The first poem was written by Harry Chapin. It's one of my favorites because it reminds us all of how important it is never to stifle a child's creativity. I wanted to share this poem with you as I do with all my student's parents.

The Rainbow Poem

A little boy went to school one day,
got some crayons and started to draw.
He put colors all over his paper
cuz colors was what he saw.

The teacher said, "What'cha doin young man?"
"I'm painting flowers", he said
"Well, it's not the time for art young man,
And, anyway, flowers are green and red."

"There's a time for everything young man
And a way things should be done.
You gotta show concern for everyone else
for you're not the only one".

And she said,

"Flowers are red, young man
and green leaves are green
And there's no need to see flowers any other way
Than the way they always have been seen."

But the little boy said:

"There are so many colors in a rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun,
so many colors in a flower
And I see every one."

The teacher said,

"You're sassy,
There's ways that things should be
And you'll see flowers the way they are,
so repeat after me."

And she said,

"Flowers are red young man
And green leaves are green
And there's no need to see flowers any other way
Than the way they always have been seen."

But the little boy said..........

The teacher put him in the corner
She said " It's for your own good,
And you won't come out till you get it right
And are responding as you should."

Well, finally, he got lonely
Thinking thoughts in his head
So he went up to his teacher
And this is what he said,

And he said,

" Flowers are red........

Time went by as it always does,
And they moved to another town
The little boy went to school there
And this is what he found.

The teacher there was smiling
She said painting should be fun,
There are so many colors in a rainbow,
So let's use every one.

But the little boy made a flower,
And he made it green and red
And when the teacher asked him why
This is what he said,

And he said,

"Flowers are red,
And green leaves are green
And there's no need to see flowers any other way
Then the way they always have been see O.K."

Unfortunately I don't know the author of this poem. If anyone does know, please email me and let me know, I would like to give credit where credit is due.

The Most Dangerous People

The most dangerous people are not the ones
Who hit you with clubs or rob you with guns.
The robber doesn't attack your character or trait,
Or tell you that your potentials are limited by fate.
It likely will be a well meaning friend,
Someone close to you - even a kin,
Who means your benefit and merely crushes
Your will to win.
No, they don't rob you at the point of a gun,
They simply state, in very bold terms,
"It can't be done."
When you point to those who already are,
They smile and say, " They're superior by far
In personality, in skills, and in ability too,
They're way ahead of what you can do."
Their advice is free and fast to come,
Be practical, do things you know-
Don't undertake new challenges, new ideas
They may require you to grow.
These people judge you by their own experiences,
A result more piercing than the blade of a knife,
THEIR failures, THEIR weaknesses, THEIR limits-
The bitter harvest of their own life.
It matters not that their reasoning is wrong,
Their words untrue,
For you feel, surely they must know you.
So, you're robbed of your dreams - your hopes to succeed.
Deprived of so many of life's joys - you could have received.
Robbed of your faith that says. " I am, I can , I will."
Robbed of your spirit,
"I will give it my best, I'll do it....until."
So the deadliest of men, is not the one with a gun,
But the one who convinces you,
"It can't be done."
For that taken by a burglar, can be restored and acquired anew,
But who can replace YOUR belief,
Your will to win in YOU?