Those of you that have followed my blog for a while, know that one of my favorite little poets is Mattie Stepanek.
Matthew "Mattie" Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek (July 17, 1990 – June 22, 2004) was an American poet and advocate. At the age of 3, Stepanek started to write poetry to cope with the death of his older brother. He wrote that a 'Heartsong' is a person's special gift to be shared with others... or a person's 'reason for being.'
I don't know what conjured up thoughts of angels yesterday, but I had the subject on my mind all day.
From the bookshelf, I pulled all of Mattie's books off and searched out what he had to say about angels. The following poem is kind of a sad one, but Mattie was a very profound thinker for a child.... the gift that God gave him.
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Matthew "Mattie" Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek (July 17, 1990 – June 22, 2004) was an American poet and advocate. At the age of 3, Stepanek started to write poetry to cope with the death of his older brother. He wrote that a 'Heartsong' is a person's special gift to be shared with others... or a person's 'reason for being.'
I don't know what conjured up thoughts of angels yesterday, but I had the subject on my mind all day.
From the bookshelf, I pulled all of Mattie's books off and searched out what he had to say about angels. The following poem is kind of a sad one, but Mattie was a very profound thinker for a child.... the gift that God gave him.
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About Angels
Do you know what Angels wear?
They wear
Angel-halos and Angel-wings, and
Angel-dresses and Angel-shirts under them, and
Angel-underwear and Angel-shoes and Angel-socks, and
On their heads
They wear
Angel hair --
Except if they don't have any hair.
Some children and grown-ups
Don't have any hair because they
Have to take medicine that makes it fall out.
And sometimes,
The medicine doesn't make them all better,
And they die.
And they don't have any Angel-hair,
So do you know what God does then?
He gives them an
Angel-wig.
And that's what Angels wear.
Mattie J.T. Stepanek
January, 1995
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Do you know what Angels wear?
They wear
Angel-halos and Angel-wings, and
Angel-dresses and Angel-shirts under them, and
Angel-underwear and Angel-shoes and Angel-socks, and
On their heads
They wear
Angel hair --
Except if they don't have any hair.
Some children and grown-ups
Don't have any hair because they
Have to take medicine that makes it fall out.
And sometimes,
The medicine doesn't make them all better,
And they die.
And they don't have any Angel-hair,
So do you know what God does then?
He gives them an
Angel-wig.
And that's what Angels wear.
Mattie J.T. Stepanek
January, 1995
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Now, on a lighter note, following are thoughts about angels from other young children....those that aren't quite as profound thinkers as Mattie but ones that make you want to say "out of the mouths of babes". There is absolutely nothing like the reasoning that children bring forth.
CHILDREN'S VIEWS ON ANGELS
"It's not easy to become an angel! First, you die.. Then you go to heaven, then there's still the flight training to go through. And then you got to agree to wear those angel clothes." --Matthew, 9
CHILDREN'S VIEWS ON ANGELS
"It's not easy to become an angel! First, you die.. Then you go to heaven, then there's still the flight training to go through. And then you got to agree to wear those angel clothes." --Matthew, 9
♫
"I only know the names of two angels: Hark and Harold." --Gregory, 5
"I only know the names of two angels: Hark and Harold." --Gregory, 5
♫
"Everybody's got it all wrong. Angels don't wear halos anymore. I forget why, but scientists know all about it now." --Olive, 9
♫
"Angels work for God and watch over kids when God has to go do something else." --Mitchell, 7
♫
"My guardian angel helps me with math, but he's not much good for science." --Henry, 8
♫
"Angels don't eat, but they drink milk from holy cows." --Scooter , 6
♫
"Angels talk all the way while they're flying you up to heaven. The basic message is where you went wrong before you got dead." --Daniel, 7
♫
"When an angel gets mad, he takes a deep breath and counts to ten, and when he lets out his breath, somewhere there's a tornado." --Regan, 5
♫
"Angels have a lot to do and they keep very busy. If you lose a tooth, an angel comes in through your window and leaves money under your pillow. Then when it gets cold, angels go north for the winter. --Sara, 6
♫
"Angels live in cloud houses made by God and his son, who's a very good carpenter." --Jared , 8
♫
"All angels are girls because they gotta wear dresses and boys didn't go for it." --Antonia, 9
♫
"Some of the angels are in charge of helping heal sick animals and pets. And if they don't make the animals get better, they help the kid get over it." --Vicki, 8
♫
"What I don't get about angels is why, when someone is in love, they shoot arrows at them." --Sarah, 7
♫
♫
In_spired's thoughts about children...."they're angels in disguise".
16 comments:
What a beautiful post - thank you for sharing all that.
Every time I think You have posted Your best, You post something like this & blow my theory
I think I may have seen Mattie on Oprah...? Its amazing that a small child can think like that and then express it so well. Kids are so cute. Love it!
Inspired
Thanks for another good post. And oh by the way, I have read all your previous posts [those posted since my departure to Utah]. Keep up the good writing. Have a productive week and weekend in TEXAS.
cfs
I voted, have you?
You have a gentle humour, that feels good at the end of a humourless day...
tim: Thank YOU! you always say the nicest things..
crabby: You say pretty nice things also...
terry: Yes...Mattie made several appearances on Oprah and other talk shows as well. He was truly gifted.
cfs: So good to have you back in the blog world! Thanks for your kind comments. And no to the voting. We go to the polls on Feb. 5th...
Buff: Thank you so much! That's a nice thing to say...
The Giving Tree, By Shel Silverstein.
