Dishes
Dirty dishes in the sink-
It looks like lots and lots, I think!
But mother says, “Get up and run,
and get those dirty dishes done!”
“Right now? I just turned on TV.
and Walton's on right now you see!
I'd hate to miss a single line,
my favorite program all the time.”
Oh well, she didn't say a word.
I guess she means it-(hadn't heard).
I better get those dishes done
before it spoils all my fun,
and wastes another hour you see-
So I can do things just for ME!
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Company
Mom just baked a chocolate cake-
but she said we'd have to wait
and have a piece much later on
after all her guests are gone.
Gee, it just don't seem quite fair
we have to see it sitting there,
and cannot have a single bite
'till all those folks are out of sight!
I bet there's not a crumb that's left-
or icing either!—all bereft
of any goodies yet today-
I hope that more are on their way.
Picnic
We had a picnic yesterday
and drove so very far away,
where pines and firs grew all around,
and layed the cloth right on the ground.
And mother brought out lots of things,
like baskets, jugs and plastic spoons,
and paper plates and rubber shoes,
and things we weren't afraid to lose.
We ate a lot and sat around
with little bugs-right on the ground-
and creepy, crawly little things
that really, I don't know their names.
But even mother didn't mind
the ants and flies around, this time,
and didn't let them spoil our fun,
and we stayed till day was done.
And then we picked up all the stuff
and drove back home. Boy! It was tough
to have to stop our fun and games.
But I'm sure we'll go again.
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Coffee
Just now I hear the coffee pot-
that grown-ups seem to like a lot.
But it sure tastes most strange to me,
and what they like I sure can't see!
It seems that all they do is sit,
and sip and sip- “Don't let it drip!”
“Now you've gone and spilled, it see!
It was the last, just meant for me.”
“Oh Mom, I'm sorry, don't you see?
Please don't get too mad at me.
I didn't mean to spill the pot
of that old stuff you like a lot.”
Don't spank me now!! tho it's all gone,
I'll even go and mow the lawn.
And then you might not even care
I spilled the pot just sitting there.
.... Altho it seems a real shame
that it's all gone now, just the same."
The Clock
The clock that's ticking on the wall-
we hardly seem to hear at all.
Tho sometimes when no one's around
it does seem it gets rather loud-
and even quite annoying, too-
that ''tick, tick, tick" just gets to you!
It just never seems to stop,
tho people use it quite a lot.
They take for granted all its work
which heaven knows it does not shirk;
but always hangs just ticking there
without a single fret or care.
I wonder if it ever tires
of going 'round and 'round up higher?
I hope it doesn't mind too much,
for grandpa hates for it to stop-
and have to go and make repairs
that cost too much and take too long,
And then we miss its steady song-
up there ticking all day long.
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Spirits
I guess where ghosts and faeries are
bottled up in little jars-
* Pandora let the spirits out
and now they float and whizz about.
It's scary 'way out there, you see
to be so small like you and me
with all those ghosts and witches out
on Hallowe'en and all about.
I'll stay inside and watch from here,
those witches, gobblins, in the air;
And let them do their little tricks
but not get me in any fix-
tor I am much too small for them-
Oh! Ouch! not this year again!!
Leave me 'lone, you witchy stuff.
You are playing far too rough.
That wasn't funny—pinching rough.
Now I'll run away and hide
where you can't find me, or abide.
Ooh! go away!
No more today-
It's almost morning now, you see
and then you know you have to flee -
FAR away, I hope-
and quit your little pranks and jokes,
that you play on little folks.
* Pandora — Woman in Greek Mythology who opened a box letting out human ills.
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a Tune
Once I hummed a little tune-
and oh I guess 'twas half-past noon-
but all day long it seemed to stay
just hanging in the air that way.
And even in my bed at night
it wouldn't leave-oh what a plight!
For I got tired of it you see
But it didn't seem to leave.
It wouldn't take a nudge or hint
and all my might not make a dent
in that old tune just hanging there-
on and on thru the night air.
Oh please! I am so thru with you—
I've begged and begged. What will I do?
I wish you'd leave me all alone
so I can rest in this my home.
And go away-don't bother me.
for I'm quite tired now you see.
I've heard you many times today—
But now, oh please, just go away!
John, I Miss You
The day that little Johnny died-
all night long I cried and cried!
I couldn't seem to get it straight
that he was gone, and not just late.
His laughter didn't fill the room,
And folks sat 'round all filled with gloom,
It seemed so bad thru-out that room!
No one seemed to say a word,
and if I did, then no one heard.
But just sat on, just staring there
in silence that quite burst the air.
Oh please, someone, just tell me this,
Will we not feel his tender kiss
sweet and soft upon our cheek-
lying there from week to week?
All night long I've cried and cried,
but this dark gloom I can't abide.
So I'll go out in golden sun,
and think of all the things we've done-
just John and me, hand in hand,
Arm in arm, for time on end.
