Let's continue to write children stories to help kids:
1. Appreciate their unique qualities
2. Trust their instincts
3. Enjoy the process of becoming
4. Employ their imaginative gifts
5. Fumble, make mistakes, and recover
6. Become the master of their young lives, rather than servants to adulthood
7. Experience a new word
8. Find mentorship in your words
9. Participate in shaping their own events
10. Live more fully, at least for a moment, as a result of your words
11. Love being young
Our guest, Senior Brother Author Derrick Barnes, serves as a good guide for us.
Learning to Grow up
ReplyDelete“Mommy I know what I want to be when I get older,” Joey said whisking over to his mother
“What’s that my little one?” Joey’s mom asked while washing the dishes.
“I want to stay six forever!” Joey said this with a youthful glow in his eye. “Yup I want to stay six, stay living with you, come lay with you at night, and sit on your lap for now and ever. Doesn’t that sound wonderful mommy?”
Joey’s mom looked at him curiously. “Are you sure what you want baby.”
“Yup, 100% sure. No, 200%. I love being young. We get recess, naptime and juice boxes. We have not a care in the world. No work at all.”
“But Joey what about the benefits of growing up?”
“What could that be?”
“Well for one, you can reach the top shelf in the kitchen for your favorite chocolaty chip cookies.”
“I have you for that.”
“But darling I won’t always be here. Or what about when I get old, and my knees are weak. Don’t you want to be there for me?
“Yes mommy I love you more than anything in the world!”
“And work isn’t all bad. You know how you love to jump and flip and twirl?”
“Yea! Yea! Yea!!”
“Well you could grow up and becoming an amazing gymnast and go to the Olympics. Imagine you could get paid for doing what you love.”
“Oh my goodness that sounds SSSSOOOOOO awesome!”
“See being a grown up isn’t all bad. There are millions of grand things you can to do. Now doesn’t that sound great?”
“Incredible! Mommy guess what I want to be when I get older?”
“What honey?”
“All Grown Up!”
Eagle Eye View
ReplyDeleteX the eagle swept through the clouds in the sky. Wings spread triumphantly.
He gazed at the world beneath him. He did not like them, the humans.
They were full of themselves. He swooped through the crystal clear blue skies and white clouds. The blue skies quickly became dark and stars appeared were clouds once were.
X was on a trip to meet his old friend Wise, the Owl. He spotted Wise standing on a single branch in the Lonelywood Forest. With a mighty caw he zipped down to the forest closing his wings to gain speed and at the last minute spreading them wide to catch air and help him land safely. Right next to wise.
“I cannot suffer this any longer old friend.”
“What must you suffer X?” questioned Wise, “the inability to accept the flaws of others?”
“These humans, they are arrogant inconsiderate and full of self proclaimed justices and pretenses.”
“These humans, they are not without flaw yes, but neither are you. X, the same humans you so hate love you, you are the symbol of their colony. The beacon of their beliefs.”
“And as such the greatest folly they have committed because I am nothing like them!!”
“Are you not, X the eagle, the same eagle that looks down on the humans as they might look down on others?”
“I-it is not the same! They will stop at nothing until this gift is destroyed, this home burned to the ground,” X flapped his wings angrily.
“And you would stop at nothing to see it preserved. The intent is different but the process is dangerously similar, X.”
“And you would defend them?”
“I would defend all. Anything with folly has good, for without the good what could flaw be?”
“I do not understand your rambling old owl.”
“X, if you are perfect, you are without flaw. Perfect in itself does not host good or evil intent. You could be perfectly good or perfectly evil. Now, consider this X. If you are neither perfectly good nor perfectly evil then you are a mixture of both and as such should not judge those who are also a mixture. Humans have the capacity for good.”
“And yet more evil I see from them each day.”
“Do you then, claim to be perfectly good? You have eaten living creatures, that breathe as yourself.”
“That is not evil, that is necessary.”
“You are right, it is a necessary evil. It is necessary for humans to fall to their worst, to realize what their best is.”
“Should I then allow them to do whatever they please?”
“They will do, regardless. No matter how hard you try you cannot control the actions of another.”
“You are saying to except them for their strengths and weaknesses?”
