Tag Archives: poems

What’s Your Name?

One day we discovered we were having a baby.
A sweet little girl or a little boy maybe.
We knew that we shouldn’t wait ’til we met.
To choose you a name that we wouldn’t regret.

We wanted a name that would sound pretty cool.
When the teachers were taking attendance at school.
We wanted a name that would make you unique.
When people would hear it, their interest would pique.

We wanted a name that would fit you just right.
A name that would shine in the day and the night.
We wanted a name that you’d always be proud.
To stand in a group and shout it out loud!

So with nine months to spare we took a long look.
At all of the names in the Baby Names book.
There were so many choices, places to start.
Gertrude or Mabel, Sylvester or Bart?

Some were too simple, some were too weird.
Some were offensive, some were revered.
Some names we read and could barely pronounce.
We knew those were names we shouldn’t announce.

We read through the book from cover to cover.
Wond’ring which wonderful name we’d discover.
Or which of the names we couldn’t resist.
We took out some paper and started a list.

First we selected some names for a boy.
Langston or Humphrey or Tobias-Roy?
Then we selected some names for a girl.
Esperanza or Guinevere or Millicent-Pearl?

But these names just weren’t right, we couldn’t commit.
We knew that these names just didn’t quite fit.
We decided that when you were born we would choose.
Which name you would get, there’d be nothing to lose.

It seemed like the time, it stood still, so to speak.
As your mother got bigger and bigger each week.
Then finally one day she was ready to blow!
She said to me “honey I think we should go!”

We rushed to the hospital faster than fast.
The day that we’d name you, it was here at last.
On the way out the door I snatched up the Book.
In case that we needed to take one last look.

Several hours later you entered our lives.
The birthing room filled up with cheers and high fives.
I looked at your Mom and said as I smiled.
“You get to choose the name for this child.”

On that wonderful day when we finally met.
We chose Madeline as the name you would get.
‘Cause Madeline is the name that was best!
The name with which you will always be blessed!

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If you had to choose a tool to use…

When working ’round your house, there’s lot of TOOLS you’ll need to use.
Let’s look at some so when it’s time, you’ll know which one to choose.

If you had to choose a tool to use to pound a shiny NAIL,
A HAMMER with a big strong head will help you to prevail!

If you had to choose a tool to use to drive a THREADED SCREW,
A SCREWDRIVER with long steel shaft would do that job for you!

If you had to choose a tool to use to tighten down a NUT,
A WRENCH with jaws that you adjust would surely make the cut!

If you had to choose a tool to use to cut a BOARD in two,
A SAW with sharp and shiny teeth would cut that board right through!

If you had to choose a tool to use to make a hole in WOOD,
A POWER DRILL with a sharpened BIT is a choice that would be good!

If you had to choose a tool to use to pull some rusty NAILS,
A HAMMER with large CLAWS that grab is all that job entails!

If you had to choose a tool to use to dig yourself a HOLE,
A SHOVEL with a nice sharp blade would help you reach that goal!

If you had to choose a tool to use to grab on something tight,
A PAIR OF PLIERS with jaws that grip would complete that job just right!

If you had to choose a tool to use to hold two BOARDS you’ve glued,
A CLAMP that you can tighten down is a choice that would be shrewd!

If you had to choose a tool to use to make sure things are STRAIGHT,
A LEVEL with an air bubble is a tool that would be great!

If you had to choose a tool to use to cover walls with PAINT,
A PAINT BRUSH is the proper tool with which you should acquaint!

And when you’re done you’ll need a spot to put your tools away.
A TOOLBOX is the place to keep them for another day!

And if you want to read about what can happen when pulling rusty nails, read this! 🙂

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The Snow Globe

A man once lived in a globe made of glass.
It sat on a base made of shiny new brass.
Inside of this globe seemed to always be snowing.
Snowing and sleeting and drifting and blowing.

He had a small house with some trees and a yard.
A family of four with a pet St. Bernard.
At the edge of the globe, a little old train.
Would circle the town, he couldn’t complain.

He loved when it snowed, he believed it a blessing.
The big fluffy flakes were so very refreshing.
Music would play when the snow would come down.
That came from the church in the center of town.

And in the town square on those cold snowy nights.
Was a large Christmas tree all covered in lights.
T’was peaceful and calm with the square all aglow.
With the tree’s lighted branches covered in snow.

See this globe, it sat on a little girl’s shelf.
On a wall that she’d decorated all by herself.
There were posters and pictures and photos and things.
Knickknacks and tchotchkes and dolls made of strings.

But her favorite of all was the globe full of snow.
She would wind up the winder to make the train go.
And in the town square she’d watch all the people.
While the music would play, like bells from a steeple.

