The Stranger

By Ernestine Cobern Beyer

As I was walking through a wood, one cool September day,
I chanced to see a stranger standing jaunty, in my way.
There wasn't much about him to remark about, I guess--
Unless it might be possibly the matter of his dress.
I couldn't help from noticing the jacket he had on,
For glory be! 'Twas greener than McGillicuddy's lawn!
Except for that, there wasn't much to stretch a pair of eyes--
Unless I should be mentioning the matter of his size!
It's really rather seldom you'll be meeting, on your walks,
A bit of man who measures seven inches in his socks.

I looked at him and looked at him and kinda thought it over,
While he stared back, his little head just level with the clover.
"You're not a native of the town!" I presently decided.
"No, that I'm not!" the little man quite cheerfully confided.
"Well then," I went on thoughtful-like, as sharp I looked him through,
"I'm thinking you're a stranger, here." Said he: "I think so, too!"
Said I: "Could be that you're a man who's kinda shrunk a little!"
"It could be now!" he answered me, a trifle noncommittal.
Then, standing up all fine and straight, he faced me like a hero.
(The brash of him whose size was little more than two times zero!)
Then sweeping off his tiny cap, he said with quite a bow:
"Good luck to you, long life to you--and I'll be leaving, now!"

With that, the little fellow went. 'Twas queer, I do declare!
He didn't walk away from me. He simply wasn't there!

Well, as I wandered homeward with the sunlight in my eyes,
I talked it over with myself. (Myself is wondrous wise!)
Said I: "He was a pipe dream! Aye! He surely was the type!
"Fiddlesticks!" Myself replied. "You've never owned a pipe."

And thinkin' of the matter, very sober in the dawn,
The both of us decided I had met a leprechaun!

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Many thanks to Barbara Beyer Malley for permission
to post her mother's delightful poem. (From Poetry
with a Purpose).

Originally posted 4/17/10