The dance of the waves

 As a wave stands at its tallest height about to crash with all its might 

The essence of its being 

A dance begins unlike any other absent a center, and without a rudder 

Predictable and unpredictable at the same time 

Water rushing over high powered by sunny sky

But in the end condemned to die

A Juggernaut no it is not but there’s a lesson to be taught 

That which opposes power risks being crushed 

The hanger fight

 When the clothes are washed and dried the last step is the worst

The clothing must be hung but here I find that I've been cursed

I try to grab one hanger but get four or five instead

Which simply won't detangle 'less I bang them on my head

The metal ones array themselves against me like a phalanx

If only 'twas a magic word that would make them break ranks

I grab a shirt and shake it out and lay it on the table

But no matter how I try to fold I simply am not able

And just for once I'd like to skip adventures in the "laundrins"

I'm ready for a spoon of sugar from that woman Mary Poppins

Sing me a song

 Sing me a song not to short not to long; I'm dying to hear your voice.

Whatever you sing me it cannot be wrong; I'll be happy, not matter your choice.

Speak out a rhyme it need not be sublime; whatever you sing will be ours.

Please hold me close for a moment in time; Just you and me in the days waning hours.

Let us stay still pretend we're in Brazil and time isn't moving at all.

Please stay with me darling stay right here until... 'til in dreamland I ... I ... (zzzzz)

I am so excited to go back to school!

The fall means going back to school and boy am I excited!

So excited because that means we need fireworks ignited!

And after that we'll leave the cat and go see dear Aunt May.

Then would be the perfect time to hit the beaches in en jay (NJ)

And then how 'bout a baseball game to celebrate the end?

And on the way back home can we see Billy 'round the bend?

Then back to school! - Oh no, I forgot! I need a film on Camelot!

And finally just one thing left to do...

I need a trip to Timbuktu!

I'm so excited to return to school!

The "It's not fair" doom spiral

Nothing's ever fair - when you're in a tiff.

There's nothing I can do for you - when you're hanging off that cliff.

When you are so excitedly - yelling all you can at me

Of course it isn't fair.

It's never ever enough I know - When I say "It's time to go"

And you go ballistic through the roof!

"Just one more" you'll plead and say - "Just one more ONE MORE today!!!"

And I say "no" and pretend to be whining-proof.

And then we both are frustrated - and all the fun is deflated.

And one of us must go on a time out.

I like to give you things you like - I like to let you ride your bike.

But when it's over you always seem to want to scream and shout!

I am old and you are young - and there's nothing can be done.

I wish there was a way for you to see.

It's not fair that I am old - and you must listen when you're told.

It's just not fair how could it ever be?

Fighting against the dirt

One thing that comes with children is lots and lots of dirt.

It's hiding under fingernails or underneath a skirt.

It's piled high against the sky in all your rugby clothes.

It's all along your shins my dear and inside your earlobes.

There's mounds and mounds and mounds and mounds in your new t-shirt.

And I can't find the broom because... it's buried in the dirt.

And what to do (I wish I knew) but when I do the math

It seems to me (unhappily) that our whole house needs a bath!

Every day with my spouse

 Every day with my spouse is a blessing, and your company never gets old.

Every day with my spouse I'm inspired, to do more than just what I'm told.

Every day with my love is a challenge, everyday there's something else new.

Every day I am so thankful, that God said that I should be with you.

Be Kind

For all things your given, for all the suns that shined in all the ways that I love you I hope you will be kind.

For all the things that you will learn and all the things you'll find, I hope in your exploring that you'll remember to be kind.

In successes and in failures, and when you're in a bind, in loves that soar and loves that fail I hope you'll be aligned, with work you've been prisons you're confined, in love that so sublime - I just hope...

I hope you will be kind.

---

Inspired by Teaching Kids Kindness Prepares Them for Success - The Atlantic

Summer's revenge

 Holy cow it's hot. Outside? No, I will not.

