Guess Who’s Back?

For those of you who subscribe to this newsletter but aren’t on Facebook, let me give you some background about my absence. In February, Facebook flagged a post I put on my Poetic Blessings Facebook page. In this post, “Carrick” said he liked to play a game where he jumped on Seamus. Facebook said this was hate speech, and they put my personal page and my Poetic Blessings page on probation and restricted the distribution of my posts. My page is still on probation, but I can finally post again. The boys and I are back—thank you for hanging in there with us!

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Yes, the boys and I are back after our long, enforced spring break. Carrick is especially excited to be back, having been unable to share his thoughts with you for all this time. I’ll let him tell you about it.

Carrick: Hello to my friends! May I have your attention?
I want to tell you about my Shawshank redemption.

Seamus: I cannot endure this soliloquy;
It’s all I have heard since February.

Carrick: That’s because I had no one else to hear me!

Me: Go ahead, Carrick. We are ALL listening.

Carrick: It’s been fifty days since I was tossed in the clink—
fifty long days for me to sit here and think.
I still don’t understand what I did wrong,
or why I had to be quiet for so long.
Mommy said, ‘Sometimes, sweet boy, life just isn’t fair.
And Mark whats-his-name could use some prayer.’

Me: Uh, I don’t remember that.

Seamus: I do!

Mackin: Me too!

Me: Let’s get back to Carrick. Did you learn anything new?

Carrick: I learned that sometimes it’s okay to be quiet
even though, I admit, I really don’t like it.
I learned to play football with olives and grapes,
and I looked out at the clouds and saw thirty-seven shapes!
I played with my brothers and watched lots of birds,
but I didn’t have friends to listen to my words.
My friends here on Facebook are so nice to me!
They like my shenanigans and my Irish stories.
I’ve missed telling them what I did with my days.

Me: I know, little one. I feel the same way.
Is there anything else to tell your friends about?

Carrick: Yes! I want to tell them about our new couch!
One day our old couch just disappeared
and you told us a new one would be coming here!
We got a lecture from you and from Dad
about things we shouldn’t do because they are BAD.

Seamus: Yes! We got in trouble before we did anything!

Me: No, you did not. We just gave you a warning.

Seamus: You said, “There are behaviors you’re going to leave in the past;
You will not do to the new couch what you did to the last.”

Carrick: You said Mackin was the one who damaged it most.

Mackin: Yes! I made it my own scratching post!

Carrick: I tore a hole in the back and made a nest inside!

Seamus: I left it alone. I only wreck blinds.

Me: So what did you do when the new couch came?

Seamus: I sniffed it.

Mackin: I licked it.

Carrick: It was like a new game!
We explored every cranny and nosed every nook—

Seamus: We left no pillow unturned, no place overlooked.

Me: Well, that’s not all. What happened next?

Carrick: I went underneath to find a place for my nest!

Mackin: I went from one end to another, scratching away!

Seamus: And I found a lovely new hobby that day!
I lie on my back whilst holding on to the couch,
dig in my claws, and scoot all around!

Me: What happens to the couch when you do this new hobby?

Seamus: Fabric flies off, but it doesn’t bother me.

Me: It bothers me, and it bothers your dad!

Seamus: Well, good lord, woman! I can’t help that.

Carrick: If we only did things that didn’t bother you,
we’d be so sad—we’d have nothing to do!

Me: Well, we’ve had the couch for exactly twelve days.
How does it look? Does it look just the same?

Carrick: No, Mommy, it doesn’t. We’ve broken it in.

Mackin: It has holes.

Seamus: And it’s shedding.

Me: Because none of you listened.

Seamus: We heard you! You said, “Don’t ruin the couch.
Daddy and I would like ONE nice thing in this house.”

Carrick: But Mommy, do you really NEED nice things?
You have three nice boys—think of the joy they bring!

Seamus: The leprechaun’s right. You should rethink your attitude
and look at the couch with a heart full of gratitude.

Mackin: People with nice things must be very lonely.

Carrick: Oh, yes they must! Like I was in the pokey.
But Mommy, you have us—

Mackin: And you have my dad!

Carrick: That’s a LOT of nice things for one mommy to have!

Me: I know. You’re right. I’ll remember that.
And Carrick?

Carrick: Yes, Mommy?

Me: I’m so happy you’re back.