Day 139: New Years Canvas

New Years Canvas
by
Matt Zurbo

 

They say New Years Day is a blank page.
That everything starts anew.
(Empty page, just text)

A canvas, ready to be painted.
So let’s see what we can do!
(Kid walking on, with paint brush, purple smock.)

Well, for starters, I’d want you there.
There and there to stay.
(Friend of opposite sex appearing.)

So, come what New Years may,
things will be okay.
(Back to back, one with old boxer’s pose, other hands shielding eyes, looking to horizons.)

Then, I’d want spotted elephants,
Spotted elephants wearing toupees!
(As described.)

We’d want a slide or two,
a billycart propelled by rotting fish.
Not a pretty thought,
but an even worse dish.
(Billy cart, with fantastical hotrod motor at the back, and stupid exhausts. One kid in it, the other holding nose, and plate, putting dead fish into engine combustor. Elephants on slides in background.)

I guess I’d want people, too,
people everywhere!
Laughing, having fun,
living life without a care.
(People appearing, popping head out of storm drains, from behind traffic lights, etc…. Walking, talking, clown juggling…)

Music in my New Years, will be vital,
I am sure.
(Blue, furry creatures playing in a band. Two main kids in front of them, one looking outwards. the other back to us, with baton as if conducting band.)

To dance,
throw hands in the air,
twist and kick and have a ball!
(People dancing, twisting, etc… some doing so on one or two of spotted elephants about. Billycart pulling trailer with giant speakers.)

Every building in my New Years,
will be kind of bent.
And if you don’t like that,
you could live in a tent!
(Building, with dancing people, talk and bent here and there, in front of it a tent, with people dancing in front of that.)

Instead of cars we’ll have Boink Machines,
walking all about.
Rattling, grinding gears,
Powered by the sun’s clout!
(Main kids in big, mechanical, gears showing machines with long legs, and solar panels poking out.)

There will be a lot more colour.
Paint it on, and paint it thick.
Don’t forget that life is short,
so paint it real quick!
(Buildings being painted ridiculous by two kids and friends and business men, and elephant, etc…)

In the sea, I’ll make sure,
there’s life everywhere!
(Main kid in old diver’s suit, complete with weighted boots and air hose. Fish, squid, crabs everywhere, all chasing and about to eat each other.)

Swimming, splashing, multiplying,
eating each other without care!
(Five fish, big to small, each about to eat the other. Biggest about to be caught by giant squid! Fish No.2 is actually main kid, in wettie and snorkel, and spear gun, about to spear fish in front of him, as bigger fish behind him is about to chomp.)

School, I guess, will be a must,
so we’ll make sure ours is fun.
Put them on wheels, or old fishing boats,
if late, run, run, run!
(Wonky, two story building on cartoon wheels, chugging away as main kid in window beckons second kid running after it with books under arm.)

Also, I’m sick and tired of most of us,
looking kind of the same.
(Two main kids looking up at expressionless adults walking in peek hour here and there.)

On my New Year’s page
Gazoonks will have small town fame!
(Weird, hairy sub-humans, wearing ties, carrying briefcases, happy, waving to each other as they walk.)

Flaming Floops will be invited,
(Creatures with flames on top of heads and hands playing soccer, or some=such.)

and little Bingle Bops,
(Bee-like, knee- critters.)

and, of course, extra points,
for animals who wear socks.
(Two kids and creatures watching a fox walk past in socks – love you Dr Seuss!)

Juggling, balancing,
building until we drop,
through work, music and play,
our good times will never stop!
(Double page spread of kids in middle of creatures and people and elephants now like a circus of doing. Juggling, building weird buildings, strange cars, etc…)

Of course, throughout the year people will still get sad,
and I’ll be one of them.
(Kid sitting slouched under tree, looking glum.)

But in my New Year’s we’ll all be glad,
to help out and go again!
(All characters from story popping out from everywhere, including side of page, hands out, happy, smiling at main kid.)

So here it comes, not a day away,
I can’t wait to start!
(Kid, white background, holding wrist with watch out…)

I might even begin my New Year
… just for fun…
with a little fart!
(Blank page, other than kid, walking away, leg up, farting.)

The (Happy New Years Everyone!) End