While Jeff has been a prolific writer of children’s poetry and stories for many years, he is only now beginning to publish the work. Originally he wrote only to entertain children and for elementary school readings.  The one advantage is that these poems and stories have been well received by children for years.

Happiness

happy, they say, is the main thing

but that’s a song I don’t really sing

it’s not that I don’t want to be happy

it’s more that happy is not friends with me

the happiest man said it was all a mistake

because all that happy gave him a headache

sad is underrated and one of my friends

frustrated too is misunderstood in the end

people like happy because it’s carefree

I’d rather my heart just be what it be

the problem with happy is you rarely get there

and once there it vanishes into thin air

okay, okay, everyone loves to be jolly

but chasing happiness just seems a folly

if you’re happy that’s all well and fine

but don’t try to force it on me next time

_________

Flamenco Guitar

Here’s how much money we have in our house

you couldn’t buy lunch if you were a mouse

we have no nice things and we drive no car

my Mom sold my Dad’s flamenco guitar

we aren’t really poor with riches in our head

Dad sings us rich songs as we sleep in our bed

He says that my dreams will take me far

My dream is to buy him a flamenco guitar

___________

View from the Fish Tank

scuttle your chatter

born without ears

your words – blah, blah, blah

I cannot hear

to me your blather

is soul sapping

your mouth looks silly

wriggling and flapping

you may notice

the side of my head

with no ears there

I’ve gills instead