Friday, August 14, 2015

Toddler Gardening

It seemed a good idea, I thought
                Some hours in the yard.
The winter months had been so long
                And I felt the need of working hard.

So armed with gloves and rakes and things,
                I started out the door.
Trailed by two toddlers
                Who loved to help with Gramma’s chores.

Things went well for a tic or two,
                As Gramma started in,
The girls spun circles in the yard
                Till Linney fell and bumped her chin.

A kiss and cuddle, tears were gone
                It really wasn’t hard.
I set her down and looked to see
                That Hazel’d wandered from the yard.

She’d not gone far, I scooped her up
                And carried her back home.
Then penned them both behind the gate,
                And told them sternly ‘not to roam’.

While toddlers watched, I grabbed my rake,
                But got no further then,
‘Cause Hazel shrieked; I had to run
                She’d fallen in the mud . . . again.

I fished her out and cleaned her off,
                A kiss and all was well,
Then turned just as another shriek,
                Told me Lin was stuck as well.

I’m sure by now you’ve realized
                I didn’t manage much.
With Lin caught in the tramp’line springs
                And Hazel eating chalk and such.

Four trips to bathroom, ‘Pee, potty now!’
                And squabbles over things,
And pouring sand in someone’s hair,
                And all the angst that action brings.

Searching the yard from stem to stern
For Linney’s missing shoe,
Then doing the whole thing o'er again
                Cause Hazel’s hat was ‘somewhere’, too.

With helping up and helping down
                And watching in between.
It’s no wonder that my work just sat,
                With little progress to be seen.

Last night when all were sound asleep
                And peace had been restored,
I looked out the window there,
                And sang my praises to the Lord.

For though my tools were strewn about
And no sign of success,
My time was so well spent, because
                Two little girls, my day did bless.

If you enjoyed this, order my book: Words: Life in Rhyme.

You know you want to . . .

11 comments:

  1. Very clever, and very sweet!
    Still, I wonder how I (and they) survived my children's toddler years.

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  2. Clever. And very, very true.
    A garden doesn't grow any faster than little people, and needs less tending. More than it gets, but less than the little people need.

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  3. Oh SO true - for parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents (my mom can attest). I've always loved the last four lines of Ruth Hamilton's poem:
    The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
    For children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
    So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
    I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.

    You've written a new version :)

    And I LOVE the cover of your book!

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    Replies
    1. I LOVE that poem! And just wait until you see the dedication for that book, Jenny! ;)

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  4. the sweetest, truest poem I ever read.

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  5. I loved this Grandmother moment! Awesome poetry~

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  6. I know my time's coming soon as the twins are starting to crawl!

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