Grandparents Pleasures

//grandparents pleasures

Grandparent Pleasures

Tiny little grandaughter,
golden, silken hair,
eyes as clear as dewdrops,
reflecting heaven’s blue,
dressed in a white leotard
and a purple tutu,
ready for her recital,
looks at my silver earrings,
with solemn sweetness asks,
“Granny, can I have some earrings too?”

Later, with her friends,
the six three-year olds in
leotards, tutus, tiny capes,
Gainsborough hats, daintily
waltz in a row in their recital,
supposed to be
fashionable ladies drinking tea
at a garden party.
The loud, somewhat tinny, music is Debussy.
We are entranced as
our granddaughter gravely
does her dance.
When her tutu slides off,
the family shudders,
but she carefully retrieves it,
hands it to her perspiring teacher,
who is hidden behind the heavy,
midnight-blue, velvet curtain.
Our son, along with other
fathers, takes home videos.
Double dose of pleasure...
he is happy too.



Tiny little grandson,
breath like apples,
reddish-golden hair,
shiny blue-jean colored eyes,
in blue-jean overalls,
sharply watching big sister
on a red plastic slide,
husky voice demanding
that he go there too,
scrambling, calling as he climbs,
Watching other kids,
trying out what he sees,
racing everywhere,
from swings to jungle gym,
kicking his little soccer ball,
throwing other balls in the air,
wearing grinning Grandad out
on a warm spring afternoon,
falling asleep in his car seat
on the way home, then, refreshed,
running laughing there everywhere.