The Little Magic Shop

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Mr. Walker

I love my customers
I’ve ransacked my backroom
to find the right items
for valued customers

Purchase or trade
I don’t care which
But I never use stickers
for prices
Too tacky

And I keep all purchases
strictly confidential

All sorts of charms
A monocle to see through fog
A handkerchief to control weeping
A mirror for visions
A belt that will guarantee
you a successful interview
A jacket that will make you a blur
at night or in dim light

Our location?
Oh, I’m sorry, dear,
if you don’t already know,
I can’t help you

/ / /

This poem was written in response to Wordle 43 at The Sunday Whirl.

46 thoughts on “The Little Magic Shop”

Mary on February 12, 2012 at 5:29 am said:

I just love the magical quality of this poem, Richard. Oh, if there were only such a place! (Hmmmm, or maybe there is??)

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- Mr. Walker on February 12, 2012 at 5:58 am said:
  
  Thanks, Mary. In reading others’ poems, I realize I went a very different direction than most. Glad you liked it.
  
  Richard
  
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Magical Mystical Teacher on February 12, 2012 at 6:14 am said:

Oh, what fun! And even though you won’t divulge the location of your shop, I’m sure I can find it. See you soon! 🙂

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- Mr. Walker on February 12, 2012 at 8:04 am said:
  
  Oh, I’m sure you know the way. I think I saw the password in one of your poems once.
  
  Richard
  
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Laurie Kolp on February 12, 2012 at 6:14 am said:

I, too, like the magical/mysterious feel to this, Richard. Well done!

http://lkkolp.wordpress.com/2012/02/11/this-artificial-high-we-seek/

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- Mr. Walker on February 12, 2012 at 8:05 am said:
  
  Laurie, thank you. Glad the magical/mysterious feel comes through. It’s where the words lead me this week.
  
  Richard
  
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Pseu on February 12, 2012 at 6:37 am said:

I’ll place my order: please could I have a belt that will guarantee a successful interview? I’ll send my owl over for it 🙂

What a different Wordle response to mine!

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- Pseu on February 12, 2012 at 7:22 am said:
  
  I feel your first line could be redundant…. it would be stronger, in my humble opinion without the repetition of ‘customers’ in the first verse. (I hope you don’t mind my saying so….)
  
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  - Mr. Walker on February 12, 2012 at 8:09 am said:
    
    Duly noted. I agree with you. I don’t much care for that repetition myself, but didn’t edit it when I posted the poem. The rest of the stanza “shows” so much better than that first line “tells”.
    
    Richard
    
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    - Pseu on February 12, 2012 at 11:46 am said:
      
      phew!
      
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- Mr. Walker on February 12, 2012 at 8:06 am said:
  
  Pseu, your order is ready. I am awaiting your owl. Yeah, I found I went a very different direction than most other poets this week.
  
  Richard
  
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Taylor on February 12, 2012 at 6:42 am said:

love the third stanza, brilliant piece.

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- Mr. Walker on February 12, 2012 at 8:09 am said:
  
  Taylor, thank you.
  
  Richard
  
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drpkp on February 12, 2012 at 6:43 am said:

I am an echo of all above… there is a delightful light yet powerful magical quality to this poem – I can actually hear his voice – and a chill down my spine … BRAVO

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- Mr. Walker on February 12, 2012 at 8:10 am said:
  
  Pearl, thank you. I’m glad his voice came through. I feel like I’ve been writing in my own voice a little too much lately, so this was a welcome change.
  
  Richard
  
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markwindham on February 12, 2012 at 7:30 am said:

Very good; a shop of mysteries. Love it.

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- Mr. Walker on February 12, 2012 at 8:11 am said:
  
  Mark, thank you. Glad you liked it.
  
  Richard
  
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Daydreamertoo on February 12, 2012 at 8:34 am said:

Reminds me of ‘The old curiosity shop’ Lovely imagery. I like the idea of ‘if you don’t know where we are, I’m not going to tell you.’
This whole piece made me smile, thank you 🙂

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- Mr. Walker on February 19, 2012 at 6:12 am said:
  
  Daydreamertoo, thank you. Glad it made you smile.
  
  Richard
  
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Marianne on February 12, 2012 at 9:03 am said:

Bravo, Richard! I love the magical vibe in this poem. It’s clever with a whisper of black magic and wizardry! “A monocle to see through fog” and “A handkerchief to control weeping” sound like perfectly marvelous treasures!

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- Mr. Walker on February 19, 2012 at 6:13 am said:
  
  Marianne, thank you for your comments on the “perfectly marvelous treasures”. Glad you liked the vibe of the poem.
  
