Autumn Poetry

On Saturday mornings, Kenny and I sleep in as long as we possibly can.  When Elijah came in our room at 6am!! Yes, 6am on a non-school day and Lydia behind him, we told them, "No, you can't watch TV yet.  Go read a book or something."

An hour or so later, he comes in to our room, again with Lydia behind him, and they have spent their early morning time writing poems.  First of all, they were playing together, and second, Poetry! Yes, poetry.  The former 6th grade English teacher in me just ate this up.  I didn't care how juvenile the poetry was either; it could have been in the same vein as Captain Underpants, as long as it involved creativity on pen and paper and not a small screen and a stylus. 

Elijah read his three poems to us, actually a few times since I was a bit sleepy at first.  One about Pumpkins, another called Autumn and the last one - Football.  They were even written inside the shape of the object, something I think they are doing at school right now.   Elijah has great love for this time of year and the dreary, rainy morning must have been an inspiration. (Not to mention, October 1st was just two days away and that's when we traditionally get out Fall decorations - a VERY BIG day!)  What can I say?  Elijah's passion for holiday decorating comes honestly -- I'm a wee bit crazy about it as well. Ask old friends who used to help me create a spider web entry way at our old house or anyone who knows understands my appreciation for Brachs mellowcreme pumpkins.  And yes I know that very few people like them, which makes it all the more wonderful for me. 

Of course after oohing and ahhing over the poems and mentioning how much fun it would be to frame them,  he harumpped a little.  I'm not sure Elijah wants that much attention.  But I was happy to shower it on a kid who often feels like he can't find his talent (See old post about Lydia's talent climbing trees, and Elijah's lack thereof.) And why a child of 8-years-old thinks he needs to find his  talent now, I'm not sure.  His competitive nature seems to fool him into thinking there are things he just can't do well, so why do it?  Kenny and I have a lot of super supportive parent duty in our future, I think.

But for this Saturday morning, Elijah had a knack for creativity.  And it's not the silly poetry I used to write when everything had to rhyme with Love, but the kind you'd see in a kids Highlights edition. So,  I think a post presenting some Autumn poetry to the online world is the best thing this supportive mom can do.


Pumpkins orange and in                           Leaves                                    Football Football in
many sizes round,                                     leaves                                   a Hail Mary to reach
big, and other sizes.                                  falling                                       the sky comes down
                                                                 down                                    smack in a players
Cut it open                                                into piles                                  hands.  We win!
and you                                                     Jump in                                      We win, he said!
will see                                                     one and you
seeds and gushy                                        will see
stuff galore.                                                colors for
                                                                  glory be.
So Happy Halloween!                             And happy
                                                                  Autumn 

                                                                   for you

                                                                   and for 

                                                                      me!