Growing

Growing

The boys are growing faster and faster
every day, it seems.
They have moved up from Teddy Bears, trucks, and Lego’s,
Their interests now lie in girls,
How to get them
How to avoid them.
And pimples,
How do you get them
How to avoid them
I enjoy their height, their long arms and gangly legs.
But I miss the winters of their infancy,
Their little tiny bodies stuffed into all kinds of woollies,
Mittens, and gloves, and hats, and boots,
And snow pants, and over-coats,
Waddling waist deep in the snow,
Looking like creatures from Star Wars, like Ewoks.
Here they are, taller than me,
Growing taller,
Walking always out the door
Someday to have fat little Ewoks of their own.
ages 6 and 7

(c) D. Jean Buchanan

Working Mother's Lament

Working Mother's Lament

Hectic mornings are such a common thing,
Rise and shine,
Fly to the kitchen, start the oatmeal,
But one son wants Cheerios instead.
He gets oatmeal (and a kiss),
But, he’d rather have Cheerios.
Fly to the bathroom, brush their hair, their teeth,
don't forget to brush my own hair, own teeth.
Put make-up on, rush to find one son’s lost shoe,
(it’s somewhere. . .)
Lay out boys’ clothes, ask them kindly to dress themselves
For a change.
Rush to my room, dress in whatever is still clean,
Must remember to wash clothes (tonight, maybe).
Rush to their room, they’re not dressed.
Please get dressed,
And find your shoe!
Rush to car, warm it up, rush back to bedroom,
Bend down, get them dressed
(but I won’t do it tomorrow),
And find lost shoe.
Socks don't match, maybe no one will notice.
Rush car through town, nobody is likewise rushing.
Damn.
Leave sons off at sitter after two hugs, two kisses, two loves.
Arrive at office, coffee, relax, remember. . . .
I forgot to tie their shoes,
But I tied mine in a double knot.

Ages 6 & 7

(c) D. Jean Buchanan

Tornado (or Tomato) Warning

When my children were in day care, about age 4 and 5, we had a very rare occurrence of small tornadoes touching down. This just doesn't happen in Washington. I had picked up my children and knew they were really hyped about something! They were chattering at once, eyes wide with wonder, as they explained to me that we had a "tomato" warning today. I just thought it was hilarious to have these two little boys visualizing tomatoes falling from the sky.

It was one of those blustery
windy
gusty days.

The sky was black at noon,
the wind pushed you across the street.

The day care huddled all kids inside
safe
warm.

Parents picked them up
one
by
one.

I picked up my two.

Wide-eyed, saucer-eyed.
Such an exciting day today, they said.

Both talking at once,
quite in awe.

They asked if I had heard,
too,
of. . . .

The Tomato Warnings

Communication

Communication

I talked with my son this morning,
eye
to
eye.
I know that he was shorter yesterday.

Age 6