Friday, April 01, 2016

No Fooling - an April Fools' Day Poem

No Fooling
by
Greg Pincus

I hate to be tricked. I hate to be schooled.
I hate to be pranked. I hate to be fooled.
You do the fooling? I'll say you're the worst
(If the date on the calendar's not April 1st).


Yes, it's the one day of the year when maybe, just maybe, you can get away with fooling people without getting an emotional reaction. Just don't push your luck beyond 40 or 50 bits of foolishness, I figure.... And by the way, happy start of National Poetry Month as well as April Fools' Day!

For some utterly non-foolish fun, check out this week's Poetry Friday roundup over at Amy's Poem Farm. Great stuff there (including the kickoff of Amy's own Poetry Month project).

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10 comments:

Amy LV said...

I do love April Fool's Day! Today I read a tweet by a teacher today who was happy to receive a box of brownies from a student. Inside the box, though were many sizes of brown letter E, all cut out of construction paper! Thank you for the giggle. Happy Poetry Month!

Brenda at FriendlyFairyTales said...

I can't top Amy's comment, what a good trick. Now I want real brownies, though. I hope the snow we have forecast is an April Fool's day trick by the universe.

author amok said...

I just finished reading a new MG novel, THE LAST BOY AT ST. EDITH'S. Pranks are involved. This poem would make a great pairing with that book.

Donna Smith said...

This is the one day I really don't miss in teaching first grader! Knock-knock jokes and April Fool's day pranks are not their forte!

Doraine said...

Happy April Fool's Day. May you be pranked.

April Halprin Wayland said...

Greg--where WERE you on Saturday?
The whole orchestra was waiting.
Did your car break down AGAIN?!?!






um...were you fooled...just a little bit by April?

Anonymous said...

Amy - until I read your comment here, I didn't get the significance of the 'E's. Now I'm feeling very silly. Of course - brownies. (Still better than the spider alternative! :) )

Great poem, Greg.

Elaine Magliaro said...

Greg,

I remember one of the tricks that my students used to play on me on April 1st back in my early years of teaching--chalk stuck in the erasers.

I'm hoping I can find some time to blog during poetry month. Taking care of two granddaughters takes up a lot of my old lady energy!

Mary Lee said...

We managed to get through the day in fifth grade with only a couple of very mild and playful pranks!

Greg Pincus said...

Thanks, y'all. I managed to get through the day without being a Fool victim (online or off). But it was more luck than skill or cleverness on my part, I think!