Editor’s note: Toby Baker-Rouse was a 9-year-old fourth-grader in Middlebury when he submitted this poem to the Young Writers Project this past school year.
 

Today The Baby Crawled on Me
 
Today the baby crawled on me,
with kisses and with drool.
My mother brought him up the stairs
to get me up for school.
 
Today, the dog, she jumped on me –
she sat upon my head.
My mother brought her up the stairs
to get me out of bed.
 
Today my sister woke me up,
with stomping and a yell.
She thumped her way down all the stairs,
louder than alarm bells.
 
Today my brother jumped on me,
and my blankets he did take.
My mother sent him up the stairs
to see I was awake.
 
Today my mother sang to me,
as she is apt to do.
It was very loud and all off-key,
but got me up for school.
 
Today nobody woke me up;
I slept till almost noon.
I wore pajamas, read, and played –
but Monday comes too soon.