Ode to Gene Wilder

In Milwaukee was born a boy

By name of Jerome Silberman;

With blue eyes wide like bubblegum

His life became only Wilder.

 

With minor roles in theater

His career began without shine;

So he studied England’s Shakespeare,

And then, his life became Wilder.

 

They asked Jerome in Bonnie’s Clyde

To take a part and make a start

Of multiple careers in art,

He changed his name, then, to Wilder.

 

Successful debut meant new shows

And he was asked to be Willy

Who gave out five tickets of gold.

Wilder was Wonka the Wilder.

 

In his purple clown suit he ruled

In his Chocolate Factory

Scaring kids aged three to ninety

That crazy-eyed young Gene Wilder.

 

Years passed by, with three or so wives

He acted until two thousand three;

Thirteen years later, he was eighty-three,

With Alzheimer's, this Gene Wilder.

 

Monday August twenty-ninth shone

Bright and warm in the foggy air

But the chocolate factory declined

From Wilder-ness to less Wilder.

 

An Australian bar heard the news

The special is: rainbow burgers;

Sixteen dollars apiece this week

Now, there is not something Wilder.