Rojo plays a banjo
his talons pull the strings
and every time the music starts
young Maria sings.
Rojo learns a new song
as Maria combs her hair.
She hears a twang of sorrow
from a bird inside a lair.
Maria feels the pain he plays.
She slowly lifts the latch,
then opens doors and windows
setting free her catch.
Rojo looks her in the eye,
his pupils shrink and grow.
He says hello. I love you,
and then he says Freak Show.
She closes up the windows
and she closes up the doors.
She loves Rojo, he makes her glow,
he snores her papa’s snores.
Rojo plays a banjo
his talons pull the strings
and every time the music starts
young Maria sings.
Brenda Warren 2009
undercaws 
I like the undercurrent of sadness – the trapped feeling – alongside the seeming jollity.
I’m glad your work is getting a wider audience 🙂
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Thank you all for reading and commenting. This piece resonates with me, too. It’s one I go back to read with a fair amount of frequency…which is why I chose this “older” piece to share.
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this is a little haunting int he melody of the lines…and then freak show…haha…nice bit of story telling and fine rhyme scheme….
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yes we are lucky indeed.. i like rojo and maria…you paint them with such gentle charm..lovely..and the banjo playing…hmmm…maybe i’d fall for him as well…i mean who could resist if someone says.. hello. I love you,
and then he says Freak Show…hehe..love it
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Freaky but fine. Some great lines in there, and the sing song quality works really well with the message. Good stuff, brenda. “..he snores her papa’s snores..” *snorf*
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Love how you start and end with the same stanza here, Brenda. Nicely woven tale with rhythm and rhyme.
Pamela
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Love this piece! Yes, we are!!!
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This is such fun! What a wonderful prompt. I feel a big hole in my writing life because I gave up on One Stop. I loved the whole idea of the site and my brain didn’t because I kept getting lost when I tried to find stuff. After much frustration I had to lop it off 😦 One Stop, not my brain!
margo
I just went back up to read again and had to say I love this stanza and laugh each time I read it:
Rojo looks her in the eye,
his pupils shrink and grow.
He says hello. I love you,
and then he says Freak Show.
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I love the rhyme and rhythm Brenda… such a sweet piece!
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I agree, so lucky! Lovely poem…I enjoyed the read. Thank you. 🙂
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Yes… we are lucky! And the love story of Rojo and Maria is a delight.
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