It takes a child to make the man

Dandelion seeds
land on our noses.
Slide down the hill,
check out our poses!

Wiping out in the mud,
Ribbon Bear laughs
at J's mouthful of slop
and S's tumbling flop.

Let's do it again!
all three of them yell,
it's obvious to tell
laughter and friendship
are innate and true

and watching these
kids and a bear
make Dad . . .

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Shutdown

Shutdown
don't talk—
ignore the old man,
he's angry.
I deserve it,
just don't yell
at me anymore,
Dad

I cry cuz it
hurts my feelings
I annoy my brother
cuz it's so fun
I'm just a kid
brain not fully formed

don't expect me
to be an adult—
I'm just a kid,
just a kid
don't kid yourself;
think I'm doin'
pretty good

I hate you
. . .

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We rang in the new year at the home of Oma and Opa, who are parents of a family friend. Their Dutch hospitality was affectionate, amazing, genuine. Thank you, Oma and Opa! The kids, my wife and I enjoyed every minute.

New Year's at Oma and Opa's

Silver mirrored sun
over familial hearth
reflects a memory;
firewood stacked
on mortared stone

. . .

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Smells Like Recess

Ball up in sky
like rocket to moon.
Cartwheel exquisite;
polka dot ball.

If I were a spider
on the wall,
I would crawl
into your arms,
jump over the net,
mixed dirt and sweat
stained cap
smells
like recess—

smells like
love.

Bell rings,
time to leave fun;
back to class,
sit up straight.

You have nothing to lose.

Recess time filled
. . .

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When my kids were in kindergarten, students took turns bringing home a stuffed animal from class. Parents contributed to a journal, detailing activities their families would participate in with the "stuffy." Below is a poem from that journal.

Ribbon Bear's Excellent Kindergarten Adventure

There is a bear
who travels everywhere . . .

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One Hundred Miles

Laugh away, smile
one hundred miles
w i d e.
Make it last,
this minute.

Before you know it
you're grown up.
Left to wonder
what happened to
this thing called
childhood.

I see myself in you.
Maybe that's why
I love you.
Maybe that's why
I'm angry.
Maybe I see
yourself in me.

Laugh away, smile
one hundred . . .

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