Ruby Kaila Malhotra
Moderator 
Title: "Wee Willie Winkie Lost His Gummies"
Author: Amb Ruby Kaila Malhotra/Ruby Meraki Oenomel
Country: Canada
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Terrible twos could sketch, kindergarten couldn't fetch
Memories banks weave in, and out of each other bows like threads
Of an intricate brocade, some shining bright as the morning moon
Arms around, toothless grins, candy canes, stockings
Oops!
While mothers fade into the twilight, whispers past wee bask
Running to or from, that splinter on the swing, those blisters, fault!
A gentle breeze stirs the leaves, carrying scents of distant lands?
We could never decide chocolate, banana or mango ice cream!
As petals unfurl and flowers bloom in vibrant hues, painting the world?
The trampoline, slide and spring horse played dots, knots and crosses?
With colors that dance and swirl, like the brushstrokes
of a master artist's hand?
Me first or Max? I was, he reduced to tears
Each one a testament to life's beauty, its ever-changing tapestry?
Boys don't cry? He fussed, I stomped, and neighbors giggled
In every moment, a story unfolds, a chapter in the book of days?
My paper boat was white, his blue, the waters red.
A narrative of love, loss, laughter and tears, etched upon the heart?
I loved painting animals in the petting zoo, he playing ball!
The lines may blur, but the memories remain, echoes of
what we've known?
Will he be my prince mommy? Shuts Cindy!
A bittersweet nostalgia that clings, refusing to let go?
Sundays we went to church school together, o just color!
Summer's warmth gives way to autumn's golden light,
A harvest of gold!
He wore suspenders, I frilly all. Chuckle!
Falling leaves rustle softly, a lullaby of fading years, yearn
We made mud pies every day and stepped all over them!
And though the seasons turn, the cycles repeat,
a never-ending rhyme
When Miss Stern wouldn't sit us together, he giggled!
The memories linger, a reminder of what's past, yet remains!
At school I loved to draw and he, play board games!
In the stillness of the night, the stars appear, a celestial show!
I loved bumper cars, and the carousel pride!
Twinkling diamonds against the velvet expanse,
a canvas of wonder and awe?
We fooled around all day on the beach and at night on the terrace!
Their light a reminder of the magic that surrounds us,
A mystery yet untold
I never wore pajamas to bed, and he always!
A cosmic ballet, where worlds and galaxies entwine,
Them stories unfolding
He had brown, dark hair, mine Goldilocks!
Yet amidst the vastness of space, we find our place,
a small but vital part
I hated his mommy, and he loved my dad!
Connected to all that is, a thread in the intricate web of
sandbox existence
He, loved, apple pies, and I snap crackers!
Our hearts beating in sync with the universe's rhythm,
a symphony rooms so grand?
His favorite color was blue, mine. Dunno!
In perfect harmony, we move, a dance of love and belonging,
across the land!
His daddy worked at the post office; my dad has a store!
In this grand tapestry of life, our stories intertwine, a rich
embroidery
Spunky love him, and Panther was also my best friend!
Each thread unique, yet together they create a work of art sublime
Why do hens sit still, and ducks run around?
A masterpiece of moments lived, of dreams pursued,
of love and loss and all
Mommy why can't I go to Max's school?
A testament to the human spirit, resilient, strong,
and forever bound to stand
We would splash in the pool and pond and sneeze all night!
For even as we walk through shadows,
the darkness cannot consume
I loved to tell him secrets, and he loved to giggle and smack!
For within it lies a glimmer of hope,
a spark that refuses to succumb
I loved to play dress up and he loved pottery!
A flame that flickers still, a beacon of promise,
shining bright and true
Sometimes we just rode our bikes,
and he pulled my piggy tails!
Guiding us forward, through trials and tribulations, until we
reach the other side anew
The gum he stuck in my hair, made me bawl!
In this grand adventure, we search for meaning,
for answers to life's great questions
Why do we squabble?
Why am I here? What lies beyond the veil?
What secrets hide beneath the surface?
Lo, see those twinkles, why did Alice go to Wonderland?
But perhaps the answer lies not in the destination,
but in the journey itself
Bats sleep upside, sloths too, and so do mommy and daddy!
For it is in the act of living, of loving, of laughing and of crying,
that we find the truth
One day I broke my leg, and I cried! He giggled!
That life is precious, fleeting, a gift to be cherished,
a treasure to behold
He had more shells than I did, I had more clips and rings!
A delicate balance of light and shadow, of joy and sorrow,
Of love and pain
I loved puppet shows and he the circus!
A dance between two worlds, where we find our home,
our haven, our heart
Will we be friends forever?
In the tapestry of time, where memories weave in and out,
Forever to impart
The next day Max moved to Tent city
