Grandchildren - Outside

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A smiling slice of melon, missing a juicy, bite-sized smile

A smiling boy enjoying the melon, summer-vacation-style

Holding the beautiful rind of green, like a grassy summer lawn

Gobbling the red which soon, you know, will be all gone!

Pipes and drums, watched by a girl

Marching out across the grass

And she with long hair all awhirl

A spinning, carefree winsome lass

Sparkly dress, with rainbow theme

A happy girl, a hopeful dream

Kindergarten starts today

At times like this, what can one say?

Loving parents, either side

A new door lies not far ahead

"I'm so ready," arms thrown wide

Nothing else needs to be said!

This night arrives just once a year, we call it Halloween

Two times intersect there, with the kids half way between

A time when they dress up as if they just might be adult:
A movie star, or member of a scary zombie cult...

But at the same time, fully kids, with sweet tooth on display 

On trick-or-treating twilight walks, just after end-of-day

Halfway in between the day, and well into the night

With laughing camaraderie, and just a tinge of fright

Breakfast at Tiffany, grandaughter's role, elegant costume indeed

Topgun, Maverick, grandson's charade, sunglasses, macho, speed

But take a close look, they're really just kids, not even five years old

Energy running low tonight, as weather turns rainy and cold

Half kids, half grown, we've all been there, and still we're there sometimes

We wear a mask, now and then, and play at pantomime

Isn't life a trick-or-treat, we hope for our reward

At jobs, so we can play our games, in ways we can afford

Happy happy halloween, you goblin, ghost or ghoul

Superhero, movie star, or just a funny fool

Enjoy the candy you have earned for dressing up tonight

And giving all the grown-ups a happy doorway sight!

A bright green tractor, yes, a little John Deere

Had a broken engine, you could see, for at the rear

Was a boy with a grocery cart, pushing straight ahead

To move the tractor forward, by human strength, instead

At the front end, steering, while hanging off the side

A girl scanned left and right, while she tried hard to decide

Which way to drive that tractor, to keep it heading straight

Or at least, I'm sure, to keep the driver safe, at any rate

The driver was too small to be much help, but sure had fun

Enjoying all the good that came from all the driving done

By older brother pushing; and sister at the wheel

What happy, grown-up feelings for a little boy to feel!

Lafayette waves, from far atop

The water spray and water drops

In fountains, down where children stand

Who watch the jets of water land

Within the round stone basin there

Centered in a tidy square

Summer laughter, summer smiles

Families come to rest a while

Overhead, clouds scoot by

Within a mostly bright blue sky

Dappled sunlight skips across

A million waves, by fountain tossed

The world upon a bubble's skin, mostly rainbow-hued

A trace of silver mirror to reflect the world around

A momentary jostling, a flirt with altitude

A magic life, just seconds long, and then it hits the ground

Making, chasing bubbles - what a day out on the lawn!

A wand to give them life, and then they all are gone

A cheerful crab seen snapping on a blue-striped summer dress

Adding antic fun to floating, popping happiness

Little girl dancing on a great, big stump

Give a little hop, and a step, and a jump

Balance on one foot in the center of it all

Great, big stump and a little girl so small

Happy little girl, and a queen for a day

It's her coronation, a game she loves to play

Wearing silver shoes, and a polka-dotted crown

Elegant, pink tights and a royal purple gown