Poems

Wishing I was Sixteen

Riding my tricycle round and round
Smelling the cake as it starts to bake,
Straining my ear for the welcome sound
Bottles of pop with birthday cake.

Baby brother gives hungry cry
Mother takes time for hurried look
Wishing aloud that the time would fly,
Father arrives with a coloring book.

Children will come for the party soon
Mother needs help to prepare the way.
Baby asleep such a welcome boon
Back to remove the hot cake tray.

This is the time of my birthday six
Party with presents welcome thought,
Afternoon trip to the Disney flicks
After I’ve opened presents brought.

How will it be when I turn sixteen?
All grown up with party friends
I wonder if all the presents seen
Will stay unopened ‘til party ends?

Father arrives in the family car,
Mother runs out with cry of joy
Holding the half-filled cookie jar,
Points to her waking baby boy.

Children arrive at the house front door,
I shout as I run to let them in
One drops their gift on the verandah floor
And rushes in with a big wide grin.

Filled with cookies, with pop and cake
Wrappings torn from the table things,
No longer shouts can these children make
Thoughts of the movie smile now brings.

When evening comes to the worn out lad
Big boy’s tucked in his nice warm bed,
Mother asks son if she made him glad.
“Wish I was sixteen,” big boy said.

“© Copyright Ian Grice 2017 All rights reserved”

While some memories of childhood have to be prompted by others, there are events which remain crystal clear in memory. This is one of my clear memories at age 6. Somehow 16 seemed to be the ultimate goal in life!

 

18 thoughts on “Wishing I was Sixteen”

    1. As I recall it was about that time my Mom tried to teach me to share. I was supposed to take a bag of candy and hand it around but not take one until all the party group had theirs. You guessed it, at the end of my circuit there was none left for me. I decided not to get caught that way again in spite of my Mom’s counsel. lol

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      1. At least you had candy! When I was six we still had post WW11 rationing in the UK. Candy was limited as were most sugar products. I have to admit that I don’t recall missing it

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  3. Would you like to be 16 or would you be happy to be 60 again?

    On Wed, Aug 23, 2017 at 4:56 PM, ianscyberspace wrote:

    > ianscyberspace posted: ” Riding my tricycle round and round Smelling the > cake as it starts to bake, Straining my ear for the welcome sound Bottles > of pop with birthday cake. Baby brother gives hungry cry Mother takes time > for hurried look Wishing aloud that the time w” >

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  7. Oh so Beautiful Ian, i was always the super excited one ..starting from a week before my birthday in anticipation/dreaming of events that would take place on the day …the warm Beautiful scent that would fill the house from the cake and new dress..the presents …

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    1. Hi Somaji and thanks for visiting. Many happy memories of my childhood as my parents were so nurturing and supportive even when I got into trouble which I frequently did. lol. One of the things that impressed me in my India experience was the bonding within families. I was reminded of that when I revisited the movie “Monsoon Wedding” recently. The father in that movie reinforced the positive image I had of the Indian families I associated with. there.

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