(image from my personal work archive)
After drawing a smiling woman
dressed in brown
standing on long slim legs
she turns to me
with a question
because she's six
and apparently this
is something she
wasn't supposed to seek
but I'm a teacher
and I must know
everything there is
She raises an eyebrow and asks:
How long
does a grandma last?
To which I reply:
mine lasted up to eighty-eight
but that number will fluctuate
Mine lasted up to forty
- she says, I guess.
No! Wait! Yes... yes.
Awww
ReplyDeleteYou capture the child's world here, the simplicity and the ability to face things they don't understand with such devastating honesty that it forever re-frames our own adult ideas about them. Excellent writing, Kenia, simple and profound.
ReplyDeleteHa! Sweet innocence.
ReplyDeleteYou definitely capture the child's innocence here. Cute. Nice read.
ReplyDeleteYep, straightforward and true. Well done.
ReplyDeleteHow long does a Grandma last? That is so poignant, Kenia.
ReplyDeleteThose are some slim legs indeed! I love the line about being a teacher and therefore knowing everything there is. I remember thinking pretty much that way as a child.
ReplyDeleteo my...she's curious, sweet and honest..the stuff children are made of....
ReplyDeleteGreat transaction between child and adult, each needing something precious from the other -- child's wonder, teacher's truth -- both allowing a certain world to remain celebrated. Loved where you ended this, grieving yet sweet.
ReplyDeleteIt's such a huge responsibility to be a teacher and know everything and answer truthfully and without crushing a young heart. Beautiful poem.
ReplyDeleteMy son's kindergarten class fascinates me… I can see their personalities, their specific traits and idiosyncrasies already embedded in their little bodies…. and yes, they are so HONEST.
ReplyDeleteThat's both funny and a little sad at the same time.. Yes, kids and their questions..
ReplyDeleteauthentic, touching, observant ~
ReplyDelete