Little Toy Engine

A little toy engine sits on my shelf,
It isn’t mine. I didn’t buy it for myself,
It was part of a birthday present for a special boy,
a battery-run, magnetic, self-propelling toy
that was meant to pull its wagons round a track.
It didn’t work and I had to bring it back.
A replacement engine is on its way.
I’m hoping it will arrive today.
If you didn’t know, you might overlook
the little toy engine surrounded by books.
But I know. Because it’s small, it fits
in the palm of my hand as I pass and sit
at my desk, and it gives me inspiration:
a little toy engine to spark my imagination.

Kim M. Russell, 1st April 2020

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My response to Poets and Storytellers United Weekly Scribblings #13: All The Small Things

Rommy wishes us a happy April, and reminds us that life is now moving at a slower pace because of the corona virus pandemic. She says that she’s adapting to it by savouring the slowness and considering her relationship to all the small things in her life. She asks us to create a new piece of poetry or prose (fiction or non-fiction) that incorporates the idea of ‘small things’.

My poem is whimsical, to cheer myself up, as I can only interact with my grandson via Face messaging, and don’t know when I’ll get to cuddle and play with him again.

28 thoughts on “Little Toy Engine”

  1. Oh, I have memories of those types of trains too when my now giant children were tiny. Their trains got handed down to my nephew when the time came.

    I know this time is hard on you, and on loving grandparents everywhere. *hugs*

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    1. I bought it for Lucas for his birthday at the beginning of the month. We put a battery in and it worked for about 20 minutes and then stopped. We tried everything but it wouldn’t work again. I brought it back with me but it would cost more than the engine is worth to send it back, so I ordered a new one, just the engine as he still has the wagons. Now I have it. 🙂

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  11. I love the rhyme and reason of your poem. It’s lovely. And I can relate. I have toys in my room (where I write, read and paint). I just have them for fun, but now I’ll see them as inspiration too.

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  12. I had my father’s pocket watch in a small domed display case for years. Last month, I gave it to my daughter. I like to think it will watch over her as it has me for all these years, much like your little engine!

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