Poems From My Inner Child and Me

Invitation to read some poetry with us.

Hi there. This morning, my Inner Child woke me. She wanted to write some poetry for children with me. I told her I have a very busy day ahead medically and asked if she would be content to read a few children’s poems together instead.

Reluctantly, she agreed, so I sent her to the bookcase for a book. The one she came back with was, “Barking Spiders (and Other Such Stuff)”, my first poetry book for children, published in 2000.

I thought maybe you’d like to share some of the poems with us. Here’s a baker’s dozen. Like all of my children’s poetry, these are written from a child’s point of view — whether it’s a boy or girl’s point of view depends on who originally inspired the poem.

The Money Tree

I dreamed I grew a money tree 
Outside in my yard. 
My job was to care for it 
And I worked very hard. 

I saw that it was watered. 
It grew so straight and tall 
And when the money ripened 
I picked it in the fall. 

The flowers were green dollar bills. 
The seeds inside were coins 
And others grew and glittered 
Where all the branches joined. 

0n windy days I stood below 
And held a great big bucket. 
Other days I climbed right up 
To find one ripe and pluck it.

People say that money 
Doesn't really grow on trees. 
I know. I only wish it did 
Just like in my dreams.

-*-
Toe Jam

Can anybody tell me 
What's that stuff between my toes? 
Daddy says it's "toe jam" 
(I don't think he really knows).
 
It's icky and it's fuzzy 
I think I'll tell my dad ... 
I wouldn't put it on my bread 
If it was the only jam we had!

-*-
The Birthday Wall

In Daddy's bedroom down the hall 
There's a special place: The Birthday Wall. 
Every year about this time, 
He hugs me then he draws my line.

We look at where I used to be 
When I was small and only three. 
Much higher then, the one for four 
Then five, then six, and now one more. 

On the wall, two names I see, 
My little sister's, then there's me. 
Sissy's line comes to my nose. 
To look at mine, she's on tiptoes.

Sometimes when I am feeling small 
I go down to see The Birthday Wall 
To see how big I'll be next time 
Daddy hugs me and he draws my line. 

-*-
My Shadow

I have a shadow hooked to me. 
Sometimes he's big. 
Sometimes he's small. 
Sometimes he isn't there at all.
 
He doesn't seem to like the rain. 
Maybe thunder scares him, too. 
He's gone from me on days like that 
'Cause there isn't much to do.
 
But if it's really sunny out 
He doesn't like to hide. 
He's hooked right there beside me 
And we play all day outside.

-*-
Yes and No 

I like words like "yes" and "no" 
They mean just what they say. 
They either mean you can or can't 
Do what you want today.
 
Other words like "maybe" 
Or even like "we'll see" 
Make me feel like crying 
'Cause that isn't answering me.

"Someday" isn't too bad 
'Cause it still means we will ... 
But "later" is even better 
'Cause it's waiting just until. 

-*-
Grampa's House

I love to go to Grampa's house. 
He lives far, far away. 
It's hard to sit still in the car 
And it takes us two whole days.
 
Grampa's fun is different. 
He doesn't run and play 
But grampa's fun is special fun 
And I love him best that way. 

Grampa tells me stories 
When I sit on his knee 
About the games and things he did 
When he was small like me.
 
Sometimes he takes me fishin' 
In a boat out on the lake. 
We sing songs and then I giggle 
At the bird sounds Grampa makes.

Grampa knows the names of things 
Like trees and plants and such. 
He shares the stuff he knows with me 
And I love him, oh, so much.
 
I wish he lived next door to me 
He lives so far away ... 
But I love to go to Grampa's house 
Though it takes us two whole days.

-*-
Jelly Beans

I love jelly beans! 
All but the black ones, 
they're yucky.
 
Red ones trade best. 
Orange is good. 
Green tastes even better. 
All but the black ones, 
they're yucky.

White is like vanilla. 
Sissy likes the white. 
Purples bite but I still like 
All but the black ones, 
they're yucky.
 
I like pink, but it's for girls. 
Yellow is my favorite. 
I love jelly beans! 
All but the black ones, 
they're yucky.

-*-
Chicken Pox 

Today I had a fever 
And I didn't feel so good. 
Daddy took me to the doctor 
To get me better if he could.
 
The doctor looked at me and said, 
"It's only Chicken Pox." 
How come there's such a fancy name 
For plain ol' itchin' dots?

-*-
Leon The Frog

Leon Frog met Missy Toad 
Upon a lily pad. 
Said Missy Toad to Leon Frog, 
"Why DO you LOOK so SAD?"
 
Poor Leon said, ''I'm frightened 
And l have to hide somewhere! 
l heard someone mumble 'frog's legs' 
And l haven't a pair to spare!"
 
As if that wasn't bad enough, 
In love, he'd no success ... 
Why, the last girl frog 
He kissed that week
 
Became a princess with his kiss! 
Then poor Leon took a fall 
right into a barbed wire heap! 
The wire took poor Leon's leg
 
And a wooden one replaced it, cheap. 
Leon's back at home now, 
Fake leg strapped to his rump. 
If you listen closely, you will hear
 
Hop-THUMP, Hop-THUMP, Hop-THUMP.

-*-
Our New Baby

We're gonna have a baby! 
Daddy told me yesterday. 
A baby brother or a sister 
Mommy's growing it each day.
 
It's right there in her tummy. 
Can you see it? It's right there
1 can hold my hand and feel it move 
'Cause Mommy doesn't care.
 
I wonder, does it like the things 
That Mommy has to eat? 
All those yucky vegetables? 
All that hard to chew up meat?
 
I hope that it comes out of there 
Before I get too old ... 
Uh oh, Mommy's eating ice cream! 
Will that make the baby cold?

-*-
Windows in Heaven 

I know sometimes that clouds bring rain 
In wintertime it's snow. 
And spring is good because it makes 
The pretty flowers grow.
 
I know that God is everywhere 
And angels all have wings, 
That dogs can't talk and bunnies hop. 
I know so many things.
 
But why do Daddies go away? 
It makes kids and Mommies sad. 
Are there windows up in Heaven? 
Did I do something bad?

Mommy said it's not like that. 
Children all are good. 
Sometimes Daddies just can't stay 
Even though we wish they could.
 
She said Daddy loved me most of all 
Never think he didn't care 
and he sees me from the windows ... 
God just needs him more up there. 

-*-
Mommy's Hands
A Child's Prayer

Dear God, 
Mommy's hands are very big 
And mine are very small. 
The things that Mommy's hands can do 
Mine can't do at all.
 
She says when I grow up, though 
My hands will grow with me 
Then I can do what Mommy does 
Dear God, grow me, please?

-*-
Night Night

Night night moon 
Night night stars 
Night night noisy 
Trucks and cars.
 
Night night sand box 
Night night toys 
Night night other 
Girls and boys.
 
Night night Mom 
Night night Dad 
Night night Boogie Man 
Who's not bad.
 
It's time to go to sleep now 
Most all my night nights said. 
~~ight night blankie 
Night night bed. 


Bye Bye

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