Rendezvous

(from 1981 – I think this was originally written as a children’s poem – but the meaning for me has changed through the years.)

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I’ll see you

in each color

of the rainbow

or inside a bubble

foaming

on the sea;

I’ll find you

on the wing

of a hummingbird

or at the bottom

of a spot

of tea.

I’ll meet you

in the middle

of an Oreo

somewhere

on the edges

of a rhyme;

I’ll love you

at the tip

of the hour hand

resting

on the backside

of time.

 .

© 1981, 2012  Betty Hayes Albright 

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Jet Plane (a children’s poem)

Sleek as a fly-fish,

large as a house,

now it’s only a speck in the sky.

It crouched right here

like a fat old cat

but now it’s five miles high!

 .

We could reach out and touch it

so close it sat,

that streamlined monster in gray –

but then with a roar

it said goodbye

and the jet plane was up and away.

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© 1970, 2012   Betty Hayes Albright

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(This was written in about 1970, shortly after the first 747′s were being test-flown here in Seattle. It was a jaw-dropping sight to see one flying overhead for the first time.)

Thanks to Thomas Davis at Four Windows Press who posted a children’s poem today – which reminded me it was time to start posting more of mine. You can visit Thomas’ and Ethel’s wonderful blog at  Four Windows Press 

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Hello Sky (a children’s poem)

.       (from 1970)

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Someday I’m going to climb a tree

to reach its very highest limb

and there I’ll sit and listen to

the merry music of the wind.

Spying on the world below

from my secret hiding place

I’ll chuckle softly to myself

each time a bird flies past my face.

I’ll hug a branch and sing out loud:

way up here my eyes can fly!

Then climbing down most carefully

I’ll whisper, see you later, sky.

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(c)  1970,  2012  Betty Hayes Albright

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Fireplace Dance (a children’s poem)

.    .    (written in 1969)

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Popping, I leap

Image via Wikipedia

from log to stick

toasting the bark

and frying the pitch.

I play on the edge

of a branch and I grow

bigger and stronger

I flicker and flow.

Watch out for your fingers,

I’ll stretch out to taste them

while crackling and snapping

my very own rhythm.

I’ll warm up your room

till it’s cozy and bright,

then leave behind coals

glowing red in the night.

.

© 1969, “Living Color” 1976, 2012   Betty Hayes Albright 

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Voice of the Wind

(children’s poem, written 1965 – companion to “Voice of the Rain”)

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I’m here again birds,

climb my back for a ride,

I’ll teach you to dance

as we swoop and we glide.

.

Now I’m off to the trees,

hello, hear me wail!

I’ll make your leaves tremble

by wagging my tail.

.

I’ll bring you rare seeds

that blossom and flower

and leave you enjoying

a gentle spring shower

.

Ahoy, blow me down,

your boat is too slow

but I’ll rub your sail

and help you to go.

.

Now run and find shelter,

I’m in from the sea,

spinning and dizzy,

my eye cannot see.

.

Goodbye, I must go now,

some sand dunes need changing,

and lo! There’s some dust

that needs rearranging.

.

(c) 1965  Betty Hayes Albright

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Voice of the Rain

(a children’s poem, written in 1965, highschool)

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Rain says on the window,

it’s joy-tears I weep,

hush now, my patter

will sing you to sleep.

.

Some days it shouts, Ha!

You’re all wet, April fool,

my friend it was warm out

but now you’ll be cool.

.

And rain will play tricks

and fall in hard stones,

or crystals of whiteness

and silvery cones.

.

And these say, Come play,

let me nip at your ear

until a warm day

makes me all disappear.

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(c) 1965 Betty Hayes Albright

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to be continued in “Voice of the Wind”

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Suds

An oldie from the 70′s – (written for my kids way back when….)

Suds

source: wikipediaSuds.

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Life is like a bar of soap -

sometimes we slip,

sometimes we grope,

a little melting every day

while bubbling in a funny way.

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(c) 1973  Betty Hayes Albright

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Son Sets

Like those nesting dolls

in graduated sizes

my sons became

Image by jasoneppink via Flickr

encased each year

inside of bigger boys.

.

Now grown and sealed

they’re unaware

I still see through

a mother’s eyes

to all those younger little boys

playing deep inside.

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(c) 1992, 2012  Betty Hayes Albright

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Ice-Cream Truck

 

Cold, sweet notes

cartwheel

through the branches

of the trees,

drip over lawns

onto warm

somersaulting children.

.

(c) 1982, 2012  Betty Hayes Albright

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Turning Out

Children

are free flow

like liquid Jello,

sparkling

splashing

filling any form.

Why must we chill them,

make them set?

.

(c) 1982, 2012  Betty Hayes Albright

Original pencil drawing (c) 1965

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