On a good day, parenting will test the integrity of your character. On a bad day, parenting will test your will to live. Parenting children with trauma histories will cause you to test the integrity of everything and everyone you thought you knew, for the rest of your life.
~J. Skrobisz

Monday, April 12, 2010

Ode to Sissy

Oh Sissy, fair of face
With hair of chestnut brown
Every morning when we awake
In your screaming we will drown

Your mouth, it opens oh so wide
Your pearly teeth laid bare.
It seems as though sound emanates
Even from your hair.

When you attempt to get my goat
By waking me this way
I will thrust the chore tub in your hand
"pick a job, I say!"

You'll have to take out all the trash
Wipe down the counters too
But first let me kiss your face
And shout, "How I love you!"

You stamp and hedge and do a jig
Your fists are balled up tight
You shout "it's dark in the bathroom!"
I quip, "Turn on a light!"

With huffing, puffing, daring glares
Stampeding like a bull
You cinch up all the trash and whine
"The kitchen can is full!"

"So get a clean bag then my dear"
I sweetly sing to you.
You glower back with, sideways stare
Snatch a bag, then stew.

How you fester, how you moan
It makes my heart aflutter
All I really need from you
Is to take out the rancid butter!

"this bag won't open!" You declare
While holding the bottom end.
"Find the blue pull ties," I say
But you stand there and pretend.

You pretend that you don't know a thing
About the bags and the strings.
You fiddle, fidget, whine and scream
"You never show me all these things!"

"Oh, but yes, indeed my dear,
I showed you just last time.
you've done the trash with ease before
with savoire faire sublime!"

"I don't know what that means,"
You growl through your gritted teeth.
"It means you can open up that bag,
You adorable little peach!"

"fine!" you scream as you shake it free.
"Hooray!" I clap with glee.
You're not amused but I am glad
You did the trash for me.

"Just one more thing" I gently coo
As she carries out the sack.
"When you start our day by screaming
The consequence will bite you back."

"It's all about the choices, dear
I hope that you'll soon see.
Now carry out that trash
Then give a hug to me."

And when it's all said and done
Her gusto fading fast,
She smiles when she accepts
I'll love her to the last.

11 comments:

Unknown said...

Beautiful, Jennie. As always, God has filled you with surprises. I hope you find some of that peace today.

Marty Walden said...

You are one talented gal! To have the strength to find humor and surprise in the middle of the storm is great. There is hope.

Integrity Singer said...

Thanks Beth! Poetry is one of my many unsung talents. :-P

GB's Mom said...

Start singing them, friend!

Ruth Hoernig said...

Jennie, You have a wonderful talent for poetry, but an even greater one for being Sissy's mom.

Cyndi said...

I hope some day that little girl will figure out just how much she is loved!

FosterAbba said...

Great poem. It's amazing how they "forget" how to do the little things isn't it?

Debora Hoffmann said...

Wonderful, Jennie! [insert applause here] :-) Love it!

Jeri said...

And when she forgets the how to do
and looks to have control
You simply remind her, I love you,
aww heck, I got nothin' but glad you do...good to keep humor, humor = some form of sanity

Mama Drama Times Two said...

I just love this poem!

noniquilter said...

Awesome Jennie. I hope you have a copy that you can put in a scrap book for Sissy to give her when she is older. Keep on loving her and one of these days she WILL love you back and it will blow your socks off. YOU ARE THE MOM GOD HIMSELF HANDPICKED FOR SISSY AND HE WILL EQUIP YOU FOR THIS PRECIOUS WORK! love you

Noni :-)