An Ode to Dr. Seuss

Your intelligent humor kept me sane as I occupied the hearts and minds of three little ones while their daddy, a soldier proudly serving in the U.S. Army, was away training men for war. It was the beginning of so many lessons, not only for them, but for me, a young mother in her twenties with hopes and dreams as vast as the stars shining at night. Your books were a way to bond, to establish a bedtime ritual, to promote creativity in all of our minds, to bring laughter and rhyme in a world of military uniforms and tanks, and color to gray days of missing the most important man in our lives.

You helped me, Dr. Seuss, to teach my children to read and set my three apart from their classmates by introducing them to literary classics, (which they read aloud to me), at a precious young age. And when the younger ones were too little to sound out syllables, I enjoyed asking them to point out “red fish,” “pop,” “the cat,” elephants, flowers, homes, people, buildings, the list goes on and on! As my husband was scouting terrains, sleeping in the rain, and driving a Humvee, my kids were imagining, laughing, learning, speaking, and exploring their innocence. Your expression opened doors in their minds. So many questions followed about your pictures, words, titles, stories, ideas. Their own poems flowed as soon as they were able to put pen to paper. And when we all needed inspiration? No one was too shy to pull another one of your masterpieces off of the shelf at 10, 15, or 20 years of age. (Even 47!)

Looking back, Dr Seuss, with tears in my eyes, I cannot believe how long ago those days were and how long some of the days went on. I share my love for books, and movies adapted from them, with my three young adult children today. Eyes light up, conversation gets lively, and sometimes passions flare at poor executions of loved items decorating our home library shelves.

Now, as a substitute teacher, when I find myself in elementary schools, I always look for you. Your books are easily found; worn pages, bright covers, and a practiced sixth sense of your love, dedication, and uniqueness after all of these years leads me right to them. I have a collection of your works, (dust free), waiting for my grandchildren. I cannot wait to see their eyes darting from character to character, to hear the giggles from reading your rhymes super-fast, and for the pleas, “Just one more book Nana.” Dr. Seuss, this one’s for you…

The sun is down

So go to sleep

It is not time for crawlers to creep

Or cars and trucks to go beep, beep

Or toads and frogs to croak and leap

Or Yakadoodles to sing Yiggity Yeap

Or kids under covers to take a peep

The sun is down

So go to sleep

The moon is up

So go to bed

It is not time to play with Ned

Or Fred, or Ed, or tiny Ted

To crayon with the color red

To fall down and bump your head

Or dance with a Wooch about to wed

The moon is up

So go to bed

The stars are out

Lay down, it’s night

It is not time for fish to bite

Or for you to fly a kite

Or put on 27 lights

Or swim with a Plish dressed in white

And then jump off the highest height

The stars are out

Lay down, it’s night

The street is dark

Time to lay still

It is not time to climb a hill

With Johnny Blue or Jack and Jill

To go to the Capital and write a bill

Or throw a plane out of a window sill

Or play pattycakes with Billy Will Gill

The street is dark

Time to lay still

Pajamas are on

Go ahead and dream

Chase unicorns across moonbeams

Play for the greatest baseball team

Add sprinkles and cherries to cones with ice cream

Skip through fields of flowers and streams

Race with Wocks and Googiemeems

Pajamas are on

Go ahead and dream

You are kissed and tucked

Time to shut the door

And for your imagination to soar

Pick up a map and take a tour

Go to the past with dinosaurs

Or fly on a spaceship with Tippygores

Tomorrow we will enjoy lots more

You are kissed and tucked

Time to shut the door