American Life in Poetry

We’ve published a number of engaging poems about parenthood in this column, and we keep finding more. Here’s Wendy Videlock, who lives in Colorado, taking a look into a child’s room.

Disarmed

I should be diligent and firm,

I know I should, and frowning, too;

again you’ve failed to clean your room.

Not only that, the evidence

of midnight theft is in your bed –

cracked peanut shells and m&m’s

are crumbled where you rest your head,

and just above, the windowsill

is crowded with a green giraffe

(who’s peering through your telescope),

some dominoes, and half a glass

of orange juice. You hungry child,

how could I be uncharmed by this,

your secret world, your happy mess?