Monarchs of Their Own Realm



Amidst the grime and dirt
there’s merriment and mirth.
Children’s hands with mud and dirt
giving life a new rebirth.
Their whimpering and scampering
not ever ever dampening
chances to rip and tear a toy.
For adults, something horrible
to destroy!
Play act for children is a joy…
adults observing to annoy.
And from this act that causes pain
there’s precious insight yet to gain:
“Though adults may bewilder,
a child at heart is builder.
Although their acts to tinker
may adults overwhelm,
let’s concede they’re princely,
monarchs of their own realm!”

About this poem

Noted for his pioneer work in genetic epistemology and cognitive development in young children, Swiss psychologist Jean Genet Piaget famously observed that children and play activity seem to go well together, and that children indeed learn through play, a natural act that may sometimes appear as quite destructive from an adult’s perspective. As octogenarian retired educators and grandparents of thirteen grandchildren, my wife and I are often confronted by the hustle and the bustle of our grandchildren’s creative genius. Four of our thirteen grandchildren (“the Beasley M4”) currently reside with us and, quite understandably, our house has become their creative enterprise. Observing this spectacle my wife, with a gleam in her eyes, declared to me this phrase: “Amidst the grime and dirt!” I could instantly grasp the poetry in the phrase, and shortly thereafter, began to compose this poem, which I have entitled “Monarchs of Their Own Realm.” 

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Written on November 06, 2021

Submitted by karlcfolkes on November 06, 2021

Modified on March 07, 2023

27 sec read
573

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABABCCDEDDDFFGGGHIH
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 550
Words 93
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 19

Karl Constantine FOLKES

Retired educator of Jamaican ancestry with a lifelong interest in composing poetry dealing particularly with the metaphysics of self-reflection; completed a dissertation in Children’s Literature in 1991 at New York University entitled: An Analysis of Wilhelm Grimm’s “Dear Mili” Employing Von Franzian Methodological Processes of Analytical Psychology. The subject of the dissertation concerned the process of Individuation. more…

All Karl Constantine FOLKES poems | Karl Constantine FOLKES Books

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4 Comments
  • karlcfolkes
    Another way to acknowledge William Wordsworth’s poetic declaration that a child is father of the man.
    LikeReply1 year ago
  • dougb.72572
    This is excellent representation of the child on the road to becoming full, productive and loving adult. Good stuff Karl…Douglas Blair
    LikeReply1 year ago
  • Dougla$Irishman
    Child's play is the tender years in forming our adult lives !
    What a wonderful poem, it should bring back memories to all of us !
    Bravo.
    LikeReply 12 years ago
  • Soulwriter
    Wow - unique writing!
    LikeReply 12 years ago

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"Monarchs of Their Own Realm" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 18 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/113435/monarchs-of-their-own-realm>.

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