Happy Heart

With one exception, the poems in this collection were written over the past few years. Many focus on subjects that fill a child's world: the wonders of nature, such as the metamorphosis of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly or the beauty of the stars in the sky; or the things that bring happiness to a child, such as toys, clowns and friends. Also included are poems about love: the love of a parent or grandparent for a child, romantic love as it grows and changes through the years, and many others. All these can appeal to readers of all ages and at all levels. The poems began as the author's contribution to a community service project being done by middle school students with whom she was working. They were making three-dimensional illustrations of nursery rhymes and basic number information, as a community service project for blind or visually impaired children. When the middle schoolers were no longer inspired by the traditional works, Mrs. Sirico began writing simple poems for them to illustrate. After that, writing poems in response to people or events that touched her personally and emotionally became a comfortable and natural means of self-expression. In working with children over the years, the importance of visualizing what they read and/or hear, of being able to make connections between the written word and their own life experiences and how that can enhance their understanding of and their appreciation for the works before them, became increasingly clear. The original four-color illustrations in this book were created by Anita Emmans. Happy Heart also includes four visualization exercises which allow places within the pages where your child(ren) can be the illustrator, making the poems almost as personal to each of them as they are to the writer. In today's world, the senses and sensibilities of our young people are too often bombarded by the special effects of TV and film, video games, and loud music. With its gentle words and soft images, Happy Heart provides them with a different type of experience; it provides them with a peaceful place to land in the midst of or at the end of a busy day. It is the writer's hope and belief that the feelings expressed in these works are universal and, that as you and your child(ren) read and enjoy them, they will touch a place within each of you and make a connection to your Happy Heart.