Tag Archives: rhymes and riddles

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Remember those AT&T commercials where a man sat at a small table and asked some kids if doing two things is better than doing one. Then, he watched the kids and their reactions. And their funny comments and movements. And it made me think I’ve always enjoyed creating two things for kids. Words. And Music.

I’ve always been that way with kids. I love to ask them questions that challenge their perceptions and perspectives. And then give them a goofy alternative. Their consternation is priceless.

Here’s why I still share those two things for kids on my website.

Because it gives me the opportunity to turn on the switch to the imagination I’ve always had. And I don’t tend to tap into it until I have specific kinds of motivation. Smiles and laughter from kids is good, wholesome motivation.

So, I can be anything or go anywhere. And I can hopefully write it in a way that inspires kids to go along for the ride. Colors can have sounds. And sounds can come to life and sprout wings and fly. They can fly into clouds that turn into eyes. And the eyes can blink out tears that drip into pools of color. And the whole thing can start over again going in a new, fun direction.

Well, that’s my take on it. But I don’t wanna sound like it’s all fairy tales and magic dust. So, I’ll just leave you with this one last, serious, musical thought…

Holla holla moolah…holla holla moolah
Holla holla moolah molay

Joppa joppa joopah…joppa joppa joopah
Joppa joppa joopah jopay

Kenna keena kyna…kenna keena kyna
Kenna keena kyna konay

Wella weela wyla…wella weela wyla
Wella weela wyla wolay

Soli Oh Yo…Soli Oh Yo Yo
Soli Ay Yi…Soli Ay yi yi
And soli Oh Soli Ay Soli Oh Soli Ay
Soli Oh Yi Oh Yi Yo

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Over ten years ago I shared this definition of “patina” I found in my computer dictionary. And it defines the word like this: “an impression or appearance of something: he carries the patina of old money and good breeding.”

Well, I’m not from “old money.” And “good breeding” is in the eyes of the beholder. But I agree with something I read on Seth Godin’s blog about patina. It’s earned. He also said he believes shiny and new fads seem to be the goal these days. But necessary and important tends to be an elusive target.

Patina is found on, and in, something that’s had value long enough to radiate a trusted, respected appearance.

That doesn’t require good breeding.

Just desire. And persistence. And a mission.

As a singer songwriter, and writer in general, I’ve been around a long time. I believe I’ve earned the patina status. But I don’t plan to stop there. Because I hope to be writing, creating, and producing shiny new words and music for whatever time I have left here on the beautiful planet God gave us.

Good breeding and patina,
A silver ocarina,
And words that were, so long ago, composed
Intrigued the ballerina
From down in Argentina,
Who passed along these next words, juxtaposed.

No One’s Pawn

Silky satin words in Latin
Are brought now to my mind.
Old arsenic can stop the tick
And cause my brain to bind.
A flowing thought is simply what
A person needs to think.
The answer’s clear, and yes we’re near.
We’re standing on the brink.
Disaster goes, to where? Who knows?
Be thankful when it’s gone.
For those who see true liberty…
Well, they are no one’s pawn.
I’m one of these down on their knees
And asking for a chance
To prove by words I’m not from herds
Of men unheard and gone.
I’m no one’s pawn.

© 1973

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

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Infinitely creative. That’s the way you might imagine somebody who could conjure up designs for the universe and everything in it. And if you found out that the same person could get it all built in only six days, you might start to think, “This is no ordinary person.” And that would be the understatement of all time.

Because there’s one who can be infinitely creative.

Surely I don’t have to tell you who that is. Right?

Oh sure, I know your first thought was probably, “Hey, Tony’s talking about himself. What an arrogant so and so.” But then you remembered, “Wait a minute…Tony’s not infinite. Maybe it’s not him!

And then it probably occurred to you, “Oh, I know. I’ll bet he’s talking about God.” Followed by the obligatory forehead slap. Then, it all started flooding back into your mind.

All those amazing designs that sprang into existence during The Very First 6 Days of creation. Our tiny minds can hardly imagine how all that could have happened just because God commanded it.

He just spoke the words. And the universe appeared.

I love letting my imagination wander when I read the story of creation in Genesis. And that’s why I decided to write a rhyming book for kids. So they could hear the rhymes and imagine it, too.

I’m sharing the section from the first day. Get the whole colorful paperback, on Amazon, for your kids. It makes the days of creation easy to understand and remember. Because it rhymes. Kids love that.

Before there were created things like water and fresh air…
No world or human beings were existing anywhere.
Then God created earth and sea and all the heavens too.
There was no sun, no moon, no stars, and only God shone through.

He looked down at the waters and the dark face of the deep.
The earth was still and quiet just as we are when we sleep.
He said, “Let there be light” the way a perfect, true God could,
And then He saw the brand new light and knew that it was good.

Then God divided light and dark, and darkness He called Night.
The light would be called Day, and it was pleasing in His sight.
That evening and that morning wouldn’t be the total sum…
No, that was just the very first day…five were yet to come.

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 Ah, the color of music notes

The only reason I’m writing about the color of music notes, today, is because I feel like it. There’s no underlying or hidden message. And I’m not trying to get you to do, say, or be anything special. Nope. It’s just because.

