.comment-link {margin-left:.6em;}

Monday, November 06, 2006

 

Amazed and Tickled by My Daughter’s Metamorphosis during a Game of Rocket Ship

Here's a little work in progress. I've almost adopted Billy Collin's rule of poetry. He says, he writes the first draft of every poem in one sitting. Of course, subsequent drafts get more attention to craft, line breaks and verbs especially. Wordy verbs are a poetic no no. This one was inspired by some ideas we discussed in our Bible class yesterday. Enjoy.

Amazed and Tickled by My Daughter’s Metamorphosis during a Game of Rocket Ship

Watching my daughter, I half believe the Greek
hierarchy that honors spirit over flesh. She flies
on my feet, a giggling girl transformed by lift-off,
rocket turbulence shaking her tiny frame.
Holding my hands for balance, she imagines space
and sees it. “Earth to CJ. Earth to CJ.” Her face
turns serious scientist to communicate through static
with ground control. “What do you see?” control asks
because a five-year-old imagination has clarity—
more than any tube or plasma or liquid crystal,
she sees into deep space, spotting the obvious
in a dusty lampshade—“I see the moon!”—
and transforming her brother into “Aaaah!
A space monster!” Her ray gun tongue
generates a lazer warble. Her hands beam flame.
But the space monster refuses to fall.
With one well-placed whack, his bubby pillow
brings our spirits down to earth in a pile
of flesh, giggling and cuddling and sharing
kisses like movie popcorn, no ghosts, no ethereal
technology spirits dancing their myth in a cave,
just flesh of my flesh, and hugs for my hugs,
bound by gravity and honor and hope,
shattering my half-belief, converting me
to a new faith, a new day transformed
by the renewing of our minds and hearts
and cheeks sore from laughing in a 3-personed hug.
I know our bodies do not disappoint us.

Comments:
This is great. You've really captured the spirit of the kids! (Including you. :)

One of my younger daughter's favorite things is a family hug. We're the bread; she's the jelly.
 
Yeah, we call that a family sandwich at our house.
 

Post a Comment | Add to del.icio.us | << Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?