children

Why Kids Love Halloween

halloweenPumpkin Patches,
We wander around and pick our own pumpkin.

Knives,
We take a knife in hand and carve holes.

Fire,
We put candles inside and light them.
The glow they give off in the dark is magical.

Costumes,
We dress up like someone we are not and parade the neighborhood with friends and family.

Darkness,
We go out after dark to run, walk, talk, and play.

Time,
We spend a whole evening with Mom and Dad, brothers, sisters, and friends.

CANDY,
We collect a year’s supply of suckers, bubble gum,
bite sized chocolate bars, jaw breakers, and
Reese’s Pieces.

Why some parents dread Halloween,
All of the above except
Spending time with their kids.

Cerita M. Hewett
October 30, 2015

Solo S’mores

smore1 smores2I made s’mores in the
Microwave today,
By myself,
Graham crackers—chocolate—marshmallows,
Leftovers from a family picnic,
Though I admit to buying more chocolate.

It took only milliseconds
For the marshmallows to swell and soften,
The chocolate to wobble and spread,
All the ingredients were present
For the anticipated sweetness.

Yet there was not much satisfaction,
Without red coals burning,
Marshmallow flame outs,
Children laughing,
Grown-ups talking,
Cool evening air,
And each of you there!

Cerita M. Hewett
October 2008

Home Building

homeA family working together,
Caring for a house and yard,
Grow muscles and
Bind themselves together,
Singing, praying, caring,
Creating a unique life,
Living life,
Eating mixed up taco salad,
Roasting hot dogs and marshmallows,
Mowing, weeding, vacuuming,
Painting, papering, roofing,
Making a house a home,
Never to be forgotten,
Yet moving out and moving on,
Taking with them the lessons learned.

Cerita M. Hewett
Summer 2014

Sting or Rediscovery

This morning my eyes began to sting,
As the water carried shampoo from my
Short silver hair down over my face.

I have known to tip my head back while shampooing,
Since I was small enough to lie on the kitchen cupboard,
While my Mother washed my long dark hair in the kitchen sink.

Still today, white haired, I went against that wisdom,
And felt the cry of trespassed eyes,
So it was and so it yet remains.

Cerita M. Hewett
October 14, 2009

Lullaby

lullabySleep, sleep for the sun has gone,
Sleep, sleep now our play is done,
Sleep, sleep after we pray,
Sleep, sleep at the end of day.

Rest, rest little arms and legs,
Rest, rest each strong muscle begs,
Rest, rest tiny ears, sparkling eyes,
Rest, rest as the night time flies.

Peace, peace from the day’s fast whirl,
Peace, peace for your tiny world,
Peace, peace in your heart of mirth,
Peace, peace in your home on earth.

Cerita M. Hewett
March 28, 2009

Spackling

spacklingI spackled in the boys’ room today,
Years after our boys ceased to lounge there,
Putting soft white plaster over tiny holes,
And smoothing it off with a small metal spatula,
Filling in all the cavities and mars in the pale blue walls,
Preparation, long over due, for painting the room.

Nail holes, pin holes, tack holes, clustered low,
Just about three feet up from the worn carpet,
Then a batch higher and denser at about four and a half feet,
And last of all holes grouped more sparsely at the six-foot level.

I don’t recall what they hung on those walls but,
I do remember the sweet smell of their freshly bathed bodies,
And the beguiling melody of
“Good night Mama.”

Cerita M. Hewett
Revised June 6, 2007

Digging Hole (for Holland & Jarom)

What is better than a
Digging hole for brothers?

Trucks, cars, graders,
Plastic army men, cowboys, Indians,
Spoons escaped from
A kitchen drawer.

Access to water!

Boys playing side by side
In the shade of a tree,
Constructing,
Deconstructing,
In the sand,
In the dirt,
In the muddy water.

Nothing!

Cerita M. Hewett
October 21, 2015

Lessons From Leslie

lessonsI don’t know how many hours you sat
Beside our children at our old upright,
The one with missing key tops,
Listening to them struggle through
Their pieces for the week,
Pieces they sometimes practiced,
Still you taught the what they
Were ready to learn,
Making it fun,
No matter their talent or preparation,
Helping them to love music,
Affirming them
Not condemning their feeble attempts,
Coming to our house week after week,
Letting us work off the lessons
Or pay as we could,
Giving our children music when it was needed,
Not when we could afford it,
Music to last a lifetime,
Music for the good times and the bad,
Music written on their souls because
It was taught with love,

Cerita M. Hewett
December 2002

Through Jarom’s Eyes

                        My mama let me

Play at dish washing,

Dig dirt and sand,

Mix water with dirt,

Stir cookies,

Roll down a grassy hill,

Splash in puddles,

Run in the rain,

Blow bubbles in my milk,

Pick dandelions,

Bang a pot drum,

Taste salt and sugar,

Smell cinnamon and mint leaves,

And pat the cat.

                     Mama read books to me,

Washed my clothes,

Helped me pray,

Sang lullabies.

                    I love my mama!

 

Cerita M. Hewett
October 30, 2015

Indoor Recess

Rainy Day Disappoinement

Our school playground
Empty, lonely, deserted,
Raining, blowing, dripping,
Water running by the swings.
We stand at the window
And
Watch puddles forming.
The trees, bushes, and grass are drenched,
Too moist to slide down the slide,
Little streams are beginning to run down the hill,
There is a lake forming at the bottom,
Furthermore it is too soggy for soccer,
Likewise it is too wet for tag,
Too much rain for playing outside today,
Indoor recess for all!
Ahh
h
h
h
h
h
h!

Cerita M. Hewett
September 2, 1992