22/10/2023
A fantastic poem from the Shelbourne Sheila! ✍🏻️
The Shelbourne Sheila Poetry Page
Growing, Glowing….Crowing? Copyright Lynne Frederick
Toddler Mickey was a trial for his doting mother, Sue
Refusing all her meals with outraged cries of “Yukky-poo!”
He was such a fussy eater, even for a child of two
Sue was sometimes at her wit’s end, wondering what the heck to do?
He didn’t like meat, fish or veg, was “iffy” about cheese
Store-bought meals were “yukky”, and fruit just failed to please
Chips and sweeties were good tucker, he was a kiddy after all
Most days his general diet was pretty certain to appall
So, when Sue got the news about her two-week seminar
She knew she’d have to send young Mickey off to stay with Pa
Pa thought minding Mickey was an absolute real treat
But Sue was full of worry…..for what would her wee boy eat?
Pa lived way up in the country on a little poultry farm
With chooks and geese and apple trees, chock full of country charm
Sue made the trip with Mickey and an esky filled with food
With every kind of titbit that might tempt her little dude
Every evening Pa called Sue, so Mick could “speak” to Mum
While Sue obsessed, “Was anything going in his tiny tum?”
Pa told her not to stress, and not to worry... “He’ll be right!”
But what mum doesn’t worry when her wee one’s out of sight?
The seminar was dreary, and the days crawled by so slow
But finally it was over, and the young mum got to go
She headed up to Pa’s place keen to catch up with her boy
Apprehensive for the health of her frail, skinny pride and joy
Sue turned into Pa’s driveway, saw a quite mind-blowing sight
Tearing down the gravel was her child in headlong flight
Chubby legs were churning, chubby cheeks rosy and plump
A suntanned little cherub did a boisterous skip and jump
Mickey leaped into Sue’s arms, and blew wet kisses on her neck
While Sue turned to her father quite dumbfounded,”What the heck?”
“You said that Mick don’t eat...he fills his gullet in a flash!
That kid can’t get enough of my good homemade layer’s mash!”
