"S" is Very Hard to Say

This is for Abigail (aged 4) who is still learning how to say her "S" and "R" sounds.

It's written as it should be read - "S" replaced with "TH" and "R" replaced with "W". However, because it gets a bit tricky to follow when written like that, I have also included a "translation" for you under each line.

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I think that "eth" ith thomething that ith vewy hard to thay
^{I think that "S" is something that is very hard to say}
My tongue jutht thort of doethn't theem to thay it the wight way!
^{My tongue just sort of doesn't seem to say it the right way!}
I'm thuppothed to thort of thay it with my tongue behind my teeth
^{I'm supposed to sort of say it with my tongue behind my teeth}
But my tongue jutht thort of wiggleth and popth out underneath!
^{But my tongue just sort of wriggles and pops out underneath!}

And even if I get it, I often theem to find
^{And even if I get it, I often seem to find}
That although my "eth"eth are "eth"eth,
^{That although my Ss are Ss,}
My "ar"th are left behind!
^{My Rs are left behind!}

Tho when I thay "I wan and thplathhed and thwam into the thea"
^{So when I say "I ran and splashed and swam into the sea"}
Or "Wothie'th wipping wotheth up to make thomething for me"
^{Or "Rosie's ripping roses up to make something for me"}
Then people theem to thnigger and twy to copy me!
^{Then people seem to snigger and try to copy me!}

It thometimeth maketh me thort of bluth or feel a little thad
^{It sometimes makes me sort of blush or feel a little sad}
Ethpethially when I'm twying to thay a nithe thing to my dad.
^{Especially when I'm trying to say a nice thing to my dad.}

But I know they not being nathty
^{But I know they not being nasty}
They jutht like thound it maketh
^{They just like sound it makes}
And they know that I'm jutht learning
^{And they know that I'm just learning}
And that I thtill make thome mithtaketh
^{And that I still make some mistakes}

Tho I thay a little pwayer
^{So I say a little prayer}
('Coth God will underthtand)
^{('Cos God will understand)}
And I thnuggle up to Daddy
^{And I snuggle up to Daddy}
And I hold him by the hand
^{And I hold him by the hand}
And we thit and laugh together
^{And we sit and laugh together}
(Which maketh uth both feel gwand)
^{(Which makes us both feel grand)}
And he helpth me to thay: "essss"
^{And he helps me to say: "S"}
And: "Ssssally rrrran along the ssssand".
^{And: "Sally ran along the sand".}

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- Mark H (DelightInLight.com)

Note: This is one of a number of poems for Christian children that I have posted on this blog. If you want to see more of them, please have a look at this post: "Fun Poems for Kids"

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