Really Awful Rabbit Habit

 

Scampetty and Puff from my ‘Tabika’ illustration by Lee Young

 

The English have such funny habits
And one of them’s to say
On first of month, one or more rabbits –
But white or black, not grey. 

Some claim that it averts bad luck,
And some it brings a gift,
Or if good luck one wants to pluck,
That this will give a lift. 

Some say it needs repeating twice,
Or month where ‘R’ will show,
Or top of stairs, declaiming thrice,
Or backwards downstairs go. 

Why rabbit? If you do not know
Then you need have no fear,
For no-one can a reason show
Why rabbits feature here. 

For centuries, so it is said,
Such habits have been seen –
And those who knew it are all dead,
What origins have been.

© February 2016 Colonialist (WordPress)