Dedicated to my cousin, Tyler James Sholly
I nicknamed the baby “Chief”
A commanding presence that he is
Restraint protested in a playpen
Walking at nine months
Full of zeal, wanting to discover,
Each nook and cranny throughout the house,
Trailing our cat, Lydia, from room to room
We follow his chase like a Congo line
Until we are sure, he will not stagger
Lose his balance, bang into the sharp corners
“Barney”, “Teletubbies”, “Sponge Bob/Squarepants”
All these we endure,
You gaze at the screen, transfixed
We don’t get it? We shake our heads?
What is the allure?
To our dismay, we sing along
Learning every word to each tune
Every moment, a new adventure:
A shape to contemplate:
A triangle, a circle, a square,
Pleasure found in a bowl of cheerios
A satisfying “mmm”
Amazement at a new toy
Oh, how I love this baby boy