My Children’s Arms

for my daughters

In my children’s arms, round like hula hoops
===there is fizz redelicious of my quarnicky heart
=====all gooped over with toockly cooties and broken
=======from having stepped on the cracks
===============of my mother’s back

In my children’s bellies, soft like banana dough
===there are spangles all bubbly set in my sloop eyes
=====and rainbow gurgles that clummer hum in my throat
=======from songs that were shuckle shushed too long ago
===============by those who should know

On my children’s heads, crunchy sweet and true
===there are tickle stars growing from flowergold sleeves
=====knit about with fairykin pumpkins and leprechaun lofts
=======and glimmer charm wags that my soul lost on its way
===============from heaven to stay

In my children’s arms, in my children’s eyes
===there is love and anguish and knowing too wise
=====for this piddledunk world and its spinachy ways
=======its clambersome nights and blistering days
=========I offer my arms for their snuggletug ease
===========for their dream down wares and their ’zactly stuff, please
God
===============let it be enough

by Traci L. Slatton

originally published in LIMESTONE: A Journal of Art and Literature, Fall 2003, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky.