Poem #19: The Princess of Kilkenny

The Princess of Kilkenny 

once went looking for a man, 

but when they came, she fled and called back

"Catch me if you can!"

Some men ran after her with glee, 

some men just turned away,

some men jumped on their bicycles 

to join the merry fray.

She ran across the country

and she swam across the Sea, 

she ran til she was out of breath, 

then shimmied up a tree. 

She found a branch and sat to watch

for all her men to come,

but most of them had left the chase, 

all of the men but one. 

It was the Shepherd, running

with a smile on his face. 

He'd long adored the Princess, 

and he never slowed his pace. 

The Shepherd found the tree 

and saw the Princess on her perch. 

He thought her fair and lovely, 

though her garments were besmirched. 

She smiled at him from her branch

and waved a royal hand,

delighted that he was the one 

to catch her, as she'd planned. 

He said, "Fair maid, I've found you!

Will you come and be my wife?

Together, we'll be fearless

and we'll live a merry life!"

The Princess said, "All right, but

you must first recite a poem."

The Shepherd then began a

composition of his own. 

He said, "I want to kiss your face

and hold you really tight.

I like you, 'cause you're nice and stuff. 

You fill my heart with light."

The Princess said, "That's rotten,

but I like you all the same."

She climbed down and she took his hand

and said, "I'm glad you came." 

They walked back to Kilkenny

hand in hand and arm in arm. 

And there they lived together

on the Shepherd's little farm.