Miss That Boy

Love That Boy

By Walter Dean Myers

Love that boy,
like a rabbit loves to run
I said I love that boy
like a rabbit loves to run
Love to call him in the morning
love to call him
“Hey there, son!”

He walk like his Grandpa,
Grins like his Uncle Ben.
I said he walk like his Grandpa,
And grins like his Uncle Ben.
Grins when he’s happy,
When he sad, he grins again.

His mama like to hold him,
Like to feed him cherry pie.
I said his mama like to hold him.
Like to feed him that cherry pie.
She can have him now,
I’ll get him by and by

He got long roads to walk down
Before the setting sun.
I said he got a long, long road to walk down
Before the setting sun.
He’ll be a long stride walker,
And a good man before he done.

This is the poem I'm printing, framing and giving to both Dante and his dad for Father's Day and for Dante's birthday. It's beautiful. Walter Dean Myers is a wonderful poet, author of kids and young adult novels, novels about war -- he's just prolific. And he did a chunk of it while he was working a construction job during the day, writing at night. So that's a comfort and encouragement to those writers who can't just starve and write.

I said goodbye to Dante yesterday morning as he got on a plane for his grandparents house in Florida. It's the first time he's traveled as an unaccompanied minor. He was very upset. But he's down there now and having a fantastic time.

I miss him. Because I love him like a rabbit loves to run.

-- DV

*I won't be around for a while -- I have company coming in. See you soon.