"Nuffing on my Pwate"

From a child's point of view, by C.J. Heck

I remember years ago, when we lived in Elmhurst, Illinois, my daughters (2, 4, and 6) and I drove to Dayton, Ohio, to visit to my younger sister, Claudia, and her family for a couple of days.   

Her four children and my three had so much fun playing together, we hardly saw them at all until it was time for lunch or dinner. Meals were usually fun and informative as the children took turns relaying their latest games and pretending to us grownups as we sat around the dining room table having dinner.

On one particular evening, Claudia and I were busy filling the children’s plates and catching up, like sisters do who haven’t seen each other for a while.

I looked over to my left and there was Claudia’s sweet little four year-old, Katie, staring at the food on her plate and quietly sniffling, huge tears making their way down her cheeks.  I leaned over and asked, "Katie, what's wrong, sweetheart?"

Katie swiped at her tears and softly said, "Auntie Caffie, I don't wike nuffing on my pwate (sniffle-sniffle)."

That one precious comment made its way to my heart and I’ve never forgotten it. This poem is the result of that memory and lovingly dedicated to my sweet little Niece, Katie ...

Nuffing on My Pwate, for Katie
by CJ Heck

I’m sad. I don’t wike nuffing
that’s laying on my pwate.
Will it all just go away
if I just sit and wait?

I won’t ever wike the liver
and I never, EVER could.
Can I have peanut butter
with grape jeddy? It’s real good.

The smashed potatoes are okay,
yucky gravy it is NOT.
It’s like having sticky oatmeal
and I hate that stuff a lot.

I almost like the green beans,
they’re green just like a frog,
but NO ONE likes dumb broccoli,
not even Hank, my dog.

Uh oh, mommy says we’re having
chocolate pudding for a treat.
Maybe if I hold my nose
this won’t taste bad to me … 

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