Emerson at Two and a Half

Words ramble through your brain
over your tongue
and out into the world
a new one or two or few every day.

Bug bites, scrapes, rubs and cuts
stick to you all over you
blemishing your once-perfect skin
giving you scars and character and experience.

Your need to do it, "I do it Mommy!"
takes over now and competes with me
yielding varying results
the smile of success or the sadness of surrender.

The Wild Things, Curious George, and Thomas the Train
fill up our nights snuggled under covers
while the softness of your voice
follows along with me page after page after page.

You live with passion and excitement
knocking me down as I bend down
hugging your body charging toward me
toward your day
toward your life.