PECK

A quick
small kiss
touching lips
to forehead,
eyebrow,
earlobe,
nose,
chin,
or neck.
Smoochies.


      This is another in a group of small poems to share with the 0-2 year old group.  Poems to encourage parents and babies to play.  
      Your poetry challenge for today is to write your own poem that includes a kiss.  Have fun writing and thinking about all the kisses in your life.

MY FACE

I look at my face
and what do I see?
I see bright eyes 
looking back at me.

I look in the mirror,
I say, WOWs.
I see my two
arched eye brows.

In my hair 
I'm wearing bows
and I have freckles
on my nose.

My mouth, it is
an amazing thing,
I eat, I giggle,
I even sing.

Perhaps you'll laugh
when I grin,
below it all
is my chin.

And if you stick
around a while
I'll show my teeth
when I smile. 

It's not a mask
made of plastic.
I think my face
is quite fantastic.    


     Do you like your face?  How is your face different from a friend's face?  How are they the same?  Can you write a poem about your friend's face?  Have fun writing.

Thank You

Thank you for coming to visit today.
It's always a good time
when you come to play.

Now that you're here
what shall we do?
Do you want to play
a game or two?

Perhaps we could work puzzles
or even write rhyme.
You're being here
assures a fun time.

     Today's poem needs work, but it is a holiday and I'm so busy trying to catch up on work. 
Happy Inauguration Day.  I'm eager to see what Richard Blanco wrote as an occasional poem for the celebration.
Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  I can't celebrate MKL Day without thinking about T.J., a five year old autistic boy I met on this day in 2003.  I was wearing my MLK button on my collar and T.J. wanted me to know that he was a KING too, and a Jr. too. 
   T.J. has always been special to me because he gave me the inspiration for this poem.  It was first published in my collection Extra Hands, Extra Heart, poems for and about children with special needs. 

T.J. DISCOVERS BRACES

On Monday
at Burton GeoWorld Magnet School
a young autistic boy
names body parts.

He touches my neck and says, Neck.
Touches my necklace.  Necklace, he says.
Hair.
Eyes. 
Eye brow.
Chin.
Lips.

When his warm fingers
touch my lips,
I smile,
showing my braces.

His dark eyes look inside,
he pauses, considers
then, proudly announces,

A teeth necklace.