Hothead!

They said he was always a hothead,

As a kid he’d scream and shout,

He got so bad, made his mother mad

That his father locked him out.

He couldn’t get in at the windows,

So wandered all night round the farm,

And by the time that his folks were fine

The kid had set fire to the barn.

 

On the day he got out of Borstal

He was just turned seventeen,

And the Warder James said, ‘Listen Ames,

Better keep your fingers clean!

There isn’t a future in anger,

And less of a future in crime,

So keep your head, though your hair is red

Or you’ll be back, doing time!’

 

But any advice flew over his head

And headed on out to the stars,

For soon young Ames was making his name

Hanging in clubs and bars.

He never went home to his parents

For which they would say, ‘Thank God!

He got his genes from his Grandma Steenes,

And she was distinctly odd!’

 

He had a passion for fire, would sit

For hours, and stare at the flames,

They said his eyes would be hypnotised

When playing his thermal games.

He’d light a match in a pile of thatch,

In a wood or a field of gorse,

Then watch the firemen put it out,

Well hidden away, of course.

 

They wouldn’t take him as a fireman,

They said he was up to his tricks

When they saw him next to the fire house

Lighting up piles of sticks,

Then Sheriff Bruce said he had no use

For a hothead in his town,

And put the word on the street; he heard

They were going to hunt him down.

 

So he hid in the Church’s belfry,

And up in the Town Hall clock,

Then sit and fume in that tiny room

Til he finally ran amok,

He broke in just about midnight

According to Fireman Tuck,

Who’d come from his farm, and raised the alarm

‘He’s stolen the Fire Truck!’

 

Then fires broke out in the woodlands,

And fires sprang up in the town,

While the chief said, ‘Look for a big red truck,

It must be somewhere around.’

They called out the local constabulary,

They called out the National Guard,

And orders came from the top to say,

‘Go out, and hit him hard!’

 

They cornered Ames in a one-way street

Where he couldn’t turn it around,

So he climbed on up to the top of the truck

And they finally gunned him down.

The coroner ordered an autopsy

On the body of Hothead Ames,

As the circular saw dropped his skull to the floor,

His brain burst into flames!

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[ANTO]

There was a reason behind it all then David - poor lad was misunderstood and just couldn't have been a cool kid if he'd wanted to.
I love way you toy with names in this one - but then when I came across the name Bruce I was saying to myself what the .. it dawned on me that you have been living down under for most of your life.

The idea of a real-life sprite - simply brilliant. Its not based on anyone you know is it - we had our fair share of what we called 'fire-bugs' back in the day, always with matches or a Zippo.

Loved the end of this - kind of admonished the kids actions.
Very witty my friend and masterful rhyming.

[minisla]

Too hot to handle this one....

[TL Boehm]

another fascinating tale from you - although I'm reading "vintage" posts today. Well done

[TPK Stories]

Another exciting twist I didn't expect...well penned David...

[R Smith]

hot head for sure, its a familiar story though, the misunderstood kid goes wild a poem on fire David and another tale from your repertoire supreme :)

[MomzillaNC]

Must have been a fire elemental! Great story-telling, as always!

[bazzaj1000]

excellent storytelling and rhyme. Captivated me all the way through to it's remarkable end!!

thank you great read.

[Marie]

I was going to suggest that he take some anger management classes, but I can see it wouldn't have helped. I can't help wondering what his Grandma Steens. was like. It also makes me think about spontaneouos combustion...

[Lyndy]

Wow, I love this poem! :D It's very well composed and I love the rhyme! :D