Vincent Vanilla and the Cauldron of Gold

A poem for the chidren's poetry contest.

Vincent Vanilla and the Cauldron of Gold

By Jack Ivey

 

Vincent Vanilla and the Cauldron of Gold,
our story takes place in a picturesque town.
Where the people are cranky and seem way too old,
and everyone’s face it is wearing a frown.

Vincent you see is a curious fellow,
who smiles so bright it can out-shine the sun.
His favorite color is sunflower yellow.
He spends everyday of his life having fun.

One day he arrived in the center of town,
to grumblings as loud as there ever could be.

Standing up straight with a lighthearted sound,
he shouted out loud, “Will you listen to me?”

The townspeople stopped at the sound of his voice.
He asked them a question he knew they would hear,
“What if I could make being happy your choice?”
Then chuckled and smiled at them from ear to ear

“To what you propose, we are not in the mood!”
Came a voice from the extra-large crowd to complain.
These folks they are tough, now his thoughts did conclude,
then he said, “Won't you please let me tell you my name”

“I’m Vincent Vanilla, I’m new, if you will.
If I might just say as I am being so bold?
I have a cauldron up there on the hill,
that will turn all your troubles to smiles of gold”

“All you will need is to step right inside,
leaving your cares by the big metal door.
And suddenly all of your frowns I will hide,
my promise to you is you'll see them no more”

“That is absurd!” said one of them shouting
As another replied, “I think he's a quack”
The original man who spoke loudly added,
“Tell him to leave and to never come back!”

“What would it hurt if you gave it a try,
of all of the wonderful things you’ve been told?
Vincent continued, “I will tell you good bye”
If I cannot turn every frown into gold”

The townsfolk agreed, as they stood in a line
and followed him straight up the northern edge hill.
Till a bright shiny cauldron is what they did find,
with a door painted white and a small window sill

He took out a key, with a flick of his wrist.
Unlocking the entry it now stood ajar
He said, “Go on in, this you won’t want to miss.
No matter, whoever, whatever you are.”

The townspeople moved in a singular file,
till the last one was gone from his mystical sight.
And then with a dance and his best Sunday smile,
he closed up the white painted door ever tight

He opened a window and then you could see,
a knob and some dials all colored in blue.
He twisted and turned and then dialed all three,
then he paused as he waited a minute or two

The cauldron it wheezed a peculiar sound.
Smoke then did rise from the top in a cloud.
Once it was quiet he looked all around.
Then opened the door and said "hi" to the crowd.

Well needless to say, all the people they smiled,
and they didn’t seem to be quite as old
For Vincent, you see in his whimsical style,
had turned all their teeth into ten karat gold

 

Author's Note

This was written for a contest asking for poetry for children.

Reviews

[Marie]

Very whimsical poem, though I'm not sure how happy the people would be with gold teeth.

[Jack...]

You'd have to know these people. Thanks