# My Boys - A Parent's View



## Anita M Shaw (Mar 27, 2018)

*MY BOYS *

My Fighting, trashing, 
Eating machines 
Lazy, crazy, 
Video game fools 
Teasing, playful, 
Silly comedians 

Stay up late; 
Sleep till noon 
The TV 
Reigns supreme 

The bathroom Is 
Boys' Territory 
Except 
When it's time to
Clean it!

One kid Walks 
With confidence high 
Peers at the world 
With a humorous,
Cynical eye 
Not necessarily
His brothers' pal 
But-- 
He generally is 
His mother's! 

The next 
While not terribly shy 
Keeps his world 
Deep inside 
No master of sports
 (Or any chore!) 
He adores to toil
In the soil 
Bugs and beetles, 
Ants and plants . . . 
But FIRSTLY 
He loves 
Anything edible! 

The youngest - 
Ah, such a rogue 
With wide expressive
 Puppy Eyes 
Daddy's boy 
A pal and a pest
Instigating 
Amusing
Little Prankster
Is The Pookster! 

The Eldest -
My stepson
Finally nesting 
On 
His 
Own
Discovering, now, 
After 
All 
These 
Years 
That 
Yes, yes, yes!!! 
We Really
Did 
KNOW 
What We 
Were Talking 
About! 

Yep 
They nag, and test,
 and rebel, 
They fight, and trash,
and
 Inhale 
My groceries before
 I get them 
In the door! 

Ah, they love 
To laugh. 
And Drive Me
 Looney

But
 NIX them
And
I'm 
NOTHING!  ​


----------



## mayko (Mar 28, 2018)

I really enjoyed the balance of love and irritation felt through this poem! Very relateable XD


----------



## jenthepen (Mar 28, 2018)

What a great poem! I can't find anything to fault here. Your family sounds wonderful.


----------



## Anita M Shaw (Mar 29, 2018)

Thanks mayko and Jen, I guess that's the territory of a parent, loving the monkeys despite the irritations!

They were a handful back then! They are all grown now, and the little Pookster has a little one of his own as does the Eldest. Heh! They got a little taste of what it's like, but since they only have 1 girl each, it's not the same as having four of any species! Lol!


----------



## Namyh (Apr 4, 2018)

Anita - This had that wonderful clipped rhythm of living and I know well from where you come. You've captured the passion in a human heart and with words made it a shining gem. I loved it. Namyh


----------



## Mrcheese (Apr 5, 2018)

see comment below as i cant delete this comment.


----------



## ArianSpirit (Apr 5, 2018)

Enjoyed this read! It made me laugh and feel sorry for you. I have no kids of my own, but I have many I call my own and help out with often.

~A


----------



## grimalkin (Apr 7, 2018)

Very apt and well.summed up I thought this was cleverly observed


----------



## RC James (Apr 7, 2018)

_The next 
While not terribly shy 
Keeps his world 
Deep inside 
No master of sports
(Or any chore!) 
He adores to toil
In the soil 
Bugs and beetles, 
Ants and plants . . . 
But FIRSTLY 
He loves 
Anything edible!

​_Lovely character study - I like the way you've portrayed them all
in short - stacatto like lines - very effective.

Yep 
They nag, and test,
and rebel, 
They fight, and trash,
and
Inhale 
My groceries before
I get them 
In the door! 

Ah, they love 
To laugh. 
And Drive Me
Looney

But
NIX them
And
I'm 
NOTHING! 

And the end is a winner - though I would "nix" the caps - for me, not needed - Enjoyed - RC​


----------



## Mrcheese (Apr 8, 2018)

Anita M Shaw said:


> *MY BOYS *
> 
> My Fighting, trashing,
> Eating machines
> ...


You gave a lot of inspiration in the piece and it shows with how you wrote about a true day to day life of two lads an excellent write well done on this piece.


----------



## Charles Darwin (Apr 9, 2018)

Loved the last few lines here. But i'm not a fan of the exclamation marks


----------



## Anita M Shaw (Apr 10, 2018)

Thank you all for your kind words for my humble poem! There are four boys actually. Back then, I had the patience and stamina to keep up with them. And I miss those days.


----------

