Third Contest Submission

Actually, three submissions in one! By David (my dad) who is a college level English professor.

Haiku
Superpowered Dad
Soothes fears and fends off panic
Leaving calm behind

Limerick
There once was a PopPop called Dude
Whose powers were much ballyhooed
He’d fix and he’d calm
He’d apply easing balm
And all sorts of troubles he’d soothe

Villanelle
PopPop’s power is to calm
the fears and nerves that jangle life
and ease all troubles with a healing balm

When fears leave sweat upon your palm;
And your heart knows only strife
PopPop’s power is to calm

If decisions leave you filled with qualm
Seek out PopPop’s sound advice
and ease all troubles with a healing balm

When your heart burns like hot napalm
Over troubles with a spouse or wife
PopPop’s power is to calm

He tells a story like a psalm
Suggesting ways to guide your life
and ease all troubles with a healing balm

So when fate leaves you with deep qualm
Remember that to soothe your life
PopPop’s power is to calm
and ease all troubles with a healing balm

English teacher note: Villanelle: 19 lines of any length divided into six stanzas: 5 tercets and a concluding quatrain. Lines 1-6-12-18 are the same, as are lines 3-9-15-19; rhyme scheme aba in tercets, abaa in concluding quatrain. (Who thinks up this stuff????)