It Goes BOOM!

This morning I got a phone call from Stockton. He asked me to come to school and sign a paper for Mrs. Catlin. I was pretty sure it was for the Young Authors writing contest. I was so happy to find out I was right. Mrs. Catlin said she asked Stockton yesterday to write a poem about anything. He kept looking at her trying to figure out what the catch was. She had him write the poem during math. He asked if it had to be about something real. She said no, it can be about anything you want, but I want it to be a poem. That was all it took. In about fifteen minutes, this is the poem he handed to her.

It goes BOOM!

A new restaurant just opened at the end of the street!

The Atomical Diner claims they make a treat!

They have mashed potatoes that flop all over the place,

and every so often they splat in your face!

If they get in your mouth,

they'll bring you to doom!

It goes BOOM!

A side item choice is uneatable goop!

A topping would be a horrible scoop

of nightmarish peppers and a few pinches of gloom!

It goes BOOM!

A dessert you can have is an assassinate shake!

You earn it for free if you survive the raw steak!

One sip of the poison

and you're sure to die soon!

It goes BOOM!

You'd think that they'd go out of business when they opened!

Surprisingly, the answer is nope, and

I'll give you advice while you're by my side . . .

Come here if you want to commit suicide!

That is a classic Stockton poem. Stockton has asked a lot of questions about suicide ever since reading Secret, Lies and Algebra for the Reading Bowl this year. As Mrs. Catlin says, "Stockton loves to go for the shock value." That is true. She also said that Stockton finished his math, even though she told him he didn't need to do it. He said, "I just kept looking at it." That boy is amazing. He is super sweet. Extremely honest. Mostly hard working. Very concerned about justice and fairness. He has a heart of gold. I am so proud to be his mom . . . even if he did pray that school would be cancelled tomorrow.

Quick story about my other beautiful boy. I was upstairs working on the Parry Post this morning, when in walks Preston with a block of cheese. He had taken a bite out of it and said, "Mom, I want a cheese sandwich." I had to laugh. I said, "Sure Lynn, I'll make you a cheese sandwich." I came downstairs and found a bar stool propping the fridge door open. Oh boy, that kid sure loves his mischief!