Elizabeth here, with a shout out to Isaac of Seattle, who turns TEN YEARS OLD TODAY!

[To be read aloud to Isaac, if there is the opportunity!]

(…It also happens to be a rather big birthday of another Seattle-based individual by the name of SAM who turns 21 today – Happy Birthday to you too, Sam! and BE SAFE!)

Double Digit Day
(a Birthday Poem for Isaac)

I tried to write a poem
but I kept on getting stuck.
Knowing that your mother teaches
poetry makes me choke–ack–uck!
But I’ll enjamb the rhymes and reasons
for the fun I know you’ll get
on this fortieth of seasons–
may it be the best one yet!

In honor of your special day
I Googled the name “Isaac.”
There were a bunch out there I found:
Newton, Asimov, Russell, Hayes,
Mizrahi, Morley, Singer,
[I got stuck a while on Hayes,
his YouTube vids? Humdingers!
I could watch him sing for days.]
but I stopped at seven Isaacs,
quite enough, I’d have to say.

Isaac, by the power vested in me as your auntie-out-law,
I declare on this, your first Double Digit Birthday
you should hereby receive:
TWICE and DOUBLE everything everything required by one in your position…

Twice the speed getting out of bed,
Double the games made up in your head,
Two times the friends and family,
Double the brouhaha and tickling!
Twice as high, let your kite fly
(but don’t crash it twice as hard)
and since it’s Friday
your parents should let
twice the sleep-over buddies
that a weekday birthday gets!

And should you have the luck to jump
upon a trampoline?
Now that you’re ten,
you know you’ll jump
more than twice your height –
but please,
when you land go twice as gently
and just giggle twice as long,
while everybody sings that
happy happy birthday birthday to to you you song
(in double time, and twice through, for good measure
I dare ya, how fast can you do it?)

With all that birthday humor,
I hope you take good care,
to drink your juice at intervals
when you are not breathing air!
Or else what should go down your pipes
will come up the other way,
and what you’re drinking exits
through your nose, I hate to say!
While that may be funny to your guests,
for the birthday boy it’snot,
so drink and joke with caution,
or your nose may sting a lot!
Take my advice and play it safe,
and also, if you’re able
always keep a hanky handy
and don’t read this at the table.

Happy Birthday, Isaac, TEN YEARS OLD TODAY!
With love and ten spankings,
Your “A-O-L”,
Elizabeth