If Joy Were Measured by the Smile
a poem in rhyming couplets140 total reviews
Comment from Dawny53
Hello Brooke, just want you to know that this verse made me smile! No doubt in my mind it will bring smiles to so many readers! I love your ability to capture pure joy into words.. and am so happy that you found such joy in your life with this remarkable little boy! I wish all parents and grandparents would just stop awhile and realize how very fortunate they all are. Thanks for sharing.. take care
reply by the author on 20-Sep-2014
  |
Hello Brooke, just want you to know that this verse made me smile! No doubt in my mind it will bring smiles to so many readers! I love your ability to capture pure joy into words.. and am so happy that you found such joy in your life with this remarkable little boy! I wish all parents and grandparents would just stop awhile and realize how very fortunate they all are. Thanks for sharing.. take care
Comment Written 20-Sep-2014
reply by the author on 20-Sep-2014
-
Thank you so much, Dawny :-) Brooke
Comment from Nosha17
He knows just when and how sweetly to smile at the camera! Very cute photos. Lovely choice of words, alliterative language and rhyming to compliment your poem. Most enjoyable as always. Faye
reply by the author on 20-Sep-2014
|
He knows just when and how sweetly to smile at the camera! Very cute photos. Lovely choice of words, alliterative language and rhyming to compliment your poem. Most enjoyable as always. Faye
Comment Written 20-Sep-2014
reply by the author on 20-Sep-2014
-
Faye, thank you so much :-) Brooke
Comment from Phyllis Stewart
You've done it again, Brooke. The last six lines sum it up so well... just too much to smile about for a boy like Sawyer. He really is lucky. Other kids have a lot less reason to smile, being too occupied with getting something to eat or someone to give him a much needed hug. Sawyer has learned to appreciate all the beauty in the world, while other kids only know filthy tenements, concrete and graffiti, "enjoyed" to the sound of gunshots and screams. All in the "same" America.
I am not putting down Sawyer for being lucky. Life is, after all, largely luck. I was born luckier than many, as were you and your daughter. I always thought it was foolish to say, "I'm proud to be an American," because we had nothing to do with it. They SHOULD say, "I'm lucky to be an American." Just imagine an amazing boy like Sawyer wasting all his capacity for love in a Chicago ghetto... or starving in central Africa, or hearing nothing but violent Islam at this age.
Just one more reason to thank whatever lucky stars or gods we have that our families are happy, safe, and have bright futures.
I don't know why I went into that long rant... things lie in the back of our minds, I guess, and any stimulus can make them jump out at any time.
I still think your books would be valuable. Sometimes all kids have is living vicariously through reading about a better life and all they're missing. It helps them to dream, and we need dreams before we can make our lives better. :)
reply by the author on 20-Sep-2014
|
You've done it again, Brooke. The last six lines sum it up so well... just too much to smile about for a boy like Sawyer. He really is lucky. Other kids have a lot less reason to smile, being too occupied with getting something to eat or someone to give him a much needed hug. Sawyer has learned to appreciate all the beauty in the world, while other kids only know filthy tenements, concrete and graffiti, "enjoyed" to the sound of gunshots and screams. All in the "same" America.
I am not putting down Sawyer for being lucky. Life is, after all, largely luck. I was born luckier than many, as were you and your daughter. I always thought it was foolish to say, "I'm proud to be an American," because we had nothing to do with it. They SHOULD say, "I'm lucky to be an American." Just imagine an amazing boy like Sawyer wasting all his capacity for love in a Chicago ghetto... or starving in central Africa, or hearing nothing but violent Islam at this age.
Just one more reason to thank whatever lucky stars or gods we have that our families are happy, safe, and have bright futures.
I don't know why I went into that long rant... things lie in the back of our minds, I guess, and any stimulus can make them jump out at any time.
I still think your books would be valuable. Sometimes all kids have is living vicariously through reading about a better life and all they're missing. It helps them to dream, and we need dreams before we can make our lives better. :)
Comment Written 20-Sep-2014
reply by the author on 20-Sep-2014
-
Phyllis, I think of that every day. He has so very many advantages, not only things but attention paid to him and parents who run a child-centered family. Not only is he far luckier than kids whose families are far too poor to provide advantages, but he's luckier than kids in many privileged families who don't spend their weekends engaged in kid-friendly activities. Because Miranda is a nanny, I know of many wealthy families who center their time and attention around their social lives while their kids don't get to go to a quarter of the child-oriented places Sawyer gets to see - lots of rich kids don't get to visit orchards with mazes and fall crafts or pirate festivals at the harbor, etc etc etc. He leads an amazing life, and I grieve for every child who does not. I know what you mean about dreaming - I actually not only got that from books but from TV when I was a kid. I visited so many corners of the world just from watching Westerns and all kinds of shows that weren't even classified as educational shows. Brooke
-
I expected you would feel that way. There's no doubt that you're a smart, compassionate, grateful lady.
