Billie scuffed her flip flops through the dry needles scattered over the Christmas tree lot. Pine scent filled the air. But it felt too hot for Christmas.
"How about this one?" Her mom turned a
... [+]
The rain had dried up –
every drip, every puddle –
but Hillie couldn't go out
while her room was a muddle.
Mom had been clear, and
her dad had agreed,
"First, clean up this room!"
they both had decreed.
"But, Mom," Hillie called
from her bedroom door,
"Straightening up is
my least favorite chore!"
Where lay the challenge –
or inspiration –
of lining things up in
perfect formation?
But wait... Hillie thought,
hold on to your hat!
"There's more than one way
to group this with that!"
Hillie dove into her
closet and under the bed,
tossing kit and kaboodle
of stuff overhead.
Putting green frogs in shoes,
red balls in red rockets,
and blue marbles and rings
in navy vest pockets.
Her room was a rainbow,
red, yellow and violet,
from bottom to top
she'd completely restyled it.
Hillie said with delight,
"I've created a wonder!"
but "Straighten this room!"
boomed her father like thunder.
Hillie's snout drooped, and
her back spines did, too.
What else could a clever
Young dinosaur do?
"I know!" Hillie cried,
with a snap of her claws;
and she built a new pile
without further pause.
Dropping nickels on saucers,
and board games on books;
pencils and drumsticks
with belts pulled from hooks.
Rectangles were layered
as neatly as bricks;
straight stuff and round stuff –
each had its own mix.
But it took but one look,
for Mom to cry in distress,
"Hillie, when will you start
to clean up all this mess?"
Hillie sorted by size
and type of collection,
but none of her efforts
passed her parents' inspection.
With a sigh, Hillie said,
"I give up. Okay?
I'll clean up my room
the dinosaur way."
Boots went with baseballs,
and mirrors with mittens,
crayons joined crackers,
and kite tails wrapped kittens.
Her parents peeked in
and beamed wide with pride,
"We knew you could do it! Time
to go play outside."
Hillie said as she left,
"I really don't get
why dinos must sort stuff
by the ALPHABET!"