"A careful woman" (reminder for moms)

I wish I could say I wrote this, but I did not. I came across it recently and it just stuck. It haunts me in a way, not like a regret or nightmare, but as a guardian angel reminding me to strive for my best:

"The Little One That Follows Me"

(author unknown)

A careful woman, I ought to be;
a little one follows me.
I do not dare to go astray,
for fear they'll go, the self-same way.

I cannot once escape their eyes,
whatever they see me do, they'll try.
Like me, they say, they're going to be,
that little one that follows me.

They think that I am good and fine;
believe in every work of mine.
The bad in me they must not see;
my life to them, must, an example be.

I must remember, as I go,
through summer's sun and winter's snow,
I'm building for the years to be,
for that little one that follows me.

It is not easy to strive for our best every day. Fatigue transforms our amusement into impatience, and impatience chases away our calm voice. No human is perfect; all we can do is try.

But try I will.
I have no other choice.

Pumpkin Huntin' - Ode to October

Stepping gingerly down each row,

How to choose? I do not know.

This one leans a bit to the side,

That one's so ugly it wants to hide.

I touch the stems and feel for bumps,

I don't want one with awkward lumps.

This one is too big,

That one is too small,

How do I find the best one of all?

Finally, my eyes do see,

The perfect one in front of me.

I pick it up, my grin spread wide,

At last at home, it comes inside.

Ode to my princess

I am no poet, but this one makes me smile.

I wrote it and posted it in February... but it deserves a second debut.

I love my little girl!!!

Mama is not a girly girl,

I never wore bows or lace. 

I dress in jeans,

I lounge in sweats,

Just a touch of makeup on my face.

A boy was my plan,

Someone to grow strong as a man.

On the field,

Or in the stands,

I could be his loudest fan.

Then we looked upon the screen,

And a girl you were to be!

Sugar and spice,

Sure, those things are nice.

But - what would a girl mean to me?

Sometimes when we have a plan,

Life takes a turn of course.

A princess you would be,

So sweet and cuddly,

In a moment I had no remorse!

I think I went out that day,

To buy hairbows, dresses and rings.

Pink, pink, pink, pink,

with sparkles and shine.

Now life is BRIGHT with girly things!

You were meant to join our family,

You were meant to have your style.

You can still play ball,

You can tackle, you may fall.

But a beauty and a lady all the while.

Just another Southern night

Lightnin’ bugs and root beer floats,

    Rockin’ chairs and music notes.

Friends and neighbors chatting bright,

    Just another southern night.

Eyelids heavy, mama’s hand in mine,

    It is time for bed, and that’s just fine.

For nothing else could feel so right,

    Just another southern night.

Verse x3

April is almost upon us. A month where spring arrives in full bloom, golfers gather for the Masters, and my baby girl turns another year older. April is also national poetry month! In honor of the occasion (and frankly, because I am short on blogging time this week), I crafted short poems in three different styles.

Can you guess the type of poem for each?
(Answers below!)

Ants scurry to build their homes,

Bees flutter from flower to flower,

Caterpillars crawl up the bark of a tree,

Day lilies begin to peek from the earth.

In the warmth of spring, hope drives life.

Memories and hope,

Where we turn when times are rough,

To mend our pained hearts.

If I had one wish for you,

It would be for you to be,

Happy and healthy and wise,

But still little girl to me.

What were those? In case you were wondering...

(1) ABC - A poem that has five lines that create a mood, picture, or feeling. Lines 1 through 4 are made up of words, phrases or clauses while the first word of each line is in alphabetical order. Line 5 is one sentence long and begins with any letter.

(2) Haiku - A Japanese poem composed of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five (syllables).

(3) Quatrain - A stanza or poem consisting of four lines. Lines 2 and 4 must rhyme while having a similar number of syllables. 
(source: PoetryOfQuotes.com)


 
Prompt #2: April is national poetry month...Write a poem about hope.