Four poems for children by Kim McDonald

Fetch

I’ve tried throwing my tennis ball

I’ve tried tossing a stick

He sits, he stays, he shakes a paw

But he just won’t do this trick

Oh, he chases after it all right

And he pounces in attack

He even puts it in his mouth

But he won’t bring the darn thing back

With wagging tail he looks at me

And tilts his head as doggies do

He’s trying hard to understand

But this game is still too new

“Come,” I say to encourage him

“Bring it back,” I say to Ralph
But he just sits and shakes his head
He’d rather keep it for himself!

Alphabet Blocks

Baby plays with alphabet blocks
Those old wooden with As, Bs, and Ds
That are stacked on some Is, Ts, and Es
And L, M, N, Os
And P, Q, R, S-es
And W, Vs
And Z, Ys and X-es
Oh I know there’s a few I forgot
And a few out of order as well
But who really cares and who’s going to tell
The baby who can’t even spell

Polka Dot Puppy

My polka dot puppy

Is as cute as he can be

I think he’s pretty special

And I know that he loves me

How could we go wrong

With a name like Dot or Spot?

He would come on our command

(Some dogs are smart and some are not)

But the truth is if he runs away

We’ll all be very sad

He won’t know that we’re calling HIM
Because my sister named him ‘Plaid’


Finger Paint

I have three bright colours
Yellow, Red and Blue
And I have a pretty smock
And lots of paper too.

Mother bought me finger paints

‘Cause she has things to do.

I guess I’ll entertain myself

By trying something new.

It didn’t come with brushes

You just stick your hands right in.

I rolled up my shirt sleeves first

So there’s nothing there but skin

The red was kind of bright

So I mixed it with some blue

And now my painted picture

Has some purple in it too.

When I spilled a little yellow

It turned my blue to green

And yellow mixed with red

Is as orange as I have seen.

My fingers slide across the page

Making lines and squiggles.

I love the slimy way it feels

It’s giving me the giggles.

And because I kept on giggling

And having so much fun
I lost my concentration
And now look what I’ve done.

My fingers kept on sliding
Moving fast and free
And now the kitchen tablecloth
Is artwork done by me.


Kim McDonald lives in Brampton, Ontario, with her husband, two children and loveable but stubborn Boxer Lab. A career banker, she will soon be celebrating her 20th anniversary in the Financial Industry. Inspired as a child by the poems of Shel Silverstein, she is rediscovering her love of poetry and the lighter side of life.


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