“What choice do you have? That is love.”
“Humph.”
X the eagle took flight and flew off into the night sky, head spinning with new thoughts and a different point of view.
Hand in Hand
ReplyDeleteStop!
Go!
Hi!
Bye!
Leave!
Come!
Hot!
Cold!
Sweet!
Spicy!
Yes!
No!
Wrong!
Right!
Left!
Right!
In!
Out!
Love!
Hate!
Happy!
Sad!
Up!
Down!
Me!
You!
These are the things that go hand in hand.
It’s up to you where you begin.
Words are here, so you may win.
If you fall down, get back up and start all over again.
Children come one and all.
Hand in hand, with these words you will never fall.
THE END!
My First Crush
ReplyDeleteOnce upon a time there was a girl named Jennifer The Explorer she was beautiful, smart, and popular. I used too look at her all day and I would compliment her steadily just like my dad did my mommy. One day while we were in Mrs. Robeson’s Second Grade Class I wrote her a letter asking her if she would like to be my girlfriend and she checked yes. I was really excited we hung out all the time we ate at lunch together, hugged each other goodbye, and looked out for each other when we would cry. Finally, one day I was leaving Jennifer had given me a kiss. It was the best day of my life and I will never forget it; I hope one day Jennifer will kiss me again.
Twin Sisters
ReplyDelete“You really do ask a lot of questions for a four year old” I say to my young sister Grace. She is the exact opposite of her twin sister. She is tomboyish and extremely curious. Her father loved her immensely for she was not a boy but as close as you could get to one. I on the other hand kind of wish she was like her twin sister Gianna. Gianna is the average girly girl. She laughs at everything but she has a great warm smile that makes every smile special. I can’t believe I got stuck with the most different twins.
“I’m special.” The young girl replies in a I am queen obey me tone. I smile, while Gianna cracks up rolling on the floor. “What’s so funny Gianna I am special”
“You’re right real special but any way its bed time girls.”
“NO!!!!” the two young girls say in a defiant but happy way. Their smiles are the same sunny, and young. Their light brown skin are radiant and happy. I pick up the two girls and walk up the stairs. They scream “let us down! Let us down!” Laughing I walk up the stairs into their pink room.
The walls have a design of a unicorn with wings swooping and diving around the room with a bright multi colored rainbow following it. It took a week to complete, but the little girls love it. I tuck them into their rainbow bed and they whine for a story.
“Story, story, story,” they plead.
“ok” I say tiredly I grab a book
“ This book is called the girls”
I begin the story of a boy that loves his two sisters that are extremely different but loveable. When I’m about half way done I look up to see if the girls are okay. “Knocked out” I whisper. I put the book up and walk over to their beds. I kiss their small Foreheads and whisper goodnight. Leaving the room I turn off the light and make sure that their purple seahorse nightlight is on. Turning off the light I think of how they have grown and how they will grow, but mainly of how I will never stop loving my two little sisters.
Zippy
ReplyDeleteOnce upon a time there was a fly named Zippy. Zippy had hundreds of brothers and sisters but had not seen them since he was a baby maggot. Once him and all his brothers and sisters were old enough to fly they all went there separate ways. Zippy flew for many days alone. Eventually he came upon a patch of wildflowers and saw some butterflies pollinating them. He decided he would help them pollinate the flowers. As he began to work a large monarch butterfly approached him.
“What do you think your doing?” said the butterfly in a snooty tone.
“I just thought I would help you guys pollinate some flowers,” said Zippy.
“Pollinating is for butterflies only. Not for pesky flies!” said the butterfly.
Not wanting to attract any more attention from the other butterflies Zippy moved on. He whisked through the air over to the other side of the flower patch at the edge of the prairie. He saw some interesting yellow and black bugs pollinating flowers.
He flew down to take a closer look. Before he could get close enough some of the insects stopped Zippy.
“Who are you guys?” asked Zippy curiously.
“We are bees guarding the queen,” said the two large bees in the same tone.
“Can I help you pollinate?” asks Zippy.
