Mr Taylor

Probably a polar bear was not a good choice

for my first attempt at whittling. 

A hamster would have been simpler

and avoided the multiple leg fractures..

“Don’t worry girl, no problem”, Mr Taylor said,

when I showed it to him.

“Leave it to me. 

Bit o plastic wood, 

That’ll soon sort it”

and it did.

The tail was more challenging.

But all was not lost, just the tail,

and I managed to convince the Examiner

that polar bears don’t have tails.

Maybe they don’t.

I’m no expert.

I progressed slowly, and probably 

a rocking elephant was not the best choice

for my Final Piece.

There was a lot to cut out,

a lot of curvy bits.

The huge electric saw bench

loomed ominously in the corner.

“Don’t you go near that, girl”

cried Mr Taylor if I glanced in it’s direction.

“Here, give it here, 

Leave it to me. 

There you are.

Now just a bit o plastic wood...”

And then disaster!

Someone stole the rockers.

Who the fuck would steal my rockers?

They never rocked very well,

but even so, they were better than nothing.

And Mr Taylor was hard pressed 

to make new ones 

in time for the exam,

even with multiple,

“No problem, don’t worry, girl”s, 

I was concerned.

But in the end

we both passed.

First published in Algebra of Owls, November 2016

https://algebraofowls.com/2016/11/05/mr-taylor-by-lynn-white/