Once there was a tree.
and she loved a little boy.
And every day the boy would come
and he would gather her leaves
and make them into crowns
and play king of the forest.
He would climb up her trunk
and swing from her branches
and eat apples.
And they would play hide-and-go-seek.
And when he was tired,
he would sleep in her shade.
And the boy loved the tree.
very much.
And the tree was happy.
But time went by.
And the boy grew older.
And the tree was often alone.
Then one day the boy came to the tree
And the tree said, "Come, Boy, come and climb
up my trunk and swing from my branches
and eat my apples and play in my shade and be happy."
"I am too big to climb and play," said the boy.
"I want to buy things and have fun.
I want some money.
Can you give me some money?"
"I.m sorry," said the tree, "but I have no money.
I have only leaves and apples.
Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in the city.
Then you will have money
and you will be happy."
And so the boy climbed up the tree
and gathered her apples
and carried them away.
And the tree was happy.
But the boy stayed away for a long time.
and the tree was sad.
And then one day the boy came back
and the tree shook with joy and she said,
"Come boy, climb up my trunk
and swing from my branches and be happy."
"I am too busy to climb trees," said the boy.
"I want a house to keep me warm," he said.
"I want a wife and I want children,
and so I need a house. Can you give me a house?"
"I have no house," said the tree.
"The forest is my house, but you may cut my branches and build a house.
Then you will be happy."
And so the boy cut off her branches and carried them away to build his house.
And the tree was happy.
But the boy stayed away for a long time.
And when he came back, the tree was so happy she could hardly speak.
"Come boy," she whispered, "come and play."
"I am too old and sad to play," said the boy.
"I want a boat that will take me far away from here. Can you give me a boat?"
"Cut down my trunk and make a boat," said the tree. "Then you can sail away and be happy."
And so the boy cut down her trunk and made a boat and sailed away.
And the tree was happy.
but not really.
And after a long time the boy came back again,
"I am sorry Boy," said the tree,
"but I have nothing left to give you-
my apples are gone."
"My teeth are too weak for apples," said the boy.
"My branches are gone," said the tree.
"You cannot swing on them-"
"I am too old to swing on branches," said the boy.
"My trunk is gone," said the tree.
"You cannot climb-"
"I am too tired to climb," said the boy.
"I am sorry," sighed the tree.
"I wish that I could give you something.
but I have nothing left. I am just an old stump.
I am sorry."
"I don.t need very much now," said the boy,
"just a quiet place to sit and rest. I am very tired."
"Well," said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could,
"Well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting.
Come boy, sit down.
Sit down and rest."
And the boy did.
And the tree was happy.
The End.
farmer:
Thank you so much for the story of "The Giving Tree". I'll probably use it as a post. I love it!
Angels
There are those who believe,
So the story is told,
That at birth you receive
Your own Angel to hold.
You come into this world
On a wing and a prayer
And throughout your lifetime
She will always be there.
A guardian Angel
Who will guide what you do,
Her pure essence is love,
Sent to watch over you.
Regardless of the circumstance,
Regardless of the ear,
Regardless of the pain we bear,
Regardless of the tear,
Our God is ever in control,
Performing as He should,
And He has promised in His Word
To work things for our good.
But as a loving Father would,
He sometimes lets us cry
To cleanse the hurt out of our heart,
To wash it from our eye.
Yet gently He gathers the tears
Within His hands to stay
Until He turns them into pearls
And gives them back someday.
Friends Are Like Angels
Our friends are like angels,
Who brighten our days.
In all kinds of wonderful,
Magical ways.
Their thoughtfulness comes,
As a gift from above.
And we feel we're surrounded,
By warm, caring love.
Like upside-down rainbows,
Their smiles bring the sun.
And they fill ho-hum moments,
With laughter and fun.
Friends are like angels,
Without any wings.
Blessing our lives,
With the most precious things.
May you always have an Angel by your side
Watching out for you in all the things you do
Reminding you to keep believing in brighter days
Finding ways for your wishes and dreams
to take you to beautiful places
Giving you hope that is as certain as the sun
Giving you the strength of serenity as your guide
May you always have love and comfort and courage
And may you always have an angel by your side
May you always have an Angel by your side
Someone there to catch you if you fall
Encouraging your dreams
Inspiring your happiness
Holding your hand and helping you through it all
In all of our days, our lives are always changing
Tears come along as well as smiles
Along the roads you travel, may the miles
be a thousand times more lovely than lonely
May they give you
the kind of Christmas gifts that never, ever end:
Someone wonderful to love
And a dear friend in whom you can confide
May you have rainbows after every storm
May you have hopes to keep you warm
And may you always have an Angel by your side.
I know a few children who are wearing VERY good disguises. Oh I'm kidding! Beautiful post.
Inspired, Where do you get these Human Interest posts???This was great....stay well.....
That really is pretty amazing stuff for a five-year-old. And he started writing at three?
I've got to talk to the boy.
No, wait. I don't. He's going to be a pro baseball player. I forgot.
out west: Exasctly what I want to believe.
sil: And He always keeps His promises!
anon: You did good!!
christy: I know! I know! Some do wear good disguises. But look at the times that you've had where the disguise is ripped off and you get a glimpse of what's underneath!!
tap: Friends who supply me with fodder! Thanks...I get the credit, they do the work!
DD: WHATEVER the boy does in life, I'm sure he'll bring honor to his upbringing! I hope I'm around to find out! (Oh my! considering my age now, I doubt that I will! I forget.....)
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