Category: Children

He’s too big for blocks, but
He’s too small for biking;
He is too old for crawling, and
Too young for hiking;
He’s not up to baseball,
But years beyond some things
Like pull-toys and peg-boards
And what he calls “dumb things.”
He’s outgrown his cuteness;
He isn’t yet handsome;
His poise is developing
(Still he could stand some);
He sneers at shenanegans
Smaller kids start
While the big ones ignore him.
But don’t come apart–
After all, what’s a boy?
He’s that ultra, that keen age:
Not baby, not man,
But the rare in-between stage!

by Ray Romine Monday, December 3, 1951

Sing not a song of love to me,
And still less one of babies;
That wheeze, “To be, or not to be”
No longer is a mysteree:
Poor Hamlet must’ve been a dad–
You think that’s good? I think it’s bad–
I’d rather have the rabies.

But since you’re young, and WON’T be told,
Before full many a year hence,
You’ll be a “VERY PROUD” Pa-PA–
You say that’s good? I say “Ha-HA!”
For then without a doubt you’ll find
(A little late to change your mind)
How FINAL is EXPER-YENCE!

Written at breakfast…

by Ray Romine Saturday, May 8, 1943

Some mark he ‘ll make upon his world,
Will father’s blue-eyed bub,
Just Judging from the grade of that
He leaves {within} {around} the tub.

by Ray Romine Tuesday, November 7, 1950

Of all the toy store excuses
Any parent is waylaid with,
This above them all bemuses:
“All my toys at home are played with!”

by Ray Romine Thursday, May 11, 1950

The correcting of children
(Called by neighbors unbraiding)
Is apt to pass at home
As just gentle persuading.

by Ray Romine Tuesday, September 20, 1949

To set the beet example
For our kids, we weed and cull
With care our own amusements —
And find life pretty dull.

by Ray Romine Tuesday, December 12, 1950

We worked the whole of last year through
To get her past “da-da” and “goo”–
This year we use the tomahawk
To shut her off so we can talk!

by Ray Romine Friday, January 18, 1946

Since they’re safely at their play,
Mother turns the other way,
Serenely sure of just one thing:
The doubt her next turn-around will bring.

by Ray Romine Wednesday, September 21, 1949

No matter how strong our love for them’s been,
If there’s a time we would cheerfully dump any,
It’s when tots’ve been noisy for days, and then
Refuse to say boo in front of company.
(original 10-17-1949)

Though our love for our children is ever so strong,
If there’s one time we’d cheerfully dump any,
It’s when they’ve been noisy all the day long,
Then refuse to say boo in front of company.
(Rev. 9-30-1949)

Why is it that children,
Noisy all week,
Will shut up like clams
If guests ask them to speak?
(Rev. 9-30-1949)

by Ray Romine Sunday, October 17, 1948

Kids are those younger humans
Who utter high-pitched squeals
And swear they aren’t hungry
When they’re placed in front of meals

But who are always ravenous,
Whose gauges show “Let’s Munch”
When they’re miles and miles from nowhere
With their folks still full of lunch.

We can’t hold this against ’em–
Most kids are dearly prized–
But they’d be much more convenient
If they were synchronized!

by Ray Romine Thursday, August 28, 1952