Pink Umbrellas

I am knee-deep in tic writing and sometimes I just need a break.

Before my mammoth adventure into book writing, I had started a collection of poems. “Just because” poems based on my kids and my zany family and fueled by love of anything Suess and Shel Silverstein.

I don’t purport to have the talent of either of these brilliant writers, but I hope to finish my collection of work non-the-less.

Here’s one I wrote. Would love to know what you are doing to keep yourself busy. Send me to your websites if you have one, even if it’s a business. I’d love know you more.

* The following poem was inspired by Stink. It’s a true story about something that happened to him in first grade. He still uses his pink Scooby Doo umbrella (or as we like to call it, his “parasol”) and our family couldn’t find him more weird and charming for it. God bless the independent thinkers of this earth!

Pink Umbrella

Mom said kids might laugh at me

And even cause a scuffle

If I took this umbrella to school with me

It’s pink (and it has a ruffle)

 “Honey,” she said, “You know I don’t care

But since you’re a boy… some kids might stare

So here’s a tip that is tried and true:

Be prepared for an answer that works for you.”

My mom’s pretty sharp so I thought of an answer

‘Bout why boys could wear pink and could sing and be dancers

So when Markus asked, “Dude, why are you carrying THAT?”

I said, “Friend, can’t you see that some girls don’t have hats?

I don’t want their hair-do’s to get wet in the rain

So I’ll walk them to class and they’ll never complain.”

And then while he stood there, kind of biting his lips

I decided to get one more thing in real quick

“My papa says girls like boys who can groove

So if I save their hair then one day you’ll see, Dude,

That I’ll have a date to any dance that I please”

And then something happened that you wouldn’t believe

At school the next day… under those rainy day showers

Marcus brought an umbrella – it was purple… with flowers