“Dinkle” is Michael’s nickname for Sophia. It occurred to me not long ago that “My Daddy Calls Me Dinkle” just had a sort of “ring” to it, and I thought it might make a good title for a book for her. Then the first two lines of this popped into my head, and I thought, “poem,” so I worked this out. It’s a free verse poem that I am planning (somehow – haven’t figured that part out, yet) to make into a board book for Sophia. The plan is to use photos of her and of us.  (By the way, there’s some formatting in the “curly…” part and in the last line that’s lost in posting; they should be spaced over.)

My Daddy Calls Me Dinkle

My daddy calls me, “Dinkle,”
With a twinkle in his eye.
He likes to hear me giggle
When I wriggle with delight.

My eyes are blue like his,
Which is, I guess, no big surprise.
Our hair is also curly
swirly
whirly
twirly
(Even once it dries.)

I have long feet and fingers,
So some people like to say
That maybe I will play the
Big piano well someday.

I drink my mama’s yummy milk
To keep my tiny tummy filled,
And when it’s time to go to bed,
I cover up my sleepy head.

When I awake, I kick my feet
To make a beat upon the sheet.
I like to grunt, and coo, and chatter,
Babble, squeal, and gibber-jabber.

My favorite toy’s a book
That crackles, crinkles when it wrinkles.
I also like to look into my mirror, and see
…Dinkle!