Once upon a time (last fall), we had a family event at my school featuring Poetry Fox.

Forgive if this disturbs the enchanting image in your brain: He’s a guy in a well-worn fox costume who cranks out poems on the spot, using an old-timey typewriter.

Just give him a word, and clickety-clickety-click, slam! —he types your own personal poem on a piece of paper suitable for framing.

You will want to frame it, because Poetry Fox is amazing.

My new assistant principal stood by, watching in sheer wonderment. “I didn’t know what to expect,” he admitted. “But this…this is magic.”

Indeed. Kid faces and parent faces glowed. In a word…awe.

Afterward, my AP joked: “Hey, if we ever want to do this again and Poetry Fox isn’t available, maybe I could scrounge up a costume…not a fox, of course…some lesser creature…”

The thing was born in my head, right that very instant: “You could be Poetry Possum!”

Today, Ladies and Gentlemen, Girls and Boys, One and All… I am proud to announce the debut of a character who certainly needs to live in stories (and poems) of his own:

I give you… (drumroll)…Poetry Possum and his very first work!

There once was a fuzzy gray creature
It is ME! A poetry teacher!
With just a little travail
I’ll bet my prehensile tail
Wordcraft will become your best feature!

*******

Composed for Day 11 of the Slice of Life Story Challenge with Two Writing Teachers

If you want to read more about Poetry Fox, you can do so here.