Saying Goodnight To Grandma

No more kissing.
One last hug.
I know I am your
Cuddly bug.

But chill out Grandma.
It’s alright.
How ’bout you just
Say goodnight.

You kiss me Grandma
All the time.
I know you love me.
Yes, I’m fine.

Of course I love you.
Sure,  I do.
We both know what I
Say is true.

But Grandma, really
This gets old.
Don’t make me be a
Nagging scold.

Turn off the light just
Move along.
And please turn on my
Bedtime song.

Yes, yes I love you.
Shut the door.
Goodnight now,  Grandma
Enough, no more.

 

 

 

 

After

I’m sitting here silent and horribly sad
And frightened and anxious and solemn and mad.
How did this all happen?  How could this be done?
I’m shrouded in darkness, there will be no sun
To shine on our future, to help us to see
We’re better than this in the land of the free.
Yes these days are dark,  the clouds have amassed.
It could be some time ‘fore the terror has passed.
I find myself weeping,  I find I’m afraid
About the decision my country has made.
Is this who we are now, divided and mean?
I guess over time that remains to be seen.

Our children are watching, they’ll know where we stood.
Did we stand beside evil or stand up for good?
Black people, white people, those from afar,
Gay Brothers and Sisters,  we know who we are.
We must stand together, together we’re strong.
And speak against hate and the things that are wrong.
We need all your passion if change is to come
There may be hard times till our work here is done
But they can’t defeat us, we’ve been here before.
Stand up and be counted, we’re worth fighting for.

The Election

I need it to be over.
I need it to be done.
I need it to be finished.
I’m no longer having fun.

The votes must all be counted.
The winner be declared.
Because I’m feeling frightened
Nervous, anxious, and so scared.

About how we’ll continue
If things don’t go our way.
How I’ll get up in the morning.
How I’ll have a pleasant day.

It’s just so overwhelming.
I cannot even sleep.
I walk around all foggy
I simply want to weep.

Oh please let this be over.
Just one more day to go.
I’m trying to hold on here
But I really need to know.

That after all the voting
I’ll finally be content.
When they introduce our head of state
As Madam President.

The Family Tree

Oh boy, here comes the assignment
I dread it for reasons you’ll see.
The teacher says class, for homework tonight
You must all make a family tree.

Becky will bring in a big sturdy tree
With branches that read Mom and Dad.
With Grandmas and Grandpas and cousins galore
And a branch for her new brother Brad.

Of course Jeremiah will bring his in too.
This assignment was made just for him
His family’s so big that his tree overflows
It’s hard to know where he’ll begin.

But my tree is small, just mother and me.
I don’t have a branch for a father.
No brothers or sisters, no uncles or aunts
I don’t know why I even bother.

And yet, even though my tree’s just one branch
My mother’s the trunk and here’s why.
She’s strong and she’s tough and she’s mighty.
And her dreams lift me up to the sky.

So maybe this homework is not really bad
It’s made me take stock of my lot.
My family is only my mother and me
But now I see just what I’ve got.

And what I have got is a parent
That’s worth so much more than I knew.
My tree is one I’m really proud of
And mom’s someone I’m proud of too.

 

 

 

The Backseat of the Car

I’m always stuck in the middle
Of the backseat of the car.
I hope our destination’s close
And pray we won’t drive far.

My sister’s on the left of me.
My brother’s on the right.
And both of them are spoilin’
For a backseat kind of fight.

My sister starts, she’s touching me.
My brother kicks my shins.
We glare and squirm and start to fume.
That how the fight begins.

At first we’re talking kinda soft.
With voices deep and low.
“Move over, stop, get off” I say.
My anger starts to grow.

And then the fighting really starts.
We’re yelling and we’re hittin’.
It doesn’t matter who went first
Or where we once were sittin’.

We’re pushing and we’re grabbin’ hair
Our tempers on the rise.
As suddenly our mom turns ’round
With daggers in her eyes.

“I can’t believe you act this way.
I don’t know who you are.
Why can’t you sit and just behave
When we drive in the car?”

Well mom is really angry now
Oh boy, this woman’s mad.
“I’VE HAD ENOUGH”, her favorite phrase
To use when we are bad.

Our car trips don’t go smoothly.
We fight and mom explodes.
It seems we cannot stop until
Mom finally unloads.

And then Dad says “Okay, we’re here.
Now let’s go have some fun.”
While mom just mutters to herself
Thank God this ride is done.

I know there is an answer here
I think I have a plan.
The next car that we buy will be
A great big roomy van.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Presents

People are like presents,
the good stuff is inside.
So often we put on a mask
in order for to hide

The person who we really are,
the one authentic you.
It’s scary letting others know
a you that’s foreign to

Their preconceived assumptions
of who it is you are.
It’s easier to just fit in
but then you will be far

From just the very person,
you know yourself to be.
So help unwrap the gift that’s you.
Unwrapping sets you free.

Because I Said So

“Because I said so”
I hate that phrase.
It totally drives me crazy.
Please answer my question when I say why.
Your answer is so darn lazy.

“Because I said so”
That makes me mad.
It’s dismissive and not O.K.
I just want to know why I have to comply.
“Because I said so” is all that you say.

“Because I said so”
That works for you
But it starts a fight, don’t you see?
When I say why, just tell me why.
Would it hurt to explain things to me?

“Because I said so”
The grown up line.
I get it, you have all the power.
You must have forgotten how awful this feels
How distasteful, and really so sour.

“Because I said so”
When that is said
I feel disrespected by you.
I may be a kid but I’d still like to think
That my feelings are valid and true.

“Because I said so”
Enough with that.
I’m ready to stop digging in.
Let’s start this one over, and both be polite.
I don’t need to lose so you win.