RISK IT
You want a band-aid.
What’s it for?
It won’t heal hurts.
It’s something more.
This blister on your
hand’s a scar
from conquering
the monkey bars.
Your knee is skinned,
your ankle’s bleeding--
this happens RIDING,
not while reading.
How’d you get those
itchy scratches?
Berry brambles,
firefly catches.
Elbow, hipbone
bumped and bruised
shows every part of
you got used.
Chafes and gashes,
scrapes and cuts
show you risked it,
had the guts.
You went there,
but you’re not a goner.
This band-aid is your
badge of honor.
© 2019 Heidi Mordhorst. All rights reserved.
Click HERE to read this month's interview with Karen Boss, Editor at Charlesbridge. Her challenge this month is to write a poem in second person, speaking directly to a kid or kids about something that you think is important for them to know.
Post your poem on our June 2019 padlet. While some contributions will be featured as daily ditties this month, all contributions will be included in a wrap-up celebration tomorrow, Friday, June 28th. One lucky participant will win a copy of I Am Someone Else: Poems About Pretending, collected by Lee Bennett Hopkins and illustrated by Chris Hsu, available online for preorder, and coming to a bookstore near you on July 2, 2019.
Love it, Heidi! Do you remember smiley face band-aids? Those were my favorites. :D They were the best for making me feel better, but I wish I had this poem too!
ReplyDeleteFantastic! As I was working on my poem, I really struggled to avoid being preachy. This hits exactly the right tone—charming, fun, with a gentle message. We stock lots of Band-Aids at my house. They're stickers AND badges of honor!
ReplyDeleteLove it! Bandaids are not for boo-boos, but for brave kids living life to its fullest OUT DOORS rather than on the couch with a video controller!
ReplyDeleteYes! Get out there, join in, take some risks, experience and so what if you get bumps and bruises, well you heal......great poem, Heidi and great message.
ReplyDeleteJanet Clare F.
Love the band-aid as badge of honor, the encouragement to take a risk. Perfect summer poem.
ReplyDeleteI really like this--well written in every sense! I especially liked this:
ReplyDeleteElbow, hipbone
bumped and bruised
shows every part of
you got used.
Delightful! I loved band-aids when I was a kid. A badge of honor!
ReplyDeleteThank you, everyone--this was really fun (and challenging) to write. I started out with one message in mind and ended up aiming at another.
ReplyDelete