I, too, lived through books as a child. TV back then wasn't of much use. In fact, NOW I live vicariously via the internet, watching videos of baby pandas playing (nothing cuter!) and "visiting" faraway lands I'll never get to see due to my failing lungs. I'm glad I traveled Europe and the US while I was young and healthy enough. So, even we old folks need dream material, but NOW, the dreams are all in our heads, not in any possible future. Still better than no dreams at all. :)
Comment from Charlene0513
To adewpearl,
God has creation at His hands and nothing He has created is not pleasing unto Him without a smile.
bubbles bursting in my bath -alliteration noted
sun as bright as lemon jello,-nice simile
Charlene
reply by the author on 20-Sep-2014
|
To adewpearl,
God has creation at His hands and nothing He has created is not pleasing unto Him without a smile.
bubbles bursting in my bath -alliteration noted
sun as bright as lemon jello,-nice simile
Charlene
Comment Written 20-Sep-2014
reply by the author on 20-Sep-2014
-
Charlene, thank you so much :-) Brooke
Comment from poetbear
Great flow and feeling.
Well written and crafted.
It reads well and make sense.
Great photos.
Just wish this was in abdundance.
Living in the moment and appreciating all that there is as opposed to waiting on line for IPhone 6?
reply by the author on 20-Sep-2014
|
Great flow and feeling.
Well written and crafted.
It reads well and make sense.
Great photos.
Just wish this was in abdundance.
Living in the moment and appreciating all that there is as opposed to waiting on line for IPhone 6?
Comment Written 20-Sep-2014
reply by the author on 20-Sep-2014
-
Maddie, thank you so much :-) Brooke
Comment from 9999pool
This is a magnificent portrayal of life filled with smiles and the miles of road in a map to be travelled before we reach Home. Along the way are the worms that wriggle and so too the toys on the aisle.
Actually, if we have counted the number of smiles in our life, it does let us know our level of happiness - as long as those smiles are hearty and genuine.
If happiness is what we seek, we must learn to smile at every opportunity and not let that frown crowd our faces, more smiles.
Excellent write and thanks for sharing this philosophy of life.
Cheerio, hugs, Ritchie. :))
Cheerio, hugs
reply by the author on 20-Sep-2014
|
This is a magnificent portrayal of life filled with smiles and the miles of road in a map to be travelled before we reach Home. Along the way are the worms that wriggle and so too the toys on the aisle.
Actually, if we have counted the number of smiles in our life, it does let us know our level of happiness - as long as those smiles are hearty and genuine.
If happiness is what we seek, we must learn to smile at every opportunity and not let that frown crowd our faces, more smiles.
Excellent write and thanks for sharing this philosophy of life.
Cheerio, hugs, Ritchie. :))
Cheerio, hugs
Comment Written 20-Sep-2014
reply by the author on 20-Sep-2014
-
Ritchie, thank you so much for your insightful response to this poem :-) Brooke
-
Welcome, smiles.
Cheerio, Ritchie. :))
Comment from c_lucas
The smile of a child is worth its weight in gold. This is very well written with a smooth flow of words, making for a very interesting read.
reply by the author on 20-Sep-2014
|
The smile of a child is worth its weight in gold. This is very well written with a smooth flow of words, making for a very interesting read.
Comment Written 20-Sep-2014
reply by the author on 20-Sep-2014
-
Charlie, thank you so much :-) Oh, and the laugh is even more priceless. One day last week when he was talking to me his mother made some faces at him and he got into a giggle fit that he just could not stop. I thought I'd break my face smiling so much :-) Brooke
-
You're welcome, Brooke. Sounds like you have a bad case of GrandMotheristus. Charlie
Comment from RYME4U
How delightful this poem is. It made me smile for quite awhile!The series of Sawyer's smiles made me smile even more. Great work and keep on smiling and making others smile, too. You're the greatest!
reply by the author on 20-Sep-2014
 |
How delightful this poem is. It made me smile for quite awhile!The series of Sawyer's smiles made me smile even more. Great work and keep on smiling and making others smile, too. You're the greatest!
Comment Written 20-Sep-2014
reply by the author on 20-Sep-2014
-
RYME4U, thank you so much for your generous and thoughtful response to this poem :-) Brooke
Comment from jaded831
It would definitely take a long, long while to count the things in life that make us smile. The pictures are priceless. Just one more thing to add to the list, a happy child. Excellent work.
reply by the author on 20-Sep-2014
|
It would definitely take a long, long while to count the things in life that make us smile. The pictures are priceless. Just one more thing to add to the list, a happy child. Excellent work.
Comment Written 20-Sep-2014
reply by the author on 20-Sep-2014
-
Jaded, thank you so much :-) Brooke
Comment from barbara.wilkey
Your poem caused me to smile. It is just plain fun to read. I think those are my favorite type of poetry. Although, I really enjoy the ahhh poems that are filled with unconditional time tested loved, not the erotica.
reply by the author on 20-Sep-2014
|
Your poem caused me to smile. It is just plain fun to read. I think those are my favorite type of poetry. Although, I really enjoy the ahhh poems that are filled with unconditional time tested loved, not the erotica.
Comment Written 20-Sep-2014
reply by the author on 20-Sep-2014
-
Thank you so much, my friend. Yeah, me and erotica, not happening LOL :-) Brooke
