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SETTING FREE THE GLIBS
Long ago, and far away,
On the moon of UBOP-SHABAM,
Lived a race of people know as Glibs,
Who were ruled by a king named Sam.
The Glibs were small, yes QUITE un-tall
And their hair was Royal Blue.
From what I’ve said, I’m sure you’ve seen
That they weren’t like me or you.
Their arms were longer than their legs
So their knuckles scraped the ground
And their ears rotated front to back
So the NEVER missed a sound.
Their skin changed colors through the day
Which helped them know the time.
They were orange in the morning
And at dusk turned mostly lime.
Those Glibs were walking rainbows,
Whose hue would shame a flower.
Their color show went on each day
Like clockwork, on the hour.
But the feature which was most pronounced
And renowned from North to South,
Was the item just beneath their nose,
,,,An ENORMOUS, crimson mouth!
It wasn’t used to gobble food,
For the Glibs were slight of build.
But their CONVERSATIONS never stopped
And their tongues were never stilled!
When first approaching Glibberland
You’d hear what seemed like birds.
But on close investigation
You’d discover it was WORDS.
For sure, the Glibs were aptly named
‘cause they chattered day and night.
They talked of chairs and spiral stairs
And knowing wrong from right.
They spoke of dreams and clever schemes
And how chocolate causes zits.
They questioned all that they observed,
Like why olives had large pits.
The sun came up, the sun went down
But thy never seemed to care.
They just continued with their talk
And their voices clogged the air.
They talked and talked..then talked some more,
The words collided loudly.
“Communication is our life!!”
They all proclaimed quite proudly.
But Sam, who was a clever King
Could see it was not true.
The words, though SPOKEN, were not heard,
And he pondered what to do.
For he alone, had knowledge
Of the cause of all the trouble.
That every Glib who was alive
Was trapped inside a bubble!
It seems that many years before,
When Sam’s father was a boy,
A curse was placed upon the Glibs
Which no one could destroy.
Sam’s father had been playing games
In a cornfield on a hill,
When he’d heard a frightened voice call out
And then become quite still.
Sam’s dad was puzzled by the sound
And ran to find its source.
But given his attention span
His interest ran its course.
But then he heard the cry again
And he looked above his head.
And there, he saw a crystal globe
Suspended by a thread.
The sphere was swaying in the breeze
And it glistened in the light.
He inched a little closer
To touch the fragile sight.
His ears revolved quite wildly,
As he tried to hear the sound.
In eagerness he bumped the orb
And it crashed onto the ground!
It shattered as it hit the earth
Just inches from his feet,
And from it came an eerie sound
And a blast of searing heat.
The boy stood stunned and silent
As he wondered what would be,
But his youthful fascination
Overcame his urge to flee.
A scruffy sort of bear appeared
With fur of reddish green.
And next to it there stood a man
Like the boy had never seen.
“Thank Goodness that you came along”
Was the first thing that he said.
“We’ve spent a thousand years in there
And it’s time that we were fed.”
Sam’s dad was sure that he was doomed!
As breakfast, he would end.
But rather than this awful fate
He found he’d made a friend.
He heard of how they’d been entrapped
By a creature quite un-kind.
Who’s warped idea of having fun
Had put them in this bind.
But now that they were free at last
They didn’t plan to worry.
And ‘though he’d liked their little chat,
He was rather in a hurry.
With that remark, the duo fled
While the boy could only gape.
But, it soon became apparent
Why they’d made their quick escape.
For where they’d stood, there now appeared
An evil looking troll!
Who’s ugly face and drooling lips
Froze fast the small boy’s soul!!
“YOU LET THEM GO!!”, he screamed with rage!
“YOU’LL HAVE TO PAY THE PRICE!”
And the blood within the youngster’s veins
Began to turn to ice.
“YOU HEARD THEIR CALL AND SET THEM FREE,
SO I KNOW A FITTING CURSE!
YOU’LL NEVER HEAR ANOTHER’S WORDS…
AND I’LL MAKE IT EVEN WORSE!”
“YOU, AND ALL YOU KNOW AND LOVE
WILL BE SEALED INSIDE OF BUBBLES.
A FITTING FATE TO PLAGUE YOUR LIFE
FOR CAUSING ME SUCH TROUBLES!”
So that is how it came to pass
That communication ended.
The Glibs don’t know that they’re not heard.
Which is what the troll intended.
Soon, bubbles wrapped around each Glib
Both under and above.
While light and air could penetrate
The membrane blocked out love.
The Glibs all thought that they were heard
When they spoke to other elves.
In truth, the only words that reached their ears
Were the ones they said themselves.
It grieved poor Sam to realize
That all sharing had been blocked.
And he vowed to find an answer
So the words would be unlocked.
He spoke to local Wise Men,
But the curse ensnared them too!
So even if they’d had a cure
Their words could not get through.
He remembered how it came to pass
That his father’d met the beast.
And suddenly, he had a thought,
How the curse might be released!
He thought of how the crystal globe
Had broken when it fell.
And wondered if the bubbles too
Were just a brittle shell.
If this were true, he theorized,
A hammer could be used…
But hours of his pounding
Left the bubble still un-bruised.
Assembling all his heavy tools,
The king went on attack!!
He hammered, sawed and drilled for days,
But the bubbles didn’t crack.
The hammers broke, the saws grew dull
He’d nothing left to try.
Exhausted from his futile work,
Poor Sam began to cry.
He cried because he loved the Glibs
And wanted them to win.
He knew the joy that people share
When they let each other in.
And then a magic thing occurred,
Since feelings were involved.
Where loving tears had touched the film
The bubble had dissolved!!
When Sam perceived what this would mean,
Relief welled in his heart.
And while he shed the last few tears
His bubble burst apart!!
He realized what he had learned
And ran to share his find;
That trust and caring from within
Meant hope for all Glib-kind.
So he traveled through his kingdom
With a sign which bore one word.
And every Glib who read it
Could forevermore be heard.
I’m sure you’ve guessed the word was LOVE
And the lesson learned that day,
Was: It’s not the love you get that counts,
But the love you give away!
So as each Glib saw Sam’s new word
Their bubble ceased to be.
They hugged each other joyfully
For they knew that they were free!
The bubble curse had locked love out
But Sam had found the way.
The love within had snapped the spell
And the cure still works today.
So, Glibs may seem to be quite different
Or, at least appear to be,
But when it comes to things like love
They are just like you and me!
"A Bubble Life" by Garry Golightly
Here is a story that hasn't been told
So I thought I might tell you before I grow old
'Bout a man that has traveled all over the world
In search of careers and the love of a girl
But the children surrounding him shouted out loud
"Please Mister Bubbleman!!! More bubbles now!!!"
With a breath and a smile he would blow through his lips
He decided on bubbles for food, rent, and tips.
It didn't end there. Of that you can be sure
He realized bubbles could heal and cure!
With water and soap and children at play
This man could blow bubbles in every which way
From England to Poland, Australia, Japan
The call had gone out for The Bubbleman!!!
So he traveled and traveled and rarely touched down
And quite like his bubbles he just floated around
The children would follow him all over town
Each one he obliged and never let down.
On top of his van he had his own stage
Where he bubbled in folklife fests and parades
And the children rejoiced letting out a great cheer,
"Hey Mister Bubbleman! More bubbles here!!!"
He blew them great bubbles to their hearts' content
Then took off to blow bubbles at another event.
Many thought he was here to clean up the town
Then they realized this was how he got around!
In reality he could offer them peace, love, and joy
And a rather simplistic, very cheap toy!
© Garry Golightly
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