my daughter tried to throw away
my Hot Wheels™ track the other day
because she didn’t understand
the joy of seeing a little car land
so far from where it used to be
through wobbly ramps and gravity
my wife is under the impression
that ‘cause I’m past 57
I don’t need a Lite Brite™ now
because she hasn’t experienced how
the thrill of pushpin pointillism
fulls the heart with wonder. It’s an
analog art-form that occured
before I knew what pixels were
Of yo-yos I’ve quite the selection
half a century of collection
still I only know one trick
and it’s not great. but I can pick
one up and have just as much fun
as when I played with my first one
Stress reduction. Nothing drastic.
Piece of string and spinning plastic.
I remember George Shaw saying
“we get old when we stop playing”
That is nowhere near my story
I’m not in that category
wooden boats and Tonka diggers
dolls that I call “action figures”
If a toy is all it takes
Who needs more for goodness sakes?
youth is something we create
when we seek to recreate
a good toy brings a quick vacation
honest simple meditation
when overwhelmed by the electronic
Play is my enduring tonic
This holiday, beneath the tree
my daughter will receive from me
a Hot Wheels™ car: and then, it’s on
our living room’s the autobahn
my wife’s gift will be really neat
some black construction paper sheets.
might even get my family to
attempt a yo-yo trick or two
for even in the coldest weather
toys can bring us all together
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