Santa's Secret

Here's a little something for Christmas. Matty and mommy are in Lachendorf, Germany visiting Matty's Oma and Opa. We've been to Weihnachtsmarkt two times - I love this traditional German Christmas market.


Santa's Secret

by Becca Brown


It’s true that Santa makes his flight,
Delivers toys in just one night.
But thank you to technology,
He’s increased his efficiency.

From the UK to the USA,
In warp he’s there without delay.
With GPS he never skips,
A “nice” kid’s house on weather blips.
Food replicators make the snacks,
His reindeer need to stay on track.
The sleigh is fitted with X-ray,
To check the chimney’s clear pathway.

His vast technology astounds,
But Santa’s human; he has bounds.

…His secret is time travel!

If he messes up tonight,
He’s back in time to make it right.

Name My Species

Matty and I went to the New England Aquarium on Friday. This trip inspired a quick riddle poem. I'll do some riddles from time to time - here's the first one!

Have fun!

Name my species #1

by Becca Brown

I lived with the dinosaurs,
But I survived the meteors!

I have flippers or webbed feet,
I don’t need teeth to eat.

My land name rhymes with porpoise,
In the sea I’m omnivorous.

I’m many colors: brown, black, or green,
I’m the hardest reptile you’ve ever seen!


Who am I? Answer in comments. Becca

Zoo!

I attended my critique group and received very good feedback on my poem Zoo. I really like this critique group - they are quite helpful. I likewise spend time on my critique of their works; mostly they write short stories or chapters or novels, which are fun to read. Here's the next material revision of my original poem, Zoo.

I LOVE this version and am working with Marisol Brown on the illustrations.

Matty and Mommy

Zoo

by Becca Brown

I’m two and a half
and I love the zoo
I’ve been to five zoos
that’s a lot, how about you?

I see new animals
each time that I go
Today I say “Roar”
to the lion, you know

I call “Rawer" to the tiger
as she walks ‘round and ‘round
Her baby cubs wrestle
around on the ground

Mama elephant I see
has a cute baby calf
Together they play
with their trunks and I laugh

I try to crawl over
the wooden blockade
to touch the giraffe
as he runs to the shade

Twin cotton-top tamarins
play tag in the tree
At home my big my sister
chases me - “weee”!

The Flamingo flock dances
in a pink flowy pack
I say “MOMMY, FLAMINGO!”
they honk to me back

The Camel is steadfast
she just will not budge
from behind baby calf
gives her mama a nudge

The butterflies flutter
with colors so bright
I reach out to touch one
up high in the light

I do love the zoo
I don’t want to go
I guess I have to
I’m tired, you know

What is your favorite animal at the zoo?

Toddler Architect

I'm studying meter and revisiting some of my previous poems. Here's the second version of Toddler Architect - the first version was titled The Vertical Architect. Here's my second version.

Thanks for reading! Comments are welcome.


Toddler Architect

by Becca Brown

I pile stuff high in an upward fashion.
Architecture is my true passion.
I use legos, blocks, bowls or cups-
and high as the sky, my structure erupts!

In spite of my truly genius design,
my building tumbles, here’s why, I’ll opine-
My plans are flawed from inception I fear,
because I’m no structural engineer.

Patience

My toddler is two with the terrible twos having set-in months ago....


Patience

by Becca Brown

I tug and pull at mommy’s skirt.
I like to play and roll in dirt.
I throw my food down on the floor.
When are we there? And I want more!

I hide popsicles in the couch.
I have a fit when I’m a grouch.
I wear my sandals all year long.
My blankie always comes along.

I put spaghetti in my hair.
I scream in public; I don’t care.
I squirt dad with the water hose.
Why do I have to blow my nose?

I will not wear my winter coat.
I push all buttons on remotes.
I bang the keys while mommy writes.
What does it mean to be polite?

“You test my patience,” mommy said,
but I just like to see her red.

Germarikin

Our family travels to Germany once or twice a year to visit Matty's Oma and Opa (grandma and grandpa in English). We are flying out soon; and in anticipation of that trip, I've written this short poem about Matty's heritage.

Germarikin

by Becca Brown

America's where mommy's from,

and daddy has von Deutschland come.

That makes me a Germarikin:

half German, half American.

A Day Under the Sun

On Kenn Nesbitt's twitter account, I found Laura Perdie Salas' blog, writing the world for kids. Iwrote this poem in comments - 15 words or less describing the photo she has listed on her post: ENCLOSURE [15 WORDS OR LESS POEMS].