  Richard
  
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brenda w on February 12, 2012 at 9:49 am said:

I love the double meaning of “tacky” stickers. Damn, I hate getting sticker glue off art from Walmart. LOL This poem makes me want to get to know the shop’s purveyor, and peruse the shelves of his shop.

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- Mr. Walker on February 19, 2012 at 6:14 am said:
  
  Brenda, thank you for commenting on the word play of “tacky”; I was hoping someone would mention it. It’s a neat, little shop; I’ll tell you were it is so you can peruse.
  
  Richard
  
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wordsandthoughtspjs on February 12, 2012 at 11:35 am said:

I love this piece, Richard. Reminded me of the book by Stephen King “Needful Things”. Well wordled.

Pamela

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- Mr. Walker on February 19, 2012 at 6:26 am said:
  
  Pamela, thank you. I like the “Needful Things” connection.
  
  Richard
  
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viv blake on February 12, 2012 at 1:44 pm said:

I do like this, Richard.It is fun and mysterious, and clever poeming. BTW I agree about the double customers. It rather hits you in the face!

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- Mr. Walker on February 19, 2012 at 6:28 am said:
  
  Viv, glad you liked it, and found it “fun and mysterious”.
  
  Richard
  
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Irene on February 12, 2012 at 3:11 pm said:

It’s got a wry smile to it.

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- Mr. Walker on February 19, 2012 at 6:28 am said:
  
  Irene, thank you. I like “wry smile”.
  
  Richard
  
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Cathy on February 12, 2012 at 7:28 pm said:

I need a shop like that. Love the playfulness of it.

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- Mr. Walker on February 19, 2012 at 6:30 am said:
  
  Cathy, glad you liked the playfulness of it.
  
  Richard
  
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Janet on February 12, 2012 at 8:03 pm said:

I know the shop! It’s ‘just around the corner’! I like where these words took you…and then, us.

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- Mr. Walker on February 19, 2012 at 6:31 am said:
  
  Janet, thank you. Glad I’m not the only one who knows where that shop is.
  
  Richard
  
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Sharp Little Pencil on February 12, 2012 at 9:46 pm said:

Richard, I loved this. Reminded me of the motto of an old department store: “If you can’t find it at Schwab’s, you’re better off without it.” Novel approach to the prompt, and quite fun.

Mine is here: http://sharplittlepencil.wordpress.com/2012/02/13/bobbis-mom-sunday-whirl/

Peace, and glad to be back among the blogging! Amy

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- Mr. Walker on February 19, 2012 at 6:31 am said:
  
  Amy, thank you. Good to see you again. I like that motto; thanks for sharing.
  
  Richard
  
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pmwanken on February 13, 2012 at 5:45 pm said:

How fun! 🙂

I really enjoyed this, Richard. Definitely a more light-hearted feel than where I ended up. But…that’s the joy of the wordles.

My favorite line — I, too, enjoyed the double meaning of “tacky.” Good one!

~Paula

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- Mr. Walker on February 19, 2012 at 6:32 am said:
  
  Paula, thanks. I seem to have gone in a different direction than most on this one. Glad you liked “tacky”.
  
  Richard
  
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LadyInRead on February 13, 2012 at 10:06 pm said:

really enjoyed reading it.. was a fun, magical read..took me back to the days of reading stories by Enid Blyton..
would love to know the location of this shop..

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- Mr. Walker on February 19, 2012 at 6:34 am said:
  
  LadyInRead, thank you. Glad you found it fun and magical. And thanks for stopping by.
  
  Richard
  
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purplepeninportland on February 15, 2012 at 8:48 pm said:

Mr. W, What an excellent poem, with hints of Stephen King lurking about.

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- Mr. Walker on February 19, 2012 at 6:35 am said:
  
  purplepen, thanks. Glad you liked it.
  
  Richard
  
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Tilly Bud on February 16, 2012 at 3:21 am said:

A magical shop! Do you know Mr Benn, by any chance?

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- Mr. Walker on February 19, 2012 at 6:36 am said:
  
  Tilly, thanks. Actually, no, I don’t know Mr. Benn. I look forward to finding out.
  
  Richard
  
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  - Tilly Bud on February 19, 2012 at 6:39 am said:
    
    He was a cartoon from my childhood. He would enter a fancy dress shop, don a costume, and have an adventure relating to it.
    
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Sherry Blue Sky on February 19, 2012 at 4:22 pm said:

FANTASTIC, Mr Walker!!!!!

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- Mr. Walker on February 20, 2012 at 9:05 am said:
  
  Sherry, thank you. It was a bit of fantasy. Glad you liked it.
  
  Richard
  
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