THE GREAT ESCAPE



After eight years plus in Hell
Living with the fool on the hill,
Heeding Doctor Molongue who said
“The fool has the right to kill.”

So on that night in ‘76
His clan made a desperate break,
And fled away from Hannan Street
As they made the great escape.

They sorted out their business
And started preparing for a move,
Though ‘fraid the fool would find out
They had nothing much to lose.

So Bokky, Flongo, and Niecey-Bonks
Spent a worried, tiring day,
And had to carry Dorothy out
As they made the great escape.

A tyrant name of Muggsly
Aka the fool on the kill,
Bullied, raped, and beat them
Then started threatening to kill.

With succour nowhere at hand
They had to save themselves,
Because a crazy cuckoo said
“We cannot give you help!”

So on advice from the sage doctor
They packed up and carted away,
Until at last, they started off
As they made the great escape.

Jock brought round his yellow van
To pack away their gear,
Until they fled that awful place
Where all they’d known was fear.

With Shezzy, Lois, and Huey
Pitching in to save the day,
Desperate to finish up in time
As they made the great escape.

Flongo in his red Safari coat
Drove his white shaggin' waggon,
As they hurried to pack up their life
Desperate to soon be gone.

And before the dreaded Muggsly
Could force them all to stay,
The caravan headed off for Yarraville
As they made the great escape.

THE END
© Copyright 2021, Philip Roberts
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

About this poem

One of four linked poems about my father's madness. The other three are: Witchery, 20 Years in Hell, and The Story of Hell House. The correct order of the four is: 20 Years in Hell, The Story of Hell House, The Great Escape, and Witchery.

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Written on August 15, 2009

Submitted by PHIL_ROBERTS on June 30, 2021

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:19 min read
5

Quick analysis:

Scheme abcb dxxE fxgx fhgE abxb xxcx xhxE xixi xhxE xdxx ahaE xxx
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,410
Words 266
Stanzas 12
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 3

Phil Roberts

I turn 65 on the 31st of January 2022. I love cats, rock music, and horror fiction and poetry more…

All Phil Roberts poems | Phil Roberts Books

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