Verymerryville - A Poetic Tale

Prologue

"Verymerryville" is really a social commentary disguised as a quaint poetic tale. I think it portrays an important message of happiness and contentment overcoming greed and the lure of money.

When you are discontent, you always want more, more, more. Your desire can never be satisfied. But when you practice contentment, you can say to yourself, 'Oh yes - I already have everything that I really need.'

— Dalai Lama

Verymerryville

Now let me tell you all a tale,

And explain it if you will,

About the people of a town

Called Verymerryville.

The townsfolk all were happy,

They had no cares or woes.

All they needed was provided,

Nowhere else they had to go.

The Mayor's name was McHappy

And he loved his little town.

His generous caring nature

In fact, gained world renown.

No money lined rich pockets

In Verymerryville,

For the only currency people had

Were needs that they could fill.

The council got together,

And the wise old Mayor decreed

That every resident be trained

In a skill the town would need.

Even Peggy Littlefoot

Who was born without big toes,

Could spin the most amazing yarn

That made all the people's clothes.

The town was self-sufficient,

And provided for itself.

It used renewables for fuel,

And local products lined the shelf.

Because no-one had money

There was no theft or crime.

Anything or service needed

Could be bartered with your time.

Unfortunately, time moves on,

And sometimes much too fast.

Mayor McHappy was old and Ill,

The time came for him to pass.

The council was thrown in a spin,

A leader they must choose.

But that was easier said than done,

McHappy had big shoes.

Now greed is never far away

And it raised its ugly head,

The moment that it realized

The famous Mayor was dead.

One day a salesman came to town

Peddling goods they'd never seen,

And the Verymerryvillians,

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Their wide-eyes brightly beamed.

But the people had no money

To buy these worldly goods.

They tried to barter services,

Fruit, vegetables, and wood.

And the salesman wouldn't have it,

He'd only deal in cash,

So the council held a meeting,

Their decision was quite rash.

They agreed that Verymerryville

Would give real currency a try.

The salesman had convinced them,

He sold things they had to buy.

He told them about money,

Its advantages and such,

And he gave the people credit

Until they had too much.

The salesman made his fortune,

Left the townsfolk all in debt.

His evil plan was now in place,

But he wasn't finished yet.

He offered to become the Mayor,

And the council had no choice,

For now they were financial slaves

And no longer had a voice.

So "Dollar Bill" became the Mayor,

It really was a shame,

For the town of Verymerryville

Would never be the same.

While the Mayor's fortune multiplied

All the people were in debt.

When gambling was introduced

Their dependence was now set.

But all were not as gullible

As Dollar Bill had thought.

They didn't want their town destroyed

So against the Mayor they fought.

Contentment consists not in adding more fuel, but in taking away some fire.

— Thomas Fuller

A rebellion started in the streets,

The city bank was raised,

The new Mayor's residence was burned,

McHappy's name was praised.

The bonfire burnt for days on end,

All the money used as fuel.

Dollar Bill fled from the town,

And those he took for fools.

The people went back to old ways,

Bartering for their needs.

The town of Verymerryville,

Now a garden free of weeds.

© 2016 John Hansen