THIS POEM HAS BEEN DELETED - MAY BE FOUND ON THE WEB
BY SEARCHING FOR POEMS BY JAMES T. ADAIR

Kids see everything
she pointed out the burn on my arm
and said "what's that"
I said it's a burn
She saw another mark and said
what's that?
and I said anohter burn
Grandpa has a lot of cuts and burns

Here's another one on my hand
and another cut I have on my other hand
I guess I've been working
and I've marked myself up a bit
to everything she asks "Why"

I said you've got to eat your pancakes
she says "why?"
and I say..."to grow"
and I pick up a bag of dog food
and show here the feeding and weight chart
and say ...even puppies have to eat 
they need food to grow
she eats a bite of the pancake
I say "don't you want to grow"
and she nods her head "yes"

She demands another strip of turkey bacon
but stops eating the pancakes
which she hardly touched
I say "another bacon only if you eat more pancakes"
Little girls, I think
How little they change as they grow
I know big girls just as picky and just as stubborn

I smile at her
and pick up a piece of pancake
and make airplane sounds
as I fly the pancake like an airplane
I open my mouth wide and she looks on
I have her attention now
and I say "Open your hanger for the plane"
she opens her mouth and she's half laughing
I fly the plane like a swirling bumble bee
and then drop it straight down into her mouth
She giggles and eats the pancake

and we both smile

But my smile is fleeting
I miss these simple moments
that came and went so quickly
and I feel suddenly a little lost
she'll soon be going home
and I've missed so much
but also I miss being a father

©  James T. Adair