Summertime I love you, except when you're too hot. If you think you're always good, I'll tell you - you are not!

Oh sure who doesn't love to bask in summers rays? But I would rather stay inside for hot hot summer heat waves.

So summer please do listen to what I have to say. I want it hot BUT NOT TOO HOT so I can play all day.

Don't tell me summer's over!

 Don't tell me summer's over it cannot cannot be

Oh daddy I'm not ready don't you dare not play with me

It simply can't be over no never not at all.

Don't tell me that it is and that the summer's turned to fall.

Dear mommy please don't trick me. Don't play me for the fool.

'Cause it must still be summer as I won't go back to school.

I need someone to tell me what I might do or say

To hold on to the summer for one more extra day

Daddy where are your milkies?

 Daddy where are your milkies? I really need to know

Are they in your finger? Are they in your toe?

Are they in your abdomen? Are they in your butt?

Are they in your esophagus are they… what what what?

You’re telling me you’ve no milkies? No that must be a tease

Just tell me daddy won’t you? Just tell me daddy PLEASE!

You really have no milkies?? Not anywhere on you?

Well then aren’t you useless! So tell me what do you do?

Don’t tell me that you do a job and earn a living wage 

If you’ve got no milkies, I will not be assuaged!

Catamacook

 Once upon a time ‘twas a town by the nook 

The most odd and wondrous Catamacook

 For in this small town they called Catamacook 

You could only do things if you’d the letters it took

So you could not play without a “p” “l” “y” and “a”

And to “sing” while you “swing” could be so hard to do 

Unless every letter you had was times two

(Not to mention a trip to neighboring “Kalamazoo”)

But it made people clever and they’d never whine

For in Catamacook they quite fancied the wine

And it made them quite thoughtful yes they’d use their brains 

As a way to stave off the drumming of rains 

Yes it Catamacook it was quite hard to “quit”

so so much easier just to “do” “it”

And they were very kind they’d never give you a shove

Yes in Catacook they saved all “o”s “v”s “e”s to love 

Every home is a death trap

(Roughly to the tune of “ home on the range” - https://youtu.be/qgfQSSnzDLI?si=zsXrGbp5tIITuylS)

I might still be small only 8 short months tall 

But I’ve learned a few things to be sure

As I crawl ‘round the house and make friends with a mouse

I feel one hundred percent quite secure 

All the things off the floor that I put in my mouth 

I am sure there’s no way I could get foot and mouth 

And as I stand up and climb up the bookshelf 

I am sure it would never fall down on myself

And in the bathroom right under the sink 

I see so many things that’d be delightful to drink 

And on every wall is a friendly looking socket

That I’d just like to meet and put into my pocket 

The oven looks fun I think I’ll play right there 

And throw all my stuffed animals unto its fiery care

My parents are wise and I tell you with glee

For a home that could never not ever hurt me

The best intentions

 A little bit of phone time cannot be bad I think 

So I give the phone to one child as I go to clean the sink

Then along comes child two and then in just a blink

The phone’s become a distressed ship upon which we all will sink

Then along comes child three and he says “it’s not fair!”

and pretty soon the cries the screams and the pulling of the hair

So if perhaps to listen you maybe have a care

I’d say if you have a smartphone beware beware beware!

Nobody is perfect

 Nobody is perfect 

No Not dad and no not my mother

Not Ellen (teacher) or Crellin (preacher)

And certainly not John (who’s my little brother)

We all are imperfect we all have our flaws

I could hate all of you (with good cause)

But nobody’s perfect I’m sure you agree 

No uncle not aunty no not even me 

I don’t need a cool name that starts with a “c”

I just want to be The best me I can be 

A mother’s love

 There’s no love stronger than a mommy bear 

Has for her cute furry cubs 

No love out there that compares 

To a bitch and her squirrelly pugs

There’s no love so unconditional 

In the city or out in the wild 

As a mommy who is caring for 

a sickly little child

* For the mothers out there, who understand that their children will never understand… until they have kids of their own 

But it’s not an iPhone!

