50PoWriMo - L

the hedgehog and the balloon and me and my chip pan



we all have a reason to proceed with caution
we all have a need to be careful
there are myriad troubles we each have our portion
i am informed it's a jungle out there full
of dangers and strangers - of howls growls and rumbles
and reasons you'd better beware. fall
down at your peril for each trip or stumble
may leave you more vulnerable than you supposed
although you may fight you are bound to succumb. al-
though you may be strong you've been too exposed
to the raging contagion to defend yourself
from the vicious, insidious, hideous foes.
that's why someone wise invented health
and safety legislation
to make everyone minimise dangers or else
expose themselves to litigation.

consider the multitudes of tiny
mammals who snuffle through vegetation
of these the hedgehog is most spiny
and thus has more reason than most to take care
for every prong, every prickle and tine he
has responsibility to be aware
(i fear that's clear and not debatable
i think you'll find it's harsh but fair
no matter how much he may hate it all
no matter how he may impugn)
if he must be trusted with an inflatable
you'd better pray for that balloon.

now consider me in my kitchen
half-cut, up late and acting the buffoon
my rumbling stomach may start twitching
and though i should be sound asleep i'd
like something more than a sandwich in
i'm hankering for something deep fried
though i know oven chips are leaner
and though the smoke alarm may beep. pride
cometh before falling into a ravine or
the foolish ways i may expire. when
i trust my cynical demeanour
i'll ignore the lectures of firemen
and any or all advice they're propounding
when any chip pan can inspire yen

each man or beast's a danger to himself and all around him
take care out there for fear is self-compounding



this took much longer than it looks like i put effort into it, but at least the whole thing's over now.
thanks to @sallonoroff and @thetearooms on the twitter whose suggested titles i concatenated so inexpertly