When I heard you ripping off the wrapping paper keeping me hostage
I knew you were just as excited as me
when I saw you for the first time there was a big smile on your face
and so every day when you come back from school you’ll take me out of the toy box and we’ll go on our little adventures until the sun sets
those were times I could never forget
when you dress me up as a pirate and made me go down the slide with you while you screamed “AARRRR!!!”
when you would dress me up in little outfits
to match what you’re wearing almost everyday day
and I still remember those nights when you would read stories about fantasies and superheroes until you doze off to sleep
with me right next to you
hoping that no nightmares disturb your precious dreams
back then I see those as memories of nostalgia
but when you got older you started acting strangely off
it was as if one day you were leaving the door to go to school
and suddenly the next day your replacing almost everything that looked “childish”
but that didn’t bother me at all
when you replaced every inch of your wall with band posters
removing all your clothes that were filled with color to colors that represent the meaning of shallow
to taking out every toy and putting unfinished homework that you’ll never touch ever again
even those nights that I thought were still in our schedule for bedtime stories are now replaced with nights of you taking pieces of your unfinished homework, putting a weird substance on top of it, rolling it up and smoking it outside the window
the smell disturbed me and left the little remnants on my fur overalls
and on some days your parents who would yell at you when catching you do it out of sight
which led to you slamming the door on them multiple times
before I would watch this all this happen on the corner of your bed
but now you changed my location to where I am now next to the night lamp you don’t use any more
during this period of our lives it was like a roller coaster
until one day you slammed the door
and came back again with a sign of maturity around you
with band posters ripped off the and your secret stash thrown away
I observed you putting things away in boxes with your parents watching you with small smiles on their faces
I didn’t understand what was going on
until I saw a college paper near my line of sight
before you took off and said goodbye to your parents
you noticed me for the first time in a long time
I was collecting dust on my fur
with cobwebs piled on my buttons eyes and overalls
with the particles of that weird substance still lingering on me
you picked me up for the last time and tidied me up so I looked new
and instead of putting me the numerous of boxes you put me in a separate singular box
you carried me away and put me in a car
then we drove away for a couple hours
until we reached a new destination
you knocked on a door and a woman appeared and you guys talked for a while but before I knew it you put me in her arms and watch you leave
I finally realizing I will never be in your arms again
soon a few days past by
the woman wrapped me up in rainbow paper with a bow on it
and carried me away to a celebration
before I could question what was happening
I heard a young voice unwrapping the paper that kept me hostage again
then I saw a new face both filled with excitement and joy
and so the cycle repeats

A bear however how hard he tries,
Grows tubby without exercise.
Our Teddy bear grows short and fat-
Which is not to be wondered at.

He gets what exercise he can
By falling off the ottoman-
But generally seem to lack,
The energy to clamber back.

Now tubbiness is just the thing.
Which gets a fellow wondering-
And Teddy worries a lot about
The fact that he was rather stout.

He thought” If only I were thin!
But how would anyone begin?
It really isn’t fair
To judge one exercise and air.”

You are my family.
Given the choice I would choose you,
and you alone.

I would go to the ends of the earths
just to find you.
Because if not for you:
what is my reason for existence?
For breathing?
For putting up with everything and everyone?

You are the reason,
and you are it alone.
You are my whole world,
my everything.
My love at first sight.

My buddy as Mrs. Kelley would say.
You are my partner in this,
ever since that first kiss.

That was my way of saying
you can have my shattered heart.
As long as you can put it back together.

I love you my Noah,
my teddy bear,
my love,
my everything.

All the animals have come to play,
before you gently rest your head.
They have been waiting all day,
to see you before you to go to bed.

The bunny excitedly jumps around,
wiggling his nose, not making a sound.
The teddy bear, a faithful friend,
hopes the friendship will never end.

The lion awakens from his slumber,
his growl as loud as thunder.
The panda eats his bamboo,
thinking he is lucky to have found you.

The frog with his body of green,
jumps on the bed with dangling feet.
Do not forget the elephant with floppy ears
for drying up your tiny tears.

ALesiach © 11/6/2014

in 1992, a child is born
and handed a gift.

he opens the box labelled "life"
and examines its contents.

a blanket hand-stitched
with hope, perseverance,
and comfort

draped over a teddy bear
stuffed with fearful nightmares,
and heartache.

a blue jar labelled "sadness",
containing fluttering butterflies
symbolizing joy.

a ticket for the rollercoaster
he's finally tall enough to ride,
with no warning
of the endless ups and downs.

that two-minute rush
of adrenaline
followed by hours
of motion sickness.

this child
is now twenty six.

he is staring at the empty
box labelled "life" -

at the worn-out blanket
lying next to
the teddy bear's stuffing -

at the shards of blue glass
and butterfly corpses -

at the torn up carnival ticket.

he regrets ever accepting this gift.

- v.m

She was sad,
She needed someone who cared.
She went into her room
Just like every night
And held onto him
She cried her heart out
Though she never spoke
He could understand everything
He knew her better than anyone else
People would think she's crazy
But she knew better
She knew he knew
He'd been watching her from a child
Yet he never judged her
Teddy was always there for her.