Friday, May 14, 2010

Submit or Trash

I'm getting ready to submit some poems--because I need help. So here's my infamous ghazal. Do you think I should submit it? Is it edgy or just silly?


The Humble Request of the Mother of a Preschooler


I wheedle, I cajole, I plead
Wanting you to use the potty.

Princess dress, pony, lollypop
All yours when you learn to go potty.

Money, jewels, liberal kisses to feet
I would give if someone else would teach you to potty.

No pails, no pull-ups, no heavy bags
Just as soon as you learn to potty.

No accidents, no spills, no stains
Once it all finds the potty.

If only your will wasn’t your own
And I could mold you like putty.

But independence, spirit, and babyish charm
Will be lost if I make you go potty.

2 comments:

  1. I liked the poem except for this line:
    No accidents, no spills, no stains
    Once it all finds the potty.

    Ain't no way all the spills, stains and accidents are gone once the potty has been defeated.

    But really, cute poem.

    My son was almost potty trained at 18 months and then the big boys at the sitter went to school and he stopped trying. But not until after we had a training episode at the house that ended up with poopy footprints behind "Daddy's chair", a bottle of Mt. Dew seeping into the carpet and mom and baby crying and cuddling in a heap on the loveseat.

    You should have seen my husband's face when he walked in the door.

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  2. Robin, it would appear you can write your own piece on the joys of potty training. I like to think the line you don't like represents the reckless optimism of the persona. (That's poetry class speak for I was delusional when I wrote that.)

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