He is building a cubby
A place for dreaming
And imagination
His own
And for those who are coming
He is building a cubby
Grandchild bait
A lure for the young
Saying
“Come play with pop
Teach me how to build mud pies
Sold at a profit“
Two leaves cost?
Tucked in a little flannel pocket
A smile bursts free
of the dimple poked cheek
“Hey you didn’t pay for that
It costs
Three leaves
A pebble
And that piece of wood
Now pay up Pop
And I’ll be good”
He is building a cubby
And dreaming
And the love that he weaves
Polishes a little house
Where it sits amongst trees
Waiting
For Levi
To be old enough to come play in it
Header photo: Steve building a cubby for our grandson who at barely three months, might take awhile to actually make use of it.
Another lady has already asked him to build one for her grandson
And Steve will because as he said to me
“Katie there is something special about building cubbies”
And I responded
“Yes, you are literally crafting a space for dreaming, imagination, happy tootling and exploration”
And how could that not be special?
Love
To tootling!
Indeed!
Kate, I really love “Teach me how to build mud pies / Sold at a profit”—there’s so much tenderness and humor in that invitation. The whole piece feels like a whispered memory-in-the-making, gently folded into flannel and tucked between generations.
Much love,
David
Thanks David – I felt so much as I watched Steve the other day, could see so much – it was like a download of the future and present colliding. The child in us is still there and it comes out to meet our own children, our grandchildren and if we are extremely blessed – perhaps our great grand children too. Life is so beautiful.
a beautiful story: my father was skilled with tools but I never showed an interest; never got to build a cubby house for my grandkids but I paid for one and they got to enjoy it just as though I did —
Of course they did John. The joy is in the builder, but the little house holds the dreaming and the laughter of the child regardless. It is just twice the fun to build and play as well.