Childhood
Counting the train cars.
One, two, three, four.
Queen Anne's Lace tiaras
are woven into our hair.
Pick a number, pick a color.
Five, six, seven, eight.
Cootie catchers: paper folded in triangles
will tell your fortune...if you dare!
Jacks and marbles played in the dirt.
Onesies, twosies, threes, and fours.
An ant invades the playing field,
carrying a crumb, taking it---who knows where?
Hide-and-seek played after dark
quickly becomes Ghosts in the Graveyard.
"I've got the best hiding spot.
I'm not telling you where."
Moths flutter around the back porch light.
Edges of the yard are deep in shadow.
"I see you hiding behind that tree."
"Hey, you peeked! That's not fair!"
How lucky am I to have had that childhood?
Who knew such happiness could be found
in making felt clothes and Popsicle® stick furniture
for pig-nosed trolls with purple hair?
I love this, Daisy. You jogged so many fun memories from childhood!
ReplyDeleteWonderfully nostalgic! We did many of these things. And then there were lightning bugs too!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful poem, Daisy! I remember those trolls, and playing Ghosts In The Graveyard. Our parents never seemed to worry about us playing outside after dark.
ReplyDeleteJulie
Memories from a gentler time.
ReplyDeleteSweet memories of simpler times!
ReplyDeleteHow neat... Love your poem, Connie. My childhood was similar.. I remember playing games outside all summer until it got dark... I remember catching lightning bugs in a glass jar... I remember going to the little movie theater on Saturday mornings to see the cowboy shows.... What a great childhood I had.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend.
Hugs,
Betsy
I forgot until I read this - how fun my childhood was also - ...wonderful whimsy in this poem - .loved it. As Betsy did - my most ingrained memories are catching lightning bugs, playing under the raised porch - it was our hospital, playing with my candyland game figures out in the dirt on the side of the house - stringing a tin can as a phone to the house next door, oh and always losing the roller skate key. Howdy Doody was on TV on Saturdays and Tom and Jerry was my favorite cartoon. Clara Belle was a cool clown...
ReplyDeleteDid we grow up in the same neighborhood. Add croquet to the mix, and you painted my childhood. Lovely poem. Riding bikes forever.........Happy Friday to you.
ReplyDeleteI often lament what my grandchildren have missed. They are all involved in *organized* sports, but most their free time is ruled by technology. My neighborhood gang played outdoors all day long. I waited to hear my mother swing a big bell that summoned us home for dinner. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteOh how I love this. It brings to mind so many wonderful memories. Great poem as usual Daisy.
ReplyDeleteYou're writing about my childhood...how did you know ? ( :) )
ReplyDeleteMy childhood was more like:
ReplyDelete"X, X, O, O, crap I died. No fair, you're screen-cheating!"
I enjoyed this so much and remember playing hard outside til late and whining to Mother, "It's not dark!"
ReplyDeleteYou bring back fun memories. I think I enjoyed more the process of making a cootie catcher, versus being taken through one.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this blissful and poetic nostalgia.
I know what you mean Daisy... I really think my girls missed out on a fun time... ones where we ran around and used our imaginations playing with a ball, a jump rope and hiding behind trees... fabulous memories... this was a wonderful poem... xox
ReplyDeleteI loved your poem, Daisy ..
ReplyDeleteBrought back some great memories of my childhood
I am reliving the game of hide and seek with my granddaughter Rose and having so much fun!
Smiles ..
Thank you all for your comments. I enjoyed hearing about your childhood memories and share many of them with you too.
ReplyDeleteOh me too!!! It was such fun.
ReplyDeleteOh Daisy, I love this. Not only is it light and happy and kiddish and total fun memories, but the writing is amazing in how it flows and dances and kept me reading.
ReplyDeleteDaisy,
ReplyDeleteI love your poem, "Childhood." You've used fantastic imagery and this poem brings back so many memories of my growing up years. I love this poem! Hope you're having a wonderful spring.
O valor das coisas não está no tempo que elas duram, mas na intensidade com que acontecem.
ReplyDeletePor isso existem momentos inesquecíveis, coisas inexplicáveis e pessoas incomparáveis.(Fernando Sabino)
Um lindo e abençoado final de semana!!!
Abraços Marie.
Love the poem. It dies bring me back to my own childhoid memories. I'm glad to have been able to play same games such as hide and seek. It was such a lovely time. :)
ReplyDeleteThis has really inspired me - I may have mentioned to you before that I am busy working on a short childrens story for university and I've been having IMMENSE trouble with it because it is really hard for me to get into the mindset of a child... this has given me that inspiration and mindset. Thank you. As always, your words are gold x
ReplyDeletewww.bohemianmuses.blogspot.com
Definitely had some of those memories..... I made so many of those paper triangles with numbers on them....
ReplyDeleteJacks for hours. Popsicle sticks... ah the fun of eating so many to make a covered box. Lol...
Thanks for the trip back to much simpler times...
Such a sweet poem Daisy. It does bring me back to remember my childhood and how thankful I am for the one I had!
ReplyDeleteAww so sweet! I remember loving but also being terrified by the whoosh of trains as they zoomed past.
ReplyDeleteHello greetings and good wishes.
ReplyDeleteWonderful poem and it reminded me of my own childhood. I did count the number of coaches attached to the train and sometimes I do that even now, I played hide and seek, I played caroms, I played card games, I played word building, I flew kites, I swam some rivers, I climbed trees to pick fruits etc,etc.
Best wishes
Thank you everyone for sharing your childhood memories with me. I really enjoyed reading these comments. They were indeed simpler times.
ReplyDeleteI love this poem, Daisy. It brings back so many memories of my childhood. Your poetry is a pleasure to read.
ReplyDelete