The Children Know

The wisdom of chrildren

What is real ? the children know

a natural gift have they.

As adults talk they listen

they listen every day.

They know more than we think they know

they know more than they say.

Not much gets past those little ears

it's silence they convey.

If we are false or insincere

they know that act so well.

We wonder if we fooled them

But they will never tell.

They have that natural gift you see

and know what's real and 

what is not.

They have that natural gift

Some adults have forgot.

Reviews

[barleygirl]

I am in total agreement with your message. There are many universal truths & good details thru-out your poem. My only suggestion would be to SHOW instead of tell. Paint a word picture of a child listening to an adult & show us how their faces appear & their silent body language when they know we aren’t being truthful. Your poem sounds a little condescending to me, as if adults do not realize children are astute & observant. Why not show us the up-close-and-personal magic of childlike observations instead? (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Terry L & Linda L Shuff]

I'll try that,I've been a Bible teacher and speaker for 48 years,My style is more didactic than most. Old German tell it like it is.The older ones like that. I have 5 of my own sites,and can get away with it. I'll try Margie,I really will.Thank you for your help. Terry

[barleygirl]

Thank you for considering my suggestions . . . I know it's hard to change a style that's been working well for years. But my 30+ years of linear, straightforward technical writing do not apply to my now-more-whimsical creative writing either, so I understand how it feels!

[Terry L & Linda L Shuff]

I'am studying Tanka as a transition,form it's freer than Haiku, in several aspects. Do you have any form suggestions.

[Chris]

Chuckling here.... a fine sense of wit and whim.

a couple of minor rhythm stumbles at the end.