(In memory of Maurice Sendak)
There are wild things all around everywhere
Waiting to surprise you.
Like the alarm clock ringing when it is time to dress for school;
Or the teacher with lipstick blowing the whistle when recess is over;
Or your little brother screaming because his diaper is wet (or worse);
Or the tea kettle suddenly whistling that it’s time for a cup of cocoa;
Or the clap of thunder and flash of lightening in a thick summer rain;
Or the aunt with bulging arms and big belly hugging you so hard;
Or the nasty boy with scabby knees squirting you with a water pistol;
Or the dog barking and leaping up at the fence when you walk by;
Or the furry, black spider running across the floor and under your bed;
Or the sudden sigh and creak of the house as you lie in bed in the dark.
These wild things may scare you,
But being scared can also be fun.
—Hank Pollard