She would shake it all up so the snow’d start to fall.
Then set it back down on the shelf on her wall.
She’d watch while the snow fell all over the town.
She’d watch ‘til the very last flake hit the ground.

She would make it snow five times or ten times a day.
Or whenever she wanted to hear church bells play.
And the man would be proud as his little town glowed.
He’d smile at the girl as she watched while it snowed.

Now this girl, she grew older, as little girls do.
Her tastes, they were changing to things that were new.
She began to show less and less interest in toys.
Instead she was focused on clothes and on boys.

Then one day the man, well he waited and waited.
He waited all day and he sure felt deflated.
Because the girl never came to shake up the snow.
The girl never came to make the train go.

The lights didn’t light and no music was played.
With the town all in silence the man was dismayed.
He walked to the square in the center of town.
Just to find it all empty, no one around.

So the very next day, well he waited again.
He waited outside until quarter past ten.
And he waited some more as he held back his tears.
While weeks turned to months and months turned to years.

Now with nobody making it snow everyday.
The globe it got dusty, covered in gray.
He figured the girl would never come back.
The dust on the glass became grayer, then black.

The snow, it stopped falling for many a year.
That music he knew he would no longer hear.
And that train that would circle his town now and then.
Was stopped in its tracks right where it had been.

Then one Christmas morning, the man felt a small rumble.
He heard very faintly a female voice mumble.
And he watched as the glass was wiped away clean.
He watched as the globe regained its old sheen.

Then he peered out the glass and who did he see?
T’was the girl, all grown up, with a boy about three.
She picked up the globe and the winder she wound.
The music, it played and the train drove around.

She shook the globe hard and the snow began snowing.
The sleet began sleeting and the wind began blowing.
And the townspeople quickly ran to the town square.
Where the tree with its lights was still standing there.

The girl turned to her son and she said with a smile.
“Here’s a present for you to keep for a while.”
“If you wind up this winder you’ll start the train going”
“The music will play and the snow will start snowing.”

She handed it over and the little boy smiled.
She said “it used to be mine when I was a child.”
When the boy took the globe, his eyes lit up with glee.
Like the center of town, lit up by the tree.

When the boy shook the globe it snowed harder than ever.
And the man, well he hoped it would go on forever.
Because although it was cold, he knew as a whole.
A snow storm on Christmas always cleanses the soul.

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Mr. Smither was in a dither…

Mr. Smither was in a dither while fixing his old house one day.
Kneeling on the floor, his knees were sore, a rusty nail was in his way.
His floor was squeaky, sometimes creaky, a shiny nail would do the trick.
But first he must, remove that rusty nail, a task that should be quick.

He tried and tried, he pulled and pried, his hammer wouldn’t win this fight.
The more he pulled, that nail would hold, onto that board with all its might.
His arms soon ached, he took a break, and came up with different angle.
A crowbar would, release for good, this nail with which he’d been entangled.

He hooked the claw, he clenched his jaw, he mustered up his strength and brawn.
He cranked with force, so much of course, he knew that nail would soon be gone.
Then what transpired, that nail it fired, like a bullet through the air.
Across the room, with a sonic boom, it bounced off the old-rocking chair.

In that chair, was often where, his Cat named Fred would take his naps.
Fred slept this day, snoozing away, dreaming of catching mice perhaps.
Unaware, of the oncoming scare, that would quickly give him quite a fear.
Poor Fred he leapt, from where he slept, straight up into the chandelier.

Mr. Smither, still in a dither, ran to see what he’d begat.
He was shocked, the chair it rocked, but in the seat there was no cat!
Then he heard a cry, from toward the sky, he looked to see poor Fred in fright.
The lamp was swinging, Fred was clinging, his big wide eyes were quite a site.

He grabbed his ladder, to fix this matter, and climbed up to the precipice.
He reached for Fred, who filled with dread and soon began to growl and hiss.
Then Fred decided, somewhat misguided, that he would rather try to jump.
‘Cause cats survive, they have nine lives, Fred nailed the landing with a thump.

With this commotion, in slow motion, Mr. Smither high upon that ladder.
First he twisted, then he listed, then he fell with quite a clatter.
Lo and behold, it knocked him cold, he lay there in a foggy trance.
Mrs. Smither, now in a dither, she quickly called an ambulance.

The Doctor said, “well, he’s not dead, just some bruises where he hit.”
“But I’d suggest, it would be best, to stay off ladders for a bit.”
The moral here, it is quite clear, if your floor might have a squeaky board.
Just let it squeak and let it creak, lest you end up in a hospital ward!

Listen to the Audio Version

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