More Scrabble poetry

George Daley, Tom Redding and I play Scrabble and Boggle regularly. Tom's game has definitely improved over time, although victory usually belongs to me or George. Nevertheless, I was prompted to write this next poem with Tom as the hero. It came about years ago during the infamous "Scrabble Poetry War" between me and George. I think this might have been the last barrage that finally overwhelmed Dr. Daley.

Inspired by The Charge of the Light Brigade:

Happily! Happily!
Happily onward!
All holding their breath,
while Tom played for six hundred:
Forward past the others he played,
Charging with the mighty word he made,
still holding their breath,
as Tom played for six hundred!

Forward, past the others he played,
Was there a man dismay'd?
You bet!!!
'Til someone noticed he'd blunder'd:
There's not a FASH in the book,
There's Tom with a phony hook,
There's nothing like it, why even look?
All letting out their breath,
when Tom played for six hundred!

Challenge to the right of Tom,
Challenge to  the left of Tom,
Challenge in front of Tom
voluble they thundered
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
But Tom said, "Oh, what the hell."
Huffing out a breath,
with confidence he tried to sell,
Tom played for six hundred

FASH would be there, they'd all see
FASH as George turned past letter E
While Spencer giggled, "Tee hee hee"
Charging into F he paged
All the table wonder'd:
Plunged into the book,
Bella barked, the table shook,
Coffee and Pepsi spilling,
Then reeling from the brilliant stroke,
Shattered and sunder'd, George spoke:
"It's in there!
Tom scores six hundred!"

Challenge to the right of Tom,

Challenge to the left of Tom,

Challenge in front of Tom

voluble they thundered

Storm'd at with shot and shell,

But Tom had said, "Oh, what the hell."

Huffing out a breath,

with confidence he played so well,

Tom wins with six hundred!

And then he woke, from fever'd dream,

To find no tiles on the scene,

He looked around and wonder'd:

"They really were a pack of cards",

or… something like that old canard.

No honor for such skill with lingo,

No Triple, Triple, Triple bingo,

No awesome score of six hundred.

"But next time I'll take all your damn ears!"

So... I guess I'd better get back to work.