Turtle Doves

By John Herlihy

1
I once knew two girls standing at attention.
Their bad behavior ran the risk of detention.
They might not receive honorable mention,
With a gold star in the company’s retention.

2
I brought them chocolate candy kisses,
Their giggles betrayed their true wishes.
Better than doing the nightly dishes;
They fell merrily into a well of eternal blisses.

3
They loved the same innocent youth,
A person who was somewhat uncouth.
He frittered away his time in a café booth,
Eating chocolate ice cream that ruined his tooth.

4
They lived happily in solid affection,
Escaping life’ trials without much detection,
Finding solace in each other protection,
This truly was a delightful confection.

5
One day they awoke as turtle doves;
They accepted their destiny as life-long loves.
Life treated them roughly with rude little shoves;
They wondered whether to wear protective gloves.

6
Two turtle doves had very little to say;
They went everywhere together day by day.
They sang zipadee-doodah, zipadee-ay;
They knelt in unison when they went to pray.

7
Their colors were vibrant; their voices beautiful;
The work they did was accurate and dutiful;
Their wings flew them high, free and youthful,
Even if they winked and made jokes less than truthful.

8
The doves never found the dream of their lives.
It was enough to have them break out in hives.
They felt injured as if cut up with dull knives,
The two lived their old age in a series of dives.

9
Two turtle doves woke up one day unwilling to die.
The sight of the dark angel made them want to cry,
Making hasty to draw from him a favorable reply;
But the angel of death had no reason to comply.

10
The magnificent angel appeared ominously giving them a fright;
The two turtle doves stared helplessly at the incredible sight,
The angel stood grandly before them in all his might.
They laid down one last time and bid each other good night.

11
They rest now eternally within a land of silver hue
At dawn, they are surrounded with early morning dew.
Occasionally, playful kittens offer an endearing mew,
Mingling with the friendly voices of ghosts who say boo.

12
Two turtle doves now live eternally in the celestial blue,
Far away from the sadness of life’s mysterious brew.