An Ode to Shenans

The art of the “shenan” is a sacred and historic one. I could point to examples hidden within the child’s history book or perhaps from the literature so oft considered poignant: one can picture Socrates with a twinkle in his eye planning all sorts of mischievous schemes or perhaps imagine Peter Pan gallivanting around a stranger’s house to find his own shadow—the reader will do well to keep these characters in mind when planning her next shenanigan.  To shenan is not to act mindlessly—to shenan is to act deliberately in a way against the ordinary to inspire childlike whimsy. (Note that grammatically the term “shenan” is both a noun and a verb: one shenans in the form of shenanigans, but one may also simply do shenans.) 

Imagine a young few scampering across

A blurry field of endless moss,

Alone yet together,

Light as a feather,

The wind a tempered chaos.

Adventure breaks at the height of a treetop;

The leaves speak so you can eavesdrop,

Worlds unfurl,

With secrets awhirl,

The spirit a hardwearing dewdrop.

Some shenans are a little more impish,

More planning needed, a little less foolish,

All mouths are sealed,

All casts are reeled,

Their faces sly smiles embellish.

Shenans are not just for the young,

All ages their praises have sung,

The older you are,

Yours is a repertoire,

To root ripples vast and far-flung.

Go forth now and do likewise,

Invest as a lucrative franchise,

Stay on your toes,

For goodness knows,

Shenans are lurking despite your surprise.