It's Hard to Teach You to Read

It's hard to teach you to read.

When our first books are all about a fat cat,

That found a rat on a mat beside his hat.

When I wonder if the resources I am using are right,

When you sometimes put up a big fight.

It's hard to teach you to read.

When we work and work on sounding out,

When we both struggle with frustration and doubt.

When we sound out s-i-t and you come up with "it,"

When it's just too hard and you throw a fit.

It's hard to teach you to read.

When could and would should

Rhyme with g-o-o-d, good.

And good should rhyme with f-o-o-d, food,

But instead that rhymes with d-u-d-e, dude.

It's hard to teach you to read.

But you are getting it my son,

We have work to do yet, we are not quite done.

And though it is hard for YOU to learn to read,

I promise my dear, it will be worth it indeed.

It's hard to teach you to read.

Though when we get it, we will see,

That the sky is within our reach for you and for me.

Characters will link us to lands unknown,

Beautiful thoughts and poetry our minds will own.

It's hard to teach you to read.

But when we succeed, history will come alive,

In the knowledge of science and technology you'll thrive.

The Word of God becomes our instruction book each day,

So that we are never without His wisdom and lost in our own way.

It's not that hard to teach you to read.

And oh my darling, it's so very worth it.

-Stacy Craven, 2018