30/30

Another Toy Story

If he had Woody, he would be ignored
the same way Andy eventually did
When Buzz Lightyear made a sound
he would run from the room
but he would love the sound of the cellophane
of the box he came in
my son never plays with plush toys, dolls or action figures
the way most kids have

Yet a wooden Eddie George stacking doll
that was given away at an Ohio State Hockey game
is one of his favorite toys
He disassembles them
tries to put them back together
then moves on to something else

A simple puzzle of a circle,
Square and triangle is the one he plays with the most
He will say the word out loud as he, slowly,
Puts the piece in the correct spot
Two year olds do this faster
I do not have the heart to throw it out

He will play with puzzles of letters, numbers,
Different types of cars and airplanes
Struggling to place the objects
Into the slot where they belong

In over confidence in his abilities
I got him a puzzle map of the United States
Every time he will take out the states of
Alaska, and Tennessee
Set them aside, then flip it over
As States fly all over the living room
Leaving us to clean up the mess, and learn
The state capitals as we do it

With my son, we do not look for the missing piece
He is complete, not a mystery
We try to put him together
Into a shape that can function
Not with smooth edges of perfection
But with strength, independence, language
In the end, as he always has been, a beautiful picture