Friday, December 9, 2011

Brandon Buonacorsi - His Long Poem


The Lost Heart of Oogaloo

There was a man named Oogaloo

Who lived in a land called Kalachoo.

Oogaloo was a very well know man

And his big heart was known throughout the land.

His kindness was freely given to everyone

For that’s just how Oogaloo got things done.

Oogaloo’s best feature was his heart.

For when a fellow townsman was in trouble

Oogaloo arrived to give help right on the double.

Or if a comrade needed a place to stay

Oogaloo’s house would never turn them away.

People wondered what made Oogaloo so kind

But the answer could never come to their mind.

They just knew his best feature was his heart.

His heart did more than just be good to other citizens,

It also helped him develop his passions.

Oogaloo loved to paint and write

And even dance much better than any fairy sprite.

He loved to sing very loudly and well

That everyone understood and could tell

That his abilities stemmed from his best feature: his heart.

Oogaloo was never in a state of gloom.

For him, there was never an impending doom.

There was always something funny on his mind

And he felt terrible for those who were blind

To experience laughter, joy, peace and happiness

Because all of those together make a man be blessed.

Oogaloo’s best feature was his heart.

However, one day everything seemed to change

And poor little Oogaloo seemed to become deranged.

He became filled with sadness at everything he saw

And he wouldn’t stop help someone up if they fall.

Poor little Oogaloo must have misplaced his heart

For his happy world had fallen apart.

Oogaloo had lost hist best feature, his heart.

So Oogaloo decided to go on a quest

Because he made his mind that he would not rest

Until his heart was returned to him

So that his lovely world would not be so grim.

He packed his bag with clothes and food

To go and get his heart to be renewed.

Oogaloo set out to get his best feature, his heart.

Oogaloo heard there was a wise man in the mountains who

Could assist Oogaloo in returning his heart anew.

To get there though, Oogaloo would need to be brave

For the road was perilous and very grave

It would require drive and inspiration

In order to save himself from a heartless damnation.

Oogaloo went out of town to find his best feature, his heart.

One of the first things he did was take the road

Upon which there were thousands of toads.

Those little creatures were obnoxious and loud

As they all gathered together they made quite a crowd.

Oogaloo stopped to admire the group

For even though it was an ugly troupe,

The sheer force of them all together

Showed how beautiful is this thing called nature.

Oogaloo said, “Not only is a toad considered cool,

But so is the little worm who crawls by the pool.

The piranha that swims in the swampy lagoon

And the pigeon who flies in the sky so blue.

All creatures are unique and beautiful whether big or small

They all have something to offer to world of all.”

With this revelation tucked away in his pocket

Oogaloo carried on the road fast like a rocket.

For he still had to find his best feature, his heart.

Going along the road, the man ran into a witch

Who told the young lad that passing her would not be a cinch.

For she would ask him a most personal question

Which would make his true self be forced into expression.

She ask him to look deep into his memories

To find out who was most important in his life story.

So Oogaloo stopped to reflect on his past

And he took his time thinking and didn’t think too fast.

He reminisced about his childhood

When his mother unconditionally loved him, like she should.

The day when his friends helped lighten his mood

Because he seemed to be awfully rude.

When his dog licked his face and it made him smile,

And when the girl he fell in love with talked to him for a while.

Those are all who he cherished the most,

So he told the witch that to choose just one would be gross.

She respected his choice, and told him bravo

For his ability to care gave him the makings of a hero.

So young Oogaloo carried on, to find his best feature, his heart.

While walking along, Oogaloo came upon a tree

And the poor little sapling had lost all its leaves.

Young Oogaloo reflected upon such a sad sight

For the tree seemed helpless in its sad plight.

If only someone or something could stop to care

In order to offer the tree some water to help it not be so bare.

The tree seemed to be begging Oogaloo with its empty arms

And Oogaloo could tell this was cause for alarm.

But there was no water to be found

Not a creek or brook was around

As the forest was quiet without the sound

Of rushing water to be nearby on the ground

To offer the poor tree some hope of survival.

Oogaloo felt he had made things worse with his arrival.

But Oogaloo had to carry on to find his best feature, his heart.

Finally, Oogaloo came to mountain at last

Where the wise old man sat on a patch of grass.

However Oogaloo still had a ways to climb

If he were to get a chance to talk to this mastermind.

The climbing was hard for there were lots of loose rocks

And if he slipped just a little bit, he would fall like a block.

Yet Oogaloo knew that there was something to look forward too

The hope of reuniting with his heart pushed him through.

Oogaloo pushed through all the way to the top

And he knew he had reached it once he felt a dew drop.

He saw the wise man sit on the ground with a plop

So Oogaloo danced for joy with a little hop.

He ran to the wise man encompassed with glee

And the wise man asked “What can I do for thee?”

Oogaloo had begun to find his best feature, his heart.

Oogaloo told the wise man his tale

Of how he had looked for his heart but to no avail.

The wise man just chuckled with a glimmer in his eye

As he looked at Oogaloo and said “My oh my.

You see dear lad, you haven’t lost your heart,

But rather you have always had it from the start.

One cannot lose who they are

For that stays with you no matter how far

You travel or search for your missing self

Because you never left yourself.

Remember as you travelled along the road

And you looked at and studied the toads?

Your heart was there this whole time

For it matters all about your little brain called a mind.

As you looked at even nature’s despicable things

You saw something admirable that caused you to sing.

To see the worst as something beautiful

Is what makes life not be so dull.

Remember when you reminisced through your memories?

Your heart was there amongst all your glee.

Your heart stays with your family and friends

And memories are snapshots of the best times with them.

Their laughter and smiles may be something you miss

But in the end they cause you bliss.

And remember when you saw the tree?

Why, your heart was there, amongst your sympathy.

Your desire to help others gives you purpose in life

For assisting those in need helps eliminate strife.

That part of you can never disappear

Because you embodied compassion, listen with your ear.

Remember as you climbed this tall hill?

Your heart was in there in the form of will.

The desire to succeed and push through to the end

Is something that will always be sure to send

You very far in the eyes of your peers

Because in their eyes you will have no fear.

You see young Oogaloo you can’t lose your heart

For your heart makes you and it can’t be taken apart.

Remember who you are as a person my good man

And no matter what life throws at you, you’ll be sure to stand.

Cling to the ability of seeing the beauty of nature

Cling to the memory of family and friends you’ll make in the future

Cling to the idea of your love to help people

Cling to notion of working your way through life’s pickles.

All these things together make up your best feature, your heart.”

So Oogaloo journeyed home, once more filled with joy

For he now realized how his whole quest had been a ploy.

So he traveled back to his town of Kalachoo

And he came back a person made anew.

His bright smile was back and his compassion returned

All because the wise man showed Oogaloo a lesson to learn.

Oogaloo had rediscovered his best feature, his heart.

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