by Bruce Bennett

“The original bridge which inspired A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh stories has sold at auction for
more than £131,000. … It was where Milne and his son Christopher Robin created the game Poohsticks.”
—BBC News

“We’ll all make a killing,” said Pooh
To Piglet and Eeyore and Roo.
“We’ll set the price high,
And then you and I
Will go on a lark when we’re through.”

“That sounds pretty ducky to me,”
Said Roo. Piglet cried, “Oh boy! Whee!”
But Eeyore sat, hurt,
Depressed, and inert.
“Go on. Leave me here. You’ll be free.”

“No, never!” the others all cried.
“We’ll want you right there by our side.
We’ll keep it for now.
We’ll get by somehow.
Let others get rich when we’ve died.”

And so the four friends made a pact.
They would leave things the same and not act.
Though it now has been sold,
Since their tale is still told,
The bridge is still their bridge, in fact.