september brings word problems
to a boy who counts on fingers
& I make up some
just to hear him laugh:
if we have 12 beans
and 3 carrots
are they equal to
an ear of corn
he says
carrots are yucky
& could never add up to corn
but carrots can be numbered up
on his fingers faster
because he won’t eat them
(& he has not gotten to subtraction yet
in those
word problems)
so now he knows
when there are groups of chickens
in fives
he can add them
to three squirrels
& I say
you can count pictures
in your mind
of anything you want
when just the numeral
is there
even candy?
yes, even candy
& no danger of subtraction
when the M&Ms
are imaginary
Cute!
Thanks, Georgia!
He could count as many of my broad beans as he likes…. As a child I always felt they used to multiply on my plate!
haha…know what you mean.
Glad that I found your site through Mimi’s site. I look forward to reading more of your poetry.
Thanks, Kristin–nice to meet you!
I can hear the giggles now.. very sweet susan
Thanks, hon. Most fun I have ever had helping the kids with homework.
This is so sweet!
Thank you mama!
very sweet and i am smiling
Thanks, Bruce
Cute poem
Aw, thanks, GS!
It’s been so many years now since I witnessed it. Such a cute look at the early learning process.
Thanks, Nelle. We had fun.
I like that last stanza. Maybe M&M’s should be reserved for addition and multiplication problems and carrots for subtraction and division.
This one’s gold, so cute.
Thank you, Trent. Somehow it makes homework fun, from this side of the school experience!
Love this susan! I can picture him now, and hear him laugh, and saying yuck to the carrots. perfect.
Hee, hee–you know it! Glad you liked.
Sweet and fun!
thanks, Celestine–was fun!