I'm sure those memories so sweet
will last and last, my heart to keep.
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Practicing Time
Oh no! It just can't be today
that all alone I'll have to stay
and practice that old violin!
Sure seems it is a real sin
to waste that good ol' summer sun
that I have just been waitin' on.
The other boys are out to play
baseball and tag and such today.
I think that I will really die
if they so much as even hear
a single note I play this year.
I hate those darn old trills and scales
that other folks with laugh regale.
If all that laughter don't subside
I think I'll go and take a ride
upon my cycle waiting there-
And leave this thing so far behind
that God himself could never find
a single piece of wood or twine
to plague me any more today
... or EVER! ... if I had my way!
a&z
"I flunked Geometry this time,
and Dad'll lay it ‘on the line.'
Don't have no truck with such like me.
—flunkin' old Geometry.
I tried so hard, and studied, too—
but that darn stuff just don't come thru.
Never seems to make no sense-
all those lines and elements.
a & b, and x & z-
just don't make no sense to me.
Why don't they come right out and say
just what they mean?-so I can play!
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Late
“Junior boy! It's half-past nine,
and you'll be late again, this time.”
Late to school, late to church-
Even late right at his birth.
He gets a bang, it seems to me,
of jolting all the folks he sees-
coming late and 'playing it cool'-
late to church and late to school.
And when the others start to squirm,
in he'll stride, with wicked grin
and he'll just say-" I'm late again!"
For he doesn't seem to care
if he keeps others 'in the air.'
They know it's coming (this time too)
But as they say-" What can we do?"
-but sit and wait till Junior comes
and grin and bear it, like he does.
That little devil, coming late-
That's sure one thing I really hate!!
Outer Space
I wonder if I'll go some place
in rocket ships to outer space—
and zing along past moon and stars,
and wave good-bye to Earth and Mars?
I'd rather like to be out there
but strange 'unknowns' might give a scare,
And who would come to help me there?
or even know that any care?
I sure don't know 'bout this space stuff.
It sounds far, and sorta rough.
I think that I will wait and see
if this 'space stuff' is meant for me.
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The Kids' Radio
The radio's on all day thru
with rock-'n-roll and country blues,
and other things that my kids choose.
Oh! It really gets to you!
They seem to love it oh so much,
but me-I can't abide that stuff!
It's noise so loud that I can't hear
myself to think. No, I don't cheer
them on in all that wild stuff-
Tho I must say that now and then-
off and on-I can't say when. . . .
I catch myself with some new tune
that I've been humming 'way since noon.
Really now! It couldn't be-
That darn old stuff has grown on me!!
It must be second childhood
to write these poems, bad or good.
For they're sing-songy like the rest
and just a bit of nonsense yet.
So if they seem not good to you
forgive me, for at last I'm thru!
A Little River
It's just a little river
delighful in its flow
and where it may be going
who will ever know.
Clear with sandy bottom
you can see right thru
and sometimes there's a tiny fish
who loves to be there too.
The water's very cold
but the sun is hot,
and so you play forgetting
all but just this spot.
Sun lights up the sand and rocks
and grasses on the shore,
an afternoon delightful,
who could ask for more.
The sunny hours come tumbling down
sweet and fresh and fine.
And where they come i do not know
but i have made them mine.
I tossed a raindrop in the air
and it went I know not where.
And I scattered several more--
isn't that what joy is for.
And pretty soon the sun came out
and shone on raindrops all about
and I saw a rainbow there
and happiness within the air.
Lying in the sun,
expanding into space,
its penetrating radiance
glowing on our face.
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Dipper
Dipper, dipper, who has the dipper?
The stars are shining bright.
Dipper, dipper, who has the dipper
Upon this starry night.
the sky has the dipper and it has 2--
one for me & one for you.
There's a great big fluffy cloud
right behind that tree.
Looks like it is hiding,
laughing merrily
But I can see it floating there
right behind the tree
and I think that it
is playing games with me.
The quiet of the clouds
as they go drifting by
makes a peaceful interlude
and a pleasant sight.
Seldom do we take the time
to follow all their path.
Restlessly we hasten on
as leasurely they pass.
Huddled under an old raincoat
we watch the rain.
Laughingly watch the torrents
pelt again, again.
Half-sitting on some logs,
wet with leaky rain,
loving the great outburst. . . .
at one with rain.
Mississippi Mud
Primeval . . . mud . . .
exactly what Huck Finn
loved to stick his bare feet in.
And loved to go a fishing too
on that river they all knew.
Mississippi, lots of mud
and that's what he was dreaming of.
And he'd sit upon the bank
a string around his toe
and hole it just so
up abvoe the water too
for Mississippi fells knew
a snapping turtle might come out
and take their toe a single shout,
for in the mud & depth below
what was there could never know.
So he lay back with straw hat too
to see just what the fish would do
and move his feet among the slime
and dream a summer dream divine.
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