Saturday Morning Poem, "Traveled to ..."

Traveled to ...

Calling all poets, "do a write for today 
on three of your favorite towns"   
Alright, I will try.  There are so many,
I've been to all fifty states

London and Paris are on my list,
aren't they on everyone's?  Been to London
the most, probably visits would add up
to several months, try five?  Well, more than four.  
Last time was this spring  

Visits to London have been my favorite
ever since way before I ever went
Before my days at school even, I learned
one must "look under the Queen's chair for ...
for the little mouse living there" 

By golly now, I have done that, 
my first visit to London I did,
back in the eighties.  Mouse was gone

Paris is next, I've been all over France
Time spent rivals that in the U.K. 
Eat your heart out, but I love going there  

Favorite thing there is eating a hot dog  
You can get them along the Seine from a stand,
try to see, it maybe near the Eifel? 
This one there will be a nice long but thin
sausage stuck inside a cut to length baguette  

Tell them before if you want mustard, they
will squeeze it into the hole in the bread
before poking the dog on down.  Now walk
along the Seine, taking in the boats and sights

Or at a pub (don't say that word in France)
it will be two sausages laying on
a small loaf, French bread, longer than batard 
Lying underneath those dogs will be a
little lettuce, wilted from the oven's heat  
On top is melted cheese, probably Swiss  
Add a cut tomato laying along
the sides, broiling just a bit with the cheese

You'll get it hot from the oven, Yummy  
Mustard and onions to suit, and head for
the street again.  Or have it there with a drink

My last of three will end, old stomping grounds
Lots of firsts there, some can't be told, ever 
Worst I will tell is when the town marshal
called me in to the principal's office

We are at Tekamah, Nebraska, small 
There you will find the world's best high school 
Graduate young there, try sixteen  
Your English teacher may be twenty or
twenty-one.  For sure young enough for a
high school teacher crush

But across the street and up a block is
the best place in town to visit.  Called the
Burt County Museum, it's open a few
days a week, check before you come.  For sure
it'll be open on Saturday but
never on a Sunday

Come May there will be "Coffee on the Porch"  
(act like a native but you can not hide) 
on the last Saturday morning before
the Alumni Banquet at the City 
Auditorium.  Free, small donation?

That's my list, I hope you endured.  I did,
living every minute and more here on
my writing machine back in 'Mega' Texas

[Mrs. Jim and KP at Brighton Beach, I stayed in London that day]
_ _ _ _ 

A bunch of London pictures: 

And now Paris and some France pictures:

Finally,Tekamah and Burt Country, Nebraska:

 

And now Paris and some France pictures: 

 

Finally,Tekamah and Burt Country, Nebraska:

[Four of we nine cousins, Jim, Jack, John, and Jean (with spouses)]

[click on any picture for larger viewing - ask about any in a comment, I'll answer soon (or later)]

Photos and Poem Copyright 2016, @ Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved

I am linked with grapeling in the Imaginary Garden with Real Toads, Travel: Get Listed for August.

http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2016/08/travel-get-listed-for-august.html

His request: "This month, the twist on the list is this: pick *at least* 3 cities / locations that you have visited, want to visit, or wish you never had. Can be fact or fiction. Why were/are you there? What did you do / are you doing there? Are they, or how are they connected?  All in iambic pentameter.  :) Just kidding. Form not required."

My photos are from a search of my other blog, Jim's Little Blog, mostly here:
 - London visits: http://jimmiehov.blogspot.com/search?q=London
 - Paris visits: http://jimmiehov.blogspot.com/search?q=paris
 - Tekamah visits:  http://jimmiehov.blogspot.com/search?q=Tekamah
 - "Hot Dog" visits:  http://jimmiehov.blogspot.com/search?q=hot+dog