Skippy Jar

Skippy Jar

There’s a land that’s very far
Out beyond that distant star
Where He hid the Skippy Jar
That holds the Magic Key

It’s the Planet of the Hand
Not left nor right you understand
But of Curiosity
and This Is What Was Told to Thee
And neither had the Magic Key

Science loved by Hand of C
Old Scrolls were loved by Hand of T
And so they argued violently
Just what is that Magic Key

Hand of T said it’s a scroll
No, no equations of control
Said C: I truly disagree
Just what is that Magic Key

A Magic Key to all the gold?
All the power one could hold?
All the knowledge to behold?
If I have that Magic Key

Hand of T through scrolls did plow
Found the map and made his vow
I will leave right here and now
To get that Magic Key

But that observant Hand of C
The find of map did fully see
And he vowed too: “I’ll follow thee”
To get that Magic Key

A Magic Key to all the gold!
All the power one could hold!
All the knowledge to behold!
If I have that Magic Key!

Now Hands walk on their finger tips
When they have to make their trips
With calluses very hard
To protect from cut of rock and shard
Not be cut and have to feel
Not be cut and have to heal

Then Hand of T found Skippy Jar
By slinking fast and sneaking far
But Hand of C was no ones dope
He tracked T with his telescope

T shook the jar with all his might
He grabbed the biggest rock in sight
And smashed the jar from left and right
He threw it down from greatest height

By this time came the Hand of C
And even Hand of T could see
That just one hand is not enough
To open jars of wondrous stuff.

They both took hold of Skippy Jar
They shook it hard and threw it far
They pushed and pulled; it was no use
The jar stayed shut through all abuse

They thought and then they said: “lets twist”
This stubborn lid may not resist
They tried to twist with all their zeal
But twisting’s hard when you cant feel

They had to file their finger tips
Cut calluses with sharp rock chips
Add feeling to their mighty grips
And twist with empathy

The twist of one must match the other
Like gentle play with friend or brother
You sense the twist at other end
And match it like you hear a friend

What could it be that They did see
A scroll of old? New Chemistry?
Writ on cheap mirror: “Empathy”
As feeling hands they had it free



Our Planet Earth


Our planet’s not this weirdo place
With walking hands a sentient race
And Skippy Jars the wisdom case

Where Gold is in the Golden Rule
Power in self and compassion cool
Your trip brings knowledge for you to retool
Where living and giving are the finest school

Where you look in the mirror only to see
Your knowledge, and values and empathy
Played out in your actions for eternity
Hid in a jar for posterity.


© David W. Oliver January 12, 2008