Friday, April 21, 2006

Oddaptation: Love You Forever

For those unfamiliar with my Oddaptations, I think they can best be described as abridged versions of classic or wildly best-selling picture books... with attitude. I explain the concept more in the earlier posted Oddaptations, handily linked on the right. I have a slew of these, including some where I take on my own absolutely all-time favorite books, so please note that I mean no disrespect when I Oddapt. So why Love You Forever? Well, I can tell you from the e-mail I've received and comments on other blogs that one title everyone seemed to want to see Oddapted was this particular one. So enjoy... and if you have suggestions for other titles I should Oddapt, let me know.


LOVE YOU FOREVER
by Robert Munsch
Oddaptation by Gregory K.

No matter the trouble her baby boy makes
That momma will love him forever.
As toddler and teen he could be quite a pain.
Would momma stop loving? No, never.
She’d creep in his room and then rock him in bed.
She’d leave not a faint trace behind.
She still did it after he’d had his own kids.
You’d think that the boy’s wife might mind.
That mom sets no boundaries. She’s way too obsessed.
Her actions are surely regrettable.
Her son, it appears, he still loves her to tears...
But one day you know he’ll go Oedipal.

11 comments:

Becky said...

Odd is right. Not the 'daptation part, but the original work. Yikes. I've given away every copy we've ever received as a gift. Oedipal and just plain creepy lol. Great work, Greg : )

Kate said...

I'm tempted to print out your version and paste it in the front of the copy someone gave me. I hate the book and can't even stand to donate it to a decent charity since I don't like spreading its wierdness around, but with your poem in the front...well, it might redeem the whole donating experience.

Little Willow said...

Kudos! *applause*

Kelly said...

Love it, Gregory. Very funny :)

Anonymous said...

Ha! This post just made my day.

Cat Herself said...

I was actually at a Library Conferece once where someone read parts of this and the audience "awwed". It gave me the willies, I tell you! This book is obviously polarizing. Imagine my horror when my sister (my very own, loving big sister!) gave a copy to me at my baby shower, lo these many years ago. Appalling!

"Don't you think this book is a little creepy?" I asked, hoping to renew my respect for her literary taste.
"Oh, I just saw it was a mom and a son, and I liked the title so I bought it."

Hmm - I can remain hopeful about her literary tastes, but now must have the talk about "giving books you've never read". Sigh.

Oh yea, excellent poem Gregory.

Anonymous said...

Wow... I googled "Love you forever" and "creepy" in the hopes that others found it as unnerving as I did, and your blog was ten times better than anything I expected! Great job!

Anonymous said...

What I find odd is that near the end, when the grown man, is holding the pan over the sink, one of his coffee mugs has a rainbow on it. Coincidence...?

Anonymous said...

I like the story - it is odd, but don't take the overpossesive mother too literally. Its just about always loving your child, whats the big deal.

What left a bad taste in my mouth was hearing him read it on a CD I was given for my kids. I listened to it twice and then broke it in half. It was so bad.

Lee Wardlaw said...

Just stumbled upon this. Brilliant, Greg! When I see this book on recommended reading lists, I cringe. The mother needs a life - and years of psychotherapy. This is emotional incest to the max!

smith.steff said...

I love the oddaptation; never hurts to poke fun at a classic. And I have to tell you, although some folks feel the original book crosses the line with motherly love, nowhere else is there such a reminder that parenting is a lifelong journey, that love goes on, and, yes, I still ache when my children experience hurt that I can't just band-aid anymore for them! I would never throw a copy of Love You Forever away! Greg, I'm not sure the oddaptation is how you really feel about the book, either!