I re-worked an old poem I wrote some time ago and “just for fun” thought I would post it to Judah’s Journal. If there is a moral to be found in it (not that there has to be a moral, of course) then I guess it would go along the lines of “be careful what you wish for!” This genie was too smart, but not quite smart enough.

Grandma’s Magic Lamp

Grandma’s ancient magic lamp
Produced a genie who had cramp
From being stuck inside too long
Then came out wailing “Something's wrong!”
While hopping, leaping, all about
Too compressed to straighten out.

Startled by this odd event,
(Although she’d rubbed the ornament)
Grandma gasped and said “Oh Lord!
Grant me help, your shield and sword!
Protect us from such evil jokes,
Oh bless us please and save us folks!”

The genie swore and said he'd never
Stay stuck inside another, ever;
His turn had been and now was done
But one last wish he'd grant someone
Before resigning from this role
Pursuant of some other goal.

The wish he'd grant would be his own;
His turn for once and his alone.
The genie rose to his full height
By puffing up with all his might,
Then wished he wasn’t vapourware
(Ignoring Grandma’s fervent prayer).

And poof! The genie was no more,
An error he could not restore.
But such is magic, never best
Since it backfires when manifest.
A prayer to God is no mistake;
He blesses us for His Son’s sake.

© Judah (2004)