Tale #13 -- Stacy

"Welcome back!" Dancing Bear said to Ben. "It's nice to see you again."

"Hello, Dancing Bear," Ben said. "This is my friend Stacy. She's in my class."

"Ben read his poem at school today," Stacy said. "It's great. I want to write a poem too. Will you help me?"

"Come on in," Dancing Bear said. The children looked cold, so she made them some hot chocolate.

"What do you want to write a poem about?" Dancing Bear asked Stacy.

"I don't know," Stacy said. "That's the problem."

"Tell me about something you really like," Dancing Bear said.

"Well," said Stacy, "I love balloons."

"That could be the first line of a poem," Dancing Bear said. "I love balloons . . ."

"I don't know why . . ." Ben added.

"What's next?" Dancing Bear asked.

"Does it have to rhyme?" Stacy asked.

"Only if you want it to," Dancing Bear said.

"I like rhymes," Stacy said.

"Let's think," Dancing Bear said, "What rhymes with why?"

Stacy wrinkled her forehead and thought. "Pie rhymes with why."

"Sky and fly . . ." Ben added.

"My oh my . . . dry . . . high . . . try . . . " Stacy said. "This is fun!"