A dream revisited

In the mid 1990s I spent considerable time following a dream to write stories for children. I wrote poems and was particularly hung up on a plot idea for a series of books featuring Mother Nature and Father Time to help kids both understand and develop an appreciation for things around them. While it was only twenty years ago, the world of publishing was quite different. I did what one was supposed to do then and studied how to draft letters to publishers, sent off dozens of proposals and samples and waited for replies.

My stack of rejection letters is high, but as I worked more on writing and less on an end product, the tone of the rejection letters shifted from the standard 'thanks but no thanks' to a more personal 'not quite right but keep trying and stay in touch.' One preK magazine kept a story-poem for several months but then returned it with regret saying they just couldn't find a place for it in an upcoming issue and encouraged me to send more.

Somewhere along the way my passion for the genre ceded. Perhaps because the children in my life kept having birthdays and there was always the nagging need to really make a living. I was recently going through a box from that time and thought I'd share that poem that almost made it.

I like all words that are comic,

Words that one uses for fun.

I've made a rhyme using trick words.

Pick out the trick and you've won!

The OTTO Family Word Game

MOM and DAD OTTO have three kids,

HANNAH, and ANNA and BOB.

MOM makes them breakfast each morning

While DAD hurries off to his job.

PIP is the name that they've given

To their dog, a tiny brown PUP.

PIP has left POOP in the backyard,

ANNA and BOB pick it up.

PIP has a playmate named MADAM,

a curious and grey tabby cat.

Romping, they run up to ANNA

who gives to each pet a light pat.

HANNAH got dust in her right EYE

But her tears washed it all free.

"Let's each be cars on a fast train"

BOB said, "TOOT! TOOT! Follow me!"

MOM called, "It's NOON so it's lunchtime."

"What are we having?" yelled BOB.

"Can I have POP with my sandwich?"

ANNA wants corn on the cob.

"WOW!" said the kids as they rushed in.

For there was a real surprise treat.

DAD sat at the table to join them.

PIP came and sat at his feet.

This is the end of the story.

DID you find the clues I have shared?

DID you say, "AHA! I have got it!

Each word that's in caps is quite rare!"

Answer:

Whether they're backwards or forwards

Each of these words looks the same.

Palindromes, that is what they are.

That's the real name of this game.

Finding the piece of paper with this quiz/poem and the return letter made me smile. Hope the poem did the same for you.

Marilyn