Comment from karenina

Excellent

Hah! Your statement seemed quite literally true! Your author's comments brought a wider smile... I don't know many who could possibly do more with fifteen syllables! Wish I had a six left. I'm a horrible star-budgeter!
You are very clever!

Karenina

 Comment Written 31-Aug-2023

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reply by the author on 31-Aug-2023

Me too! Thanks, Karenina.

reply by karenina on 01-Sep-2023

Welcome! I'll drop in again soon!

Comment from --Turtle.

Excellent

Hi, Craig, I read through this work.

I'm late, but I enjoyed the 15 syllable play on true happenings and word. Short, informative, and also a chuckle with the wordplay, with a positive slant, that could also poke at the less ingenuity and perseverance than I would like left abouts on our own planet.

I could say a pestilence has crawled all through my home, as my pet turtle's name is Pestilence.... Though... in a more figurative sense... as pestilence has crawled near about many homes. And just cause she's a turtle... well... she's tricky and likely to trip me in a dark hall with the best of them.

 Comment Written 10-Apr-2021

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reply by the author on 11-Apr-2021

Haha. Interesting choice of name for your pet Turtle. Is there a story behind that? Thanks for the kind words, Turtle :)

reply by --Turtle. on 11-Apr-2021

Actually... her full name is Pestilence Pain, and there's a bit of a story.

I've had her for about 20 years, now. Got her right after the 9-11 attack, when there were a lot of sad feelings, and a dark gloom in the air. Was sulking lost in a place called the Gibraltar trade center. (A giant flea market where you could also get a tattoo... a piercing... rare comic books... or a sword... maybe gun, if ya liked... or even a giant painting of Elvis on velvet. Oh... and fried oreo's. Ha! Can't get more American than that place, no?

I think I was just there because it was a Saturday.... and it was either walk around a mall and sulk, or walk around a grimy display of random objects, where nobody tries to talk to you.

Somehow, I walked out the place with a small creature who I figured wouldn't mind being in an apartment with lone, depressed me, and who wouldn't die on me anytime soon. Though... I also had a high concern about getting salmonella.

The dark mood and salmonella concern combined into Pestilence... a horseman of the apocalypse and a reminder, if I picked her up, I better remember to wash my hands properly.

Twenty years later, and she's still hanging out with me.

Surprisingly affectionate for a reptile who secretly wants to trip me down stairs, when she's not trying to leap down them herself. Likes to crawl into my lap.

Maybe I'm just a warm body.

Maybe she's still just trying to give me salmonella.

reply by the author on 11-Apr-2021

She sounds like great company to me. I had several "tortoises" (at least I thought so at the time, I now understand them to be terrapins) as a kid. I really enjoyed their company, and we built lovely enclosures for them in the yard, but unfortunately, they were all excellent escape artists. That's what I thought at the time, now, many decades later, I'm thinking I don't recall any signs of digging or tunneling out :-/

reply by --Turtle. on 11-Apr-2021

Escape artists, indeed.

I once came home to Pestilence almost making her way out a window. She'd somehow climbed one of our couch's vertical backs and jumped to the window sil. Balanced on the window sil. and had the screen halfway there to open.

I was like... Wow. Really not into the new food I purchased ... huh, Lady Pain?

Now adays, she vanishes to Narnia on occasion, but no more window escape attempts.

reply by the author on 11-Apr-2021

lol :)

Comment from AnnaLinda

Excellent

Craig,

This is a clever and creative 15 Syllable poem/entry you have penned.
The message within definitely works without your interesting notes...
Add the notes and it's even more explosive!

So, if ingenuity (not Ginny) left the planet...where were you when you
wrote this? Moon or Mars...? Venus?

Anna

 Comment Written 29-Mar-2021

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reply by the author on 29-Mar-2021

As usual, I had both feet planted on the ground ;-)

Thanks for the kind comments and generous review, Anna. Much appreciated.

reply by AnnaLinda on 29-Mar-2021

Cute response.
We are looking into another move...
I have difficulty staying grounded up here. lol

Comment from strandregs

Excellent

Aliens at last
A.I. Percy and Ingy will be sending an invasion armada next week to take over the earth.
For what it's worth.
Very funny.
Punny perhaps.
So, Craig
Mankind is investing in pipe dreams, instead of life here.
Is it not just another Holiwood production like the landing on the moon?
Why didn't they ever do that again? :-))Z.

 Comment Written 01-Mar-2021

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reply by the author on 01-Mar-2021

I think the reason they stopped after six visits was part political and part economic. Trump had plans to go back by 2024. Not sure what Biden's plans are. Yes, it seems like a massive waste of effort and money which could be spent fixing up the mess we've made of this world before looking for others to ruin.

Thanks for reviewing, cheers :) Craig

Comment from MissMerri

Exceptional

Well, I think this little poem is saying quite a bit between the lines. It brought a big smile to my face. This is very clever and kinda funny Craig. I just hope perseverance and ingenuity return to earth some day. Very cute. Good luck in the contest. MM

 Comment Written 28-Feb-2021

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reply by the author on 01-Mar-2021

Don't we both, Adonna? Thanks so much for the lovely comments and the good wishes. Cheers, Craig

Comment from Jannypan (Jan)

Excellent

Great contest entry. Your contest entry is in great form--correct syllable count. The image is perfect. The words ' perseverance' and' ingenuity' are excellent choices with double meaning. Man has used his ingenuity and persevered to follow his dream to explore space, Best wishes,
Respectfully, Jan

 Comment Written 28-Feb-2021

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reply by the author on 28-Feb-2021

Thanks very much, Jan. Appreciated -- Craig

Comment from zanya

Excellent

Yes o.k those are the names of the machines that have left the planet but what about the other qualities that bear the same name - who knows where they may have fled also !!!!!!!!!!!

 Comment Written 28-Feb-2021

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reply by the author on 28-Feb-2021

Where, indeed? Thanks for reviewing :)

Comment from lyenochka

Excellent

Enjoyed your puns in this one-line poem, Craig! I hope that's not true - if perseverance and ingenuity among humans are gone, we won't survive this pandemic. I hope compassion doesn't leave next!
Best wishes in the contest!

 Comment Written 28-Feb-2021

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reply by the author on 28-Feb-2021

Maybe not gone, Helen. Severely depleted, perhaps? Thanks so much, Craig

Comment from Sugarray77

Excellent

Well done on this cleverly crafted 15 Syllable verse, Craig. It is perfect and does show the characteristics of the vehicles and this historic moment in space ventures. I enjoyed reading it. All my best.

Melissa

 Comment Written 28-Feb-2021

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reply by the author on 28-Feb-2021

Thanks very much, Melissa. Much appreciated, as always. Craig

Comment from Debbie Pope

Exceptional

It seems funny to give one of my precious six star ratings to a fifteen syllable poem. But I can't help it when the fifteen syllables are so clever. Every little syllable more than pulls its weight here. Lets hope your double meaning turns out to be erroneous though. It cannot be said, however, that we have not been warned.

 Comment Written 28-Feb-2021

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reply by the author on 28-Feb-2021

I think perhaps it's a slight exaggeration. Maybe they haven't left entirely, but, like water on mars, are in scarce supply? Thanks for the generous rating :) Craig