We have the responsibility of teaching those children
Who put chocolate fingers everywhere. Who like to be tickled.
Who stomp in puddles and ruin their new pants.
Who sneak popsicles before supper.
Who erase holes in math books.
Who can never find their shoes.

We have the responsibility of teaching those children:
Who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire fences.
Who don't have new sneakers.
Who never counted 'potatoes'.
Who are born in places we wouldn't be caught dead.
Who never go to the circus.
Who live in an X-rated world.

We have the responsibility of teaching those children:
Who bring us sticky kisses and fistfuls of dandelions.
Who sleep with the dog and bury dead goldfish.
Who hug us in a hurry and forget their lunch money.
Who sing off-key.
Who squeeze toothpaste all over the sink.
Who slurp their soup.

We have the responsibility of teaching those children:
Who never get dessert.
Who have no safe blanket to drag behind them.
Who watch their parents watch them die.
Who can't find any bread to steal.
Who don't have any rooms to clean up.
Whose pictures aren't on anybody's dresser.
Whose monsters are real.

We have the responsibility of teaching those children:
Who spend all their allowance before Tuesday.
Who like ghost stories.
Who shove dirty clothes under the bed.
Who never rinse out the tub.
Who get visits from the tooth fairy.
Who don't like to be kissed in front of the carpool.
Who squirm in church and scream in the phone.
Whose tears we sometimes laugh at...
and whose smiles can make us cry.

~Anonymous~