A Two Year Old's Decisions

I am participating in EthicalELA's September 5-Day Open Write. 

Today's poem is written in response to a prompt from Barb Edler called "Decisions" and we were encouraged to write about a major decision. Honestly, all I could think about was the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. There's someone who made so many extraordinary decisions! My writing was totally blocked. Finally, I decided to write about my granddaughter...always a fun fallback.

Ready, set, go,

you,

down the driveway,

decisive,

yet

wriggly

wiggly

giggly

wandering.

I follow your lead

as you

create curves in the road

I never saw before.

Down and around the neighborhood block,

your path

not unlike

a bedazzling butterfly in a field of wildflowers,

you

landing

in unexpected and myriad places.

Look,

red car

roly poly bug in the rocks

blue ball

crack in the concrete

sticks!

Wave to the walkers,

jump, jump, jump to the flowers,

pick up the pebble,

now,

sit

on neighbor's steps,

no, their driveway,

no, the metal circle in the middle of the street,

this last

just perfect for

taking off sandals

surprising me

with your decisions

showing me

I never saw before.

These are the comments I received on the Ethical ELA website:

Denise Krebs

Maureen, I love to read about your granddaughter. This is just so precious, and what a great way to use this decision-making prompt. She has difficult decisions for a whole different reason than the grownups.

This poem would go well in her baby book. What a treasure. Her path like “a bedazzling butterfly in a field of wildflowers.” Amazing!

And I believe children show us every day that we have never seen before. Or at least we’ve forgotten. Beautiful!

Glenda M. Funk

Maureen,
This poem is a welcome respite from the serious tone of much of our writing. I love this celebration of life and a child’s decisions. You transport me back to my own childhood and riding the neighborhood sidewalks. It was so much fun. Thank you.

—Glenda

gayle sands

Maureen—thank you for allowing me to take that walk with you. Your words hopped and skipped, drawing me with you down her path. Beautiful discoveries…

Susan Osborn

This poem brought me down memory lane about walking with my granddaughter. Such a delight of freshness and wonder. I really think these little ones come to us as angels being introduced to a new world and they help us discover along with them. Enjoy ash is I know you are doing. My granddaughter is now 13 and a beautiful young woman who is not quite as silly but still full of wonder.