Mommy Can’t Mow

Note: Instead of a typical blog post, I am sharing a poem I wrote. TheDrabble published a shorter version of it May 8th. What I find especially amazing is that on listening to the poem, my 15-year-old son was able to figure out just why the mower wasn’t working and what to do to solve the problem! Who knew poems could be so practical? Pettigrew of course was not helpful in problem solving. He prefers to bark at the mower. Long grass is, after all, his jam.

Why can’t mommy mow?
Because mommy doesn’t realize that she needs a battery for the mower.
Mommy tries squeezing this lever.
Mommy tries pushing that button.
Mommy tries many combinations of squeezing and pushing.
But Mommy can’t mow.

Eureka! Mommy remembers the battery.
Mommy puts the battery in.
Mommy squeezes this lever.
Mommy pushes that button.
Mommy tries many combinations.
But Mommy can’t mow.

Oh, the battery needs to be pushed down further.
Mommy touches that lever and the mower runs away.
Mommy gauges deep ruts in the lawn trying to drag the mower away from the side of the garage.
But it won’t stop.
Mommy remembers the lever.
She lets go.
The mower stops.

Mommy points the mower the other direction.
She touches something.
Mower takes off again.
Mommy rushes after.
She lets go.
Mommy can’t mow.

Mommy figures out how to slow mower down.
Point away from garage.
Use battery.
Mommy tries to mow.
No grass is cut.

Mommy plays with more levers.
Mower goes up.
Mower goes down.
No grass is cut.
Mommy abandons mower.

Mommy goes to garage.
Mommy gets out push mower that is missing one handle.
Mommy mows the lawn.
Mommy removes the battery from the electric mower.
She puts it in the basement.
She drags electric mower back to garage.
She retracts the arms.
Mommy is done.