer for many years. I dusted it off the other day and beat it into better shape. I quite like the story and some of the ideas and feel it's worthy of being out in the open air again. 

Grizzle

Grizzle was a wizard but he wasn't very good,

He couldn't manage many spells and even those he could,

Wouldn't go to plan and wouldn't turn out right - 

His wand would spit and spark and set his beard alight.

Grizzle had a magic shop to sell his magic wares,

He lived with Nell, his one-eyed cat, in the flat upstairs.

When people came to visit he was always very nice,

He made them cups of tea and gave magical advice.

One quiet afternoon Grizzle was pottering about,

The door was flung wide open, and there entered with a shout,

A splendid-looking wizard with a splendid-looking cat,

And a long and flowing cape and a tall and pointy hat.

In a booming voice he proclaimed, 'I'm Zorg the Sorcerer',

Grizzle pursed his lips and muttered, 'Hmm, of course you are'.

'I've heard', said Zorg, 'the wizard here can't do any magic,'

'And to be frank I've never heard of anything so tragic!'

'I do spells!' Grizzle squeaked, 'I do way more than you.'

'No way!', 'Yes way!', 'You don't', 'I do!', 'You can't', 'I can - it's true!'

Zorg looked down his nose at Grizzle, said in a voice of scorn,

'I challenge you to a magic duel, in the square at dawn!'

Zorg swept out the door with a flourish of his cape,

Leaving Grizzle standing in his shop, with his mouth agape.

'Oh Nell,' he said, 'What have I done? I am such a fool,'

'I've never once in my whole life, won a magic duel!'

Nell rolled her single eye,

Looked upwards, at the sky,

Shook her head. Gave a sigh,

But didn't give him a reply.

Next day, ‘fore the sun was up, Grizzle, heavy-hearted,

Put on his hat, picked up his wand and from his shop departed,

He shuffled slowly through the town, heading for the square,

Word had got around; quite a crowd had gathered there. 

Grizzle could see across from him, by the village pond,

Zorg was just arriving, shooting fireworks from his wand.

Seeing Grizzle turning up, he gave a nasty grin,

'Ah, you're here. Right on time. So, let us begin'

With a sudden flicking of his wand, taking Grizzle by surprise,

There appeared from the end, a swarm of fire-flies.

They flew round Zorg, then with a buzz, they headed straight for Grizzle,

He waved his wand in panic but it barely gave a fizzle.

Watching on was Nell the cat, who slowly shook her head,

She wasn’t all that happy about being out of bed.

But she gently twitched her whiskers and softly tapped her tail,

And from Grizzle's wand there appeared, a massive hump-backed whale.

The whale spurted water from his blow-hole, in a spout,

Which sprinkled all the fire-flies, and put their fires out.

Grizzle, amazed, looked at the whale, then at his wand in wonder,

But Zorg was busy making magic; there wasn't time to ponder.

Zorg gave his magic wand a wave, and from its very tip,

Appearing in a cloud of smoke, a giant pirate ship.

It fired its cannon, and out shot, a gleaming sharp harpoon.

It struck the whale, which popped at once, like a big balloon.

Grizzle grimly set his teeth, and waved his wand once more,

But nothing much was happening ‘til Nell raised a paw,

Then slowly winked her eye which flashed as green as green,

And out from Grizzle's wand there appeared a submarine.

The pirate ship tried to sink it, by dropping down her anchor,

The submarine dodged away, torpedoed her and sank her. 

Grizzle grinned and Zorg cried out, in rage and in frustration,

But he waved his wand, spoke the words, for another incantation.

This time appeared a crocodile, with enormous snapping jaws,

It picked the plucky submarine right up and crushed it in its claws.

So Grizzle then produced a skunk (it was really made by Nell),

Which squirted and dissolved the croc with its pongy smell.

The magic battle raged on and on, for upwards of an hour,

But Zorg's magical ability was quickly losing power,

His knees began to shake and his face went crimson red,

Beads of perspiration were stood out on his head.

Zorg panted and gasped aloud, in desperate despair,

As Grizzle seemed to apparate, a giant polar bear,

Zorg waved his wand but just a few sorry sparks appeared,

One spark shot, up and out, and set alight his beard. 

Zorg promptly turned around and fled, racing at a run,

Grizzle watched him leave the square; against the odds he'd won!

The crowd surged towards him, to give congratulations,

But modestly Grizzle declined, to join the celebrations. 

Back in his shop he turned to Nell and said 'You see? I knew it,

When it came right down to it, I knew that I could do it!'

Nell rolled her single eye. Looked upwards at the sky. Shook her head. Gave a sigh.

But didn't give him a reply.

By Pete Thomas