Everything looks different when you’re standing on the moon
The Earth seems smaller, just for one
Not all that grand next to the sun
And yet you see it is alive
Its brilliant colors fill your eyes
And even though the darkness rolls across it every day
Twelve hours pass and then that dark is slowly pushed away.

Yes, everything looks different when you’re standing on the moon
Your only food in freeze-dried packs
Your oxygen strapped to your back
Life-giving home is far away
You’re in a place you cannot stay
You’re caught between the wonder that you ever made it here
And the knowledge that you’re vulnerable and that there’s much to fear

In that one moment, on the moon, so many things seem clear

  
The sink full of dishes is smelling quite strange
The mountain of laundry’s turned into a range
There’s dust on the mantle and toys on the floor
I’ve never seen so many cobwebs before

But here is my bucket and here is my mop
My hair is tied into a bun way up top
I’ve rolled up my sleeves, donned my pink rubber gloves
I’ve turned up the songs I especially love

I’ll brave that odd smell; I won’t shrink from the stains
I’ll climb every inch of that whole mountain range
I’ll battle the dust, whip the toys into shape
I’ll hunt down web-makers; not one will escape

For as much as we’d like all of life to be play
There’s a battle that has to be fought every day
The most common of lives still takes courage and grit
But we’re happier, far happier, when we don’t quit

  
If you aren’t already, you’ll soon be aware
That life’s very odd and has weirdness to spare
But nothing will blow your mind more on this earth
Than to think of your life and the fact of your birth

Forever the world turned and you weren’t in it
One day there was no you, and then in a minute
Inside of your mother, you suddenly were
A whole brand new person, what a thing to occur!

And then came the day when you ran out of space
You were finally ready to show off your face
Not one single human had ever yet met you
Then, boom, there you were, for us all to come get you

Each year we make cake just to celebrate that
It explains the balloons and that weird pointed hat
Because where there was silence, your bold voice appeared
And our life is more magical now that you’re here

The slide is empty, the swings hang limp
No shouts of laughter, no taunts of “wimp!”
The bench holds nothing but some dried-up drool
The children all have gone back to school

The quiet seems sad to those passing by
We imagine the lonely park wanting to cry
Though such sudden stillness to us speaks of grief
In truth all of the playground breathes a sigh of…relief

“At last I’ve a break from my sick dizzy spinning!”
Says the merry-go-round to the slide, who is grinning
“Oh yes, and sweet rest,” slide says, kissing the ground
“No more feet climbing up when they should just slide down!”

“And we don’t have to hear our chains rattle and squeak,”
Sigh the swings in a whisper, too tired to speak.
“Let’s be still for a while,” says the seesaw in turn.
“An end to the ups and the downs has been earned!”

It’s only the sandbox who feels sentimental
Who imagines sweet baby hands, chubby and gentle
But perhaps children screaming just cannot quite grieve her
Compared to the cats and the gifts they now leave her

I’m up, I’m up! Don’t pester me.
I put my leg into my sleeve!
My hat is firmly on my knee!
I’m dressed and ready, can’t you see?

Of course I’m set to catch the bus!
I packed my breakfast, ate my lunch
Plate’s in my backpack, as we discussed.
My phone’s in the sink, so why the fuss?

I’m on my way, no time to lose
I can go out the back door if I choose!
I did NOT just trip. That is NOT a bruise!
What do you mean I’m not wearing shoes?

Okay, so maybe I’m slightly tired
The plot of that book was so inspired!
Yes, I slept. Eight hours aren’t required!
It was only 5 am when I retired!

So I’m just fine and I’m off to school!
Combing hair isn’t an absolute rule!
Yes, unmatched socks are extremely cool!
You’ll admit that I’m right. You will see. You’ll…

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

For E and A, because I promised.

A walrus would make a terrible spy
You don’t have to think hard to figure out why
Can you picture one casually walk down the street?
He would totally stand out. He doesn’t have feet!

Or what if “spy walrus” had cause to attend
A fancy dress party, where he’d have to pretend
To fit in order to find the torpedo?
There’s no way that a walrus could pull off a tuxedo!

If timing was critical, a bomb needed disarmed
A spy with no fingers would be cause for alarm
Or imagine the bad guy is getting away
Could a walrus give chase? More like waddle and sway.

Yes, perhaps underwater he could be of some use
And those tusks are quite sharp, I’m not being obtuse
But honestly, we have submarines that don’t need to eat
And a tusk-wound is not…let’s say…very discreet

So thank you for thinking outside of the box
I can’t tell you how much I enjoy these fun talks
But out here in the real world, where road’s met by rubber
We need secret agents with somewhat less blubber