Hawkins Hollow Nursery Rhymes
The Missing Rhyme at Reed-Dock Inlet
The clockwork rhyme window rejects exact repetition, so every return must change an action, order, or response. The dominant anchor is a line that expects a final rhyme but receives Aydin’s open-palm stop signal instead. Because Aydin is the youngest voice in this cast, the others explicitly return credit to his choice.
Rhyme
The last pale gear would not repeat;
It skipped the place where two sounds meet.
Spencer turned the window once;
Alice Mole watched the missing notch.
They circled Garden Bell Corner once.
The next turn needed a different response.
Callen brushed; Aydin tapped one knee.
The second turn changed what their hands could be.
At Riverside Sandbar, pairs crossed through:
Spencer with Alice, then Callen with Aydin too.
First pair walked wide where the sand stayed firm;
Second pair paused at a darker turn.
Back at Reed-Dock Inlet, damp reeds leaned.
The clockwork window clicked between.
Spencer raised one finger: stop on one.
Callen folded both wings: stop when done.
Both signs helped, but they did not match.
Alice held the window near its latch.
Aydin, the youngest, opened one palm;
The gears went still at the quiet sign.
Spencer lowered his counting hand.
Callen opened his wings where he would stand.
Alice nodded toward Aydin’s choice:
“That changed the plan—his was the voice.”
They tried the verse with one rhyme gone:
“Reed beside water, gear beside…”
Spencer set the first slat flat.
Alice placed the curve beside that.
Callen aligned one reed-blue seam;
Aydin gave the open palm to end the scene.
One corner stayed unfilled and plain.
No guessed piece entered the frame.
Beside it, Aydin placed one small marker:
Tomorrow might bring another answer.
One corner stayed unfilled and plain.
No guessed piece entered the frame.
Beside it, Aydin’s small mark showed:
Tomorrow may add what today did not know.
About This Rhyme
Performance style: Spoken missing-rhyme participation verse with changing repetitions, paired crossing, and one silent stop cue.
Estimated spoken length: About two minutes.