Being outside is so much fun I love to play all day 

The thing is though (I’m sure you know) at home I’d rather stay

Visiting museums its amazing what we learn

But they are not iPhones so museums I must spurn

The songs we sing in church each week to the holy lord

Are prelude to the phone (that’s right) which is my true reward

And before I go to sleep I cannot brush my teeth enough to rid me of the yen

To fiddle with an iPhone no I cannot sleep til then 

So parents if you love me (and I know you do okay?!)

Just hand over the iPhone so I can play and play and play 

Getting to “yes”

 Daddy can I have it? Oh pretty pretty please 

I really really want it I will beg upon my knees 

And if still I cannot have it then I guess I must 

Roll around across the floor and make a giant fuss 

And I still can’t have it - if you still resist 

I might become belligerent and hit you with my fist 

And if from there you still don’t care how very sad I am

I might go to the fridge and eat all the family’s ham

And if I still can’t get a yes I might snatch up your phone

And you will have to chase me as we run around the home

And if that doesn’t do it, if still you are so rude

I might have a tantrum where I throw up all my food 

So you see my dear old daddy we can avoid this mess

Instead of saying “you can’t have” just always tell me “yes”

Rain drops

 The rain drops at night 

Go pitter patter on the ground 

Go ping ping on the air conditioner 

Go plip plop on the tree leaves 

And as I listen to them, you sleep 

Away in the land of your dreams 

I watch over you

Ignore the storm my darling 

And be peaceful in your dream 

The Siren in my pocket

 O smartphone in my pocket 

You’ve an alluring song

No way I can resist you 

I’m completely in your thrall 

You sing to me o siren 

And I cannot resist 

Like Ulysses on the Argo 

I am totally betwixt

In morning and in evening 

And all the time between 

Your tune is irresistible 

I’m addicted to your screen 

Oh sing to me sweet smartphone 

Alert me to the Zoom 

And more and more you draw me

Inexorably to my doom 

I wish

 I wish I wish I had gills

So I could swim like a fish

I wish I didn’t have chills

While I’m eating a tasty Knish

I wish I lived somewhere less hot 

Cause when I’m hot… I just rot

I wish I could use mommy’s iPad

14 hours or so in the day

I wish I wish you weren’t so mad

When I don’t do what you say 

I wish I wish we all could 

Find a way to express 

How much I need your attention 

When I have it, I am very blessed 

Nothing is nothing

 The world is filled with many things

There’s me and you and that 

But sometimes we say “nothing”

When it’s really not accurate 

You see if you are doing nothing 

And know so am I 

Then count’em that’s two nothings

Doing nothing you know why?

Cause straight up in my diary

I wrote about the day 

And if you did too well golly gee

Two nothings wrote something that will absolutely stay.

And if I say “I love you”

And you say “love you too”

You might think it is nothing - but on the other hand you might think it is everything - the love I share with you.

The Tickle Pickle from Ausfernickel

In the southernly town of Ausfernickel
Where everything's made out of pumpernickel
Except for the fountain of grass

The people enjoyed drinking Fastferdinkel
And children could sop up the blastbetinkel
In big shiny cups made of glass

And the farmers would chop with a pickle sickle
And then get a laugh from the tickle pickle

In a land made of jelly and rass

I Had a Dream Last Night

Last night as I lay down to sleep and put down my canasta

I lay in bed put down my head and stared at alabaster

I dreamt I had a little girl who's name (I think) was Anna
And I dreamt that somewhere in my life, there also was a camera

And in this dream I had a plate filled to the brim with pasta
"Hmm", I thought "I really need to ban Anna from the camera"
But maybe when the words came out I wasn't quite the masta
Because instead right at my head came two giant banana - ejected from the camera