Poems by my first-born, Ben

Poems and a letter to Jesus by Ben Shaver (in honor of his 40th birthday today):

Happy birthday Jesus. It's a pretty strange birthday you had. Us getting the presents and you dying on the cross. Only you could have been so willing to do that. That is by far the greatest present I ever got.
                                                                                               From Ben Shaver (age 10)

(Published in "Birthday Greetings to Jesus," Horizon International Magazine, December 1980)


              DAWN
A rainbow lies over a forest of greenery,
Abundant in lush and beautiful scenery,
The bald eagle stretches his wings
And the nightingale wakes up and sings.
The fox hides and looks for prey,
Baby raccoons begin to play.
It is begun another day.
       Ben Shaver, age 10 (unpublished)


                  DESSERTS
Dutch apple pie and chocolate so sweet,
or fudge ripple cake for a weekend treat.
Upside down cake or a chocolate eclair,
I really love desserts, I must declare.

Cookies, doughnuts, ice cream and pie,
or a hot fudge sundae, my, oh my.
I could talk all day about things that are sweet,
but excuse me now. . . I gotta go eat.
                           Ben Shaver, age 12


(Published in The Rainbow Generation Magazine, July-August, 1985)



                       HANDS
Red hands and brown hands, black hands and white,
You can use them to cook, to drive or to write,
There are so many things that hands can do,
Here's some things to name a few.

Painting, bending, catching, feeling,
Wrapping, sculpting, clapping, peeling,
Building, sowing, and assembling parts,
Throwing, drawing and that's just for starts.

But also God has given us hands for
Sharing with, praying with and even more,
Hands for loving and caring with too.
There are hundreds of things that hands can do.
                             --Ben Shaver, age 12               

(Published in The Rainbow Generation Magazine, July-August, 1985)



            MY INVISIBLE FRIEND
I've got a little friend that no one else can see,

And when I need advice I sit him on my knee.
We've got a non-verbal code and this is how it goes,
He nods for the yeses and winks for the noes.

It's a funny thing, you know, he always seems to wink,
To things like if I'm fat or not, or if my sweatsocks stink.
Or if it's fair that I can't go to the circus on Friday night,
Cause my little invisible friend always seems to answer right.
                     Ben Shaver, age 12 (unpublished)


    WHO BUT A MOTHER
Who but a mother, with grace and charm,
Who gives but seldom receives,
Who but a mother, in time of need,
Sickness and pain she relieves,
Who but a mother, when tired out,
Always has time for you,
And who but a mother, at 5 o'clock,
Makes meals and cleans dishes too.
But without a mother, so gracious
And kind, what's a poor child to do?
    Ben Shaver, age 12 (unpublished)