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Because I enjoy the imagery of the color of music notes.

And that’s as good a reason to write about something as any. Right? Of course, I’m not advocating that you write whatever comes to your mind. Filters are good. Especially when you can’t speak or write without dropping profanity or vulgarity. But, wait. I said I wasn’t gonna share a hidden message. No, there’s no agenda going on here.

And yet…have you ever noticed…

It’s almost impossible to write or talk about something without some sort of opinion. If you’ve lived more than a decade or two, you’ve at least started to accumulate some knowledge. And with knowledge comes opinions. With opinions comes opposite opinions. And I’m sure I don’t have to tell you where that leads. Right?

No, there’ll be no messages today. Hidden or in plain sight.

I just want to write about music notes and colors. And see where it takes me. I suspect it’ll be mostly a fruitless endeavor. But who knows? Maybe somebody will pull something out of the gibberish and be able to run with it. Or maybe I just need coffee.

The color of music notes is in your head,
In circles and parallelograms,
And in abstract and translucent bowls.
And it’s all held together by sonic thread.

The colors keep dripping down into the song
Like jellies and marmalades and jams.
And they take on sweet lives without souls.
And that’s where you’ll find yourself floating along.

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I share it with believers who want to focus on the power of God’s love and rightly divide the word of truth. Spend your time reading, listening, and watching good stuff based on the power of God’s love instead of looking for it. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

This isn’t about a sea of blue

I’ve had quite a few listeners and readers ask me to consider sharing more of my “old”writings and music. And that’s pretty cool. So, thank you for asking. And the old poem, I’m sharing today, comes from all the way back in 1975. I lived in Kansas, at the time, so I was far away from any sea of blue. But I still wrote this one about a sea. And I want you to know, up front, it’s not about me or any thoughts I’ve ever had in my own head about my own life. That’s important to note, and you’ll see why.

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I think I’ve mentioned, recently, how I used to ask friends and acquaintances to challenge me to a writing assignment. I told them to give me words or phrases they liked or liked the sound of. And I’d use them as starting points for writing a poem or lyrics.

One such time, a friend of a friend (with a bit of a dark side) said they liked the word “desideratum.”Up until that time I’d only heard of the poem with that same name by Max Erhmann, from the 1920’s. Or maybe a spoken version of the poem by Rod McKuen. Not sure he spoke it, but I seem to recall that he did. Anyway, the word “desideratum”hadn’t been on my radar.

And the definition for desideratum doesn’t conjure up a sea of blue.

Or it sure didn’t for me anyway. But this friend of friend mentioned how he enjoyed walks on the rocky shores of the California coastline. He was the brooding type. And I’ve never been that kind of guy. But I liked the challenge of using his word in a new writing. So here’s the result…

A Sea That’s Gone

I watched the sea; lonely, lonely,
Lonely desideratum to be
A part of it.
The splashing waves; crushing, crushing,
Crushing desideratum behaves
Like a child.
I tell it to stop, but it keeps returning.
It will surely kill me; this nonsense yearning.
I could jump from on these rocks,
Let the sea come take my life.
But I wonder if that would
Really end my weary strife.
My desideratum once was to live.
Now, it’s to die…
To give for take,
An eye for an eye.
I lost a sea I used to keep
Inside my heart, perhaps too deep.
Now, I think I need the same.
For without it, I’m just a name.

© 1975-2020 Tony Funderburk

Don’t let the dark undertones keep you from remembering how life has Rhyme and Reason because God made you.

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Do I sit around conjuring up rhymes and riddles and razzamatazz? Maybe…maybe not. Truth be told, I’m not always sitting when ideas for my writing for kids pop into my head.

In fact, I was in my back yard watering the lawn today when a few lines came to me. It was just some thoughts I had about the future. Since I don’t believe the future is set in stone, I thought about how we take things for granted that might not always be taken for granted. Typical things like whether or not the sun will come up tomorrow. You know, there’s really no guarantee that everything will be the way it’s always been.

But that’s no reason to be upset or afraid. It just means we need to get as much learning and understanding as we can. And I’m a firm believer in understanding one another is the key to treating each other better. And treating each other better has a lot more to do with “maybe” than “maybe not”.

Maybe, Maybe Not

Will the sun rise in the morning?
Will the temperature be hot?
Will the sky be blue and sunny?
Well, maybe…maybe not.

Will the songbirds all be singing?
Will the breezes blow a lot?
Will the leaves lift up their laughter?
Well, maybe…maybe not.

Will some words of wisdom visit?
Will the books all have a plot?
Will we read some happy stories?
Well, maybe…maybe not.

Will the world go on forever?
Will the getting all be got?
Will we all be nice to others?
Well, maybe…maybe not.

Stay tuned,
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Tell everybody you know to subscribe to Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotional
(emails with good stuff for Fa-Ree)

Get my Rhyme & Reason Podcast delivered right to your device. (also Fa-Ree)

My books are also on Amazon.com or Apple Books

Grab yourself an un-cool T-shirt

Or how about some music for believers, dreamers, and thinkers