Some days feel so full that I use all of my precious moments encased in a very serious state of mind. I end the day wondering what it was that I accomplished. Yes, we did get further in our school books than the day before but not as far as I wanted. Yes, I did get some laundry done but not as many loads as necessary. And yes, I did get to interact with my beautiful children all day long but so many other ideas that could have been done together never happen.
So today I had an hour. All the children were doing other things quietly and alone (it's required, not a natural occurrence!). I decided to turn on the fireplace (a modern term that kills the romance of any writing to be sure). It was pleasant. Next I choose a book. No small feat when you're wanting something just right. Finally, to decide what is the closest thing I can cuddle up in. A lovely shawl that was knit by my aunt. Perfect.
And it was perfect. It revived the soul.
Later in the evening, fire still blazing, Andrew came home and my kiddos all wandered around the living room. Per chance we picked up a library book - Vile Verses by Roald Dahl. I had to laugh at particular poem taken from an excerpt from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I, as follows, share it with you. But you must read it out-loud, verse doesn't sound the same without the rhythm of your voice partaking in the fun. And, you must read it with my previous "soul reviving" thoughts interwoven. Because as confessions go, my children will be watching a movie following the writing of this post! So here goes...
Concerning Mike Teavee
The most important thing we've learned,
So far as children are concerned,
Is never, never, NEVER let
Then near your television set -
Or better still, just don't install
The idiotic thing at all.
In almost every house we've been,
We've watched them gaping at the screen.
They loll and slop and lounge about,
And stare until their eyes pop out.
(Last week in someone's place we saw
A dozen eyeballs on the the floor.)
They sit and stare and stare and sit
Until they're hypnotized by it,
Until they're absolutely drunk
With all that shocking ghastly junk.
Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don't climb out the window sill,
They never fight of kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink -
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot?
IT ROTS THE SENSES IN THE HEAD!
IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!
IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!
TI MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND
HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND
A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!
HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!
HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!
HE CANNOT THINK - HE ONLY SEES!
"All right!" you'll cry. "All right!" you'll say,
"But if we take the set away,
What shall we do to entertain
Our darling children! Please explain!"
We'll answer this by asking you,
"What used the darling ones to do?
How used the keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?"
Have you forgotten? Don't you know?
We'll say it very loud and slow:
THEY...USED...TO..READ! They'd READ and READ,
AND READ and READ, and then proceed
TO READ some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks!
One half their lives was reading books!
The nursery shelves held books galore!
Books cluttered up the nursery floor!
And in the bedroom, by the bed,
More books were waiting to be read!
Such wondrous, fine, fantastic tales
Of dragons, gypsies, queens, and whales
And treasure isles, and distant shores
Where smugglers rowed with muffled oars,
And pirates wearing purple pants,
And sailing ships and elephants,
And cannibals crouching round the pot,
Stirring away at something hot.
(It smells so good, what can it be?
Good gracious, it's Penelope.)
The younger ones had Beatrix Potter
With Mr. Tod, the dirty rotter,
And squirrel Nutkin, Pigling Bland,
And Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and -
Just How The Camel Got His Hump,
And How The Monkey Lost His Rump,
And Mr. Toad, and bless my soul,
There's Mr. Rat and Mr Mole -
Oh, book, what books they used to know,
Those children living long ago!
So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away,
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall.
Then fill the shelves with lots of books,
Ignoring all the dirty looks,
The screams and yells, the bites and kicks,
And children hitting you with sticks -
Fear not, because we promise you
That, in about a week or two
Of having nothing else to do,
They'll now begin to feel the need
Of having something good to read.
And once they start - oh boy, oh boy!
You watch the slowly growing joy.
That fills their hearts. They'll grow so keen
They'll wonder what they'd ever seen
In that ridiculous machine,
That nauseating, foul, unclean,
Repulsive television screen!
And later, each and every kid
Will love you more for what you did.
P.S. Regarding Mike Teavee,
We very much regret that we
Shall simply have to wait and see
If we can get him back his height.
But if we can't - it serves him right.
Whoo! that is the longest post ever! Fun though!
Moral: So next time my "nursery floor" is covered in books pulled from their shelves I guess I'll smile before I tell the kids to clean their room! And hope that their souls were revived in the solitude of their imaginations.
