Ted the Bear

I've spent lots of time making up stories on the spot for my kids and grand kids. Here is one I turned into a poem...

Young Ted was a boy who always was mad,
Mumblin', grumblin', and so often sad.

He thought that the world was a terrible place,
And went everywhere with a frown on his face.

He fought every rule, and hated each chore,
Thought school was a dud, and homework a bore.

He longed to be out with the wind in his hair,
With his home the great forest, and live as a bear!

Why if he was a bear, then he’d be the boss,
Nobody could tell him to brush and to floss,

To scrub behind ears or wipe off his feet,
And no one could tell him what he had to eat!

Each day he would wish and each night he would pray,
To wake up the next morning in the bright light of day

And be covered with fur, have feet with sharp claws,
And long pointy teeth in big bear-like jaws.

He’d break out of this place to live off the land,
Be on his own and just wild, oh life would be grand!

Well one morning Ted woke, and scratching his head,
Found that he wasn’t asleep in his very own bed!

But out in the woods, ‘neath a tall redwood tree.
He now was a bear and why, NOW HE WAS FREE!

But he was only a cub, with Momma Bear by his side,
Who was rough and was tough and would not be defied!

She made him stay close, would not let him stray,
Always searching for food, there was no time for play.

And if he was lazy or gave her some flack,
She’d take her big paw and give him a smack!

They went to the river; he thought just to swim,
But she caught a salmon and gave it to him.

She told him to eat it, but that just wasn’t right,
He didn’t like sushi, but was not gonna fight.

He pretended to nibble, then tossed it down in the dirt,
And what happened next, GOSH it really did hurt!

Momma Bear wasn’t kidding or messing around,
But got very angry and knocked him flat on the ground!

She told him “ NOW EAT IT”, so that’s what he did,
But right then started remembering his life as a kid.

He thought back on his Mother, so gentle and sweet,
Who never would whack him or force him to eat.

He thought of his Dad who never got mad,
Even when Ted acted all bratty and bad.

Ted the bear just sat down and rubbed at his eye
he sure wouldn’t let Momma Bear see him cry.

No, this life as a bear was not easy or fun,
And he longed to wake up, the dream over and done.

But each day went on just the same as the last,
With poor ol’ Ted thinking of his happier past.

Soon it was winter, and it started to snow,
So Mama Bear said it was now time to go

Down into the cave, to sleep until spring.
Why Ted never had heard of any such thing!

He hated to sleep, he thought it was wrong,
One night was a lot, but months, THAT WAS LONG!

But Mama Bear grabbed him and settled him down,
With a smack and a growl and a big toothy frown.

So they huddled together in one furry heap,
And slowly poor Ted drifted off into sleep.

Well, he slept like forever, which wasn’t much fun,
Except for dreams of his family and days in the sun.

Then winter was over, it was time to awake,
To brush off the cobwebs, to stretch and to shake.

But when Ted looked around, he was happy to see
He was back in his bedroom - now he was free!

So the first thing he did was to say a quick prayer,
Happy to be just a boy, and not some stinkin’ old bear!