2 Children's Poets Collaborate

Rusty Daily and CJ Heck

Can two children’s poets collaborate and seamlessly write poetry for children?   Yes, they absolutely can.

A friend and I have been co-writing poetry for children for a lot of years. For those who don’t know Russell (Rusty) Daily, he’s a devoted family man, a Grampa, a writer, and a children’s poet, like me. We have been online writing friends almost forever, although we’ve never met in person.

We met at a large online writing community where we read each other’s work, mostly poetry, and then commented on it. We soon found we had a similar writing style when we wrote poetry for kids —we loved making them laugh but we also enjoyed nudging them to think about other things, too.

One day, Rusty emailed me (or maybe, I emailed him … it’s been so long ago, I forget who had the original idea). Anyway, one of us wrote the first line for a children’s poem and sent it to the other one with the notation, “Your turn …” and as each line was added by trading, our co-writing for children began.

I’ll post a few of our children’s poems here for you.  I hope they’ll give you a smile and maybe brighten your day.  Feel free to share them with a child.

Wedgies

You know what makes me laugh
and puts me into stitches?
It's when I grab a hold and pull
the waist of someone's britches.

It’s fun. It's called a WEDGIE
and what a super name,
just pull up and yell "WEDGIE."
It‘s really the coolest game.

I wonder who to go after,
li’l sissy or my brother?
Or maybe I should get my dad
but NO WAY, NOT my mother!

You NEVER do Grandmas and Grandpas.
To do that you‘d have to be nuts,
'cause everyone knows that old people
don't even have any butts.

-*-

Puppy Love

I've got a scraped knee
and my ankle hurts bad,
but I guess that I'm happy
’cause I'm sure I'm not sad.

Bobby Joe pushed me
and called me some names,
and said, “You’re not welcome
to play my fun games!”

He told me I'm ugly.
He said girls are dumb
and he gunked up my hair
with his sticky old gum.

But I think he likes me.
‘cause of this valentine
he gave me in school
says, "Will you be mine?"

Mom said boys act silly
when they are in love,
and since they can't tell us,
they just give us a shove.

My ankle is sore
and my knee, is still hurting,
But my mama says,
that's just his way of flirting.

-*-

Monster

After all my books are read,
Mommy says it's time for bed.
Teeth are brushed all pearly white,
and now I have to go night-night.

Daddy walks me up the stairs,
and helps me say my bedtime prayers.
He fluffs the pillow where I put my head,
then lifts me up into my bed.

Mommy tucks me in real tight
cause monster visits me at night.
Tippy-toe, the monster hovers,
trying to slip beneath my covers.

Round my bed the monster dances
waiting for his little chances
to see a gap, then in he'll go
to grab a finger or a toe.

I feel him crawling up my bed!
He's started licking at my head.
If I don't run, I know that he'll
have me for his monster meal.

And in the dark, what's that I see?
Two glowing eyes stare back at me.
Should I yell with all my might
for Dad to come turn on the light?

He might get mad if I did that...
Come here, Monster, you silly cat!

-*-

Tattle Telling

Little sister is a pain.
She makes me so darn mad.
She does this little sister stuff
that's always mostly bad.

At dinner tonight,
she hated her meat
after chewing it up,
she spit it at me.

When mom wasn't looking,
she flipped peas in the air.
They’re all over the floor,
even some in my hair
.
I yelled to my mom
and I yelled to my dad.
I said Sissy was naughty,
she’s being real bad

but I'm the one sitting
all alone in a corner
like that silly old guy,
Little Jack Horner.

Mom put me here
in a stupid time out,
'cause Sissy was crying
and starting to pout.

She said that I teased her,
then she started yelling,
like a dumb little girl,
she was tattle telling.

She told mom and dad
that I said she was fat,
and I called her a stinker
and a spoiled little brat.

I showed them the stuff,
like the peas in my hair,
and the yucky chewed meat
that was still on my chair.

but I'm still in the corner
and I guess I should be,
'cause I shouldn't have said
those mean things to Sissy.

I agreed I am older,
wiped the peas off my chin,
and told Sissy I'm sorry.
Geez, big brothers can't win!

We have to keep Sissy ...
she's their pride and joy,
but I wish they would bring me
a new baby ... a boy.

-*-

All By Myself

 I gotta play by myself today
 cause Mommy is cleaning and mopping.
Then she’ll be calling a sitter
for when she goes grocery shopping.

The sitter, she’s really boring.
She’s always on her dumb phone,
or painting her nails or combing her hair
so I guess I’ll be playing alone …

I think I’ll get out my play dough
and make a spaghetti pie.
Or maybe, I'll feed all my dollies
so they won't be fussy and cry.

At two, I’ll watch my TV show.
Till then, I'll build with my blocks.
When I'm done, I'll pick them all up
(if I can fit them all back in the box).

Later my secret friend and me
will draw a picture or two
with all my favorite crayons,
'specially the red green and blue.

I really like all my toys and games
and my other good stuff … but gee,
I think ALL playing is funner
when Mommy’s here playing with me.

Poet/Writer/Author of 5 books.
Quora Top Writer 2018.
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