Friday, June 25, 2010

A certain kind of love by Mr. Ryan, age 3

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How many grown ups have scary rubber lizards outside the door a of Magic Cottage?
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How many grown ups let you eat ice cream in the Big Boy Chair, even if it's a little past your bedtime?
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And have a fairy named Chole in the back yard who isn't scary and lives in the ferns?
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How many grown ups don't mind letting my brother Drewbee and me squirt the hose in every direction, no matter how wet we get?
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How many grown ups have lollipops in their garden so you can just pick any color you want and pull it right from the ground?
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(Except for some reason even though all the sticks and wrappers looked perfect, there were no lollipops inside--not one! Gram and I had to plant two brand new rows. Did someone eat all the lollipops and then make it look like she didn't?)
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And how many grown ups love my Mother so much they wrote a poem about her and if they could they would do anything in the entire world for her, no questions asked... (and for me and Drewbee and my Dad too)
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Jessica
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Take both eyes, both hands,
My legs and arms,
Even take the precious German clock
And every special book.
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Take my bank account,
All twenty photo albums,
My garden in August
And the miraculous April rain.
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Take it all if you can promise.
I knew in the instant this would be so.
I’m into any burning house,
Onto a frigid raft at sea,
I’m ripping the mangled steel with my bare hands.
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Anything, anything for this girl.
The edgeless corners of the truest love
And the endless reserve of cavernous protection
Surround this child who lives within and without,
This fantabulous kid with the crack up wit
And the tender expansive heart.
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Take it all, whether you are a son-of-a-bitch
Or an evolving angel,
Whether the cost is temporary or forever,
Take it all if you’ll shelter this child
Through every molecular motion and moment.
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She sits at a desk with wall
And she finds little bargains at malls.
She eats salads at Bugaboo Creek
And on Sundays brings Sprite to her grandmother.
She is an anchor in an unsteady world.
She is hybrid fuel to those who love her.
She is a reason to push
And the forever foremost answer
To everything that could ever matter.
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Given the chance to love like this,
The price of my sightless limbless body
And wiped clean barren possessions
Amounts to nothing more than shiny pennies and
And effortless will.

16 comments:

  1. What a wonderful post Kj!!! Yes who would..... but a wonderful grandma!

    I'm going to put your name in my giveaway... on my odd dolls blog for my doodles... your grand kids and you would love the doodles!

    Much love ~Pattee

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  2. Very groovy grannies indeed. Who did eat the lollipops? That's cruel and unusual punishment to a little lad but then there's ice cream in the big boy's chair as consolation. Lovely poem kj but you and I are in total accord when it comes to our children.

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  3. Kj, that poem is so wonderful and amazing and so are those boys and you and even Emily.
    xoxo

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  4. Lucky, lucky Grandchildren - they must adore you and you them!

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  5. To Mr. Ryan,
    that would be your Grandma Kj.

    What a magical post, it made me so happy and wistful and teary eyed (and thats not because my finger hurts)but its because you are such a special, lovely person, Mom, Grandma, friend, kj. I've never written a poem to my kids, but if i did i would want it to sound like yours.

    Happy lizards,fairys,hoses,lollipops,bigboychairs, and sticky icecream kisses!
    love,
    lori

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  6. this makes my grandma heart go pitter patter, specially eating ice cream after bed time. you must be an incredibly wonderful gran. big big hugs to you and them.

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  7. I am all for the lizards, and eating ice cream way too late and suckers in the garden! (did e.r. eat the first ones and replant the sticks???? hmmmmmmm....)
    Have a grand time!!!

    XXOO!!
    Anne

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  8. I can see Emily's ears in the grass at the top ;P

    I know that little stinker ate the lollipops and wrapped them back up! How did she do it without opposable thumbs?

    That Ryan is so cute! And Drew, how big and adorable he's getting. I hope the boys are close growing up.

    I've sat in that big-boy chair :)
    And I helped myself to Weight Watcher's ice cream treats!

    The lizards wouldn't let me into the magoc cottage. They were cranky last weekend :'/


    hahahahahaha!
    happy diaper duty Gram and BB!!

    xoxoxox
    Love,
    Lo♥

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  9. Did you work on this poem last weekend? No wonder there were tears.

    Your heart overflows....

    Lovely.

    XOXO
    Linda

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  10. The grandkids are Adorable.
    What fun with all the lizards,the hose spraying. Memories being made.
    Yourr poem is sooo beautiful, KJ.
    Now the lollipops---- Didn't Lo say she never saw Emily? How cleaver of her to be in the garden all night and in the clouds all day? Have a great day KJ

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  11. What a great "Nana" you are! Messrs. Drew and Ryan are lucky boys indeed... to have wonderful, caring parents and the most magical, marvelous "Nana"....PLUS, a lollipop garden, the sweet-faced Stella and... a "wasically wabbit"!

    A beautiful post!

    Love,

    ♥ Robin ♥

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  12. how fun it is to be a kid when you have a grandma like KJ. Lovely.

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  13. Oh It looks like you have been playing hard today!!
    YAY!!
    The breath they take from us is so worth the little arms around our necks and those lips upon ours.
    I laugh with you at the delight you must be having. It makes my eyes well they are so full.
    Look at those smiles, you are their best days and they will forever remember this with fondness.
    How lucky we are.
    Through them we remember the freshness of love and fun. Purest love!
    I know who ate the candy!!

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  14. Just catching up. Powerful poem and no, no rubber lizards anymore. But certainly such things were there in the kids' younger years. Now only a solitary plastic owl standing guard.

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  15. Haha I think Miss Emily got worried about those lollies and had a quick harvest before the boys arrived.

    Looks like they and you had lots of fun*!*

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  16. Such sweet nothings that a day is filled with, with your grandkids, many 'Kodak Moments' and remembered fleetingly until they come again and more sweetness fills a day.

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