Seldom what they Seem [sonnet]
Why does a Red-Backed Shrike have no red back
or Rush Hour move as slowly as a snail?
There is no tin in any tin can pack;
Danish Pastries do from Austria hail.
Peanuts are not nuts and blackboards can be
green or blue. Tear Gas is not gas in truth;
Guinea Pigs do not derive from Guinea;
Jellyfish are not really fish forsooth.
Descriptive terms can be so deceptive,
taking us off on a fantasy ride.
Always try to maintain the perspective
or fodder we’ll be for villainous guys.
In case you’re wond’ring what this sonnet means,
It says that things are seldom what they seem.
© 2011, Alan Morrison
The Naked Troubadour 