As Soon As Fred Gets Out Of Bed

I love children's poetry. It's joyful, silly, rhyming, and stimulates the imagination. It doesn't always lead me to profound thoughts or essential truths, but I search for those enough anyway. Sometimes, however, it does reveal a genuine wisdom, and if not, ... well ... it always makes me smile.

To paraphrase someone: I'm happy to grow older, but I refuse to grow up. It's poetry like this piece that keeps me young, and my inner child is very much alive and well. Perhaps it can help keep you young as well, but for today ... I'll settle for sharing a smile.

And if that's not reason enough, perhaps I just need some respite from grading.

TGB   

As soon as Fred gets out of bed,
his underwear goes on his head.
His mother laughs, "Don't put it there,
a head's no place for underwear!"
But near his ears, above his brains,
is where Fred's underwear remains.

At night when Fred goes back to bed,
he deftly plucks it off his head.
His mother switches off the light
and softly croons, "Good night! Good night!"
And then, for reasons no one knows,
Fred's underwear goes on his toes.

by Jack Prelutsky, 2003