‘Growing Up’ Poems


Growing up is something
That all grown-ups had to do
(Except for me
For, as you’ll see,
I’m childish just like you).

People say I’m growing

People say I’m growing but why can’t I feel me grow?
If people didn’t tell me then I really wouldn’t know.
I always feel the same size, though they buy me bigger clothes,
And they tell me that my head is getting further from my toes.

People say I’m growing. They say, ‘Look how big you’ve got!’
But I just cannot see it, so I tell them, ‘I have not!’
They tell me I look like my dad when he was very young,
Which is lucky ‘cause I wouldn’t if I had a different one.

People say I’m growing but I do not think it’s true,
For surely I’d remember every time I went and grew.
I wore a hat all day today to see if it got higher,
But it didn’t so I know that they are liars, liars, liars!

People say I’m growing and I think I might agree,
For today it is my birthday and I’m now a grown up three.
Perhaps I’m really growing, but I cannot say for sure,
So I’ll have another look next year when I am great big four.

Have you had a nice day?

Have you had a nice day?
Tell me – what did you do?
Did you make any friends?
Or learn anything new?

Did you go out to play?
Did you climb any trees?
Or discover new kingdoms by
Sailing the seas?

Did you slay any monsters
Without getting bitten?
Or write the best book
That has ever been written?

Did you learn a new language?
Or search for lost gold?
Or invent an ice-cream
That will always stay cold?

Did you travel through time
To whenever, wherever?
Or discover the secret
Of living forever?

If you did all these things,
What a hard act to follow.
You didn’t? Oh, my!
Well, there’s always tomorrow.
Can I have a rainbow?

Can I have a rainbow for my birthday?
Can I have a rainbow? Can I, please?
I know my bedroom’s fairly full already,
And to fit a rainbow in might be a squeeze.

But we could rest one end against the window,
And the other on the pillow of my bed.
Then at night when I lay sleeping in the darkness,
I would see the colours streaming through my head.

You would be the best if you got me a rainbow.
I could climb up it and down the other side.
I could turn it upside down just like a seesaw.
I could swing from it or use it as a slide.

So can I have a rainbow for my birthday?
I promise that I’ll keep it nice and clean.
If you can’t afford to buy me every colour,
Then perhaps miss out the indigo and green.

But I do want bright, bright orange on my rainbow.
And I need fire red and yellow like the sun.
Can you make the violet smell like actual violets?
And a blue that tastes of blueberry bubblegum?

Oh, look! The clouds are moving. I see blue sky.
The rain has gone. The sun has come to stay.
And there’s a rainbow shining through my bedroom window.
There’s a rainbow in my room on my birthday!
Have you checked your bed for monsters?

Have you checked your bed for monsters?
Have you checked below the sheets?
Have you checked under your pillow?
Between the toes upon your feet?

Have you checked under your eyelids?
Have you checked in both your ears?
For I’ve heard that monsters love to feed
On earwax and on tears.

Have you checked behind the curtains?
Have you checked behind your back?
Have you checked your belly button?
For they love to hide down cracks.

Have you checked in all your pockets?
In the hair upon your head?
You have? Well, then I’m sure
There are no monsters in your bed.

But wait! What can that be?
I hear a crawl. I hear a creep.
Close your eyes and snuggle down.
Pretend that you’re asleep.

It’s on your hand! It’s on your arm!
Up and up it climbs.
The dreaded armpit monster’s here
To tickle you three times!

Tickle! Tickle! Tickle!

© Copyright Mike Lucas