Grandmuh-muh
It is his name for her.
He had been in his grandparents’ house for a few days,
When he changed from his signal sound, ‘dat!’
To speaking as he did at home, a few words, nouns,
‘truck’ for all the truck-like toys,
‘apple’ for the apples from grandmum’s tree.
‘Dad-dad’ for granddad, who also likes trucks and cars.
“Apple” he announced each morning, pointing
to the apples, eating one immediately for breakfast.
He knows he cannot keep up with his sister’s
myriad words, sentences,
so he finds his own spaces, examines a toy,
what is it, how does it work?
Like his parents and Grandad,
his Grandmother examines the toys too,
he can bring her a broken one,
and she will put it together again,
she knows their names and how they work.
“Muh-Muh?!” he said, anxiously looking around,
for a moment he had lost his foundation, his Muh-Muh.
Grandmum carried him to find his mom
He looked up at her, said thoughtfully,
“Grandmuh-muh”,
As if identifying her for certain, stating trust.
“Yes, Callum, I am Grandmuh-muh,
and I love you too.”
They continued on, finally comfortable,
And found Muh-muh.
Janet E Smith Written September, 2014
Rebecca, almost three years old,
Outdoor time at day-care
A teacher sits, supervising
The playground, from one edge.
Weather report had said, ‘like spring’
So, thin jacket, no gloves.
The children looked happy and good,
All seemed more warmly dressed.
Then one little girl stopped and stood
In the playground, watched teacher.
Rebecca ran across this map
Stood right in front of teacher,
“Would you like me to sit on your lap,
To help you to warm to up?”
“Oh, that would be lovely!”
There they sat, teacher’s cold arm
Around Rebecca, whose small
Mittened hands attempt to warm
teacher’s shivering fingers.
Children rode tricycles, climbed, ran.
The buzzer finally called.
“Thank you, Rebecca, I am warm,”
Everyone walked indoors.
Janet E Smith January, 2014
Callum, Seven Months Old
I have a big sister.
She’s very amazing.
She can talk and walk,
And even can sing.
I watch her all day
And if she is not here,
I look for her, call,
Why IS she not near?
When she returns, she always
Comes close and gives me a hug,
We smile and I watch her
Somersault on the rug.
I finally can sit,
That is something at least.
I’m learning to crawl,
But, I’d much rather feast.
I finally can sit,
And that’s so much better,
When I can crawl,
I’ll just go and get her.
For now it’s all right,
When I need her she finds me.
I’ll chew on this toy
Which really is tasty.
This toy is interesting,
What can it be?
It’s bright, and it’s soft,
And it is looking at me.
Oh, there is my Mum,
Coming down the stair,
Sweetheart, that’s a mirror toy,
And that’s you in there.
Janet E Smith January, 2014
A Three Year Old’s
Observation
Grandmum,
you have lines on your face!
What did you say?
You have lines on your face! (Worried, pointing to some.)
Those are wrinkles. It is because I am old.
Oh.
When your Mom and Dad are old, after you have grown up,
They will have wrinkles, lines, too.
And when, a long, long time from now,
You will be old, and maybe, you will be someone’s grandmum,
You will have wrinkles.
Oh, okay.
The question answered,
We returned to playing with playdough
Making shapes, and spaghetti strings.
Janet E Smith
November 2013