Writing Journal 2021

Suzie's Shark

Suzie hadn't bathed in a week. 

She was really starting to reek. 

But when her mama said, 

"Time to scrub your head,"

Louder and louder she'd shriek.

The water was filled up with bubbles. 

But, to her, it was hiding the troubles. 

Because in her brain 

(Although it may sound insane) 

Something evil lurked in all puddles.

A shark would be in there.

That was her young mind's fear.

And when she sat in the tub, 

Going scrub-a-dub-dub, 

A Great White would give her a scare.

Her mind would imagine the fin 

Swimming round and round again. 

The rest of the shark 

Hid in the dark 

And she would have nowhere to swim.

Eventually her mama would win,

When Suzie smelled like a garbage bin.

"Take off your clothes,

And scrub all your toes!"

Said Mama. "Before I throw you in!"

With a final click of the door

Suzie was rooted to the floor

Fear kept her there

In her underwear

Her anger, she couldn't ignore.

Eventually she crept to the tub

When her mother screamed, "Hurry up, Love!"

She stripped off her shirt

Although it did hurt

To imagine herself all chewed up.

She leaned over it first just to check.

But bubbles too thick to inspect

What hid underneath

With hundreds of teeth

Made Suzie a quivering mess.

She decided to squeeze shut her eyes

To make it more of a surprise.

First she dipped in her toes

Said, "Well, here goes!"

All while hoping she didn't meet her demise.

Suzie sat in the water so warm,

Till something brushed across her right arm.

With a shriek and a gasp

Her whole body flapped

With astounding amounts of alarm.

"Please keep it down, little girl,"

She heard a voice call from a whirl

Of water knee deep.

"Please don't make a peep.

You're causing my senses to swirl!"

Suzie's eyes opened with a snap.

"Huh-huh-huh-who, s-said that?"

She wanted to know

(As these sorta things go).

And she gave the water a slap.

"Ow! There's no need to get handsy!

My friends, they all call me Pansy.

And I'm down here.

No need to be queer.

Stop shouting out like a chimpanzee!"

Suzie looked down by her side.

She couldn't believe her green eyes.

"Shark! Shark!"

Was her only remark,

All other words swallowed by surprise.

"Oh, settle down, little Suzie!

You're making more bubbles than a jacuzzi.

I promise not to

Bite any part of you

If you'll stop that. You're making me woozy."

After a minute had passed,

Suzie's cries had calmed down to small gasps.

"Okay, I am calm.

I'll stop calling my mom.

But don't expect this calmness to last."

"Thank you, that's all that I ask."

Pansy stuck out her fin (which was a task).

"It's nice to meet you.

How do you do?"

Suzie shook her small fin rather fast.

"Why are you here in my tub?

Have you come to bite off my nubs?"

Suzie covered her chest

And hoped that the rest

Didn't look like delicious grub.

"Okay, one, you need to calm down.

I'll cross my fins and hope to drown.

I'm not gonna bite.

Let's just call it a night

If you won't do anything but frown."

"But Pansy, what am I to do?

I've been so afraid that it's true.

A shark in my water,

That's why I fought her

When mama said I smelled like a shoe."

"I'll tell you just what's gonna happen,"

Said pansy, who's fins started clapping.

"We'll get you all clean,

Pretend this was a dream.

Something only a dearheart could imagine."

And so an hour went.

The hot water all had been spent.

Suzie came out sparkling,

And Pansy, the darling,

Down the drain she made her descent.