“No, pollinating is for bees only. Not for pesky flies”
Zippy was very sad and sat in the middle of the flower patch. All of a sudden he began to hear some loud noises and the earth began to shake. When he looked up he saw some kids coming. Zippy was scared because he remembered his parents told him to stay away from humans. The bees were not scared because they knew the kids were afraid of them. The butterflies were not scared because they knew children loved them. Zippy was scared because he knew the kids would hurt him. When they got closer Zippy got scared and tried to fly away. The children spotted him and tried to swat him out of the sky. Zippy began to fly erratically to avoid the heavy hands. The bees and the butterflies began to laugh. When the children left, Zippy was very tired and sat on a pedal in the middle of the flower patch. On the right side of the flower patch the butterflies began to laugh. On the left side of the flower patch the bees began to laugh at him as well. Not knowing what to do or say Zippy got up and slowly flew away. Zippy flew all over the forest but no matter where he went he never felt comfortable.
One day while Zippy was sitting on a branch cleaning his eyes with his front legs he heard someone crying for help. When he went to see what was going on he saw butterflies crying on the right side, bees crying on the left side, and the queen bee and two other butterflies caught in a web in the middle. All of a sudden a fat hairy brown spider started to make his way over to the bugs caught in his web.
“Someone rescue the queen!” a bee yelled.
“No rescue the two butterflies they’re more important!” screamed a butterfly.
When the bees heard this they became very angry and both sides began to argue. While the two sides were fighting no one noticed how close the spider was getting to the queen and butterflies trapped in the web. Zippy realized he was the only one that would actually do something. All of a sudden Zippy flew straight at the spider. The spider tried to grab him but Zippy was too small and fast. Every time the spider tried to grab him Zippy was all ready somewhere else. Eventually the spider became dizzy and fell off his web. By this time the angry crowd of bees and butterflies were silent. Then a giant roar of excitement came. Everyone was so happy they hugged Zippy and told him he was a hero. The butterflies and bees asked him what he wanted in return for saving their loved ones. All Zippy said was peace.
Today the flower patch is no longer divided. Bees and butterflies work together to pollinate the followers. They offered Zippy to become king of the flower patch but he said no. Zippy flew off into the forest finally feeling comfortable.
Quincy has Questions
ReplyDeleteWhy is the sky blue?
Why is the grass green?
Why did I get the flu?
My parents keep giving me medicine, why are they so mean?
Why do I have to do homework?
Why do I do chores?
Why do I have to ask to go outside?
Why do I sweep the floors?
Why do we go to Payless when I want to go to Foot Locker?
Why do I practice piano?
Why do you make me play soccer?
I know it’s the middle of the summer, but why must I wear shorts?
Out of all the other names how come mine starts with ‘Q’?
I like cherries on my ice cream, what about you?
Do you really love me? If you do, how much?
Do you love me enough to buy me toys and stuff?
When I go to bed how come you tell me not to let the bed bugs bite?
Won’t it be easier to let me stay up all night?
How come you make me play Monopoly when I prefer video games?
How come when you cook I can’t touch the flames?
When music comes on how come I can’t watch the dancers?
How come when I ask you questions you don’t have answers?
Quincy’s parents grew tired, their eyes red as fire.
His mother said, “Quincy go to bed! Your questions are making me tired.”
Zippy
ReplyDeleteOnce upon a time there was a fly named Zippy. Zippy had hundreds of brothers and sisters but had not seen them since he was a baby maggot. Once him and all his brothers and sisters were old enough to fly they all went their separate ways. Zippy flew for many days alone. Eventually he came upon a patch of wildflowers and saw some butterflies pollinating them. He decided he would help them pollinate the flowers. As he began to work a large monarch butterfly approached him.
“What do you think your doing?” said the butterfly in a snooty tone.
“I just thought I would help you guys pollinate some flowers,” said Zippy.
“Pollinating is for butterflies only. Not for pesky flies!” said the butterfly.
Not wanting to attract any more attention from the other butterflies Zippy moved on. He whisked through the air over to the other side of the flower patch at the edge of the prairie. He saw some interesting yellow and black bugs pollinating flowers.
He flew down to take a closer look. Before he could get close enough some of the insects stopped Zippy.
“Who are you guys?” asked Zippy curiously.
