Revised Ballad

Time to update this poem. Years ago I was helping the 6th grade students at my school understand what a ballad is – a songlike, narrative, poem that has rhyme, rhythm, and a refrain. In the process, I wrote this ballad-like poem, inspired by my daughters, Bridgit and Anne!! I love that it records for me the best part of being a mom, getting to read-aloud so many stories filled with so many great characters with my two favorite readers. Three years ago I added an additional final stanza. Today I add another final stanza to record us as readers (and writers) today in 2017. Enjoy reading with Sally, Bridgit and Anne from 1993 to the present!

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My daughters, at 4 and 1
Lick their cone of ice cream
Listening to me read The Tweedle Beedle Battle
And the adventures of Spot and his mom, also Sally,
While taking turns to open the flaps.

The clock chimed eight.
I said good night, sleep tight, and turned out the light.

Once they turn 6 and 3
They spooned their jello
As I read everything by Donald Crews
and rode his train, plane, boat, bike, and carousel.
Then listened to the troubles of Arthur and DW.

The clock chimed eight.
I said good night, sleep tight, and turned out the light.

Soon both could read at 8 and 5
Yet, they still listened, munching on popcorn
As I read of Elmer on Wild Island
And we met Samantha, Molly, and Josephina
Living in other times.

The clock chimed eight.
I said good night, sleep tight, and turned out the light.

By the ages of 10 and 7
We met Ms. Jewels, Louis and the 28 students
in that tall, skinny wacky school.
Also, Anastasia and her funny brother, Sam.

The clock chimed eight.
I said good night, sleep tight, and turned out the light.

Time flew by, and suddenly they were 12 and 9.
They made the cookies we munched on
As I read-aloud the adventures of their newest friends:
Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

The clock chimed eight.
I said good night, sleep tight, and turned out the light.

Three years ago, they were 25 and 23.
The clock chimes 2:00am.
I’ve been asleep for hours
Closing my eyes after reading a chapter alone on my kindle fire.
Bridgit tweets the latest news of the day.
Anne posts a TEDtalk video to her facebook wall and grabs a play to read.

Good night, great readers.
Sleep tight.

Now they are 28 and 25.
The clock chimes 9pm in VA and 3am in France.
I head to bed to read,
after drafting my latest Slice to post tomorrow for my blogging friends to read.
Bridgit downloads the S-town podcast
for us to listen to as we take our rode trip to Chicago tomorrow.
Anne celebrates making her own homemade version of CLUE to play with her French students and blogs from Marseilles.

Good night, great readers across the globe.
Sleep tight.

How many books you can name from the poem clues??!