Jo Walton (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} papersky) wrote,@ 2009-11-03 08:51:00 |
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My Elf Policy
You may not steal my children
nor yet my neighbour's children
not even when my neighbour's children jump at six AM.
You may have unearthly beauty,
but you may not steal hearts, souls, or nursemaids,
nor sacrifice my friends to hell.
You may sing as much as you like,
even tirra lirra,
folk, rock, metal or opera,
except after ten at night.
You may tell me of your life in other lands
but you must not whine:
a little nostalgia is fine.
Whatever stories you tell me,
you mustn't complain if I write them down.
You may not rev motorbikes before or after eight.
You must never cast enchantments indoors
without express permission.
Since you walk on top of the snow
it's your turn to fetch bread in winter.
Smoking is only permitted on the apartment balconies,
yes, even in January.
You must not transform without warning
when I am holding fragile objects.
Time is negotiable
under no circumstances whatever.
Since you will try to trick me
and creep between cracks of intention
this policy remains open and subject
to constant addition and amendment
(by me and me only)
for seven years,
seven hundred years,
in this world or any other.
(daegaer was sent some spam that she misread as selling elf policies.) And Happy Birthday janni!
ETA Do read the comments, there's a terrific poem on the same subject bystakebait.
You may not steal my children
nor yet my neighbour's children
not even when my neighbour's children jump at six AM.
You may have unearthly beauty,
but you may not steal hearts, souls, or nursemaids,
nor sacrifice my friends to hell.
You may sing as much as you like,
even tirra lirra,
folk, rock, metal or opera,
except after ten at night.
You may tell me of your life in other lands
but you must not whine:
a little nostalgia is fine.
Whatever stories you tell me,
you mustn't complain if I write them down.
You may not rev motorbikes before or after eight.
You must never cast enchantments indoors
without express permission.
Since you walk on top of the snow
it's your turn to fetch bread in winter.
Smoking is only permitted on the apartment balconies,
yes, even in January.
You must not transform without warning
when I am holding fragile objects.
Time is negotiable
under no circumstances whatever.
Since you will try to trick me
and creep between cracks of intention
this policy remains open and subject
to constant addition and amendment
(by me and me only)
for seven years,
seven hundred years,
in this world or any other.
(
daegaer was sent some spam that she misread as selling elf policies.) And Happy Birthday janni!ETA Do read the comments, there's a terrific poem on the same subject by
stakebait.