“We are bees guarding the queen,” said the two large bees in the same tone.
“Can I help you pollinate?” asks Zippy.
“No, pollinating is for bees only. Not for pesky flies”
Zippy was very sad and sat in the middle of the flower patch. All of a sudden he began to hear some loud noises and the earth began to shake. When he looked up he saw some kids coming. Zippy was scared because he remembered his parents told him to stay away from humans. The bees were not scared because they knew the kids were afraid of them. The butterflies were not scared because they knew children loved them. Zippy was scared because he knew the kids would hurt him. When they got closer Zippy got scared and tried to fly away. The children spotted him and tried to swat him out of the sky. Zippy began to fly erratically to avoid the heavy hands. The bees and the butterflies began to laugh. When the children left, Zippy was very tired and sat on a pedal in the middle of the flower patch. On the right side of the flower patch the butterflies began to laugh. On the left side of the flower patch the bees began to laugh at him as well. Not knowing what to do or say Zippy got up and slowly flew away. Zippy flew all over the forest but no matter where he went he never felt comfortable.
One day while Zippy was sitting on a branch cleaning his eyes with his front legs he heard someone crying for help. When he went to see what was going on he saw butterflies crying on the right side, bees crying on the left side, and the queen bee and two other butterflies caught in a web in the middle. All of a sudden a fat hairy brown spider started to make his way over to the bugs caught in his web.
“Someone rescue the queen!” a bee yelled.
“No rescue the two butterflies they’re more important!” screamed a butterfly.
When the bees heard this they became very angry and both sides began to argue. While the two sides were fighting no one noticed how close the spider was getting to the queen and butterflies trapped in the web. Zippy realized he was the only one that would actually do something. All of a sudden Zippy flew straight at the spider. The spider tried to grab him but Zippy was too small and fast. Every time the spider tried to grab him Zippy was all ready somewhere else. Eventually the spider became dizzy and fell off his web. By this time the angry crowd of bees and butterflies were silent. Then a giant roar of excitement came. Everyone was so happy they hugged Zippy and told him he was a hero. The butterflies and bees asked him what he wanted in return for saving their loved ones. All Zippy said was peace.
Today the flower patch is no longer divided. Bees and butterflies work together to pollinate the followers. They offered Zippy to become king of the flower patch but he said no. Zippy flew off into the forest finally feeling comfortable.
Dear young hustla
ReplyDeleteDear young hustla try to make big things happen
Don’t sell no dummies
Really make ya sellin have a point make dat money
You mite make alotta new friends but some of em gon be fake
Don’t let any body know how much money you make
Know whose your real friends
Find out whose your patna in crime
Because if you aint got da right people wit you den you mite have a hard time
Life on da block believe you gonna be tired
If you got dat good work best believe dem fiends gonna be wired
Don’t get hooked on your own shit
Or you mite start losing money quick
You probably one of the lil niggas known on the block
But don’t let police know that your known for holdin them rocks
If any body try you
All you gotta do is show them the glock
Cuz they probably gonna try you to see if u a punk but you gotta show them that your not
As long as you rise up above all this non since
Try to keep money on your conscience
To get up out the hood
Money rules the world
Busy Bee
ReplyDeleteBusy Bee likes to buzz,
Buzz, buzz, and buzz to and from the hive.
He likes to buzz with his friends,
Buzzing around playing tag.
Busy bee is always busy buzzing,
Zooming around doing a million things at once.
Collecting pollen,
Helping his family.
Serving the Queen,
Making honey.
Busy Bee was the best of the best,
Until a terrible accident.
Busy Bee was collecting pollen one day,
And a dark shadow cast over his body.
And a human foot came down on top of his body,
The foot had crushed his wings, leaving him to never fly again.
Busy bee was very sad, he couldn’t play with his friends anymore.
He watched them fly around having fun while he was stuck inside recuperating.
Busy Bee hated being all alone, not having fun, not being able to fly,
That was until he discovered a new way to play.
Busy Bee may not have had his wings,
But he had his legs.
He started to run around his room bouncing off the walls.
And he got his friends to do it to.
Busy Bee was glad to get to play again,
And he played on, and on, and on, until he was tired.