Little Comrade Klutz Teddy Poem by Keith Shorrocks Johnson

LITTLE COMRADE KLUTZ TEDDY

Мишка косолапый: A translation of Andrey Usachev’s Poem


Little Comrade Klutz Teddy
In the forest
Collecting pine cones
Singing songs.

Then a cone drops
And hits head first
Smacking the bear cub -
Bonk - and whoops a daisy!

On a branch
A blackbird mocks:
“A clumsy Teddy
Trips on his own tail”

And then
Five young hares
Break from the thicket
Screaming “clumsy Teddy”.

All agree among
The forest creatures -
A klutzy Teddy Bear
Is galumphing through the woods.

Back at the bear lair
Little Teddy, still unsteady,
Shrinks with shame
Hiding behind a cupboard.

“Everyone is teasing me
About my clumpy paws”.

But Mum responds:
“Dumb son
I’m proud of your feet.
I’m a clodhopper,
Dad is a clodhopper
And Grandad is a real spud foot”.

Klutz Teddy then
Became very proud.
He washed with soap and water
And ate honey cake.

And he came out of the den
Puffed and chuffed
Ready to show everyone
Some clumsy, klutzy, clomping!


[with apologies to A. Usachev from one poet to another]