further advice to my daughters

I wrote an apology to my daughters once, I had neglected to teach them about the importance of jumping in mud puddles. My many thanks to friends who were responsible in large part for these further lessons . . .

It is important

to dance

on the edge of propriety--

sometimes--

there are fountains

public

that simply must be waded

in summer's degrees of heat.

 

And it is your shining destiny

to melt

stolid pre-conceptions--

to fan the flames where others fear.

There are countless adventures

waiting

for dark-eyed girls

like you . . .

 

***************

playing with heat

****************

 

it may have been the heat that sent us splashing in the public fountain

it may have been Anna's delighted look at the thought of such charming adventures

it was more probably Sarah's instinctive fear of flouting the edge of propriety.

and so we entered en force, three adult women, old enough to know better,

one excited child

and one almost teen who wished for the cloak of invisibility.

and the water was fresh and cool and lovely,

the other children all thought so.

and mostly we just did it for Sarah

so that she could conquer her fear of what others think

if only for a few sweet moments in the fountain

and there are other adventures

waiting . . .

 

 

Reviews

[JohnL]

Aahhhh! But what a lovely mum you really are. And what a wonderful piece of poetry to express your feelings about a problem that must have faced every parent at some time. I am sure there has been no lasting harm done by just a little over protection.

I must confess to my geat familiarity with 'mud puddles' and am thankful for the longish string I tugged in my youth - but boys are different are they not?

John

[bob, small b. aka invs]

i love this. dancing on the edge of propriety is a wonderful phrase and concept.

[Jūdan FyreHeart]

This is so lovely and really thoughtful! Such a sweet moment shared with a deeper lesson to be learnt.

[Georgia Gypsy]

I've never waded in a fountain, but i think i'd like to after reading this...
I have however ignored umbrella's in order to play in rainstorms just to get 'looks' from people going into the grocery store...
k

[shythatway]

The best kind of lessons, I think. *smile*

I'd love to read the apology, too. I don't think I've ever waded in a fountain before, you've given me great ideas for summer. It's never too late ;) Thank you for sharing.

[An Ordinary Woman]

And I am sure your girls are well headed to becoming beautiful adults, full of love and great advice just like their mother. Are you published Emily? Your poetry is so worthy.

[Raef C. Boylan]

Surprised myself by welling up a little at this.
It's so very hard to be at that age where life on all sides is pressuring you to fit in and conform - and so very important to have a support system of people who love you enough to teach you that it needn't be done, that self-development should take precedence.
So well done Sarah [and well done you, Emily, Mom, most of all].
At first I wasn't keen on how the poem deviated into the prose-like narrative of your second part. But then it painted the picture, colouring in details for us, so well that it won me over 100%.

"and so we entered en force, three adult women, old enough to know better,
one excited child
and one almost teen who wished for the cloak of invisibility."

Good to know she has a wise-enough mother to guide her through the awkward patch [haha, I say patch - at what age does this stop? 23 maybe?]

Thanks for sharing this with us.

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

Awe what great advice for you daughters... risk is sometimes necessary for reward. I am sure they know you have always done the best you could.