Thursday is Poetry Day

It's Children's Poetry Today, by C.J. Heck

To quote Daniel Webster, "There is nothing so powerful as truth". There is also nothing quite as truthful as the naive and gentle honesty of a child.  They have such an innocent view of their world and surroundings, sometimes with thought-provoking insight.

Hi, I'm CJ. Thank you for visiting. I write fiction, memoirs, poetry of all types, but my favorite, by far, is poetry for children from a child's point of view. With three grown daughters and eleven grandchildren, I’ve spent years writing their thoughts, feelings, and questions about life into poems.

Pull up a chair, get comfy, and read some poetry excerpts from my books with a child or grandchild. We'll have a few laughs, a few tears, and maybe ... just maybe, you’ll get reacquainted with your own inner child again.

Gramma's Apron

Gramma's gone, but not forgotten,
that's her apron hanging -- there.
It still hangs in grampa's kitchen.
Sometimes he looks at it and stares.

When gramma wore her apron
it was magical to me.
The pockets held such treasures
for us grandkids all to see.

Saw it shine up grampa's fender once,
just as pretty as you please,
and it wiped my brother's cheek off
one time when he sneezed.

It took cookies from the oven,
and it rushed to wipe a tear,
got a grain of sand out of your eye,
and a lap for the stories we'd hear.

It wiped spills up from the counter top
when she was baking pies.
It’s a symbol of her love and care
and it showed, too, in her eyes.

Sometimes I'm sad to look at it
when I see my grampa stare.
Gramma's gone, but not forgotten.
That's her apron hanging -- there.

Dancing Fairies

On warm, dark nights I think I see,
beneath the weeping willow tree,
fairies dancing in the grass
on tiny feet that fly so fast.

The music is the wind that blows
while fairies spin on bare tiptoes.
The fireflies jewel up the night
reflecting fairies in their light.

Round and round the fairies dance
on bitsy feet that skip and prance,
through tiny dew drops to and fro,
till morning comes and then they go.

I wonder where the fairies live
and if they know what fun they give
to little girls and boys that see
beneath the weeping willow tree.

The Lighthouse

There's a lighthouse on an island
built on boulders in the sea.
A home to no one anymore,
but it's beautiful to me.

The waves come crashing, sending spray,
their salty drops rain down
blessing me and other people
and all the buildings in the town.

The lighthouse wakes at evening time
and its beacon comes around
protecting all the ships out there
so they won't all run aground.

I sit and send my wishes
way up high on seagull wings
and then pretend that they'll come true
on notes the lighthouse sings.

That lighthouse must be magic ...
I hear it call to me
from its bed of boulders
on its island in the sea.

Bumble Bee

Today I watched a bumblebee.
He was on a pretty rose.
When I leaned in to look at him,
he stung me on my nose!

I wasn’t going to squish him,
only watch and see …
but I’ll never get that close again
to a grouchy grumble-bee.

Bugs

I love teeny tiny ants
and itchy bitsy fleas,
spiders big and little
and grouchy grumble bees,

butterflies that flutter high
and beetles as they run
from marching caterpillars.
I think bugs are fun.

Skeeters like to bite me,
but lightning bugs, they don’t.
Flies that get inside the house
could bite, but they won’t.

Silly racing centipedes
and slow and slimy slugs
are my very special favorites.
I    love    bugs.

Belly Bubbles

My grampa says a burp
is just a belly bubble.
Maybe so, but all I know is
if it's LOUD, you get in trouble.

Kangaroos

Be glad you're NOT a kangaroo
and you are a girl or boy,
'cause all the little kangaroos
are called the same thing ...
"Joey"

Monsters!

Help!
Monsters in my closet!
Monsters in the hall!
Monsters underneath my bed
and Monsters in the wall!

Monsters 'hind my bedroom door!
They're in the bathroom, too!
I know they're yucky green ones,
maybe even red or blue!

My bed feels like an island
with Monsters everywhere ...
till mommy says goodnight to them.
Then they all just disappear.

Daddy's Boots

Daddy left his boots for me
and here I have to stay,
'cause daddy is a soldier,
I'm in charge while he's away.

In daddy's boots, I can pretend
that now I am the man
who does the things that daddy does
as only daddy can.

I help with little brother,
I help with folding clothes,
I help to take the trash out,
and I hope daddy knows

that every day I wear his boots
so I'll feel close to him
and I try and keep mom happy,
till he comes home again.

I know that he's protecting us,
that's what soldiers do,
but his boots are WAY too big for me,
and my job being him is, too.

When is daddy coming home?
I miss him all the time.
Mom said Daddy's proud of me
and his boots fit me … just fine.

Barking Spiders

The barking spiders all march in
just past dinnertime.
Some big, some small, they come to call
floating on the wind behind.

Each is clearly noticed,
although they can't be seen.
You're positive they're there though,
'cause your nose is very keen.

You know you can't outrun 'em
and a net won't get 'em caught.
Your friends laugh 'cause they're funny ...
Your mom yells 'cause they're not.

So open all the windows!
Crack the vents real fast!
'Cause these aren't normal spiders ...
barking spiders are … just gas.

Barking Spiders in Church

Those pesky barking spiders
followed me to church Sunday.
I tried to make them stay at home,
but they came anyway.

Then I did something naughty
'cause they were being bad.
When people turned and looked at me ...
I pointed at my dad.

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