by Mare Leonard
Surround him with people who smile
Do not leave him alone, ever
Fear what he might say or surrender
Keep his name in all your briefs
Give him all the help he needs
Make sure he pockets his candy
Doesn't give away Yosemite
Be careful, tiptoe, offer treats
Flatter him, coddle him, praise him
Remind him what country he's in
And above all, promise he can tweet
Mare Leonard's work has appeared in A Rat's Ass, Perfume River, The Courtship of Wind, Bindweed, Forage, TheNewVerse.News, The Chronogram. She lives in an old school house overlooking the Rondout Creek. Away from her own personal blackboard, she teaches writing workshops for all ages through the Institute for Writing and Thinking and the MAT program at Bard College.