Last week I shared a poem I wrote for my wife as part of our wedding vows 13 years ago – a post I traditionally re-share annually. So this week, I thought I’d let my daughter have the spotlight.
As a born artist, she has always been a creative soul, drawing, painting, sculpting and creating art in every possible manner everywhere she goes. Lunch crumbs, recyclables, anything she finds all have potential to become art in her hands.
Several years ago when she was barely 2 years old, she drew this picture:

I asked my daughter what it was and she replied, “A hand picking up stones.”
Given her age and cognitive abilities at the time (she was barely 2, remember), I assumed that was simply a random answer. But when her mom saw it and asked her what it was, she said the same thing: I asked my daughter what it was and she replied, “It’s a hand picking up stones.”
I thought it interesting that she said the same thing, so I decided to wait a week or so and ask again. This time, she actually sighed and said, “I told you, it’s a hand picking up stones!”
I guess she knew exactly what she was drawing.
So I thought it might be fun to write a poem to go along with her picture. (This is a form of “ekphrastic poetry”; that is, poetry written to accompany a picture. You can learn more about how much fun ekphrastic poetry is to write – and learn a little more about this poem – HERE.)
.
Work
One by one
I set the stones
neatly in a pile.
Though labor’s long
and aches my bones,
its beauty makes me smile.
© (2015) Matt Forrest Esenwine, all rights reserved
.

This poem and picture were first featured together on Penny Parker Klostermann’s blog, as part of a series of posts she shared featuring collaborations between writers and child family members. For more poetry, head over to The Apples in My Orchard, where Carol is hosting today’s Poetry Friday roundup!
============================================================
I’m now a part of the BOOKROO family!

Create an account to add books to wishlists and be notified of special deals and dates…create custom collections…and discover and follow your favorite authors & illustrators!
Find out more about BOOKROO here!
============================================================

============================================================
I continue adding to my “Wit & Wordplay” videos ! These videos were created for parents and educators (along with their kids) to learn how to write poetry, appreciate it, and have fun with it. From alliteration and iambs to free verse and spine poetry, I’m pretty sure there’s something in these videos you’ll find surprising! You can view them all on my YouTube channel, and if you have young kids looking for something to keep busy with, I also have several downloadable activity sheets at my website.
===========================================================
Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!
You can purchase personally-signed copies of Flashlight Night, (Boyds Mills Press, 2017), Don’t Ask a Dinosaur (Pow! Kids Books, 2018), and nearly EVERY book or anthology I’ve been part of!
Click any of the following covers to order!
Just click the cover of whichever book you want and send a comment to the good folks at MainStreet BookEnds in Warner, NH requesting my signature and to whom I should make it out. (alternatively, you can log onto my website and do the same thing) They’ll contact me, I’ll stop by and sign it, and then they’ll ship it! (Plus, you’ll be supporting your local bookseller – and won’t that make you feel good?)
============================================================
Thank you to everyone for your support!
FLASHLIGHT NIGHT:
- NY Public Library’s “100 Best Book for Kids 2017” AND “Staff Pick!”
- KIRKUS Starred review!
- Kansas NEA Reading Circle Recommended Books!
- “Best Reads of 2017,” Unleashing Readers
- Finalist, 2019 New Hampshire Literary Awards
- Positive reviews from Horn Book, School Library Connection, School Library Connection, Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, and Shelf-Awareness!
DON’T ASK A DINOSAUR:
- “Rollicking rhyme!” – Booklist
- “A wild romp!” – Parenting NH Magazine
- “Cute…intriguing…4 out of 5 stars” – Tulsa Book Review
- “Rhythmic…funny and informative” – Unleashing Readers
============================================================
Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!
To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right! (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and SoundCloud!
Matt: Love this story and poem. I am always amazed at the abilities of young children. This story reminds me of my oldest granddaughter, who made a new friend while waiting in line at a restaurant. I’ll have to write about that sometime…… Best to you.
LikeLike
Thanks so much, Karen, looking forward to hearing the story!
LikeLike
A wonderful collaboration, Matt! Thanks for sharing.
LikeLike
Thank you, Rose!
LikeLike
Matt, I am impressed with your daughter’s talents at 2. You should share one of her most recent drawings and age with us. As you said, “its beauty makes me smile!”
LikeLike
Thanks, carol – yes, I probably will need to share one of her more recent pieces!
LikeLike
Love that you used your daughter’s art to write a poem.
LikeLike
Art is all around us, and she proves that every day!
LikeLike
Matt, Your daughter’s persistent and consistent answer is amazing given her age at the time she drew this picture! Thank you for refreshing my memory of what ekphrastic poetry is. I will have to try it. My youngest son (19 years old) is an artist (making a living wage selling is work). I’ll have to write a poem to go with one of his pieces. Your poem captures your daughter’s art beautifully.
LikeLike
Thank you, Carol! You might consider picking up one of these books, written by friends of our children’s poetry community:
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, Matt, thanks for sharing your sweet ekphrastic poem and your daughter’s artwork. I love the detail she put into the picture. Your poem really brings out the stacked rocks in the lower left corner. Your words are even nicely stacked into a pile.
LikeLike
Thank you, Denise – and thank you for noticing the structure of my poem!
LikeLike
I love what you did here! When Columbia Teachers College came to our district to do training so much emphasis was placed on having a conversation with a child about their picture. We were instructed to have them tell us the story. Amazing. Something my mother in law always knew. Something I have appreciated for some time. Thank you Matt!
LikeLike
Thank you, Linda – indeed, kids can teach us a lot!
LikeLike
*sigh* I told you, it’s a good picture and a good poem! 😊 I spent way too much time early this morning reading this fascinating Twitter thread. I feel like we don’t give tiny children nearly enough credit for what they may be born knowing. https://twitter.com/Schreiberland/status/1428453529476345856
LikeLike
I know, and some incredible tales they shared! Some of them were pretty freaky. But yes, we adults need to give our kids more credit for what they know and can accomplish.
LikeLike
Yours is a creative family, for sure. Thanks for sharing this.
LikeLike
Thanks, Elisabeth!
LikeLike
That really is a remarkable picture. I like your poem, too! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
LikeLike
Thank you, Ruth!
LikeLike
I can see the hand, & the stones, too. She did know! I love your poem’s ending: “its beauty makes me smile”. Of course!
LikeLike
Well, it made ME smile – and SHE was very proud of it, too. It just seemed like the necessary ending. Thanks, Linda!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve had similar experiences with my 2 year old grandson. My daughter is keeping all of his artwork. She believes he is an artist so I believe he will be. Thanks for sharing this story and poem.
LikeLike
I know how you both feel – my daughter definitely is an artistic soul. She could illustrate books, she could sculpt, she could paint…but for now, she just wants to work for the local grocery store. 😀
LikeLike