Tag: Children

The Birthday Cat

There once was a town called Mathicadoodle

it had many farms, many pigs, many poodles.

There once was a birthday cat, her name was Ladie.

She would send out gifts, even if your name was Pop or Katy.

Now on your birthday, she’d go to your door

She would say, ” Get out of bed it’s 10 after 4!.”

2 minutes later you went to get dressed,

you had a new outfit, you looked your best!

 

At 10:30 a.m. in Mathicadoodle,

time for your birthday lunch on a safari poodle.

On the poodle’s back there is lots of food,

you’re living your life in the happiest mood.

So after that you climb a wall of Skittles.

Why, it was 12 o’clock time for a band of fiddles!

So fiddlers played fiddles

and picklers played pickles,

the music was so GREAT!

it felt like it tickles.

 

The birthday cat was  ready for her 2 o’clock bath.

Katy said, ” I’m glad I’m not in school I don’t have to learn math.”

So as they dried off, they started a cheer,” I’m free to be me!

” I’m glad I’m not a deer!”

 

They went into the jungle of Mathicadoodle.

There were flowers that smelled like pears, peas and noodles.

On their way they saw big bopping bowers

that cut off flowers just for you.

They saw big clopping cloppers

sip sopping soppers.

The flowers are red, pink or blue

The birthday cat said, ” Let’s see what time it is.”

 

So they went to a farm

where there was a time telling arm.

The arm said, “It’s a hair past a freckle.”

That means it’s 5 o’clock,

time for the  birthday bash in a kettle.

 

They needed something to take them in,

so they go to the super dooper mini cooper.

It drove them all the way to the kettle bin.

In the kettle the party began

with head Zonking Zonkers fron planet Can-Can.

The party is great,

the food and the cake,

the birthday cat gave me a brand new cape.

 

It was 10 pm, the presents came in

there were so many

she put them all in a bin

At 12 a.m. Katy’s birthday was over,

the birthday cat drove her home on a big, soft clover.

So that’s what they do in Mathicadoodle,

the birthday cat gives you gifts and a poodle.

If you’re birthday is tomorrow, in May or today,

I will always say, ” Happy Birthday!”

 

RAQUEL BRINCAT  copyright 2011

This poem was written by my daughter and she wanted me to post it in honor of her birthday this week!

Julia’s Hands

Julia’s hands tell a story, 

 all cut up and bruised-

paint a sad picture of painful loss-

no pain, no gain, no glory.

Julia a young teen,

 been working those hands

since her mama died at eighteen.

 She took over a grown up’s work load

when tragedy hit their lowly abode.

Julia sent away to labor in far away lands.

Her hands never wore any rings.

Not once did she ever paint her nails,

 no time  for self adornment;

always outside carrying heavily filled pails.

She  looks at girls her age, in sheer wonderment;

pretty dresses, perfumed locks, perfectly painted nails.

Does Julia cry,”Why me? Why me?” ever?

No, this young girl knows that alas,

her lot in life is for now, certainly not forever.

 

Eva Santiago Copyright 2011

 

 

Book Covers

You can never tell what a person is going through or what they’ve been through in their past just by casual observation. This Sunday I heard a lady talking about how her 16 year old daughter Autumn  was almost killed when a horse stepped on her when she was a toddler. Before I heard her story I had not paid much attention to this woman. Now that I know the painful trial she and her family endured, I want to know more about this person. I made my way to her and we exchanged pleasantries. Then I told her how I almost lost one of my kids when she was 7 weeks old. She looked at me with the same amazement I had when I first heard her story. This broke the ice and now I’m compelled to know this woman more.

Last month I heard another shocking story. I was sitting close to a man who looks just like the actor Morgan Freeman; I had to take a closer look to see if it really was. By the way, I am a huge fan of said actor. I kept running into this same man and I would imagine that he must have a grand life because the peace that surrounds him, gave me the impression that perhaps he wakes up everyday and sings,” Zippididoodah  Zippideeay, my oh my oh what a wonderful day!” Then I heard the most amazing story about this man.

He was handed a mic and he began to share his personal tragedy. He said his name was Willie; he had lost 3 children in a house fire and soon after he lost 2 more children in a second house fire. My lower jaw fell wide open and I felt it touch the floor below. I leaned forward as my heart began to weep for this man’s great loss. He also shared his faith and said that it was God that had brough him through the whole crisis. Before I left that day I made sure I went to him and I gave Willie a big hug; then something amazing happened, we found comfort in our hug because unbeknownst to Willie , I shared in his pain since I too have experienced the heart ache that comes from losing your whole family.

We are all books. We all wear different covers; some are dazzling and colorful. When I chose my own book cover for my book AS CLEAR AS CLAIRE GETS, I wanted it to be eye catching and inviting. My story is not an easy read and knowing that, I had to design  a colorful, fun, cover that would draw people in; once they’re in they’re  hooked. Other  book covers  are mild and peaceful betraying the tragedy that lies between the pages of the book.

Whatever you’ve been through, the cover doesn’t matter one bit. We all start out with a blank book and it’s up to us to fill in the pages. My book starts out with one tragedy after the next, but I’m going to make sure at the end of my life, on the last page, you’re going to read that I became an over comer and a conqueror through my faith in God. Some people’s books start and end in tragedy; don’t let that be you.  Choose instead to use your pain to help others. Then there are other books that start out in victory only to end terribly; what could have possibly happened?

Next time you meet someone new, pretend you’re in a library or a book store even, and be prepared to handle them with as much care and attention that you would give that book you’re considering as your your next great read. It is true: One cannot read a book by its cover; neither can one pass judgment on anyone just by merely glancing at their book cover.

I looked into your eyes,
I felt your pain.
I looked into my heart,
my pain is yours- we’re both the same.

Matthew 7:1-2

“Don’t judge so that you won’t be judged. For the way you judge others is how you will be judged-the measure with which you measure out will be used to measure to you.”

Music: A Friend for Life Part2

 
Now onto The Classic; the music that your parents and maybe even  their parents may have listened to. Some of those songs could represent your classmates that you knew way back during your formative years. Kids with whom you grew up and perhaps you stayed in touch or maybe you moved on and lost track of them. Once you reconnect with childhood friends you still see semblances of the kid you used to know in the adult they’ve become.
 
A classic song is a master piece-in some cases a model of perfection, a genuine gem. Friends that are like classic songs are like jewels given you to adorn your heart, be it through  their touching your soul with kind deeds or loving words of wisdom and encouragement to help you along in your journey. These types of songs and people though seemingly rare, always shine a bright light in your heart to help you discover the treasure you have inside. Because they are genuine, they never need to prove anything to anyone regarding their grandeur. You just know when you are in the presence of a true classic.
 
Another aspect of a classic is that they don’t have to hang around you everyday; classic friends are constant whether they are right there in your own home or a million miles away…perhaps as far away as heaven. A classic song is something you don’t normally listen to everyday either. Classic songs take you back to simpler times of your life when things ran at a slower pace; and the time piece on your mother’s mantle seemed to never move at all. A time when sunsets lasted more than a few minutes- dawn brightened your horizon much more further than what your eyes could perceive.
 
These are the songs  that stay with you all your life because at times, they were the only friend you had.
 

 Eva Santiago Copyright  2011