When I Am Big

Found this today while looking for something else.  It's kind of book 2 1/2 of the Henry trilogy - I liked the basic idea but it didn't lend itself particularly well to illustration.

WHEN I AM BIG

One day this will all be just memories.
~ E.

Henry is a small boy with a big memory.
He even remembers things
that happened before he was born,
like when his father
met his mother at a party.
Henry remembers cake and balloons
and musical chairs.

Henry has seen pictures
of his parents as children.
They look like themselves, only smaller.
When I am big, says Henry,
you will be small.

When I am big, says Henry,
I will have lots and lots of children.
There will be so many of them,
that they will have to live
in two shoes.

When I am big, says Henry,
I will wear my Halloween costume
whenever I feel like it.

When I am big, says Henry,
I will look after you.
I will make your lunch
and wash your clothes,
but you will have to tie your own shoes.
I will tuck you into bed at night
and you can tell me all about your day.

When I am big, says Henry,
I will eat pancakes three meals a day.
and if I feel like it
I will even have pancakes for dessert.

When I am big, says Henry,
I will live in this house.
My children will wear my old clothes
and play with my old toys.
And when you come to visit,
you will say what a nice home we have.

When I am big, says Henry,
I will go to bed when I feel like it.
And I will never feel like it.
I will stay up so late
I will finally see if the moon
sets the same way the sun does.

When I am big, says Henry,
I will travel around the world.
Each place I visit will be nicer
than the place before, until
I get back here and home will be
the best place of all.

When I am big, says Henry,
I will get married to someone
who can play the bottom notes on the piano
while I play the top notes.
We will be best friends forever.

When I am big, says Henry,
I will tell my children everything I know.
This will take a very long time,
and then one day they will be big too.

When I am big, says Henry,
I will be so big
that I will be able to carry the two of you
in my jacket pockets and take you
with me, everywhere I go.

When I am big, says Henry,
I will go to the moon,
and when I am get there,
I will send you a postcard.

When I am big, says Henry,
Will I remember all these days?
If they are gone, then where do they go?
If we found a big enough box,
could we pack them away,
and keep them forever?


When I am big, says Henry,
we will still sit together,
just like now.
You will still tell me stories
about when I was small.
I will never be too big,
to be your little boy.

THE END