These Are My JOTtings, Part #2

Capture Milquetoast

When I toast my weaker friends,
I make them bigger, stronger.
The hope of grace them all attends,
that weak they are no longer.

We ascertain them on a plane.
We ascertain them on a train.
We ascertain them on a boat.
We ascertain them with a goat.
We ascertain them with Dr. Seuss.
We ascertain them with the cleverest ruse.

These homespun ditties fill the land
with grandiose, extravagant, though pedantic swill.
The concrete sounds of the learned band
affect the fanciful heart to thrill.

The strapping lad and manxome foe,
now skillful, dapper, longtime friends
haste up to wrest from feebling woe
all words in need of angelic mends.

We capture Milquetoast's noisome beast
amid his obsequious, gelatinous will.
Awaiting his fractious, ill-bred strength's like watching rising yeast
which affords the reader more useless swill,

but peevish folk with boorish face
repast in laurel's green,
until the valiant, sagacious place
cause words be overseen.

by Jay O'Toole
on October 30th, 2018