Dr. Seuss, My Inspiration

Thursday February 28, 2013

Dr. Seuss's birthday is March 2nd, and Read Across America Day is being celebrated in schools tomorrow.

I love me a good Dr. Seuss book and, as you can see, so does grandson Aiden and his monkey friend, George.

And in that same celebratory spirit, I've penned a verse for Aiden and all boys who love to hug their monkeys and read.

(Dr. Seuss it isn't, but you get the idea.)

Books and Magic and Monkeys, Too

As he sat in the house on that cold, cold wet day
The boy in the blue shirt just wanted to play!
Little Aiden was dreaming of planes, trains and cars
And forklifts and race cars and ships to the stars.

With his chin in his hand and a frown on his face
He looked round at the toys all over the place.
Little monkey sat still with no gleam in his eye
He seemed to be saying, “I want me some pie!
We will run and we’ll jump and we’ll have us some fun
Just give us some sunlight and out we will run.”

For the monkey and Aiden would often explore
Their missions would take them right out of the door.
Their adventures were magic, they were quite pretend
They’d rescue fair maidens, their honor defend.
They’d blast off to the moon and find treasure and land
Build snowmen and tall forts and castles of sand.

But inside they were stuck on that cold, cold wet day
No sun could be found, not a sliver or ray.
Little monkey was ready for joy and for fun
But things seemed so blue-y without the bright sun.

Then a gleam caught his eye and he looked at the floor
Saw blue books and red books stretched all to the door.
They were tales of great daring, of men strong and true
He fell from his perch and it seemed like he flew.

Aiden saw monkey fall and he followed him down
Saw book after book, tales of country and town.
They did gleam and they glistened like treasures of gold
Like tickets to places—far, near, new and old.

As the clouds spread their way o’er the now-darkening sky
The boy and his monkey felt like they could fly.
With a book in his hand and a friend by his side
A boy could fly rockets or zoom down a slide.

It can snow or rain buckets, with a book in your hands
You fly off to sunshine-filled kingdoms and lands.
For the world is a place of great joy with a book
So open one up, dive right in, take a look.

Little Aiden and monkey have flown on their way
With dump trucks and castles, race cars they will play.
For a book, it is magic, its spell is divine.
New people and places, love in every line.