A Day Under the Sun

by Becca Brown

Relaxed

Blue skies, critters

Sedate, surreal, serene

Happy humming in my hammock

Sunset    

The Vertical Architect

Matty is obsessed with stacking. Last week we were at Playdipity in Cohasset, and he was at the play kitchen putting a ketchup bottle on top of a pizza slice, which was sitting atop a soup can. Very cute. This moment and others like it inspired my poem: The Vertical Architect

The Vertical Architect

by Becca Brown

I stack things high, that’s what I do

A vertical masterpiece, I aspire to

build with such craft and creativity

It’s my daily architect activity.

Cups, bowls, building blocks or soup cans

I’m not picky it’s height I command

There's a flaw, a limit, it's all too clear
I'm not a structural engineer.    

A Toddler’s Night

This poem was inspired by the many nights I listen to Matty chatter to himself after I put him to bed - then all of the sudden it's quiet in his room. Fun routine. Enjoy.

A Toddler’s Night

by Becca Brown

Nighttime is here but I’m not tired!

Wearing my PJ’s but I’m still wired!

I sit in my crib; I make a loud sigh.

I start to pretend to pass the time by.

Charles, I say, to my friend teddy bear,

How was your day? And how did you fair?

Let’s sing together in sync harmony

‘bout twinkling stars or the ABCs!

Tossing my pillow with might on the floor.

Banging my crib with a book of folklore!

Drowsiness captures and sweeps me away.
Wake up real early, get mommy to play!

There Once Was a Toddler Named Sandy

Matty's near two years old and I've battled him on brushing his teeth basically every night since he was born. He is a terrible eater - he prefers whole milk and any processed carbohydrate over veggies and whole grains. I introduce new foods  to pique his interest and slowly I see his eating habits improving, but we are far from there. Healthy eating habits or not, brushing is important.

This poem relates what I was thinking about one night when I was tired and wanted to skip brushing teeth. I conjured up this image in my head and decided to brush his teeth.

There Once Was a Toddler Named Sandy

by Becca Brown

There once was a toddler named Sandy

Who ate nothing ever but candy

Her teeth fell right out

Oh look, people Shout!

The toothless preschooler named Sandy

TIRED

Today we went to the Boston Book Festival! There we saw Matty's favorite author, Anna Dewdney, and enjoyed a guest appearance by Llama Llama himself!

Matty is completely exhausted and I am hoping that time will pass quickly as his bedtime nears.

I am growing as a poet and children's author; and as part of this process, I will be experimenting with various poem structures. Here's a cinquain poem that describes how Matty is right now.

TIRED

By Becca Brown

Toddler

Full day, Fun day

No nap it’s five PM

Biting, Screaming, Crying, Laughing

TIRED!

Matty and Mommy: Aquarium World

Matty, daddy, and I went to the New England Aquarium. The aquarium is right next to Long Wharf in Boston and a great place for toddlers! Besides all of the sea creatures that I mention in the poem below, Matty really loved to see his sneakers light up by hopping around in the dark atmosphere of the aquarium. Cute. Here's a link to a picture of Myrtle from my poem below, who lives at the New England Aquarium.

Matty and Mommy

Aquarium World

by Becca Brown

Aquarium

That’s a really big word

It’s a place where fish

They swim in a herd

It’s also a building

In the middle of the city

Where children like me

Can see life in the sea

I run inside

And trip with surprise

Mommy picks me up

Then I look high

There’s a world behind glass

I can see but can’t touch

I wish for no glass

I wish it so much

There’s a wide flat stingray

Shaped like a kite

With his stinger tail

He sure can fight

The eel is sleek

And slithers below

He scoots right by me

With a really bright glow

The hammerhead shark

Circles around so high

It would hurt, yes sir,

To be poked in that eye!

The balloonfish is cute

But don’t be a stranger

Three times he grows

When he is in danger

The moon jellies float

In a really big pack

Do you know, Mommy says,

That pack’s called a “smack”!

The big coral reef

Is home to so many

Shelter and food

On the reef is plenty

Matty, says mommy,

Do you see her so near?

It’s Myrtle green sea turtle

50 years she’s lived here

The tiniest penguin,

Little Blue is his name

He swims with his friends

And plays silly games

My tummy makes noises

I start to cry

That means I’m hungry

Aquarium bye bye.