The Day That Arnold J. Crumpet Did Just Disappear

Poor Arnold was sad. He was so very sad.
He cried all-the tears in his eyes that he had.

His father was leaving, his father named Walt.
And Arnold believed that it all was his fault.

Arnold once said a bad word, once kicked the cat.
And once, in the laundry he put a dead rat.

And for these transgressions, he figured, of course -
His parents were going to get a divorce.

So he was quite worried and thought if he might
Be lost out of sight, things again would be right.

And so he enlisted the help of a witch,
Who lived down the street, by the side of a ditch.

He asked if she might make him quick disappear.
He said this as he wiped away a big tear.

She said that she could, but she'd rather he stay.
But he said he could not, not even one day.

And so to her store-room she hurriedly ran,
Filled up her black cauldron and then she began:

She oofed and she poofed with a magical gaze.
And he disappeared in a very thick haze.

He looked, and indeed, he could not see his toes,
His legs or his middle, or even his nose.

Why, he was invisible! No hands or hair!
He knew not where he was, for he wasn't there.

He ran quickly home, and he did so with care.
Because, no one else could have known he was there.

His parents were worried. They stewed and they paced.
From neighbor to neighbor they quickly did race.

They asked every one if they'd seen Arnold go.
Except for the witch ... because she wouldn't know.

And then in the dark, they did come home and sit.
His mother did find Arnold's old baseball mitt.

She cried and she cried as she looked at that glove.
His father cried too, for his fatherly love.

His mother remembered (his mother Marie),
She used to bounce Arnold about on her knee.

And Walt, that's his father, did also recall,
The two of them used to play catch with a ball.

They weren't mad at him, the boy quickly did learn.
But he disappeared, and now could not return.

He just sat on the floor, feeling quite crummy.
Then a strange noise heard he, rise from his tummy.

Because of his terrible, horrible mood,
He forgot about sitting down for some food.

Before he could think what he'd like to consume,
He heard a loud noise rising up from the room.

Why his parents were fighting, fighting a lot.
And blaming each other that Arnold was not.

They yelled and they screamed, and he plainly could see
That it might be much better if parted they'd be.

And so he discovered, right there on the spot -
His parents just disliked each other a lot.

As it turned out, the witch wasn't so clever.
Her nifty spell, well, did not last forever.

And Arnold appeared, he just found himself there,
Yes, standing between the TV and a chair.

His parents were glad that he wasn't still gone.
But, father of course, would be still moving on.

And as a bright note to this tale I've spun,
Our Arnold enjoyed having two homes, not one.

And spent many Saturdays out with his dad.
And all added up, why it wasn't so bad.

And by this experience Arnold was taught;
His parents did love him, they loved him a lot!