With two peonies for Eyes
Bokchoy for a nose,
Marigolds in a row for feathers
I see an owl in the garden.

Little fushia blossoms
Open
Like the sun.

Even little quails
Bow down to me.

(Some recent poems.)

'This is the best South American food I've ever had!' (Empanadas at Sangria)

'Oh, such language, dog!' (to the dog.)

If I were the President of a new country the rules would be

• No Polluting the rainforests
• No fishing for tuna without permission
• No dumping trash in the ocean

The flag would look like this (picture) because

• It would represent peace

(Class assignment)

'Nelly, your breath is burning a hole in my ozone layer.'

9. Write four foods you like to eat. I like to eat pizza, pineapple, mango, and beets. (Class assignment.)

(Her friend M):
'When I move to France I want to learn Scottish.'

'I'm putting these olives on a toothpick so I can put them in my Tiki Punch.'

'You have a fever. It's 110 degrees Fahrenheit and 40 degrees Calcium.'

'Whoever the next president is should put more makeup stores in all the malls.'

'When I'm not too old, like 20, I'm going to be a marine biologist. Then when I'm older, like 30, I'm going to be a circus trainer.'

Mom: Have you been reading this book in your backpack?
Em: Only in my head. I do it on the bus.

'Love. Life. Love. Life.' (Used as a chant or mantra while swimming laps at the pool.)

'I frown on green beans.'

While poking at the dog's eye: 'Is that a goober or is it DNA? DNA is in a single strand, you know.'

'I feel like a coelocanth.'

'I found this cork on the beach. When I find the bottle I'll put a message in it and send it to you in the bathtub.'

'Oo, my tummy feels like plate tectonics.'

'I'm making coded messages with Scrabble. This stands for X-ray Dog To Unicorn Bat.'

The Woofy Special Dessert
1/2 candy cane
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup blueberries
Mix all ingredients until purple-reddish

'I wouldn't want to live in a world without makeup.'

'Silkworms don't like cupcakes.'

'Ah, the sweet smell of FedEx.'

Here is my new poem:
Upon the milky vows I wait
For a fish to bite.
Almost to this very night
On the milky vows of lake Shang Wong.
Your dearest Shan Ti.

'Let's be detectives. Every detective needs a good dog that can smell a cooking goose through glass.'

'Dad, will you buy me a Benjamin Franklin Action Figure? It has a plastic kite and key.'

'If you want something to drink just go to Drinks Dot Com.'

'When I grow up I'm going to be a paleontologist with my hair died pink.'

'I don't do physics but I can see physics.'

'I love the way helicopters look but I hate the way they sound.'

'She rang me like an alarm clock.'

'Now I need to be on my smelt course. A smelt, please!'

Well, at least you neatened up the house. (On returning from four days out of town).

'I'm sitting out here looking at the stars so I can constellate.'

'I can think 12 speeds at once. I don't need food.'

'Would a boneless chicken lay an egg without a shell?'

'Maybe next Halloween I'll dress as Sacajawea. If there is a horse for sale we can buy it.'

'Nellie, come have some foie gras.'

'An apostrophe of flying straw.'

'They made a mistake in this book. They say this is Blackbeard the Pirate but it should be Redbeard the Pirate. They should check the Dictionary of Pirates.'

'You just don't understand children's music.'

'That was a million kisses. They were all put together in one big smooch.'

'I gave my baby a bindi. I gave myself one, too. I used a Hello Kitty marker. I had to use pink because I couldn't find red.'

'It's called Mighty Meaty Meal. It's a pizza for dogs.'

Let's pretend the flavors are grape, cherry and ham. (Popsicles)

'Sometimes wind goes down my esophagus and food goes down my windpipe.'

Whoa, cool music. (Crosby, Stills, Nash in TriState)

Opening birthday presents: Oh Karl, it's perfect. Wherever did you find it?

'I don't like George Bush. Abraham Lincoln is my favorite president. He freed the slaves.'

'Dad, one more thing: you really are Mr. Perfect.'