Biscuit the poet

Biscuit's class recently did a study on poetry. They learned about all different kinds and even wrote some of their own.

Biscuit got all deep on one of his. It was called an "I Am Poem," and each line started with a prompt — I am, I wonder, I wish, etc. Then they had to end it by repeating the first line.

Here are a few lines from his "I Am Poem."

I am a friend, funny and helpful.
I wonder why God made me me.
I wish the world was in perfect peace.
I smile when my friends and family are happy.
I am a friend, funny and helpful.

His teacher got a kick out of it. She saved it and showed it to us at our most recent parent-teacher conference. She said he was beyond his years, and I told her that even though I had heard the term "old soul," I didn't really know what it meant until my boy came along.

And while I'm talking about the parent-teacher conference, our latest one went very well. The boy is doing well in reading, writing and 'rithmatic. And the teacher said she doesn't have to get onto him too much — only for talking, and we all know where he got that from!

One recent night at dinner, Biscuit was telling us all about the different poems they learned about.

"Mom, did you know that not all poems rhyme?" Biscuit said.

"I actually did know that," I told him. "But I'll tell you a secret ... I really like the ones that rhyme. I think they're more fun."

"Me, too," Biscuit said.

"When I learned about rhyming poems, my teacher gave us a trick," I said. "She told us to start at the beginning of the alphabet to look for rhyming words. Like if I wanted to write a poem about Dad, I would start with A and get 'add.' Then B and get 'bad.'

Biscuit seemed to study on that for a minute, then I said, "I have an idea. I'll say a line, then you add a line that rhymes, then Dad can add another line. Then we'll take turns starting new ones."

So I started, and Biscuit added a rhyming line, then Jeff added one, too.

"Okay, now it's Dad's turn to start," I said.

Jeff had surgery a few weeks ago (more about that in another post), so he has stitches in his neck. So he pretended to think for a minute, then said, "I have stitches."

Then I added (in a wicked voice), "Put there by witches!"

The Biscuit said, "And by bitches!"

Then it got really quiet. 

Jeff and I were both looking at Biscuit, then we looked at each other and just lost it. We laughed so hard! I had tears coming out of my eyes.

"What?" Biscuit said. "What's funny?"

"Dude!" I said. "That's a swear word."

"What?" Biscuit said.

"The word you said is a cuss word," I told him.

"I didn't know, guys," Biscuit said. "I didn't know it was a bad word. And I just did what you said with the alphabet."

And he did. A wouldn't work, so he moved on to B!

"You're not in trouble," I said. "You didn't know you were saying a bad word. But don't say it again okay?"

He looked a little relieved, then he grinned.

"I won't say it again," he said.

But Jeff and I just couldn't quit laughing. Poor little man. He was so embarrassed, and we just could not quit laughing.

So as far as I know now, his knowledge of cuss words is up to three. And there's no telling if or when the others will rear their ugly heads!