We Should Go for a Walk in the Snow

Dear Future-Kids,

A long time ago, I wrote these poems. I'm going to put them here for safe keeping in case you ever want to read them to your kids someday, too.

Remembering Then

Once upon a paper sky
And once upon a butterfly
We laughed the days by, you and I
We danced around the sun

We whispered secrets in the air
And told them to a teddy bear
Who promised he would never share
Our words with anyone

The world was full of magic tricks
When I was seven, you were six
We had some things we had to fix
But growing up was fun

But then we grew and closed the door
And couldn't go back anymore
To seven, six, or five and four
When days were never done

Once upon a moonlight glow
And once upon the falling snow
We never knew
How could we know
We danced around the sun

Mail at Six

Today I am six and the mailman might bring
Me a bag full of presents and every good thing
Like a card from my Grandma and packages too
Or some tickets to games or else maybe the zoo
Or a new set of trains and a couple of cars
And a mask that would look like it came down from Mars
Or a big alligator with rosy red cheeks
That was kept at the post office several weeks
Or a pitcher of lemonade, maybe a cake
And some toys and some boys that I met at the lake
And a big box of things that are wrapped in a bow
And a bike and a map so I know where to go

And just how will he carry them all, I should ask
'Cause I think it would be an impossible task
Will he drive a big bus? Will he fly a small plane?
When he comes with the mail? When he comes down the lane?
If the dog bites his leg will he take them all back?
Will he not let me see what he has in his sack?
There's just nothing to do but just sit here and hum
When you're six and you wait for the mailman to come.

A Man to Mow

Floyd employed a man to mow
Every other month or so
He filled the mower up with gas
And told the man to cut the grass

Instead of that, he mowed the trees
And moved a hive of honey bees
He mowed a stump, a stick, a log,
And almost mowed the puppy dog

And over where the roses grows
He mowed in half the garden hose
He mowed some twigs and stones and rocks
And almost mowed Floyd's purple socks

He mowed into the living room
And mowed the mop and dusting broom
He mowed upstairs and mowed ahead
And mowed apart Floyd's double bed

He mowed the stairs a little more
And mowed right through the kitchen door
And then he mowed a bad mistake
By mowing into Shadow Lake

Floyd employed a man to mow
But finally had to let him go
Grass and leaves and weeds still show
But being safe, he lets them grow

Busy Shoes

There's a zoo in my shoe
A rhinoceros too
And an owl named Sue
Turning rapidly blue
And a pandally bear
With no hair is in there
And my father, I fare
Is beginning to stare

There's a fox in my socks
And he's wiggling so much
That my toes in their rows
Are refusing to touch
And that bird that I heard
Seems a little absurd
But he's in there, I bet,
Either second or third

There's a snoot in my boot
And I don't find it cute
Since it's owned by an elephant
Playing a flute
And the bees, if you please,
Started making me sneeze
But they're not quite as bad
As the three chimpanzees

"Get them out!" I could shout
But I'd still have a doubt
If they'd move or approve
Of me yelling about
So I'll stay here and play
For the rest of the day
With a zoo in my shoe
That will NOT go away

Quiet Cat

When you're a cat
And think of that
It's always nice
To talk to mice
But what if now
I don't know how
You caught a cold
And had a bold
Meow that won't come out

You'd try to sing
But not a thing
Would leave your lips
And even sips
And little drinks
From kitchen sinks
Do nothing to
Your little blue
Meow that won't come out

You'd be quite sad
And think you had
A lousy day
And not one way
To speak your mind
Until you find
An answer for
What's left of your
Meow that won't come out

Thinkable Thinking

Think of a hug and I'll think of a song
Dream a good dream and I'll dream right alone
Think of the sun and the grass and the trees
And the buzzing of buzzering bumbally bees

The taste of an ice cream cone melting away
And the clouds when the puff up and come out to play
And a kiss from your dad and a laugh and a smile
And a puppy dog licking your face for a while

Think of all the best things that you ever could feel
Then close both your eyes and pretend that they're real
And you'll find that you're happy, you'll never be blue
When you think the way thinkable thinkerers do

Reasons for Hugs

So you won't let me hug you to make you feel better
You'll sit there and cry and your eyes will get redder
Before that sad frown turns your face a deep blue
Let me tell you of some of the things I could do

I might pull and tug you from out of your chair
And explain to you that we were going somewhere
But upon our return you'd be sad once again
And ignoring the wonderful places we'd been

A pull is a pull and a tug is a tug
But a person who's sad is the best kind to hug

A jar and a jug could help store up your tears
We could keep them well hidden for several years
But the chances are good that they'd start leaking out
And I think that you know what I'm talking about

A jar is a jar and a jug is a jug
But a person who's sad is the best kind to hug

A spider or bug might run over your hand
And it might make you tickle and that would be grand
But when they go away you'd be back to square one
And you wouldn't be happy, that wouldn't be fun

A spider's a spider, a bug's just a bug
But a person who's sad is the best kind to hug

Now I know that you'd rather be happy than not
And believe me, this answer's the best one I've got
So just stretch out your arms and come here, you big lug
'Cause a friend who needs love is the best kind to hug

We Should Go for a Walk in the Snow

We should go, we should go
For a walk in the snow
On a lavender night with the moon shining down
With a cinnamon wind blowing snowflakes around
As our feet find their way through the hills of the town
We should go for a walk in the snow

We should go, we should go
For a walk in the snow
Let our feet crunch along as they wind down the track
Let our shadows go spinning and dancing in black
There'll be love and hot chocolate as soon as we're back
We should go for a walk in the the snow

A Prayer for Justuce and Justin at Bedtime

Moonlight whispers
Bedtime's here
Toys and sunshine
Disappear

Morning's walking
Far away
And somewhere
There's a shiny day

For four of us
And butterflies
To ride the wind
And hug the skies

And God will take
Your hurts and harms
And wrap them
In His loving arms

And toss them gently
To the day
And make your sadness
Go away

Slumber's watching
Close at hand
There comes a dreamy
Wonderland

Where once upon
A sleepy head
And once upon
A cozy bed

We dream of family
Love and light
We close our eyes
And now, goodnight.

All our love,
Dad and Daddy