Poem for the New Year: An Acrobatic Boy

Last year saw the official end of babyhood. Good-bye crib. Hello mattress on the floor. And while you look at us as if we're crazy ("None of you are sleeping on the floor, so why do I have to?") we know what you can do, given the chance.

This poem is for Cassie, who reminded me to get started.

An Acrobatic Boy

An acrobatic boy
will throw you a
winning smile
before tossing his sippy cup
full of sticky juice
on the hardwood floor
then take his moment
to climb climb climb
the couch
the ottoman
any wobbly chair
or heavy china cabinet (why do we have a china cabinet?)

A boy like that will never stop
pushing all your buttons
breaking all your trinkets
and reaching out
to be rescued.


©2012 Maria Scala